Blood-Stained Floors

In my privy chambers, I had my servants choose bright clothes for the occasion. Father is not one to throw enormous parties for any rebellion quelled. This is one of the few occasions where he invites his whole court. In fact, I think this is the only occasion where Father is being generous.

With my household, we enter the great halls with full honor. As I go through my courtiers, I can see them all grouped together in unison. As I go to the high table, I notice something quite odd. Lord Ettore and Lord Gaspare are missing. Where are they? Lord Dario, however, seems to be enjoying himself with his son. They do their own stuff such as sharpening their swords or the like in their places. Something is wrong. What happened to Lord Ettore and Lord Gaspare?

I do not wish to show my uneasiness. Instead, I sat up straight and pretended nothing unusual is going on. Father, who sits on my left, pulls out his special golden sword. It is meant for giving unique honors for commendable deeds.

"Today, we would like to celebrate the victory of my men in quelling yet another rebellion against The Crown," Father bellows. "As a result, I would like to honor the lord who led the charge and inspired my men to keep going, even though all odds were against them."

He turns his eye to Lord Dario. I can see the glimmer in his eyes. His smile reaches his cheeks and up to his ears. The white cloth suits him for the honor about to be presented to him. Still, why are Lord Ettore and Lord Gaspare not here? The message clearly said they need to be here wearing white.

"Lord Dario, please come forward," father says.

Lord Dario walks before the high table and kneels before Father. Father raises the golden sword up in the air. The moonlight that passes through the stained glass windows reflects on the sword so clearly and beautifully.

"With the power invested in me, I hereby, honor Lord Dario fully," he says.

I can see Melchior's joy. As Father is about to touch Lord Dario's shoulders with his sword, Melchior already puts his fist into his chest as an act of respect for his father.

Then, it happened.

Slowly, father lowered the sword on Lord Dario's right shoulder. As father raises the sword again to put it on his left shoulder, the unexpected happens. Father raises the sword up high in the air as if to gather force. Quickly, he cuts through Lord Dario's neck and beheads him in front of a whole court. Blood spills out of his severed neck. With a snap of a finger, the centaur guards mercilessly pick up Lord Dario's body and drag it off across the hall. Blood follows the body as the centaur drags it away. The severed head is then placed on a pike for the whole court to see.

"Place this pike on the battlements of this castle," Father orders, loud enough for the court to hear. "I want each and every citizen of Silenda Kingdom to realize that I am not a king whom you can humiliate before my court. Let this be a lesson to all of you. If you dare to humiliate me, I will make you pay in the most painful way possible. Do you understand?"

I can see the anger burning in Father's eyes. Everyone is afraid to look and face him. It was as if everyone is struck with cowardice. This is tyrannical! Lord Dario was one of the three lords that led the werewolf army into a battle they could not win. Everyone already sees our rule as tyrannical. Father only made it worse. I cannot believe this is the way he would repay the Duke that saved his Kingdom. Well, he did make Lord Dario immortal. His severed head will rot on the battlements of the castle for everyone to see. This is not the way to gather your subjects' respect. This is a way to amass fear. Fear does not equal respect.

As Melchior sees his father's head being stabbed on a pike, he cannot help but simply fall into tears. There is nothing he can do to protest his father's fate. I know him. He would fight for his father's right, but it was as if it was the very thing that would destroy him. Aretha and Olghar gather around him to comfort him, but he stops them from touching him. He gazes into my eyes and all I can feel was pity. He breaks the gaze and faces my father.

"You are a tyrant, your majesty. For my simple words of suggestion, you beheaded my father. This is how you honor your guests who saved your kingdom. You are not the king I would answer to. You are no king to me."

I can see Father's flushing face once more. I think in the entire kingdom, Melchior is the only one who can stand up for himself against the king. The entire court turns a blind eye from all of these and sees this as nothing more but courtly disagreement. This is not. They are discussing life and death.

"Be careful with your words, Lord Melchior," Father says while holding his sword on Melchior's neck. "Say one more word and you know where this sword will go."

Melchior seems stoic. He stands as if nothing ever matters. Even though the sword seems to choke him, he stands unshaken and keeps his lips pursed.

"Your majesty, if it means standing up for my father, you may behead me. I want the kingdom to see you for your tyranny. This is the reason why the House of Llelewyn should not rule. You are tyrants smeared with blood all over your veins. Blood of the innocent will forever trouble your conscience."

I stand agape for I do not know who to side. My father will always be my father. I have to respect and honor him, but Melchior is also my friend. He is in the right here, but he is also wrong. Our house is granted the right to rule. It has been ours for so long, and it is our duty to keep it with an iron fist.

I expect Father to behead him, but no. Father simply puts down his sword and sheathes it. Aretha, who has been on her knees, pleading with the moon for mercy, falls back in relief. I cannot see Olghar in all of these. I know him to be small, but he has probably hidden in Aretha's dress.

"Lord Melchior," Father says through his gritted teeth. "You have disrespected me many times over, but I will not behead you. Making you suffer is your punishment. Do you remember Lord Ettore and Lord Gaspare? I had them locked up to prevent them from being involved in all of these. If you dare speak against me once more, I will sign their death warrants. I will feed them to the beasts if I have to, and it will be all in your conscience for you drove me into signing it."

Without another word, Father leaves the halls once more with his entire court. The crew and I simply stand agape as we looked at the blood-stained floors of the hall.