Foxtails and Fairytales: Reckless Adventures in Another World

Arc 10

Arc 10

Ch. 1 The Gambler

Sebas

The next morning Bertrand knocks on my door like the castle is on fire.

Lilith opens it while I eat breakfast.

"Sebas!" He crashes into the room. "It's Cedric. He's on trial for striking royalty."

I stand up and rush out the door. Shit, I didn't think the king would go this far.

*

"What is the meaning of this!" I walk into the audience chamber covered in bandages.

Many nobles and extras were gathered about. The king stood on his dais with the princess who was looking smug.

"Prince Sebas, this is a matter for my kingdom and does not concern you." The kings smug grin tells me all that I need to know as I see Cedric in chains before the throne.

"What are these man's crimes?" I ask.

"He struck royalty. A crime punishable by death."

The king is loving this. This is his way of trying to put me in my place.

Cedric doesn't look up. He is in loose clothes on both knees with a fully armored knight on either side.

"This man was under my orders, I said that he'd have impunity." I defended.

"You man be royalty, but you do not have the power to change the laws of this country."

His grin. I want to wipe it from his face.

Stupid. I'm so stupid. The only way that power can ever stand against authority is to go beyond that authority and power.

"This is wrong, I will suffer his punishment for him." I announce.

The king sneers knowing I'd try something.

"You would suffer death, or do you think you can get away with a few lashes in his place because you are nobility?"

"I will fall on my sword to have his crimes pardoned." I pull the dirk from the nearby knight and place it over my chest.

The king laughed.

"You may have had me in the palm of your hands the other night. But no one would willing kill themselves over a stranger. Let me tell you something, Sebas. I am king. In this kingdom, my word is law. You are a foreign diplomat. Your place is by my daughter's side, not messing around with politics you have no business in. I agreed to treat you like a prince. But your authority has no place here. This man is under my authority, not only did you have no right to command him, nor did he have any right to harm you as he is under direct orders for your protection, but you slandered my daughter in front of my servants in your little show. Your responsibility as a noble is to prevent further war with your life by marrying your daughter. Now get your little noble princely self from here."

"You're wrong, king!" I point my dagger at him.

The room gasped.

"That woman, may be a princess and my fiancé." I point at Minerva. "But as she is, she will lead this country to ruin. And if our kingdoms unite under us she will lead them both down a road of destruction. I will not stand idly by while that happens."

"That is slander, what proof do you have that any of that will transpire?"

The king was getting mad at me.

"By her own mouth, she declared to me that as soon as she becomes queen she'll burn every book in the kingdom and outlaw literacy." I spat with as much venom formality would allow.