The night hadn't even ended yet.
The great hall of Solmere, previously filled with laughter, was now utterly silent and filled with the scent of blood and whispers.
Alaric was dragged through the hall while he was still naked.
While taking him towards the council, the boy stumbled, falling to his knees, but the soldiers pulled him up again.
His bare feet, now fully covered in blood, were being dragged across the cold white stone floor.
A few minutes later, he was being taken to the council in one of the buildings in the hall.
The Hall of Judgment stood at the heart of Solmere a vast, cathedral-like chamber carved from onyx-black stone that shimmered faintly under the light of suspended crystal lanterns.
At the far end of the hall rose three elevated thrones. High up on the wall, there was a picture of a crescent moon just above the middle seat.
The center seat slightly higher than the others was reserved for the Guardian, the neutral arbiter of Solmere's laws.
To the right the Veylord, symbol of authority and the bloodline's power.
To the left, the Veylady.
Beneath their gaze, the chamber opened into two long platforms divided by a white marble path. On the right platform stood the accused in this case, Alaric with guards flanking his sides. On the left platform stood the victim's side, in this case, the girl.
Each platform was bound by a low railing of carved silver, etched with old runes that shimmered faintly under the hall's light.
Behind them stretched a wide, tiered gallery for the audience and council, where rulers and other spectators sat in solemn silence.
Above all of them, on the wall above the audience hall, carved into the curved ceiling, was the Emblem of Solmere a radiant star split by a single white crack the mark of truth and judgment.
The knights dragged Alaric towards the place where he stood still naked. He was there, covering his body with the wide wood in front of him.
Inside, the air was thick with perfume and contempt. rulers lined the steps like vultures. Their eyes gleamed with judgment.
Inside the hall, there were three seats in the middle sat the Guardian of the family, and beside him were two seats for the Veylord and Veylady.
Following the knights, the Veylord came into the hall with his stiff and steel expression, looking only forward, not in any direction.
Following him, the Veylady came with her eyes full of tears, yet not shedding any of them.
They both came and stood at their assigned places.
Now the hall was filled with all of the rulers, as many of them were present to hear the verdict of the council.
whispeers filled the whole hall
After a few minutes, when the council convened, the echo of the Guardian's staff striking the marble floor sounded like thunder. As soon as the clicking of the staff was heard, the whispers and noise were silenced in the council hall.
The old man continued to march up to the middle of the place above the hall. He went upstairs while clicking his staff, while both knights remained on the opposite sides of the hall beside the Guardian.
As soon as he reached the chair he was assigned to, he turned towards the audience, and while looking at them, he sat down followed by the Veylord and Veylady at the same time.
The old man started to speak in a low voice which echoed throughout the hall. "I, the Guardian of the council, will hereby be the judge to judge this case and give justice to the victims."
Again, he started to speak in the same low voice, now his eyes on Alaric. "The accusation is that the youngest heir of Solmere has abused the girl of Luminaris, Annie."
The elder turned toward the Veylord Luminaris. "Veylord, present your witness."
The Veylord came forward with the knight who broke the door.
The knight stood opposite to Alaric at the end of the hall, turned toward the Guardian. He was feeling immense pressure just by standing there and started to speak. "Elder, when we were patrolling, suddenly a scream echoed through the hall, so we went in the direction where the scream had come from. When we got there, the door was locked, so I broke it and entered the room first. When I first entered the room, I saw Lady Annie in the corner with her half-torn gown, crying, and the room was a mess — scattered blankets, broken furniture and at last, I saw Lord Alaric sleeping on the bed until the Veylady Liora woke him up."
The elder carefully listened as the knight explained the events.
Then the Veylord Luminaris was in full of rage and expression of sadness said , "Elder, you must give justice to our girl. She was assaulted in the presence of all the rulers."
"I DID NOT DO IT!" The screams of Alaric echoed through the hall.
"Ma, I didn't do it, Ma, plea—"
"SILENCE!" the elder barked, striking his staff on the floor.
"Even though they are lying, we can prove the innocence or guilt of people through my artifact, and I hereby declare that all of the things said by the knight are proven right, and the words of the young boy are proven false." The elder was judging the people stood before the hall.
And then he continued, "Then, by decree of the Twelve and the authority of the blood of Solmere, the word of the council, I strip you of your title, your lands, and your name. From this moment, you are no longer a son of Solmere, and you will be banished from the house and sent to the Wrylands until your death." The judgment of the elder echoed through the hall.
"Ma—" Just as Alaric was about to retort, the knights came from behind and dragged him across the hall to the prisons in the underground.