The king's verdict

Little Aurora's countenance turned to one of confusion. She tried as much as she could to recall the scene but no matter how much she tried to, her memory seemed vague.

Emmeline let out a sigh of relief. She was relieved that the child had not recalled the nightmare but she felt slightly guilty on seeing the expression on her face. She had a memory spell placed on her so she could always have a peaceful sleep and instantly forget about reoccurring nightmares that had ceaselessly hunted the little child.

She was apologetic for contributing to the girl's suffering but what would she do once Aurora, tattletale her reoccurring dreams to her grandfather?. She didn't want more suspicious eyes on her granddaughter. As much, as she wanted to let her know, it was not yet time. She would let time, explain slowly and concisely to her. Placing a deep kiss on her forehead, she rubbed her back and pushed her slightly to have her back on the bed, opting to get a glass of water for her.

...

Khaldun and Bastian walked out of the room, making their way through the corridors as they were headed to the throne room before Bastian paused in his footsteps, tugging the distracted Khaldun who was engrossed in his pocket watch.

"Your stepmom is here with her son". Bastian tipped his chin in the direction of a beautified green carriage, in which a young woman had stepped down and was ushering a hand for her son to take, trying to aid him down while bending to his shoe to tie his laces. The little boy would be of no less than 9years of age and looked so much like the woman, who was bending over to attend to him.

Khaldun turned his gaze over his shoulder to truly see his father's concubine, who was acting act a sweet and caring mother. What a stupid man. He was already declaring an opening to him, informing him of the rumours to be true. His father was truly shameless.

An already married man going over to cheat behind his mother's back for many years with a woman, who was younger than his mother.

He loathed him.

The young woman was done with the shoelaces as she raised her body to pat her son's head. She felt pairs of eyes on her and she turned to meet two handsome, noblemen but one had caught her attention. The other was brown-haired and was busy flipping his pocket watch and the other man was on Viking gold hair, with a pocket watch placed in his hands, she realized he was staring at her intently, making her breath hitch. Oh Goodness!, The man was so breathtakingly handsome and she knew who he was. Her new stepson. Weird wasn't it?. Her head was in turmoil, was she to offer a smile or a nod to him to avoid this awkward situation?. She thought.

It was time for them to go. Bastian raised his head from the pocket watch to Khaldun who he felt was clenching his fists in anger and then turning to stare at the woman, who was staring back with dreamy eyes. Women!. He rolled his eyes in detest.

" Let's go Khaldun, we are almost late". He said to him, already nudging him to move, which Khaldun agreed to, while they felt the woman's eyes trail them.

"You know I feel like throwing up, whenever I realize your stepmom is lusting over you". Bastian said, once had passed through the corridors and Khaldun couldn't agree less. He already knew such looks. It was not a shock to find out, she was so into him after all, he was handsome and too attractive but still lusted for him even when she was informed of being his stepmother; Khaldun couldn't debunk the information of her being a slut.

He had gotten to know from a reliable source of the woman, being the king's favoured whore and was picked when she had uttered the word of being pregnant for the king. It wouldn't come out as a surprise if the child was to turn out to be illegitimate and then an evil thought occurred to him, making him grin widely which didn't escape Bastian's sharp eyes. Bastian had already foreseen him doing something crazy and he hoped the king wouldn't get to know sooner and then die of shock. Because death would be an easy punishment for him.

They could already see the ministers, flocking into the throne room in a hurry and it was obvious from their actions that the king was already seated on the throne.

They watched everyone give a bow to the king, who didn't respond but gave a nonchalant attitude and they followed suit to receive a stern look from him.

"My lord, the greatest iron fist of Harengon, may I present to you the motive for the gathering?". A minister

asked, placing his head down while he waited for approval.

" You may". King Bratador gave his consent.

"Thank you, my lord".He gave another bow, raising his head to set loose the scroll in his hands. " Last gathering had caused an uproar in different meetings with the ministers and one could already say that minister Adulse was wrong in his findings and hands are still pointing at this case as a fishy case. A case left with the mystery unsolved and it is right, we know why minister Adulse would lie or would I say give false findings to the king and the rest of the ministers and we are demanding the king to look into the case and help find this perpetrator, putting him or her to book". The minister said and then moved to his previous position.

They saw the king's expression harden, telling them he was highly displeased. They saw him exhale a breath and then wave to minister Adulse to move forward.

"Is there something, you would like to tell the court, Adulse?". He asked, sending a look of 'do not try to mess up this time.

Minister Alduse was already shivering in fear at the fierce gaze of the king, who was watching him closely to commit a mistake, so he would take away his life.

Clearing his throat, he rubbed his hands nervously as he threw his eyes around the room and then his eyes fell on the man whose face was etched with a smile, who had caused his downfall.

"I am sorry my king, I am so sorry every reputable man and woman here. I was misinformed and would like from today to retrace my steps_"

"Or you could do well to step down?". Khaldun interfered to have the room, erupt into murmurs.

And he has done it again and the king flared. He knew what he was doing. He was building doubt and suspicion about his rule and judgments among the ministers, to have them rebel.

" That's enough". He bellowed. "Khaldun thank you for your contribution to this matter but you have to let me handle this as a king". He was passing a warning to him.

" And for those who are about to murmur or interfere with my judgments would be outrightly punished_".

"Yes my lord". Khaldun interfered, turning all attention on him and then to the king, whom they expected to have him bundled up in chains and sent out.

Trying to adopt the manner of composure, he ignored Khaldun who was smiling tauntingly at him as he continued with his declarations.

" I, King Bratador of Harengon, dismisses Minister Adulse from his position and handles it to Khaldun, who had tremendously done well in his findings". He said, receiving gasps before applauses were followed and Khaldun smiled. Not a smile of gratitude but a knowing smile of what his father was about to do to him.

Minister Adulse fell on his knees, rubbing his hands as he begged. His nightmares of returning to the scratches were finally coming true and he couldn't bear it. The King was so cruel, imagine him in great jeopardy, in grave danger!! And then shoving him off like some useless trash.

"My lord, please, don't do this to me. It was a mistake and I would try to make up for it. Don't strip me please".

" The meeting is over, now. Guards shove this corrupt man out of my presence. His kinds are to be shoved into the dungeons and then bled". King Bratador ordered, which widened the man's eyes and he wanted to scream out loud for everyone to come to know that the real culprit, was sitting on the throne, unscathed but he was scared. Scared for his family, scared for his dear life.

King Bratador watched the guards drag Adulse out while he gave a shocked look at him which he returned with a threatening glare. Drifting his eyes to Khaldun, who was already been congratulated by some ministers, he saw him stare back at him with a sly smile and then offer a bow as he turned to leave the throne room with his peasant friend. And the king couldn't argue how vengeful, he was feeling. He wanted to crush him, crush him into a pulp in the presence of his unyielding mother, basking in the satisfaction of the horror she would feel.

Once the king was sure everyone was out, he saw minister Federick step in again as he offered a deep bow to him.

"YOU LET HIM SCREW THIS UP!!!". He yelled at the man who flinched at his loud voice, quickly going on a knee to plead with him.

" I am sorry my lord if I had known he was so incompetent, I would have shoved him away and had the job done, smoothly". Frederick said, his face still down.

King Bratador smacked his lips as he stepped down from the throne, making his way to the kneeling man. "You say of having done a clean job?. Now, this is your chance to prove it. Kill him and have his head, severed for me. A clean job this time and I wouldn't hesitate to kill you". Bratador said, walking past him to be followed by his right-hand man; the advisor councillor.