Chapter 356

General Vulen could hear the cold tone from the king but the moment the silence came over them he calmed down. The general could see the pained worry in the eyes of his king. They had known each other since childhood. King Joseph had always supported General Vulen in everything he had done.

Ah. This time I took it too far... General Vulen wanted to laugh at himself when he realized King Joseph was not intending to help him this time.

No. King Joseph wanted to help but it was impossible in his position as the king. Even the king had limitations to what he could do.

"What were you thinking by coming back here?" King Joseph sighed into the palm of his hand as he pondered what he should do, "I may be a member of the Lovette family but I am not able to sit still like the pope in this situation."

King Joseph of Yiven Kingdom was related to the Lovette. The name of the Lovette family had come from his own family bloodline. When his sister had married the pope, Johann, he had taken the family name of the elves. The king did not refute his sister for marrying a human however many thought he had connections to pope.

The two of them did not get along however respected one another by keeping their distance. Of course this could have been considered the king's personal opinion. He never sought out his brother in law, the pope. After the death of his sister he had not once tried to find Johann.

General Vulen could see the king trying to make a weak joke and he grit his teeth, "I had nowhere else to go."

"You really have no bottom line when it comes to he ice queen." King Joseph shook his head as he spoke harshly.

"Don't call her that." General Vulen said instantly when he heard that name being spoken.

"I know she was once a sweet little girl and that you want to cling onto that memory of her," King Joseph looked at the general closely before saying, "but those days are long gone. She is already the bride of King Curtis."

"Those memories get me through my day." General Vulen did not want to listen to words about that man making Lyra his wife for power.

King Joseph paused before telling him, "Those memories have ruined you."

General Vulen looked at King Joseph with a dark expression on his face, "What are you going to do? Are you going to have me executed?"

"You know I can not let you leave here. What you did is considered treason against the kingdom, General Vulen!" King Joseph felt like he was talking to a stone wall. It was always impossible to convince the general that his decisions about Lyra were not the right move. This time he had taken things too far and there was no method of saving him from his fate.

The king added, "How long have I supported you as a friend regardless of what you wanted to do with the knights? I have allowed you to use my knights to serve the ice queen but you have betrayed the kingdom!"

"Your Majesty-!" General Vulen stepped forward to support King Joseph as he looked about to fall from the level of stress he was under. The king was not much older then General Vulen. His health had always been a bit delicate but that did not shake his spirit. Growing up King Joseph had always carried a bright personality that could light up a room.

The king wanted to laugh at the action of the general, "I am the last person you should be worrying about. Think about yourself for once in your life."

"I have always thought about myself. I am a very greedy person." General Vulen said with a straight face causing the king to chuckle.

"You know what this means, Vulen..." The king paused, "There is no going back from this."

General Vulen understood that the king could not let him off for everything that he had done, "I know it very well, Your Majesty."

"Knights!" King Joseph called out for the knights outside the room and they came rushing in instantly.

Shaking off General Vulen's kind gesture towards him the king stepped away from his old childhood friend. There was nothing left to do in this situation besides this as he started to walk out of the room he gave the knights his orders, "Imprison the general and keep a close watch over him."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The knights agreed to the command.

Surrounding General Vulen they began to drag him out of the room. The general could see his old friend walking away without taking a look back in his direction. He understood the reason the king would not look back. If King Joseph had looked back at he general he would only want to order the knights to release him. It was something the king could not allow himself to be swayed by.

General Vulen's voice called out to King Joseph from behind, "Are you going to kill me?"

General Vulen understood that the king could not let him walk away after everything he had done. However there was still a sliver of hope in his heart that he could at least see his queen one more time before he died. A small spark of hope in him that his friend would give in to him once more like he had over all those years.

The king had allowed him to use his knights to please Queen Lyra of Ethiadan. He had even allowed his friend, General Vulen, to use those knights to serve Queen Lyra earning the kingdom of Yiven a dark reputation among other kingdoms. It was something that King Joseph had allowed over the years since they were childhood friends. He had allowed everything in order to support their friendship.

It was never King Joseph who followed the god Chynir. The king had come to follow that god only at the cost of maintaining friendship over the years. In truth, King Joseph did not personally support any of the gods. Now the friend he gave everything for was asking him in front of the other knights for a last chance of hope. The king was being asked for a chance to spare Vulen's life.

King Joseph froze without looking back, "The date for execution will be decided later. Get him him to a cell quickly!"

Without giving the general another chance to speak the king quickly made haste to leave. General Vulen was dragged away by the knights towards the palace prison.

The king was left alone with a few of his servants and knights standing around. Their king could not be left unguarded when he was moving around the palace. It was often the reason King Joseph was known to sneak off on his own.

King Joseph could remember clearly the day he met General Vulen when they were kids. He was the first to approach him without an interest in treating him like the others. Vulen had always treated him as an equal when they were alone. That day Vulen had met him when he had sneaked off on his own when he was still a mere prince.

Now that he was king he was left with no choice but to put his old friend under execution for treason...