Chapter 8: Unintended Consequences

Grey slowly walked down the immaculate hallway, his footsteps echoing with each footfall. He knew why he had been summoned by Verion. It's why it was so official. He wore a neatly pressed black suit, with finely polished black shoes. His hair was spiked upwards, totally separate from the messy look he typically went with. He wore a watch on his right wrist, and had Verion's family ring on his finger.

Grey sighed. He couldn't have imagined that so much fuss could be made over just a little kiss. He hit himself on the head. 'You are such a little horn dog!' With a deep breath, Grey pushed open the doors to the courtroom. As he opened the door, he was enthralled. He had seen the courtroom before, but had never stood in the center. The room was designed in a cylinder style shape, with its outer edges elevated for any spectators to sit and watch, and look down upon the one under trial. In the middle of the room, in the lowest portion of the room, was a wooden pedestal, with a podium, and a microphone. Grey gulped and slowly walked across the red carpeted floor towards Verion, who sat high above the podium in the center, in an ornate golden chair, overlooking the entire room.

Verion looked extra pissed today, Grey thought. He sat with his legs crossed, in a red blazer, his signature top hat was upon his head, but today, instead of it being black, it was solid white. His hands were covered in white gloves. In his laps his cane rested gently across his thighs. As Grey stepped up to the podium, he scanned the room, and saw all of the spectators. He saw the soldiers, the captains, the villagers, royals and nobles. But the person who scared him the most was Alice. She sat beside Verion, dressed as elegantly as a queen. Her hair was braided neatly around the top of her head, and royal jewels shimmered upon her neck. Her legs were crossed, and her arms were folded neatly in her lap.

Verion coughed, commanding the attention of the entire room. Taking a deep breath, and locking eyes with Grey, he began. "Grey, young Grey. A boy who has walked these halls since his youth. I am ashamed and humiliated." Verion looked out towards the crowd and stood. "It has been brought to my attention that this young boy here has committed an atrocity. A crime of the cruelest proportions." He slammed the bottom of his cane on the ground. Looking back at Grey, anger seething across his face, Verion raised his voice, "Grey! Is it true that you have violated Alice Availion? Princess Alice Availion, the king's one and only daughter? The kingdom's pride and joy?"

Grey's mouth dropped. His eyes grew wide. He thought this was just about him kissing her. Not- Not this. "NO!" He slammed his hand into the podium. "Why would I ever? It's Alice! She's an angel! How could I ever-" Grey looked off to the right, tears starting to form.

A member from the crowd spoke up. "That's the face of a guilty man!"

Grey froze. His body at a complete standstill. But he couldn't hold back his tears when he heard Alice's voice. "It's true." she said as her hands trembled. "He- he."

Verion placed his hand on her back, but never took his eyes off Grey. "Justice cannot be wrought unless you speak your truth my princess."

Alice nodded and swallowed. "He." She stood and pointed her finger vehemently at Grey.

Grey shook his head, tears falling from his eyes. "Alice." His voice breaking, "No. Why?"

"He touched me! He took advantage of me while I was vulnerable in the library! I had fallen asleep while studying, and when I awoke he had me locked within his grasp, and my mouth was bonded so I couldn't scream." Alice's eyes began to fill with tears.

"ALICE! WHY-"

Verion slammed his cane into the ground. "Silence you demon!" He gently pressed Alice back into her seat. "That's enough dear." Looking back at Grey, he spat. "What do you have to say for yourself, child? You devil's incarnate."

Grey looked up, his sorrow immeasurable. "Alice. Why? I- I love you. I would never do any-" Before Grey could finish he was blasted with a bolt of magical energy, causing him to spit blood.

"ENOUGH!" Shouted a crazy man from the crowd. "A demon loving a princess? Impossible! Burn that beast!" Others started to rise and shout at Grey.

"Yeah! A monster like that shouldn't be allowed to live!"

"Tear him limb from limb like he did to my child!"

"Let's make him kill himself!"

Grey was frozen in utter shock. He was so caught off guard. For one, he hadn't expected to be crucified over a kiss, and two, Alice had betrayed him. The whirlwind of emotions he was experiencing was so overwhelming it crippled him. He fell out upon the floor convulsing with violent shouts. Screaming, "NO! NO!" As the soldiers dragged him out of the courtroom, he looked back at Alice, and saw the tiniest tear fall from her cheek.

--------------------------------------2 Months Later--------------------------------------

A sullen figure sat shackled to a musty cobble wall. A filthy water bowl sat at his side, it's edges growing mold. The figure's hair had grown out, his silver hair falling well below his eyes. His body had grown thin through malnourishment, the bones on his arms showing.

"You look like shit." The man stood outside the cell bars. He was dressed in a neat black suit, with a black tie. "Not even gonna respond hm? Oh well. I don't really need you to." The man pulled out his wallet and grabbed a business card, extending it through the bars towards the man chained up. "I'm with the Hunters Corporation. I hear you are a capable swords man. Is that true?"

The frail man looked up, his eyes sullen and sunken from depression and defeat. "Does it matter?"

The man shrugged. "It can." He crouched down to the prisoners eye level. "Look. I understand you got put in a shitty situation. I get it. Cut your life short. But hey, I'm here to restart this pathetic life of yours. Don't you want a second chance?"

The man let out a laugh. "A second chance? The princess put me here. There's no hope for devils like me." The prisoner locked eyes with the man in a black suit. "I'm nothing but a filthy demon."

The man smiled. "That's perfect. Exactly what I'm looking for." The man set down his business card on the cell floor. "I'll just leave this here for now." Standing up, he began to walk away. With his back still turned, he said, "Listen here kid. Don't lose hope just yet. I think you're feeding into the wrong ideals here. You're only suffering because you're sad you got convicted of some faulty crime based on a bullshit system designed upon shotty morals." The man shrugged again. "Don't you want revenge? Justice?" The man smiled. "I'll see you soon."