63. Lawrence
Lawrence
This wasn’t real.
This wasn’t happening.
I looked around at the large presence of guards that surrounded and stared at me… but they weren’t mine.
I took in the two thrones… which weren’t mine either.
Hate penetrated through the dozens of eyes that glared in my direction as we all waited. Where I was restrained and kneeled in the middle of the large room, I couldn’t see anyone but killers. Killers I’d cursed. Ones I had ridiculed and yelled at in the beginning.
I had been angry then. Furious, if I wanted to be honest. I was king, and I hadn’t believed Vaughn’s claims that The Council suddenly chose him.
But the longer I took in everything I knew, I started to have doubts.
The Sultan’s warnings on breeching The Order returned, and with it, the truth sent fear settling deep inside my gut.
If I wasn’t king, who was I? What would happen to me? Would Vaughn really kill me? Would they allow him to? Surely not… Surely someone would step in and pardon me.
But what if they didn’t?
My eyes lowered as questions flooded in.
I’d breached enemy lines.
I had taken a woman who belonged to another because I wanted her. Because I thought myself in love with her.
And didn’t I love her?
So what if I’d beaten or caned her. Pain was passion.
I couldn’t help but love her even more because of it.
Love was worth fighting for. That’s what all the books and poets said.
And Penelope was brainwashed. Manipulated.
Why should Vaughn be the only one who was allowed to have her like that? Wasn’t all fair in love and war?
My eyes rose again.
King. No way he was the king.
Yet… That was clearly a throne. And he had been wearing a crown.
My gaze dropped almost just as fast. Questions plagued me, stealing me from the hard stone under my knees.
The throbbing in my face from both Vaughn and Penelope broke through.
She’d headbutted me good. Busted my damn nose.
That made me smile. But then Vaughn had come in and ruined everything.
He’d fucking shot me. He’d taken my men down without me even realizing.
Well… he hadn’t killed George. He’d been captured like me. Captured… to be put to death?
Was I really going to die? I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t. Sure, I was shot, but it was only in the shoulder. The bleeding had already stopped. Wasn’t that payment enough?
More time passed.
A lot of time.
Banging from the door sounded, and my head finally lifted. Vaughn headed in with Penelope on his arm. He was wearing a black suit with a black button-up underneath. The top button was undone. The dark, thin crown was still on his head making my lip pull back in anger.
Penelope wore a black, flowing dress. It had long sleeves and a square neckline exposing the bruises around her neck.
There were multiple lacerations and red lines from my cane leading up to the middle of her chest. The side of her face was swollen over her cheek and held shades of purple.
Her bottom lip was cut, and her blue eyes never left me as the two of them headed for the thrones.
I even noticed the red busted blood vessels along the corner of the white as they approached.
Had I done that?
I knew I did. I enjoyed it. But seeing her now, amongst these people that hated me…. and loved her. I felt different.
Was I ashamed?
Remorseful?
Or was that my fear growing?
Vaughn came to stop in front of the throne, but he did not sit down.
He stayed standing, an ominous figure looming behind Penelope as she came to face the guards surrounding me.
More doors opened, and I swallowed hard at the robed men entering.
My pulse hit, and I felt my brow draw in as I took in the dark robed figures who appeared faceless.
They wore upside-down crowns with a flowing black veil making it impossible to figure out who they were.
The guard began stepping back, and I pulled against the chains restraining my wrists and ankles that kept me kneeling.
One-by-one the men came to circle around me, leaving Penelope taking her place directly in front of me to close the circle.
“Lawrence Evans, I, Queen of The Order, hereby accuse you of trespassing, kidnapping, murder, rape, and assault. Do you deny it?”
My lids narrowed. “What I did was rescue you and try to reset your mind. You are brainwashed. You love me, and I love you. So, yes, I deny it.”
Penelope’s stoic expression didn’t change.
“Aside from the trespassing, abduction, and assault on my person, The Order is charging you with treason committed by your ancestors, and accessory to the fact for knowing and not coming forward with the truth.” Penelope’s voice deepened.
“Every single one of these charges holds a death sentence. You do not need to be found guilty of them all. Only one. The Magister will take over from here.”
She turned, and a veiled man took her place, but I didn’t look at him.
“Penelope, you can’t be serious.”
The guard to the side of me reared back, sending his hand crushing into my cheek.
“She is Queen. Address her as such.”
Penelope turned to look at me, and Vaughn stepped forward, pulling her into his body as his eyes stayed murderously on mine. I spit out the blood, deepening my voice through the anger.
“Queen. Penelope. Stop this right now. You know exactly why I had to take you. Look at this barbarianism. You think this is normal?” My head cocked to the side so I could see around the robe that kept blocking my view.
“Penelope!”
Vaughn cupped her face, tilting her head back so she had to look at him.
Whatever he said, I couldn’t hear, but she nodded. Theodore glared at me, heading up from the side, coming to hold his arm for her to take. I let out a yell, jerking at the chains as he led her to the door.
“Penelope! Queen Penelope, you come back right now!”
The hate that kept getting thrown my way from every side was alien… it was unfathomable only heightening my anger and unease.
“Let me go this instant or I will destroy this place. You get The Sultan on the phone!”
A smile tugged at Vaughn’s mouth as he slowly approached. He waved his hand causing the guards to part down the middle. My chains were loosened and I turned, able to see a collection of large monitors on the wall.
“You don’t seem to understand what’s happening. Let me clear up any questions you may have.”
Vaughn took a remote from a guard whose arm was in a sling, and he hit the button, turning on the monitor in the center. A table of men appeared. I spotted The Sultan immediately. He was near the end of the table. It was an older man in a gray suit at the center that started talking.
“By unanimous order of The Council, Lawrence Evans is stripped of all royal authority and privileges formerly granted to his line. By willfully defying a direct command from The Sultan, unlawful trespass into sovereign Order territory, abduction of Queen Penelope, and acts of violence committed under false crown authority, Lawrence Evans has forfeited all rights to title and life.”
“Custody is hereby transferred to the new king, Vaughn Masterson, and to The Order for formal trial and judgment. If found guilty on any charge presented, the sentence shall be death.”
The man looked up to face the camera, and all I could do was continuously shake my head.
“Let the record show: the Evans reign has concluded.”