King Kael, his face etched with fury, stood before the assembled court. The wealthy landowners who had conspired with Ara to overthrow him were brought before him, their faces pale with fear.
They had been waiting for weeks for the inevitable and every day that their punishment was not pronounced felt like a death sentence which had been delayed because they could not tell what would be done to them.
And now that they had been summoned to answer for their crimes they were about to combust from anxiety and the stood staring anxiously at their feet, heart thundering and palms sweaty.
"You traitors," the king thundered, his voice echoing through the chamber. "You dared to plot against your sovereign, to sow discord in the land. Your crimes are unforgivable."