Treason; The Highest Offense

Entering the throne room I did not feel fear like before, nothing except rage boiling over.

"Hello, dearest men" I announce my greeting as I grit my teeth through my fake smile.

"What is the meaning for this meeting? So early, where is the notice?" Durn questions as his eyes meet my nightdress, the rips as present as can be.

"I do not give the slightest damn who and what you think about this meeting! Waking you slightly earlier than you old rags wake is not my concern, not when my life is on the line." I say, my little filter and care to win the council gone.

"Your life?" Gaverns ask as I nod

"A assassination attempt was made on me in the late hours of the night. I escaped, there were three men who stormed my quarters and tried to end my life. But as you can see, I am still alive!" I proclaim as the room breaks out in whispers. "I WANT THE MILITIA ALINED ALONG THE CASTLE, AND ALL GUARDS ON DUTY LAST NIGHT TO REPORT TO THE SPARING GROUNDS" I order as the room pauses with silence. "NOW!" I command as the silence breaks with the sound of chairs and footsteps as Gaverns makes his way to me.

"Are you hurt?" He ask me, turning my head as he searches my face for marks and I nod my head.

"We both know more than these men, I'm perfectly capable of handling myself" I assure him as he nods his head to me. "This was a inside job, I know it and knew it. We need to find the true culprits" I tell him as he turns to me.

"You think there was more to this than just the three? What about your husband? He has every motive to kill you?" He ask me as I shake my head to his ridiculous questions

"My husband is to dim to create an alliance to overthrow me. This is someone with hatred for me, someone who knew the palace better than a regular guard." I explain as he takes a part of my nightgown in his hands and snickers at the rips.

"I'll call for your lady" he offers as I snicker at his care for my appearance.

"I want people to see what I have been through" I admits as he shakes his head to my plan.

"No one will take you seriously in you nightclothes, you want to scare people." He advises me as I nod as he turns to the servant beside him.

"Please, call your Queen her lady. Order her to bring her most spiteful gown" he asks as she nods her head and scurries off as I sigh and wait.

Holding my hand and bringing my thumb to my forefinger and I realize it's missing. And now I know.

*******************

Feeling slightly better with the dressing I take a deep breath as I make my way to the sparring grounds. Usually I didn't come out here, this place held memories that detested the rest of time, lessons still carved into my brain and scars still ridden in my back.

"This is all of them?" I ask councilman Thomason as he nods.

"Yes, my queen" he answers as his cold stare depreciates against my brewing anger.

Turning around to face the men as the guard next to me places his hand on his sword.

"Last night a assassination attempt was made on your queen. The only men to be in the castle were you, guarding it." Gavern's starts as I lift my hand up to que his demise of words.

"As a result you are all responsible, disappointing me epicly. I now have more confidence in my own abilities to protect myself than my own men." I say as I can't think of a appropriate way to handle this, and revenge grows hungry inside me. "I don't have the energy to give a proper and fair trial to the court so instead, torturing will begin now!" I announce as I look to the men in front of me and I finally see the look of worry on their faces. Steeping to them and carefully looking at them. "This palace is a mess and the only way to control seems violence, at least one you will understand" I explain as I smirk and suddenly I see a red glimmer as I smirk.

"Would you like me to carry out the torture?" Durns exciting ask permission like a small child as a chuckle escapes me.

"One moment" I pause as the men continue talking as I turn to the guard beside and locate the red glimmer and my eyes relieved.

"Who is the man of fourth to the end?" I whisper to the guard, my voice blending into the councilmen.

"Tirgan Phillips" he answers as I smirk

"Do me a favor" I tell him, my hand reaching down his leg, "don't move" I warn as I hastily steal the guards sword and slice the finger in front of me as I kneel not minding the screams of agony next to me as I pickup the finger stand again. Holding the finger in my hand as I smile, my happiness burning my cheeks as I detach my fathers ring from this traitors unworthy finger.

"YOU WICKED BITCH!!!" Tirgan finally speak as I nod my head to his truthful words

"No! A wicked bitch would make you eat this sausage you call a finger" I tell him, throwing the finger into the dirt behind me. "Give me credit where it's due" my hand pressing his wound, his legs giving in as he collapses to the dirt, his blood burning the deprived hard dirt. "I don't take kindly to traitors" my lesson not yet finished. My heel pointed into head, pressing it deeper into the dry dirt, "Now my lovely men, this is a perfect example. This man, one of your own was willing to let each one of you experience mind boggling pain just to save himself. He is not one of us! He believes in a dog eat dog world, and we believe that abandoning our own is a crime! Remember this" the lesson complete as I point to the man and two guard haul him off.

"DISMISSED!" I yell as the sparring grounds clear out and I look at the bastards blood desperately disappearing.

"What happened to the women that avoided violence?" I hear a voice behind me and turn to face him, my ass of a husband.

"She gets tired, my life is on the line and there is only so much leniency I can grant" the look of bewilderment absent from his face. "Handkerchief" I demand as he takes it out of his pocket but stops

"You can't just command me" he argues as I swipe the handkerchief from his hand and wiping off the blood from my hands

"Your ring?" He ask as I nod, sliding the ring back onto my hand as I marvel at the ruby back to where it belongs.