RED TIDE: Chapter 7 – Suckers

Alternia: The Capital City of Fuschiaburg, Imperial Court

27th Night of the 9th Perigee

Your name is Eridan Ampora and this is the most terrifying night of your life. Well, so far at least.

The Condesce's trial had been this morning. It was the fastest one you had ever seen. She was walked in, had a list of grievances and pieces of evidence read to her that she barely listened to, and before she could even try to make a simple argument for herself, she was gagged around the mouth as her sentence was read.

Death.

Okay, that wasn't all the sentence said, it had a bunch of legal red tape language in there too, but the point is she was executed moments later. It was not public. You saw her be escorted into a room, and a body-bag be led out. You don't intend on finding out how they do it. The whole experience was not saddening for you. You felt no real sympathy for her, only what she stood for. Rather, this has all made you come near soiling yourself on multiple occasions.

You are both standing on trial now. You, and Feferi. The outlook does not look good. Your trial is taking significantly longer, though you won't complain about that. At least it gives you more time. There are no real accusations against you, and neither of you have been granted a voice in this trial. There is no actual crime. They are deciding what is to be done with you. Well, mostly Feferi, since she's the heiress. But also you.

Before you are hundreds of trolls, all of them either looking at the two of you, or speaking amongst themselves. You can faintly recognize a couple, thus proving that the aristocracy and source of order around here isn't completely gone. Most of them have pleaded for your amnesty, and for once you feel like you may wind up indebted to someone who ought to be below you. But a great number of them are Lowbloods and Midbloods that glare daggers at the two of you. They have pleaded for you to be put to death as well for matters of security. So that the monarchy may never rise again.

None of this makes sense to you. Do they really think this new government can actually get things done? They've done jack shit, and honestly, if things were up to you, Feferi would be rightfully placed on the throne in a blood-pusher beat. Granted, if things really were up to you, they'd be a little different between the two of you. But now is certainly not the time to think about shit like that. Unless, of course, it's as a last confession.

As all of this malarkey shuffles through your head, the second to last scheduled testimony was being given. It wasn't any different from the others that wanted you dead, alongside what seemed to be the majority vote here, though you've been managing to cling to the slipping hope that that assumption is not true. Fef though, she seemed to have lost it the day you were arrested. She's barely talked since then, and you fear she may have already accepted the unthinkable, and that she's been waiting in slight mourning all this time. The long winded Lowblood finishes, and takes his seat back amongst the hundreds present. An introduction is delivered by . . . oh great, just who you didn't want to see today.

Sollux rises to the podium, his ridiculous lisp still ringing out of his mouth.

"And now prethenting, for our final word on thith hearing before cathting the vote, Grand Ducheth Maryam."

You might actually have a sliver of hope now. Maryam has been firm in preventing the abolishment of the aristocracy, though, she still believes neither of you are completely innocent. She enters from the side of the enormous courtroom and takes a stand. What she says next dumbfounds even you, but the crowd seems even more astounded.

"The votes for this trial are to be rendered invalid. I have found them innocent of true harm, and they are to be set free."

Halfway through, the people in the room start to speak amongst themselves, and by the end they are already shouting at her.

"You can't do that! This is a court!"

"What the hell is this, an autocracy?"

"How can you defend those cretins?!"

Maryam visibly tenses up, and you're grinding your teeth in fear, looking back to Fef. She still seems hollow and halfway dead.

"I am NOT about to have undeserving, royal blood on MY hands, during MY administration!"

"Oh, so would you rather have Lowblood on your hands, Duchess?"

"That's not what I . . ." She tried to defend herself, already sounding defeated.

"She's no better than what we got out of! The war's over, and there's STILL millions starving!"

"Fuck, at least The Condesce knew what she was doing!"

She looked upon the crowd with a disgusted glare at this open betrayal. As she tried to talk again, one troll in particular stood, dignified and serious looking, and bellowed above the rest.

"If you would be so kind, Miss Maryam, I believe I can settle this issue."

She nodded to him, and all others sank back to their seats under her glare, grumbling in resentment. The noticeably short troll moved to the front of the seated hundreds and looked back upon them.

"I have devised a plan that can please the people AND keep both ours and Miss Maryam's hands clean of anyone's blood. Though, one thing is certain. Neither of these Highbloods are guilty of any crime other than ignorance and vanity." He pointed at the stand that you both sat in. "I stand with her in that they should be free."

The crowd began to harshly whisper amongst itself, until he seemed to growl displeased and spoke over them again. "BUT, we must keep in mind that freedom comes at a cost." This doesn't sound good already, but just as you can churn out that thought, he turns to look directly at Fef.

"Miss Feferi Peixes." She raises her head slowly at the call of her name. "How many rubles do you believe you are worth?" That's when you snap. Before anyone can even give a response you slam your palms onto the table and stand, fins flaring out and giving this self-proclaimed problem solver a hateful grimace.

"Wwhat kind a fuckin' question is that? I'd say I'm wworth a million rubles, an' Fef's wworth at the vvery LEAST ten times that!"

You point to both of you as you say it, but you can hear Fef choke out weakly, "Eridan . . . please," but before she could continue she was interrupted yet again only this time by the same nubby horned, obviously a radical Pissblooded asshat. He doesn't sound too happy.

"THANK YOU, Mister Ampora. Your input is 'vvery' appreciated." A few sinister giggles are heard from all around.

You can't believe a Highblood like you is standing on trial in such utterly ridiculous circumstances, and being humiliated no less! You just want to kill everyone in here. Almost everyone. The crowd silences itself once Maryam speaks.

"So Mister . . ."

"Vantas, ma'am."

"So Mister Vantas, may I ask you what those prices are meant to entail? Surely you don't intend to sell them into slavery?" Everyone looks confused again, but you can make out a smug grin growing on this Mister Vantas, and you want your own two cents in before he can have another shot at pissing you off.

"Yeah! Howw the fuck can slavvery be a kind a freedom?"

Fef whispers harshly to you, never averting her still downward glance. "Shut UP."

You give her a bewildered look. How can she say that? This guy is proposing borderline treason here, and she's gonna tell YOU to shut up?

"Actually, one might find slavery preferable to what I am proposing." His eyebrows are raised, and he's giving you a devilish smirk.

No.

He turns to address the crowd once more. "Bounties, ladies and gentlemen. That is my proposal. This way they are set free at a price."

Hell no.

"Just as he said it. One million for him, and ten million for her. The money will come directly out of the sale of royal property."

Hell fucking no.

"They should be placed an hour after they are released." He turned back to glance at the two of you. "We shall let the people decide your fate."

Your entire body feels numb suddenly, and you fall back into your chair. You can already feel a cold sweat coming over you as just about everyone nods in agreement. Fef turns. She's grimacing at you, and can already see tears forming. But your attention is pulled back towards Maryam when she speaks.

"That is . . . purely barbaric! You can't turn a troll's life into some sort of sadistic game!"

"You're right. I can't. And neither can you. Only the people can truly decide. And what is their decision?"

The crowd's response is a unanimous roar.

"YES! Freedom at a price! Freedom at a price!"

The applause and cheering is near deafening in the sound amplifying room. Maryam looks upon them all shockingly, and dismisses them with a repulsed wave, and strides back out of the room, accompanied by none. The sound only grows louder once she leaves, and the guards behind you place you each back in those tight handcuffs. Vantas waves to the guards, and they haul you two away forcefully.

Now you know for sure that the fear in the nights to follow will eclipse anything you've experienced tonight.