An Iota of Reason

A commotion erupted outside the royal palace in Tunicster. The royal guards dragged a struggling figure towards the palace walls, it was the charioteer who helped Kanito escape, Barrett. He had a fierce scowl on his face but was not trying to resist the guards' grip.

Outside the palace was a sprawling orchard with a concrete path that led to the palace. After crossing the palace walls, they entered a smaller, cloistered garden which led to several rooms and chambers.

At the center, there was a majestic pavillion with an ornate roof, it stood on a raised platform which was connected by a concrete staircase having terminal figures on its both ends. It was the royal court of Ashfelt where the king was waiting to punish the charioteer.

Soon the guards escorted Barrett up the staircase and threw him inside the court. "This is the wicked charioteer who helped the arsonist escape."

Several gazes were cast upon the lying charioteer from all directions. The court room was a large chamber with the king sitting on throne which was placed on a dais on one end of the royal court. Below the dais, sat six royal courtiers arranged in opposite sides. On on side were seated the Grand Marshal, the Ambassador and the Royal Priest, while on the other end were the Treasurer, the Court Poet and finally the person who was responsible for giving Kanito the criminal tag, the Chamberlain, Marcus Nephnis.

Upon seeing the charioteer, the Court Poet dressed in a glimmering green tunic, twirled his curvy moustache and said mockingly, "Now that his chariot's wheels are clogged with the indelible effluents of treachery, to which recess of Tartarus should we exile this auriga?"

The Royal Priest who wore a purple cassock and a lightning-shaped pendant, added, "To the deepest recesses! Which lay unknown to Hades himself."

The Treasurer in a silver peplos and black bracelets, added to the condemnation, "I will make sure his punishment doesn't cost our coffer even a quasar. He is not worthy of it!" To which the Court Poet added again, "A quasar stored is a quasar adored, but a wrongdoer punished is a lesson explored."

Marcus was disappointed by the unnecessary verbal sparring, he said with his vision lowered, "Shall we proceed with the formalities of justice, rather than indulging in meaningless confrontations?"

Barrett slowly picked himself from the ground and stood with a supposed strong posture, he raised his eyes slightly and gazed at the Chamberlain, "Please proceed, my lord." he gave a dubious smile.

Although taken aback, he asked Barrett, "So, the accusation against you.." without waiting for the sentence to finish, he replied, "Yes. It was me. I helped the arsonist escape."

The room fell silent at the striking honesty of Barrett's words. The King who was quiet till now asked him, "Who or what motivated you to do it? I don't see you doing it on your own conscience."

Barrett replied with an unwavering expression, "I acted alone, my Majesty. The arsonist was my friend and hence I helped him escape the prison. No one influenced me or coerced me."

The sincerity in his tone created a sense of increduility in the room. Marcus said, "So what are we waiting for? Let's consult with the Chief Justice then."

Before anyone can reply to him, "Tarry there." The deep voice resonated from the gates of the court.

After a few footsteps, a figure emerged at the court's threshold. It was a tall, muscular man seemingly in his early twenties. He had flaxen hair, deep brown eyes and a strikingly chiseled, handsome face, his complexion was pale but had a slight touch of redness. He wore a sleeveless, red tunic that reached all the way to his ankles, a golden-trimmed, red himation draped behind like lava and a golden circlet with red gems was resting on his head. This was the second prince of Ashfelt, Kuruth Eurashio.

"Why the haste, noble folks? Let us ratiocinate a little more before we send a life to death's gates" Kuruth said in a calm and measured voice.

Prince Kuruth gave a threatning, somewhat sardonic gaze to the chamberlain. Barrett's eyes glimmered in hope as he heard the prince's voice behind him, as if the prince has come to save him from the punishment.

Prince Kuruth furrowed his brows and said in a disappointed tone, "How vexing it is to be indulged in such parochial trifles of a local mobster when greater threats terrorize our nation."

Marcus replied with arched brows and retorted, "A local mobster you say, prince? That local mobster is an arsonist who caused the death of hundreds of people in one day. Even your father, our king's life was threatened!"

Kuruth crossed his arms and said, "The unfortunate attack could have been easily averted had our Majesty designed to unleash a more stringent ire upon the perfidious Diluvians."

Marcus tried to respond to it, but Kuruth continued his scathing indictment, "Despite the crescendo of foreign entreaties, our Majesty refused to consign the Diluvians to blacklist, buying us international ignominy."

Without stopping, he still continued his eloquent critique forcing everyone into silence, "And what a shame! Again, it is the intransigent Ashfelt under the aegis of the redoubtable Sarstin Eurashio, that has stymied the passing of the 'Anti Sea-Terrorism Bill', thereby granting the sea-faring scourge free rein to desecrate Ashfeltian shores."

The Court Poet twirled his moustache again and smiled, "My oh my! Lord of Critique, only Aphrodite's girdle can bind your tongue."

"And only Apollo can make you poetic." The prince replied.

Marcus was well aware of the prince's merits. He knew that he would be outwitted by the prince in a direct argument, given the knowledge that the charioteer is the prince's subordinate. He tried to punish the charioteer as soon as possible, "I don't know why you are advocating for the charioteer, prince. He has confessed his crime that too without any argument."

Prince Kuruth assumed a softer expression, he said poignantly, abandoning the eloquence for a moment, "Those who live close by penury, like this ordinary charioteer, consider themselves insignificant. They fear confrontation and choose to succumb to authority without any resistance. They simply lack the self-esteem to care for themselves. But it doesn't mean that justice won't prevail. When a life hangs in the balance, complacency is a luxury we cannot afford. I'm appalled and heartbroken. Look at all you, you all are worshippers, you call yourselves people of faith. So tell me devotees, is it so improper for us to expect from you, an iota of kindness? An iota of divine thoughtfulness? An iota of reason and not bias? Even I as an 'infidel' fear judgement more than you. If the divines are existing and all-watching, how do you think they are feeling right now? Pleased? I don't think in the least bit."

The Royal Priest immediately answered, "You didn't go to a temple since last five years, prince. What do you know of the divine?"

Marcus avoided the priest's question and asked, "The guards claimed this charioteer was driving a carriage that night and we all know it well that carriages are not allowed to run at midnight. What charioteer in his right mind would put himself in trouble by going against the law, if he doesn't have an ulterior motive?"

The prince replied calmly, "It was the third day of Blissful Shadows, Lord Chamberlain. The sky was dusky and dreary. How can you assure with utmost certainity that amidst the procession of nearly five hundred chariots that run in the economic capital of Bakerheim, this charioteer is the singular focus of our most ardent inquiry?"

Marcus frowned at Kuruth's question. He turned to Barrett and asked him, "You said the arsonist is your friend, didn't you?"

Barrett was not prepared for the question, he didn't expect the prince to show up and make an attempt to save him so he crafted lies which were hard to dodge now. He looked helplessly at Kuruth, "I-I mean I did say it but.."

"That's it!" Marcus turned to the king and said, "Even if you didn't help the arsonist escape, you are still his friend. We can create a fake narrative that a charioteer who was found guily of aiding the arsonist's escape was brutally executed. He would be demoralized and intimidated upon hearing the news, he is a child after all!"

Kuruth pointed to the Grand Marshal and said, "You are the best strategist in the room, Lord Marshal, I'd be keen to hear your assessment of the Chamberlain's plans." The undertone of his words were unmistakably resolute in the pursuit of the mobster.

The Grand Marshal was a heavily built man with a thick black beard, he wore a white chiton and a red chlamys. He replied, "The Chamberlain's plan assumes that the arsonist is a person of low emotional intelligence. We should never underestimate our enemies like that. It solely depends on the enemy's capability of facing hardships. Also, it won't fetch us a great advantage but rather would alarm the arsonist, making him more deceptive."

The prince nodded to the Marshal's words, "I agree, Lord Marshal. A reckless arsonist, prone to missteps would be an ideal adversary. We would be wise to capitalize on their mistakes."

After the chamberlain's plan was discarded, Kuruth gave out his final statement, "To summarize, Lord Chamberlain, until you provide us conclusive evidence implicating the charioteer, we cannot rightfully arrest him. I assure you father, I am resolute in ensuring that the perpetrator of this arson is brought to justice. However, unlike you or the chamberlain, I will not sacrifice the principles of justice by condemning an innocent individual, even if they are a mere charioteer."

The prince opened his red himation and wrapped it around Barrett's shoulders, "This is the most I can do to pay for your humiliation. You are free to go, auriga."

This gesture from the prince connoted several intimidating meanings to the courtiers. Other than the Grand Marshal and Ambassador, everyone else in the room, including the king, frowned in discomfort.

The prince gestured for Barrett to follow him to exit of the royal court. The Ambassador rose up from her seats. She was a woman with short brown hair and green eyes and was wearing a soft blue peplos. She stopped Kuruth and said, "Prince Kuruth, now that you're present, I'd like to request a meeting with you to address certain a few international problems we are facing right now. Specifically, the very developments involving Solwynn and the Emirage Confederation require our urgent discussion."

Kuruth turned and nodded at her words, "Do you mean the overthrowing of the Sonyl Dynasty, Sophianne? Princess Michelle has invited me to her father's coronation."

"Yes, prince. Let us convene in the council chambers? I'll have my subordinates summoned to brief us on the current state." The Ambassador suggested.

Kuruth gazed at his father sitting on the throne, "Fair enough, I will meet you there today evening."

The king who was patiently observing his son's actions, now smiled cleverly and said, "You have become... very experienced in all this, haven't you?"

The prince gazed at his father and smiled back, it was a condescending and witty smile. He turned and exited the royal court. Barrett followed the prince outside the court.

Marcus did not have the courage to stop him.