Victors and Vanquished (Part 1)

Griffon Kingdom, City of Valeron, main plaza.

It was night in the Desert, but for the people of the capitol it was almost noon. A large crowd had assembled around the tall gallows that had been built in the middle of the plaza.

The structure was made of rough wood, easy to assemble and dismantle.

There was nothing fancy about it because just like its purpose, it had to be simple and brutal. The pinewood was stained with blood that was never cleaned and the chopping block was already in place on a dais.

Nobles, mages, and even commoners had come from all corners of the Kingdom to witness an event that hadn't taken place since the era of Arthan, the Mad King. The public execution of someone carrying Royal blood.

Valeron's descendants weren't all good people, but Royals preferred to deal with the bad apples in a discrete and private way to not taint the reputation of the Crown. Especially when the punishment was extreme.