The Grand Plaza of Valoria was filled to the brim; a sea of people was waiting with bated breath. The morning air offered no refreshment today; rather, it felt suffocatingly heavy. The joyful spirit of celebration that usually accompanied a royal transition was entirely missing. Instead, the plaza was giving off the unsettling vibe of a big evil trap, which had been carefully constructed while radiating an artificial aura of holiness- a sanctity that the Council no longer possessed.
At the heart of the plaza stood the High Stage. It was a platform made of dark wood and white marble. The Paladin High Council sat there today, looking down at the commoners like distant gods as they passed judgment. They sat behind a long stone table, their silver-gold armor shining coldly in the sunlight.
To the left were tiered benches for the witnesses and jury. The foreign delegates sat there, observing the proceedings with sharp, judgmental eyes. Among them were the Veridians. Alsnow, Baron Torin, and Count Leo occupied the front row. Behind them stood their guards, including Kaelen, Jax, and the disguised Lorian. Selena, still hidden in her disguise as Ariana, stood directly behind Lorian.
In the center stood Lady Justice Serena Stormhold, the one who theoretically was still the absolute ruler of Valoria. She was encircled by a ring of heavy-armored Paladin guards. Directly in front of her was a small, decorated desk holding the Scroll of Abdication- a document intended to end the Stormhold line forever.
Below the stage, the people of Valoria were packed tightly. In front of the gathered crowd stood a thin line of city guards who looked no less uneasy than the crowd they watched. There was no cheering, no shouting; - only the clanking of armor and the fluttering of banners in the wind could be heard. Every curious eye was searching for a Princess who wasn't there, and the resulting silence was no less dangerous than a furious uproar.
Then began the much-anticipated trial. It opened with a grand, over-the-top display of the religious and legal authority of the Paladin Order. Everyone could understand it was a performance intended to crush the Lady Justice's spirit and force her into submission before the public could start asking questions.
A senior High Paladin stepped forward, his voice booming like thunder across the plaza.
"People of Valoria, esteemed delegates," he began, spreading his arms as if to embrace the crowd. "Today, on this very day, we have gathered here not to seek vengeance, but to reclaim our order. It is order that is the cornerstone of civilization; order that differentiates man from those Orcs and other vile beasts. We have gathered to reestablish that sacred balance in this land, once again."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "The Stormholds, for centuries, led Valoria to glory while walking the Path of Righteousness. But that is now a part of our history. For too long, the later Stormhold line has faltered, casting a shadow of instability and failed leadership over our streets. But even in the deepest night, there is a path back to the light. Today, that light shines again upon the fate of Valoria. Wisdom and Righteousness have prevailed! For the sake of our city's survival, Lady Justice Serena Stormhold has chosen the path of reason."
He turned toward the Queen, gesturing toward the desk. The silence in the square was so absolute that the drop of a pin on the marble floor would have sounded like the strike of a gong.
"Your Majesty," the High Paladin said, his tone shifting to a forced, fatherly warmth that did not reach the coldness of his eyes. "The Scroll of Abdication is before you. By your mark, you will pass the burden of rule to the Council of Paladins, ensuring that your people- and your daughter- remain under the protection of the Holy Order. Sign, and let the healing of Valoria begin. Let your selflessness and sacrifice be etched in the annals of legends, sung by troubadours for aeons to come."
Serena did not move. Her expression was as cold and static as granite. She did not look like a prisoner; she looked like a monument to a dynasty that refused to crumble. She looked at the scroll, then back at the High Paladin.
A surge of pride for her daughter flared in her heart. Her dear daughter Selena had predicted this situation accurately; she had warned her that exactly this would happen. Her daughter had begged her not to leave Veridia, or at least to stay until she could find an way out. But at the time, Serena had not believed her. She had more faith in her people and their loyalty towards her, than in her own blood's warnings. Now, she realized that not only she, but her dear daughter as well, was paying for that misplaced faith.
Suddenly, her eyes scanned the plaza. Her daughter was nowhere to be found. Neither was Mordan Terance.
"I see the scroll," Serena replied in her surprisingly strong voice, "And I see the Council. But I do not see my daughter. I was promised that Selena would be standing at my side before a single drop of ink touched this parchment."
A nervous ripple went through the Paladin guards. The High Paladin's fake smile vanished, "The Princess is... being prepared, Your Majesty. The process is delicate. Your signature is the key to her release. Do not let your motherly stubbornness endanger the very girl you wish to protect."
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a hissing whisper meant only for her, "Sign it now, Serena Stormhold. Do not make us remind the crowd why we called her a witch in the first place. Do not make us remind YOU how we deal with a witch in our place."
From the Veridian bench, Alsnow adjusted his spectacles, his fingers clutching a thick legal tome. He looked at Lorian, who was standing behind him like a statue. Lorian did not make a move yet. He made a secret signal with his finger, instructing his people to stay put for now. The trap was set; all they needed now was for the Paladins to overstep.
And overstep they did indeed.
The High Paladin looked at the council for their opinion. Their stern, adamant expressions gave him the answer. They didn't want to delay by waiting for her to agree. He grabbed the quill from the desk and thrust it toward Serena, his fingers locking around her wrist in a cruel iron grip.
"Sign, you damned woman," he growled in a low, threatening voice, his mask of noble benevolence finally slipping, "For the sake of that wicked witch of a daughter. Or don't you care if she burns? For I personally would rejoice seeing her roasted in the fire slowly!"
The plaza fell under a threatening silence, like the absolute calm before a devastating storm. The pressure at last got hold of the battle-hardened woman, letting the concerned mother emerge from the absolute ruler. Just as Serena's fingers touched the quill, a sharp, metallic clack echoed across the silent plaza. It was the sound of a heavy book being slammed shut.
All eyes in the plaza turned to Alsnow as the old man stood erect. He didn't look dominating; he was just a thin man with a stooped back and ink-stained fingers. But the way he slowly, deliberately adjusted his glasses was deeply annoying to the Paladins.
"The High Paladin seems to be in a rush," Alsnow remarked in his dry, sharp tone, "Is the ink drying too fast, or is the Council simply afraid of the law?"
The High Paladin's head snapped toward the Veridian bench; his face twisted in anger and annoyance, "This is a sacred rite of Valoria, old man. Sit down before you are removed."
"A rite? Perhaps," Alsnow said, stepping out from the bench. He diverted his gaze from the Paladins and looked straight at the foreign delegates and the audience behind them, "But a legal one? Hardly. I spent my past few days in your Great Library, and I found something quite... inconvenient."
He held up the leather-bound tome; his finger shoved between the pages, "The Valorian Code of Succession, Article 14. It's indeed a dusty old law, but a binding one. And, correct me if I am wrong, it has not been amended yet. It says an abdication is a hollow gesture unless it is witnessed and signed by the direct Heir Apparent. In person. On this very stage."
Alsnow looked up, his eyes doing a quick scan of the plaza around him, "My old eyes have failed to notice the presence of Princess Selena here. And according to this law, without her witness, that scroll in your hand is just a paper with no legal value. If you force that signature now, you aren't crowning a new government under your Council, but- I am afraid to say- you are committing a public coup in front of the entire world."
A low, ugly murmur started in the back of the crowd and rolled forward like a wave. The waves splashed over the delegates of the other city-states as well; they straightened in their seats, paying close attention to the drama gradually unfolding before their eyes.
The High Paladin's grip on Serena's wrist tightened until her hand turned white from lack of blood circulation. For a long, agonizing moment, his mouth stayed open, but no sound came out. Alsnow had basically driven a spike directly into the foundation of the Council's legitimacy, right in front of its people and the foreign courts.
"A loophole!" the High Paladin finally barked, but his voice now lacked the commanding tone of authority and had now turned into a desperate screech, "A dusty piece of text dragged from the dark by a meddling foreigner to obstruct the holy transition of Valoria! Princess Selena is... unfit to stand before this righteous gathering. Her mind is fractured by her own heretical afflictions. The Council, by divine mandate, stands as her legal proxy!"
It was a clearly weak, panicked lie. And it was exactly the blood in the water Baron Torin had been waiting for.
On Lorian's signal Torin stood. His massive frame and broad shoulders instantly made the High Stage look small.
"First things first, High Paladin," Torin began, "Twice now, you have accused our esteemed Master Eldred Alsnow of meddling in your little theater. Twice, you've told him to sit down. So, tell me... why exactly did you invite the Veridian delegation here in the first place?"
He paused, tilting his head with a look of feigned, condescending curiosity, "Did you drag us across leagues of treacherous roads just to sit here as silent spectators? Did you think we would just nod and clap for this farce you call a proceeding?"
Torin took another step closer to the stage, radiating sense of absolute superiority, "If my memory serves me correctly- and it always does- we traveled to this city for one reason- to ensure that Valoria, a vital member of the Heptagon Accord, conducts its transition of power legally, lawfully, and with honor. If there is a discrepancy in your law, we don't just have the right to speak on it- we have the obligation."
Torin let out a short, dry chuckle, "But please, if the Holy Order finds this too inconvenient, just say the word. We will vacate these benches right now. We will leave you to your theater. But let me make one thing crystal clear to this Council..."
Torin leaned forward slightly, "The moment our boots leave this plaza, your legitimacy leaves with us. The new Valoria- the one you are trying so desperately to build on lies- will not have a single shred of our support within the Heptagon Accord. You will stand entirely alone in a very cold world. On that, High Paladin, you have my absolute word."
Rest of delegates did not comment but stayed silent, observing how things were unfolding. But among them, some heads could be seen in agreement with the imposing orator.
Torin now turned his back to the Council, and started addressing the sea of Valorian citizens directly, "People of Valoria! Listen closely to the keepers of your souls! They ask for your faith, but they cannot even give you a straight answer. First, the Princess is a dangerous witch who must be stripped of her birthright. Now, she is a fragile soul who must be hidden away for her own protection!"
Torin spun around, and raised leveled a accusatory finger at the long stone table.
"I ask you, High Paladin! Is her mind fractured, or is your cage simply empty? If the Holy Order is backed by the heavens and thousands of spears, why do you tremble at the thought of bringing a single girl into the sunlight?"
The High Paladin's face whitened, but he desperately tried to maintain upper-hand, "Mind your tongue, Veridian! You stand in the heart of Valoria. We answer to the heavens, not to the skepticism of a rich trader cosplaying as a baron!"
"Then let the heavens look down and witness your embarrassment!" Torin shot back, stepping closer to the stage, "You hold the quill, you hold the guards, and you hold the palace. Yet, a mother asks to see her child, a scholar asks to see your law, and the great Paladin Order stands there... sweating."
Torin let out a short, booming laugh that cut right through the Council's dignity, "You came here today to display your absolute power, but you have shown us nothing but your absolute fear. If the Stormhold line is truly finished, bring out the Heir and let her be present while her mother sign it away. Or give us proof why she cannot be present physically here. But you cannot. Because the truth is a bitter pill, isn't it? You haven't just lost the law, High Paladin- you've lost your prisoner!"
The effect on the plaza was electric. The brittle silence broke apart into a chaotic, angry roar. The wave of suspicion Torin had conjured rolled through the crowd, crashing directly into the front lines. Even the thin line of city guards which was working as barrier to the sea of crowd started faltering, as they realized they were standing shield for a Council whose lies were unraveling in real-time.