The Lycan King's Puppet-Chapter 24: Accused

"Leave me." Was all he could say.

Andon didn’t move.

"I don’t believe it either, Your Grace. But if people find out..."

He held up a hand.

"Keep it quiet. We’ll find her - she’s not dead. I just know it."

Andon bowed and left him.

One of the courtiers presented a letter to him through a guard stationed at the door.

The illegible script told him the source at a glance.

"Take it back."

"Yes, Your Grace." The guard responded and left with the letter.

The guard returned again with the letter after a while, claiming that another person had brought the same letter to the king’s notice. He couldn’t abide the thought that he was being compelled to have to give the impulsive man a hearing - which he didn’t want to do. So he snatched the letter and opened it.

The content glared up at him. It was not from Jarren Straught; it was from the council - or rather, addressed from the council.

What did the council have in common with Jarren Straught that they had to arrange for a hearing for him? Did they not see the results of the last "hearing"? What were they hoping to achieve by organizing another meeting with him?

Yeren rubbed his brow. Then he turned to the guard at the door and asked him to summon his attendant.

His attendant was in the room within a few minutes.

"How may I help you, Your Grace?"

He could hear whispers from outside the door.

He decided to hold the meeting in the private library adjoining the throne room. And in this meeting, only he, the council members, and a few trusted court members attended. Once he had his seat, everyone else had their seats.

"Tell me," he said, "why do I have to bear your overbearing presence every single day? Is it because you have the honor of being in my dungeon?"

Yeren asked, to himself.

The council members, all seated and dressed in their colorful, flurried attire, watched him carefully as one would when treading rocky terrain.

Falstaff began.

"We were greatly burdened when we received the news that Lord Moonstone would no longer be in service to the council. We cannot mourn his loss, as we do not feel that the decision was rational. We only ask that you reconsider and return his place in the council and his title back."

Yeren nodded, waiting for the next person to speak. The court sessions were beginning to bore him. The only thing on his mind at the moment was the bloody garment he had received the previous day, and Andon’s absence. That was all that seemed to be bothering him.

He had sent Andon again to go and look for her, because he was certain she wasn’t dead. His gut knew she wasn’t dead. His mind knew she wasn’t dead. And somehow, his soul knew she wasn’t dead.

But where was she? Did anyone take her? How far had she gone?

A thought kept popping in his head - maybe she had gone south. He considered sending his men south - if she wanted to flee her uncle, the safest place to go would have been the South.

Falstaff took the floor, startling him out of his thoughts.

"So, Your Grace, as a loyal family to the crown, and as a friend of your father, I take it upon myself to advise you about your current situation. It has come to the court’s notice that both Lady Miss Stenly and Lord Straught’s son were missing on the same day. That was the same day that Lord Straught was imprisoned in your dungeon - not to lay any accusations which I have no plausible proof..."

"A fair hearing is all we ask, and if you do oblige our humble request, we will see to it that no more mention of the topic will occur in this court."

"I am accused, subtly by you, of kidnapping Miss Stenly and being Lord Straught. Is that correct?"

Lord Falstaff stood quietly.

Yeren could see that the man’s knees were slightly trembling. These people thought they had wits, subtle wits, but they could not be held by it..

"No, Your Grace," he mumbled.

"Well, if that is the case, we assume that it was not an accusation. It was a fact. So now I ask you - do you know it for a fact that I kidnapped Miss Stenly and Lord Straught’s son? Your position in my council will depend on your next action."

Falstaff faked a grin, trying to maintain the façade of a man who wasn’t falling apart.

"Your Grace, as a friend of your father’s, I know that we all follow our own interests, and we understand that you had interests with Miss Stenly - that part was not misunderstood. So, it is very curious, and very coincidental, that she goes missing on the same day that you imprisoned her uncle after denying him rights to her father’s lands. Not that I claim that you have designs on her lands, but on her - and Lord Straught’s son stands in the way.

"This is only a theory, and I claim that it has no proof or evidence to be considered treason. But I do speak treason against the king, for which I should be beheaded. But I speak it boldly because I believe there is a truth behind it, which will only be revealed with time.

"Thank you, Your Grace. I have spoken my part."

The man had guts. Even Yeren had to acknowledge it. And he thought he was invincible because he was a trusted friend of his father’s. And he thought Yeren would never write him off the council.

But he wasn’t in the mood to write off all the council members. Even though every council member deserved to be written off and would have done so to him without a second thought. Somehow, he needed them.

They constantly challenged his ability to rule and control situations - which made him grow better.

He saw them as his safety net in a large fishing river.

"I will not consider your words as treason. But do be warned. You are hereby suspended from all council meetings."

"But please, my lord, do clarify. Are these words true or not true against you? You have been completely silent on the matter." Lord Redmare said, rising up from his seat at the distant end of the section strictly for council members.

Yeren said nothing.

He knew everyone wanted an honest answer - which he didn’t have.

If he denied any interest in Claire, his interest in rescuing her would be questioned. And if he accepted it, his rule would appear biased.

A respected courtier moved forward.

"Your Grace, please address the rumours lest they escalate. It might lead to a political war if your true intentions in the matter are not laid bare. Please do the court a great honour by telling us if you have any interests in the affairs of Miss Stenly."

From the looks on all the faces of the people gathered around, he knew they were all wondering the same thing. What did he say?

The truth.

That he wanted her.

Even though she was nothing?

That she rejected him?

And it made him want her more even when she expressed her hatred for him as easily as she breathed.

What did he tell them?