The royal court is a vast hall, with two enormous chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. Rolls of chairs were set in a parallel line, with a red carpet in the middle, beginning from the throne, which held five chairs for each members of the royal family, and ending by the door. Ministers, advisors/councillors, with Lords and ladies-in-waiting, occupied every seat. They all discussed on pressing matters of the Kingdom, with a low tone, as some of them weren't too keen on how some of the matters were handled.
The grand door suddenly opened and Crown Prince Leonard walked in. All lips were immediately shut, as they all bowed to him, as he made his way to the thrown.
His face was expressionless, with his shoulders high, telling the people in the room they were below him.
He sat on the chair by the right left hand side of the King's chair. His sharp midnight eyes swept around the room. His ears keen on the sound of their heartbeats.
A well-known minister, Minister Jackson was first to speak.
"Congratulations on winning the war, as usual, Your Hi—"
He was rudely cut off by the crown prince.
"The King is heavily sick from the bite of a werewolf," his voice was audible enough for everyone in the room to hear. His eyes watched each of them expressions and his ears listened to the change of heartbeats as the words left his mouth. He read pure fear, from three ministers eyes, and he knew they had an hand in it. He haven't have time to interrogate the vendor from the market as he was busy torturing the plump pervert through out the night.
He knew people from the royal court wanted the King dead, as sometimes he does things that weren't in their favour. He was also aware that they would be coming for him as well, as he too wouldn't comply with their needs. The only person dumb enough for them to manipulate with ease, is his half brother, Henry. But Henry is being shielded by the Queen, which makes her a target also.
The blood running through the royal family's veins is directly from one the first vampires to ever walk the earth, which makes them immune to alot of things that gravely affects other vampires. It isn't an easy task to take them down, and they were aware of that, which means they have been planning for months. They knew he would be able to catch them if they tried it when he was in the Kingdom, so they waited till he was at war, before they made their move.
A small smile formed on the crown prince's face as he locked eyes with one of them—Advisor Kenneth.
The whole room was filled with murmurs with the information they just heard. The King was present at the royal court the previous day, so when did he get beaten by a werewolf. Fear slowly crept in their hearts, as they wondered if the border, that seals the werewolves away from their Kingdom was down. If it was and the werewolves were roaming free, with one finding it's way into the palace, biting the King. If it could bite a powerful King, what's to say it's not coming after them.
"It's not safe in the palace anymore. I have wife and kids, I don't want them to be bitten!" A man voiced out, gaining everyone's attention.
"If it's not safe in the palace, it's not safe anywhere in the Kingdom!" The woman beside him also spoke out, looking around her fellow people.
"Isn't the Crown Prince supposed to ensure the borders are up? What's the meaning of this? Or did he do this so he could eliminate the King and take the throne?! Was all of this his doing?!" Another person proclaimed fearlessly. His eyes went straight at Leonard's, but he was quick to remove it, as he couldn't withstand the fierce glare from the crown prince.
Leonard was unbothered by all of this, as he knew this would happen. He relaxed on the throne, his lazy eyes looking at the people's faces as though it wasn't him they were talking about. His midnight eyes suddenly locked with the last man that spoke, that had the man's body jolt a little bit.
"Benedict, is it?" His voice was calm, as he continued "are you accusing your crown prince of treason without evidence?"
Benedict, who had a smirk on his face, suddenly went blank. He froze, with his heart thundering loudly in his chest.
According to Weathbrow's rule, anyone who accuses another of treason, especially a royal member, without evidence is subjected to a hundred lashes on the back—which means death by whipping.
The whole room fell silent. The guards around were quick to action, as they left their posts going straight towards Benedict. Panic course through his bones, as huge hands grabbed each of his limbs lifting him up.
"No. No no no! Your Highness, I didn't mean it that way, I swear! Please spear me! Show mercy! I am married, I have an infant, please!" He pleaded as he was being carried away. The grand door opened, and he was carried out of the royal court to face consequences for his words.
Immediately he was dragged out, the whole room fell silent. The previous people that voice out their opinion, were quick to hide their faces from the crown prince.
"Anyone else have a thing to say?" Leonard's voice broke the silence with a pleasant smile on his face. "It's in the Kingdom's rule book to have freedom of speech." He reminded, but no one dared to speak after what they have just witnessed. It seemed they forgot why the crown prince was the most feared member of the royal family for a slit second. The people who spoke previously were thanking God for not making them overstep.
The smile of Leonard's face suddenly dropped and he spoke up.
"Now, we shall begin!"
Everyone immediately snapped out of their thoughts and began to bring forward pressing matters for the next in line to the throne.