"Guillotine"

Just outside the Old Palace's gates was a high stage, and a wooden guillotine was assembled in the center of the stage. There were already hundreds of city folks gathered around, curious about who would be beheaded. Soon after, they saw the guards dragging Minister Rowan and laid him down the tilting bench, positioning his head exactly to the lunette.

Ely stood behind Minister Holter near the stage's side, and the King stepped up the small stairs to the stage to face the crowd.

The noisy crowd, upon seeing the King stand beside the guillotine, settled down and bowed at him.

The King said in a domineering voice, "This man is one of my Ministers, whom I trusted. But upon investigation, we found out that he committed the crime of building a prostitution den."

The crowd had become noisy again. The rioters moved closer to the stage to witness the beheading of the person who kidnapped the young women and children, who were their beloved relatives and friends.

The King continued his statement, "Tell everyone you know that whatever crime they commit, they will be punished under my reign. And when I say punish… it's equivalent to death." He got satisfied when he saw the frightened look on the crowd's faces.

Ely knew how terrifying the King was, because for some time, she also experienced being his prisoner. But seeing him again in that aura made her shiver in fear. She had almost forgotten that this person, who looked like her kind husband, and whom she called her friend, was known as the ruthless King.

"WAIT!" Minister Rowan said. "YOUR HIGHNESS! I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!"

King Maro turned to face him and raised his brow, "Whatever you say, you will still be beheaded."

"Yes, my King! I accept my punishment! Just… Please hear me out!" he gulped, nervous, "I know where to find the bandits who took the royal artifacts!"

"Speak only the truth."

"Yes! The bandits live in the Ancil Mountains!"

The King narrowed his eyes.

Minister Rowan continued, "As far as I know, they take orders from-"

Suddenly, the blade trigger was released, and before he could finish his sentence, his head got separated from his body.

The crowd screamed, and Ely felt that she wanted to vomit. It was the first time in her entire life that she witnessed someone being beheaded. Her consciousness faded, and fortunately, Minister Holter caught her back.

The King stared at the bloody stage. The dead minister almost said something about the mastermind, but because the blade trigger was suddenly pulled, he did not get to hear what he wanted to say.

"Who the hell released the blade?" The King said furiously.

General Lum pulled the mercenary towards the King, "It's this person who released the blade, Your Highness."

"Why did you do it? Did I say you can behead him already?!"

But the mercenary just knelt in front of him and bowed.

"He's mute, sir," the General explained. "I'll lock him in prison for a while."

The King furrowed his eyebrows in disappointment. He couldn't get Minister Rowan's words out of his mind.

When he left them and got down from the stage, he approached Minister Holter, who was carrying Ely in his arms.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. She might be too shocked by what she saw… Forgive me for touching her." He then transferred Ely to the King's arms.

"It can't be helped…" King Maro glanced at Ely's beautiful, moonlit face. "You are forgiven. Follow me, we have to talk."

The two of them talked about official matters as they walked back to the Old Palace. When they reached Ely's room, Minister Holter left.

King Maro placed Ely down carefully to the bed and tucked her with the velvet blanket. He sat beside her and waited for her to wake up.

She woke up after some minutes. She blinked four times, before realizing that she was already back in the palace.

"This is why I told you to stay in your room," King Maro told Ely. He was very worried about her because it seemed like she was not used to seeing a horrible scene like that. "Next time, listen to me and don't be stubborn," He hoped she wouldn't get nightmares because of it.

"Sorry… I didn't know you'd behead someone…" she said in a soft voice. She sat up, then faced the King, "What do you plan to do next? I mean… He said something about the artifacts, right?"

"Yes."

"So, are you going to believe him?"

"I have a hunch that I should explore the Ancil Mountains to find those bandits…" The King said, crossing his arms, "I wanted to interrogate the mercenary who released the blade trigger, but unfortunately, he is a mute."

"Oh my…" Ely reacted. She always pitied the people who were mute and deaf, because it would mean they could not sing or hear. "I know… How about making him write?"

"Write?"

Ely nodded at him, "Don't give up, Maro." And she smiled sweetly at him.

The King ordered Ely to stay in her room this time and rest. He hurried to the prisoners' basement after holding a white cloth, a quill, and a bottle of ink. He planned to make him write why he released the blade, and if anyone told him to do it. And perhaps, he might even be hiding who the mastermind in stealing the artifacts was. He was dead set on making him spill everything he knew.

Unfortunately, when he arrived at the basement, he saw the mute mercenary's lifeless body laying on the bloody floor inside the opened cell, stabbed with a long sword on his chest.