The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Eighty Six

One thing I have learned from living for so long right now is that I had learned the benefits of waiting. I had discovered the joy of knowing when to strike, so when I realized that the King was talking to Kentan, I retreated and went back to my Ritual Grounds and thought of what my next move should be. 

But it was not that as easy as pie. It took everything in me to stop myself from confronting the Kiong, who obviously were following the instructions of a deity that wants to kill Nievo for his own benefit. And because the King wanted for his wife to come back to life, it seems that he was tricked into believing that it was possible as long as he follows whatever Kentan was going to say to him.

"Is that how a deity comes back from being a human?" Collette asked me when I told her and the others what was possibly going to happen. "Did he really come back from being a mortal already? I can't believe that he made it quick and we know nothing about it."

"That is exactly what I feel about that right now," I second her opinion. "I never knew that it is just that simple. I don't even know if he already has a body. All I know is that was his voice. Kentan is back and is making a way to get rid of Nievo, who he knows is Volo."

"Then we should tell the King and the Council about it, my dear deity! We have to inform them what they are really dealing with!"

I shook my head. "As ideal as that suggestion of yours might be, but that is not going to work, Collette. "I think it is too late now for the King to listen to sense. Anybody in that state would refuse to listen to sense now. But luckily for us, I already know everything that I need to know so we proceed to our plan. We will not be intimidated by Kentan."

And that was it. We just waited for the final date of the execution to come. It was a good thing that the King kept his promise that he would execute Nievo and the Forresters in public as it would have been a big problem for me if he suddenly decided to kill them inside their prison cells and without the knowledge of the people of Aure. I think the King (with Kentan's instructions) wants everyone to see the execution as that would also tarnish my reputation. Everyone now knows that Nievo was close to me, especially the Council. And it was not a secret that I tried to save him the first night I went to the dungeons to free them there. Everyone in Aure knows that I was backing Nievo, so if the King wants to put dirt on my name executing Nievo and the Forresters with the public watching would be the best option for them. 

And the day of the execution finally came. It was going to be held in the front garden of the Palace where everyone was invited to come and watch. The King and the rest of the Council were there to watch too. They were seated at the front, looking comfortable in their seats while they awaited the accused to reach the makeshift podium that they make for this type of event. Collette was there with the Council, as she was the representative of the Gypsies now since Ova's passing. 

I was standing near the entrance to the dungeon though. I stood there looking at everyone, while the public kept giving me glances. Most of them were wary of what I was going to do, but I promised them that I would not be hostile. The King looked smug though, and he kept on staring at me as if challenging me to do something. He had with him at least two dozen Royal Guards, (as if they can protect him if I really wanted to kill him) while the rest of the people stood at the sidelines waiting for the prisoners. But the King will deliver his speech yet, so we all waited at what he was going to tell the public. 

Finally, he stood up at the sound of the trumpets. He looked around his people, then took a quick glance at me before speaking to everyone. "Finally, the day has come for us to settle this issue," he started and everyone went silent. I stood there, trying to be alert as much as possible of what he was going to do next. "First of all, let me apologize to everyone for taking this matter too long than expected. As our dear deity, the Scarlet Phoenix had said, it would have been unfair if we punished the criminal when all of us were running with high emotions. We had to pause and rethink our decisions and reevaluate the situation. And right now, the revaluation was an offer. I have here the final decision of the Council regarding this matter which has been deliberated at least five times since we captured the accused and his accomplices. But in order for them to hear the decision, let the accused come in first."

The King gestured to the Royal Guards who were standing not far from me (who were keeping guard at the entrance of the dungeon as if I was really planning to set Nievo and the Forresters free.) I felt everyone's eyes on me and I know why. They are waiting to see if I will do something, but my plan does not require that. I think the King was now on his toes, trying to read what my next move is. But both of us want to let the public see that we are not the threat here, so he does nothing to me. 

The Royal Guards then walked toward the center of the podium with the accused. Nievo was now conscious, and something in me ached when I saw him being pushed by one of the Royal Guards so that he can walk faster. Of course, he was walking very slowly as he was injured, but the Royal Guards were surrounding him pointing their spears at him while he walked in chains. Rico and his son, Tryo, were walking slowly too, and all the three of them looked tired and defeated already. Perhaps they have already accepted their fate. Maybe they thought that they were really going to die right now, but I would not let that happen. 

The three of them were now standing in the middle of the podium. All of them knelt before the King who looked overjoyed at the sight of them looking like they already faced death. "Finally, here are the accused. I will now read the decision made by me and the Council. This was an almost unanimous decision, with only three members voting against this." I looked at Collette who was one of those three. She was looking at Troy and she was already in tears. The King saw her crying, which made him more confident, and that was what I wanted. "In front of us are Nievo Bloomfire, Rico Forrester, and his son, Troy Forrester."

"First, I will read the general consensus. Here it goes. On the night of the fullest moon, the Queen was found dead in her bed, with traces of poison in her mouth. Sickly as she already was, the Queen was already pregnant which made her condition worse as she was advised not to take pain killer herbs..." the King paused after that, and the people watching went silent. It was a great tragedy indeed, and if the King only did not push Nievo's involvement in this crime I would have grieved for his loss too. 

"I did not only lose my wife, but also my unborn child, who would have been the next in line to the throne... It is not only a crime against me but to the whole kingdom as well. The murderer has not only killed a wife and an unborn child but also members of the Royal Family... They had killed the hope of this kingdom... But as our dear deity has personally told me, we cannot just accuse someone even if he was the last person known to speak with my wife before she died of poisoning. She was right. It was still not a piece of strong evidence against this young man... Anything could have happened. But the case is, we have now obtained evidence that would confirm our first suspicion... the King said to the public and then rummaged the pocket of his Royal Robe. He took a piece of parent from there and waved it to the public.

"This is a letter of admission from Nievo Bloomfire's mother," said the King and I gasped in horror and looked at Nievo who also looked shocked at what he heard. "Fearing that his mother and the rest of their family might be punished too for a crime that her son solely committed, the concerned mother wrote to us and told us that she knew of Nievo's plan all along but had not taken it seriously...  As her son was a nobody yet at that time when she discovered the murderous intent of her child, she thought it was just one of his crazy plans as he is known to have deep hatred with the Royal Family. But then Nievo got acquainted with the Scarlet Phoenix, so he gained the courage to do what he intended to do all along. So when he had his way, without the rest of us guessing his right intention, he did it. He killed the Queen---"

"LIES!" I heard Nievo hissed at the King. "That is a lie!" I was shocked that he can even muster the strength to shout like that. I had thought that he was already a lost cause. But I got excited when I heard his loud voice calling out the outright lie of the King. "I have never put a finger on the Queen!"

"But the evidence is now against you," the King responded and I could see the people muttering to each other. I bet that they were now discussing who was telling the truth. Was it the King? Was it the mother who betrayed her son? Or was it the convicted? "Your mother would not write this if this was not the truth, right?" Nievo did not respond to that and I had this sudden urge to go to their home in Carmel and just murder the woman. How could she sell her child like that? "And now, with the strong evidence that we have right now, we are hereby punishing these three of the death punishment. They will be fed with poison, the same method that they had used to my wife and our unborn child."

"NO!"

"My Royal Guards, please do the honor. Let them drink the poison." Everyone was starting to make noises when the King said that. Some were cheering happily, while the others looked like they were not ready to witness someone getting poisoned. I was now on alert as I stood there waiting for the right time to act. The Royal Guards were now at Nievo's side. The three accused were now looking at the ground, perhaps not expecting that they will be saved. But then as if instinct, I saw Nievo look in my direction. Our eyes met. He smiled sadly at me and that moved me so much that I wept. I then looked at Collette, who was also just waiting for my signal. I nodded at her, and then she did what I told her to do.

She suddenly had a bow and arrow with her, and she shot an arrow towards Nievo. The glint of the gold shone brightly in the daylight, and it hit Nievo in his heart. He dropped dead, and then everything went into chaos.