Chapter 9

"The people are aware that they stare into the face of absolute injustice, when they see innocent, righteous crusaders being executed; but the very sight thereof is a portrayal of Regent power, dictating that: silence is the saving grace setting them apart from the burning victims."

~

The Town-square of Hazenvale,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

Morning of the first Phriday of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

"ஏசாயா ௨௰௮: ௰௭"

"Does any soul in this congregation possess the intelligence to decrypt and unravel the essence of this indecipherable script?" called Regent Jehoram, standing over the fractured stone of the pillory.

There was a round of murmurs that continued, unsettled. Thus, the Arch-Eccleisor standing beside him clapped his hands and the people's voices were hushed.

"There will be a grand guerdon remunerated to any that would render an answer to accord with the certitude of what is meant", declared the Regent and the people raised a fist each in unison.

Imogen's mind could not embrace the horror that was befalling her. If Jehu was no more on the pillory, it meant he had escaped. The damsel was certain that she was haled though the kingdom to be emplaced in his position and face death, for the order of the exodus so adopted was the formation assumed leading to an execution.

Beyond all, it truly was established statute that a criminal, on escapement, would stand liable to punishment of Death. If she was being placed in his stead, it was inevitable that she was going to be foredone.

Her whole life succumbed to a fleeting feeling in the fashion of aged rocks eroding under the compelling force of wind and tide, as thoughts of afterlife and the pain of death began to choke her being.

"What forthcoming conditions of rain do you reckon?" asked the Regent to the man that stood to his left.

"Reading the face of the sky, the rains will grow fiercely torrential when the evening is met", replied he.

"It would be a worthy hour to stage the execution then", proposed Arch-Eccleissor Devland. The Regent nodded and waved a hand to dismiss the man that forecasted the weather.

"This maiden will be executed in lieu of the escaped criminal, Jehu, at even-tide's arrival."

Imogen found her voice. An element that pertained to the deferment of her expected sentence ignited her power of tongue. For a heart-beat, she felt wild. No more did the chains of society and modestly arrest her spirit.

There was a rushing surge to save her own life that encompassed her like an avalanche tiding over a city in an untimely eruption. She screamed like a woman that had lost her senses.

Rain streamed down her face taking courses through strained creases and deflected about her cheeks. Thunders rumbled in the sky to accord with her bellows. The men around her looked alarmed at her vengeful flurry, but her consciousness spared them no regard. She felt tugs against the shackles of her wrist and a drought in her throat.

"How do you dare?" she hollered, her voice akin to that of a beast.

Her vision blurred for moments and her figure staggered, but there was a renewed strength she felt rising from the pits of her stomach. Unearthly as it felt, this burst of energy sought no origin but kindling from the moment of unforeseen hope and a raving soar in the frontiers of possibilities. She thrust herself in forward gear, despite all the arms that held her back.

"Why am I being punished for no crime on my part?" She cried out, the rasp of her voice parching her throat.

"Silence!" called the Arch-Eccleissor, frustration evident on his face.

The Regent hardly lost his bearings from her derangement. "As the final and sole visitor of the criminal Jehu, you are suspected to have assisted his abscondence", stated he.

Imogen could hear her ragged breath. Her body needed water, but there was no means of receiving. It was as if she was forced to regret her charity and alms.

There was an unbearable weight at the prospect of Jehu, her friend's unaccounted absence, for the previous night, she knew there was barely any strength left in him to institute a break-free.

She had only the single hope of survival: to prove her innocence. "Have you not inquired of Jaycob? Per-haps he holds knowledge of this matter?" she asked, her voice sounding spent and choked.

The men standing on the pillory laughed her to scorn. "The castle knows he has left on a voyage yestreen. There is no means of his having any enlightenment", said the Regent.

The shackled maiden's heart sank. Rendering any further statements in her defence would be as knocking and screaming against a door whose house bore no residents, for the hearts of these men had no more accommodation for reason. Their adamant ignorance charged her death.

"Fall to heel. I call the Order of Execution and you will hold your silence."

Imogen's body felt like it was wilting, but she strove to stay on her feet, for bowing before man was severely against principle. Her reticence, however, was granted.

"You will be executed by Noyade from the Cliff of Shillingston, before moonrise."

There was no hope standing in the way of Death. He was to come.

~

Lady Minerva stood in the congregation of people and spectated. It was as though a nightmare was being staged before her very eyes. The young damsel, Crescence, a maid from the Castle's Royal Kitchen's service was by her side for assistance.

The prim woman rested her weight against the maiden, when the crowd began to disperse. Somehow, it was as if the skies knew that this was a miserable day, for they wept. Being distraught yet holding on to the faintest flames of possibility, the lady turned around to make her way back to her office at the Imperial Castle, Crescence by her side. The Physician's hopes weren't all exhausted. With about a few hours of the day, she could concoct plans to save her apprentice.

"I intend to retrieve her against all costs", she said.

"It makes no odds", replied Crescence, pensively. "What is decided by the imperial power stays unswayed."

Lady Minerva spared the girl a glance, as she walked forth. "The child deserves to live. A famine for Justice mustn't cause one to starve. Strives and endeavours are necessary."

Crescence looked over and nodded. "Of course, m'lady; there is no questioning your words, but I merely imply that our government takes no overruling."

The Chief Physician nodded and replied, "I dare say that cannot be tolerated."

"Lady Minerva", said a fresh female voice and the addressed turned to find Countess McNeighten waving over at her. With a nod, the grey-haired Elder walked over to her and greeted. Despite the weight of grief or contempt, society required that it was never proper decorum to ignore a lady.

It wasn't long before various ladies began to flock around her, being the one to lose her dear one. There were condolences taken and then much conversation aroused.

"Were we not expecting dragons this morning?"

"It was announced a prophecy by the Arch-Eccleissor."

"It had been a fortnight heretofore, but subsequently claimed to be this morning's."

"Distressful, how distorted his statements are becoming."

"It is only this sole one, my dear."

"There are various happenings these recent days, that simply refuse to correspond."

"I do risk agreeing. It is alright so far as the Dragons have not appeared on warning, but how can the man's power be trusted if we are raided without notice?"

Lady Minerva was a silent listener in the conversation until that was said. "That must be the circumstance for kingdoms without a Prophet that foresees Dragon Raids. We have also had a few that have arrived unannounced in our years", said she, giving the women a perspective that had not before been adopted.

It wasn't long before her words took flight in contemplation and conversation.

"Ever the wiser, aren't you, m'lady?" said Marchioness Reese, a gloved hand over her lips.

"I do hope you recover, the execution is a gruesome event", said another, looking concern.

"I do wonder, however so, whether the Her Royal Grace, the Princess, would make her appearance in the proceedings of execution", reflected Countess McNeighten.

"She has made no public emergence in a sinisterly long period", said another, curiously.

Little did they know that there was no presence within the Royal Castle to testify of the Princess' residence therein.

"So many odd events...", Lady Minerva appended, shaking her head, before the prospect of execution stabbed her very heart.

"Apologies, my ladies, but it would benefit her Ladyship's heart to take our leave", said Crescence, on the Physician's behalf and the ladies obliged to excuse them. The rains that had been reduced to a drizzle were slowly beginning to wax stronger, dispersing congregations.

~