Chapter 17 Moonfire #2
But unlike the carefully planned ambush in the palace district, this battle revealed something Lord Varric had not expected.
Not everyone obeyed him.
Several palace guards lowered their weapons rather than attack Rowan.
Others deliberately stepped aside, allowing civilians to escape.
Commander Garron, still holding the ceremonial sword from the duel, planted himself between Rowan and the advancing soldiers.
"The trial has ended," he declared.
"I will not dishonor it."
A lieutenant wearing the Chancellor's crest pointed his blade toward Garron.
"Stand aside."
"No."
"That is an order."
Garron's voice remained calm.
"I serve the Crown."
"Not lawlessness."
Around him, more guards quietly chose their positions.
Some joined Garron.
Others remained uncertain.
The unity Lord Varric believed he commanded began to fracture before his eyes.
Caelan reached Rowan's side as loyal guards formed a protective ring around them.
"Are you hurt?"
Rowan shook his head.
"No."
"You?"
"I'll survive."
Lucien appeared moments later with a dozen loyal guards behind him.
"The western courtyard is secure."
"The people are leaving safely."
Rowan looked toward the throne hall rising beyond the arena.
"Varric won't stay here."
Caelan understood immediately.
"He's heading for the Council records."
"If he destroys the originals..."
"The truth becomes harder to prove."
Rowan nodded.
"We end this now."
The small group moved quickly through the palace corridors while fighting continued behind them.
Servants hurried frightened attendants into secure rooms.
Several younger guards surrendered without resistance the moment they recognized Rowan alive.
Others removed the black armbands from their uniforms and threw them onto the marble floor.
Every corridor carried evidence that fear was losing its grip.
As Rowan climbed the familiar staircase leading toward the throne room, memories flooded back.
As a child he had raced through these halls with wooden practice swords.
He had hidden behind the same pillars during games with palace attendants.
His father had taught him the names of every ruler whose portrait lined the walls.
Today those portraits seemed almost to watch silently as history unfolded once again.
The massive doors to the throne room stood open.
Inside, Lord Varric stood before the royal dais surrounded by only a handful of remaining loyal officers.
The Chancellor looked remarkably composed despite the sounds of conflict echoing through the palace.
"So."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"The prince returns."
Rowan stepped into the chamber.
"This ends today."
Varric smiled faintly.
"That depends upon who writes the history."
"The truth will."
"The truth belongs to whoever survives."
"No."
Rowan's answer came quietly.
"The truth survives even when people try to bury it."
Council members entered behind him one after another.
Helena.
Edwin.
The Chief Justice.
Mira.
Lady Genevieve.
Merchant Tomas.
Soon nearly every surviving member of the Royal Council stood inside the throne room.
King Aldric and Queen Elara followed shortly afterward under heavy guard.
The throne room became a courtroom once more.
Only this time, there would be no hidden agendas.
Rowan walked to the center of the chamber.
"You told this kingdom that I died."
"I did."
"You forged official records."
"I corrected necessary inaccuracies."
"You rewrote our history."
"I preserved stability."
"You ordered assassins to murder your prince."
For the first time, Varric's composure faltered.
"You cannot prove that."
"I can."
Rowan opened the leather portfolio Mira had entrusted to him.
One by one, he laid the documents upon the long council table.
The original treasury transfers.
Secret correspondence.
Forged succession decrees.
Payment records connected to shell trading companies.
Copies of the altered royal archives.
Finally, he placed Chancellor Edric Valen's confession beside them.
"The evidence has already been authenticated."
Mira stepped forward.
"I verified every medical alteration."
Merchant Tomas bowed slightly.
"I traced every financial transaction."
Councilor Helena raised another bundle of documents.
"I personally compared the original succession records with the forged copies."
Chief Justice Alton added quietly, "The royal seals have been examined."
"They are genuine."
Every statement struck like another stone removed from the foundation supporting Lord Varric's authority.
The Chancellor looked around the chamber.
"Do you truly believe paper defeats power?"
"No."
Rowan answered.
"People do."
He turned toward the gathered Council.
"For years you believed these lies because you were shown carefully crafted evidence."
He looked from one face to another.
"You were manipulated."
"You were divided."
"You were encouraged to fear one another."
His gaze settled on the older nobles.
"You were never my enemies."
"The deception made you prisoners as surely as it made me one."
Silence followed.
Then Councilor Edwin slowly stood.
He faced Lord Varric.
"Did you alter the succession laws?"
The Chancellor remained silent.
Lady Genevieve spoke next.
"Did you remove Queen Lyra from our history?"
Again...
Silence.
Commander Garron stepped forward.
"Did you order soldiers to ignore the outcome of lawful trial by combat?"
Varric's jaw tightened.
"I did what was necessary."
The admission echoed through the chamber.
Necessary.
Not lawful.
Not honorable.
Necessary.
The Chief Justice closed the ancient Charter before him.
"Then you have confessed."
Several officers who had remained beside the Chancellor exchanged uncertain glances.
One removed the black armband from his sleeve.
Another lowered his weapon.
A third stepped backward.
Lord Varric noticed immediately.
"You would abandon me now?"
No one answered.
The Chancellor laughed bitterly.
"I built this kingdom."
King Aldric rose from the throne.
"No."
His voice carried through every corner of the hall.
"You merely convinced yourself that controlling it was the same as building it."
The King's words broke the last remaining illusion.
Captain Lucien stepped forward with four loyal Royal Guards.
He stopped several paces before the Chancellor.
"My lord."
His tone remained respectful.
"Surrender peacefully."
Varric looked around the throne room one final time.
At the Council members who no longer defended him.
At the guards who had lowered their weapons.
At the prince he had spent years trying to erase.
Finally, his shoulders sagged.
Not in remorse.
In defeat.
"I underestimated you."
He looked directly at Rowan.
"I underestimated everyone."
Rowan held his gaze.
"You underestimated the truth."
Lord Varric slowly removed the Chancellor's seal from his finger and placed it upon the council table.
Without another word, he extended his hands.
Lucien nodded to the guards.
Iron restraints closed around the wrists of the man who had once believed himself untouchable.
No one cheered.
No one celebrated.
The silence carried too much history for that.
As Lord Varric was led from the throne room, the Council watched the doors close behind him.
With his arrest, the conspiracy that had shaped the kingdom for generations finally collapsed.
For the first time in centuries, the throne would no longer be guarded by fear, but by the truth that had finally found its way back into the light.
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