CHAPTER 52:The Council of Elders

"Good day elders" Emelda greeted with a bow before taking her seat beside the queen.

The elders all acknowledged her presence with deep bows of their own and just like that the council meeting had started.

"Let's get down to business" The queen started. "As you all know this meeting was organized in order to find out how so many elves betrayed our kingdom to join the heinous cult known as the brotherhood".

Queen Flowyria surveyed the faces of the old men before her and smiled. "And surprisingly some intel from my spies and soldiers brought to my attention that most of them were actually from the Flower clan.

At the mention of the clan, a few of the elders had begun to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

Elyria also known as the elven kingdom was made up of five clans which were further divided into five villages that were each headed by an elder.

The clans were; The flower, leaf, seed, bark, and finally the root clans. Each elder served as a head and aided their clans in performing the duties assigned to them by the kingdom.

The flower and leaf clans took care of most of the economics concerning the kingdom and consisted of merchants, and artisans with the latter belonging to the flower.

The remaining three clans had high class nobles and warrior families in their ranks while the root had a special village dedicated to prophecies and the deciphering of ancient elvish literature.

And so the Seed and Bark clan members could be found in other kingdoms, trying to strengthen diplomatic relations or commanding small forces in charge of protecting the borders of their kingdom.

"My queen this cannot be true" Goldwyn; one of the elders in the flower clan said in apparent shock.

"My soldiers don't lie" The queen said frowning. "So what I will like to hear is an explanation".

"On how none of you noticed the sudden movement of large members from your families".

At this moment all eyes turned towards the Flower clan, each of them waiting for words that would prove all of their assumptions wrong..

"Let's see" Emelda thought to herself as she tapped into her telepathy.

Beads of sweat formed on the princess's forehead; a sign of the severe exhaustion that came with attempting to view the thoughts of many people staying in one room.

Her first suspects naturally were the Flower clan but to her surprise the only thoughts on their elder's mind was the shock of being accused of possible betrayal.

Moving past a leaf elder's mind that had more perverted than evil thoughts, she sighed in frustration.

But then a malicious thought captured her attention an at that instant Emelda knew she had found a culprit.

On the outside however the Flower elder by the name of Goldwyn was still trying hard to prove to the queen their innocence.

"Most of those families who your spies traced the traitors to were actually people of good integrity" another Flower head added.

"It's funny how you all are dodging the question I asked". Queen Flowyria chuckled in a tone that was more threatening than funny.

One of the elders took a deep breath before he spoke up "To be honest your highness it was only on the eve of that accursed night that we had noticed the disappearance of some families from our villages".

"And as for why we didn't bring it to your attention, is because we had assumed that the other clans must have lost families as well".

"That is a lie! a fiery red haired from the Seed shouted. "You assumed?

"That's a load of crap, in my opinion you at the Flower were fully aware of what had happened".

"And what evidence Lancelot do you have to make such a large claim? A silver haired mage from the Root asked.

Lancelot had already prepared a stream of shouts and screams to deliver but ultimately paused when he noticed that the Princess seemed to be whispering into her mother's ears.

"I think I've heard enough" the queen said with a raise of her hand. "It has become clear who was fully responsible for this".

An eerie silence filled the air at the queen's statement.

"Goldwyn and Flamboyant, please step forward" the queen smiled as she leaned into her right palm.

The two elders from the Flower bowed at the foot of the throne, calm as a lake even when it seemed obvious that a horrendous allegation had just been placed before them.

"Why did you do this to your own kingdom? Flowyria asked calmly though the veins on her pale right hand told a different story.

"We don't understand what you mean your highness" Flamboyant bowed.

"Playing smart huh? The queen shook her head. "In that case you would be more than glad to prove to us your innocence".

The two nodded in agreement.

At that moment the queen clapped her hands as though in excitement before a pale index finger pointed straight at the elders. "Please reveal your right chest".

The other elders in the council stared at each other in shock for they didn't understand what the queen was getting at, for even the brotherhood member's bodies showed no signs of any tattoos or markings that could signify membership.

"If it's your wish". Goldwyn and Flamboyant bowed, slowly taking off their long flowing green robes.

But at a point in their slight undressing (which was made slow due to the many robes elders were mandated to wear) Emelda noticed a flash of silver.

A flash so fast that neither the guards at the back of the throne room nor the elders gathered, were able to notice.

*SWISSH*

"Nice try" Queen Flowyria smiled, observing the little dagger in her right hand with childlike amusement.

"CRAP! Goldwyn gulped as his feet gathered energy for a bolt that would have been worthy of history.

Flamboyant on the other hand didn't try to run and just stood there, head bowed as little drops of tears trickled onto the floor.

Sadly, for the traitorous elder he wasn't able to cover up to even a meter no thanks to the silver dagger that was now sticking out of his left hamstring.

"Not so fast" the Queen chuckled.

The rest of the elders most especially the more recent ones simply stared at the queen with a mixture of awe and fear for they hadn't even seen the dagger leave her hand.

"By your expression and stance" The Queen sighed in utmost disappointment. "It seems like you will be willing to tell us why you both did this".

Flamboyant took in a breath of air and staring forward with teary eyes, he first held his robes in a tight grip and then.

*RIPPP*

The bright green robe laid on the ground and then they all saw it.

On Flamboyant's right chest was a bright crimson dragon with a maw that seemed to be open in a perpetual roar.

"Forgive me" Flamboyant knelt and so began a long story of betrayal and deceit.