Chapter 18: Dancing Flames.
Hans (POV)
I turned and looked up at the Emperor to see if what she says is true and with out saying anything I knew, I knew by just looking at him that what she has said today was true. The Earl my have taken a bribed from the two nobles but it was not out of greed but out of pure kindness. He used the power he has to help children who were not his own. Something you don't see in nobles and his wife hated that. She hated it so much that she took steps in destroying so many life's just to get rid of one child who didn't do anything but survive .
A coldness ran over my body making me think of my own past as I lived with my sister and she was taken and sold to a old noble man to be his plaything. She only live there for one year then she was killed by his men for running away . She was trying to come back to me and that gave her the hand of death.
Then a small voice came from the Earl that shock the whole room. " He wasn't my son."
At that moment the room stilled. No one said anything after what the Earl has spoken. Head cast down in pain by him and an shaken expression on the wife and the children faces who were still on the floor. I turn to the Emperor to see how he was feeling about this but what I saw on his face was not the same shocked expression like the rest of the room had. He looked … like he already knew about this or …lived though it. The strange expression on his face took me aback. I could unc nor did I want to understand. He looked also turn and looked down on me catching my gaze then he rised an eyebrow like he was saying 'are you going to continue or not' I nodded my head and turned back at the scene.
Now the Earl was shouting at his wife demanding to know what she did with the boy called Red and wanting to know what else she has done to the other children. The women kept shouting back at him and saying that he was lying and that the boy was his and that the boy was killed.
I didn't know what to do about this situation but one think I did know was that I have to shut them up before the Emperor get upset. I of all people know that when his is upset his power pours out in a very violent and uncontrollable way.
"Excuse me! But this is not the time Earl Maxtim! We-"
"'We' have what! Ha! My wife just told me that she runs a underground gang and the sold and kill my nephew cause she thought I was having an affair with a street maid. What I need to do at this moment is get out there and find my SON! HE IS THE ONLY THING THAT TIES ME TO MY DIED BROTHER . I NEEEED TO I-…NEEEEEED TO FIND HIM! UNDERSTAND THAT SIR!" He said in a rage as he cut me off.
'Well that went great' I thought to myself at I pushed my glasses up.
"There is no need for us to find." The Emperor said in a low tone. He lift up his hand up to signal the guards at the back to open the doors. Then as the doors open there comes a young boy dress in noble clothes dark hair pulled back head down in fear walking hand in hand with a young women with blonde hair and brown eyes dress in a palace maid uniform walking up to the throne.
"Oh goodness" The Earl exclaims as tears fall from his face.
"No! that is not possible that boy she be-"
"Died, right but that didn't happen. I could sit here all day and tell you about how I got him but as you know that will be a waste of my time and we all know I hate wasting it but can tell you this. All your men and the money you made from your underground trade has been taking in by the empire and the people you use to sell are now free." He said as the women and the boy in which I guess is Red stood in front of the throne and bowed they head in respect to the Emperor and rose. He leaned forward and smiled down at the boy. Something he doesn't do so often cause of…
"Did you eat well my boy?" the Emperor asked the boy then he nodded as he smiled up a toothless grin at the him. " Yes your majesty I did and it was good. Thank you."
" Good my boy, ok do you see the man there?" He said as he pointed to the Earl. The boy turned and saw him and his smile grew bigger then he yanked his hand from the maid and ran to the Earls arms. The Earl kneed and scoop the boy up.
"My boy mmyyy boy." he said with a joyful tone. Moments passed as the Earl and the boy hugged while this wife and children sat on the floor still in chains.
"You care more of that boy than your own family who are in chains right in front of you." The women said in a venomous way.
The man looked up and gazed at the women. "You are to blame for where you are right now. You sold women and children and killed innocent people for you to cover yourself with gold and jewellery and I just wanted my children and my brother child to grow up in a happy home. Even after know what happened to my brother and knowing my feeling on helping the people you still did it. So please Catherine don't you dare cast blame on your own wrong doings."
Before she decided to give another long winded come back to the Earl I spoke up. "His majesty has made his decision of the judgment for the crimes of.
*Human trafficking
*Extortion
*Bribery
*Bullying
*Illegal gambling
*Illegal selling and trading goods and people for sexual favours.
*Murder
*Stolen property
And as we have told you before the judgment for those crimes are as follows.
This are the crimes that your house has committed against the empire. The result of punishment is 100 lashing for the children and banishment to the out lands 100 lashing and banishment to work in the out land for the rest of they days for your wife and for the Earl will be hang in the city square to death.
But since we have uncovered that the Earl did not commit this crimes and that the crimes were committed by his wife Catherine Betty Ann Maxtim she will be hang in the square til death and his children will be banished from the empire for they crimes of bullying and torture and Earl Maxtim punishment will be the removal of his title and house. All things that belong to house Maxtim will be given to the new young master Red Maxtim the new Earl,he and the next generation will be give the grand title of the new Earl Maxtim of house Mar and helping with this responsibility will be the previous Earl Henry Tom Maxtim." I said
"If there is any objection your majesty" I said as I turn to look at him. He shook his head as he lean back in his set.
"No! you can't do this to us, you can't just put a low ranking servant child as the new Earl that can't be. That title belongs to noble blood lines." She said in a hatful tone.
"What makes you think the child is a low ranking his father came from nobles and his mother was just some maid from the 'streets' as you said. She was from a Baron family east of your territory. Her family my not have money but she was still a noble." His majesty said as he smiled a cruel smile at the Earls wife. She shafted back at his expression fear evident on her face.
"My children they-… they will not be here anymore. Please your majesty please don't let this boy take what belongs to my children. It is they right. Please."
"Enough! I am sick of this. Hans has spoken my judgment and you and your child will be punished for the crimes accordingly. Also there is evidence that your son was kidnapping and drugging the victims from the slums and also using them and your daughter was bullying and torturing other victims too. As Hans has said before there are testimonies from the victims that have spoken to us and if you can show me that you didn't commit this crimes or other wise I suggest you shut the f@#k up and go died in your pitiful hole. In silence." His majesty said as he stood up from his throne as dark emanating power poured out of him fulling the room with hot thick air that made it hard to breath. The guards in the room were dripping sweating showing that they can't breathe. My throat burned at every breath also making my eyes water. I turn to look up at his majesty only to see him walking down the stairs slowing.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The steps rang out in the room as the hot air chocked us in to submission and flickers of flame sparked all around us.
' Shit! His losing it.'