Ilosovic Stayne: The Knave's Adventures
Chapter Seven: Hearts & Scars
A few weeks had passed since the death of Queen Elsemere and everything in Witzend was still morbid, a off settling feeling. The skies had seemed to grow darker, people still mourned by wearing darker clothing though her majesties funeral had already passed, it was a lot more quiet through the streets and in the castle walls. Everything just felt off now that the beloved Queen had passed, including King Oleron.
King Oleron had became more to himself, spending most of his days sitting on his throne slumped over and starred almost in a trance at the now empty throne next to him. He was heartbroken and it was slowly ruining him. He barley ate, his features had become more sullen and sunken in; bags holding under his eyes from the lack of sleep. And he was greying, just from the few weeks his beloved Queen had been gone. He was slowly letting madness sink into his brain, which made the King more paranoid. He had requested orders that his two daughters should be confided to their chambers in thought that someone was going to bring harm to them. They were all he had left now, so he had a very tight hold on them. And they weren't allowed out of their chambers unless permission was granted by King Oleron himself.
This was not just driving the two Princess's mad, but Ilosovic as well. It had been weeks since he had last seen Mirana. He kept debating if he should sneak up her wall to her balcony every night but he didn't want to intrude, not without her permission. The knight even took the shifts of standing outside her door to guard in hopes that she would step out from her room, but alas she never did. He would even ask fellow nights if he had heard any word from them though they hadn't as well. Suspicion finally started to grow amongst the Knights about Stayne, rumors were being spread about his intentions unknowingly to him. It wasn't until one day Iracebeth had finally emerged from her chambers with permission by her father for a meeting, the knight guarding her door ushering her down to the throne room. Now was Stayne's chance. Once the two were out of his sight, he quickly turned to Mirana's door and knocked on it.
"Princess? Mirana? May I come in? It's Ilosovic...please." He called out to the door, waiting a few minutes and heard no answer. "Please..." He called out once more, but no answer. He gave a nod, turning back around and leaned his back against her door; letting out a faint sigh. It was driving him insane not being able to see her, and he knew she needed her time; specially with her mothers passing. But he wanted to be there to hold her, console her, make her feel better. He wanted to be the one to cheer her up, lift her hopes. But she was shutting him out, and he was rather confused why.
A few hours had passed and a fellow knight came walking down the hall and up to Stayne, his face rather straight forward and stern. "Sir Thomas relieved you from your duties for the night, I shall take your place." He spoke sternly. Stayne stared at the man for a moment, brow raising before he gave a nod and started to walk off down the hall. He glanced back over his shoulder at the knight who took his position and then looked forward, turning the corner.
Stayne was walking past the throne room, heading back to the Knights quarters when he had been stopped by another knight who stood directly in front of him, blocking his way. A couple more Knights had appeared out from the shadows of the hallway, surrounding Ilosovic.
Stayne had became on guard, confused why he was being surrounded. Sir Thomas Lazurus then turned the corner into the hallway and looked at Stayne with a rather sadden expression. "Sieze Ilosovic Stayne for unlawful seduction against Princess Mirana and take him to King Oleron on his orders!" He stated, voice booming down the hall as he pointed to his former knight.
Stayne's eyes widened as he heard the orders, starring at Sir Thomas; brow narrowing to him. He quickly looked down to the guards who had surrounded him, deciding to go against making a break for it; there was too many of them, he knew he was outnumbered. Two of them gripped onto his forearms, holding his hands out while another quickly cuffed him. They started shoving him forward and dragged him along the hallway. Stayne struggled against the restraints on his wrists, letting out a huff in protest. His eyes shifted up at Thomas, a glare instantly shooting to his back. "I trusted you!" He shouted at him.
Thomas didn't turn to look at him, but his eyes showed his reluctance; though he couldn't go against his orders and risk loosing his title.
Once to the throne room, the doors were pushed open by two guards and the Knights escorting Stayne walked him half way before shoving him to the ground. Stayne landed on his knees, quickly catching himself with his hands on the ground before his face hit it; the shackles around his wrists making scrapping noises on the ground. His head instantly snapped up, eyes scanning around the room. A lot more of the higher ranked Knights were in the room with them. His eyes shifted over at he spotted Iracebeth off in the far corner, a knight standing next to her in protection. His brow furrowed together for a moment and he slowly looked to the front of the room, his eyes looking up to King Oleron; standing next to him was Princess Mirana. Stayne's eyes widened, starring up at Mirana with a pleading look.
Mirana's eyes shifted down at him, a fearful look on her features but she quickly masked it and looked away from him, eyes shfiting down to the floor and took a step back.
"Mirana?…" Stayne's voice finally muttered, echoing through the throne room.
King Oleron stepped down the steps up to the thrones and stopped in front of Stayne. Two of the guards walked up behind him and gripped onto Ilosovic's arms, pulling him up so he sat on his knees to face the king.
"An anonymous source tells me that you and my daughter Princess Mirana have been secretly meeting for the last year, that you have seduced my daughter of royal blood and have taken actions unspeakable for someone under the status of royalty. Mirana has admitted to these accusations and denied that she wanted any part of it. You forcefully seduced a royal and you on the other hand have yet to come forth about these accusations and receive your punishment." King Orleon paused for a moment, his hands twitching at his sides. The king seemed rather estranged, the skin around his eyes seemed a lot darker; like his madness was threatening to show. "But…just by the way your starring the my daughter, you have no need to come forth." His paranoia rather prominent. He looked up to the knights who were holding onto him, nodding. "Hold him still." Another knight quickly walked up behind Stayne who was starting to struggle against his restraining guards, gripping his long raven hair and pulled his head back to hold it still; which cause Stayne to let out a grunt. The King took a step forward and looked off to the side. "Sir Thomas…dagger." He ordered, holding out his hand to the White Knight. Thomas walked up slowly and reached his hand down to his boot, pulling out a dagger from it's holster in his boot and handed it to the King.
Stayne looked over to Thomas, his eyes wide; panic starting to rise in him. "Thomas! You knew! I trusted you! Tell the King, you knew! Help me!" He shouted, looking to his once mentor.
King Oleron looked to Sir Thomas, his brow narrowing to his most trusted knight. "Is this true?" His voice was stern, demanding.
Thomas looked to him and shook his head slowly, glancing over at Ilosovic. "This is not true, I had no clue that this cahoot was going on. I am in no way connected to this or had knowledge of his wronging." He stated calmly, keeping his eyes away from Stayne as he turned away and walked back to where he was standing before.
Oleron looked down at Stayne, shaking his head slowly. "Tsk tsk…You went against your vows of knighthood and lied about your mentor knowing your plans." He held up the dagger, his eyes glaring down at the boy being held down. "Ilosovic Stayne, you have wrongfully and forcefully seduced the Princess Mirana, of royal blood. You went against your vows and lied to my face. I here by renounce your title as a knight in my court as well as place your punishment upon you for starring, gawking, and wrongfully looking at the Princess. Hold him down." He ordered the knights again and their hold on Stayne tightened.
"Please! No! Thomas! Mirana…Mirana do something!" Stayne shouted as King Oleron drew closer, raising the dagger up near Stayne's face. He placed the the dip of the blade against his forehead, drawing a little blood making the boy let out a wince. He struggled more against his restraints as the King pressed the blade harder into his skin, making the cut deeper. He slowly dragged the blade down, drawing closer to Stayne's brow as he cut open a freshly deep wound; continuing to drag the blade down and across his eye. Stayne let out a loud yell of pain and agony as he felt the sharp blade cut open his eye.
Mirana watched as her father carved Stayne's face, digging out her eye. She was disgusted and mortified, feeling rather sick to her stomach. She quickly turned on her heal and ran out of the throne room, not baring to witness the sight much longer. Iracebeth on the other hand, stood in her place; eyes widening as she witnessed her father doing this deed to Stayne. Something about it made her heart race, hunger to watch more pain. She was a masochist and she was very much enjoying her plans unfolding exactly how she wanted; though this was very unexpected, specially from her father. It shocked her really that he was being so cruel, but she also knew his mind slipped into madness.
King Oleron dug the dagger into Stayne's eye socked which made the boy yell out more and scream in pain, struggling against the guards restraints to want to get away. Oleron slowly cut around the socket, blood pouring down Stayne's face as he moved the dagger in a swift motion; making his eye pop out from the socket and fall onto his cheek, dangling by his optic nerve. The King quickly cut the optic nerve with the dagger, making his eye fall onto the floor and continued to drag the blade down across Stayne's cheek to make another long opened cut.
The once titled knight was almost unconscious from the pain, barley hanging on. Blood was everywhere and where his left eye use to be was now on the floor. King Oleron looked down at Stayne and then to the guards. "Take him to the dungeons to rot…make him think of his wrongs…And make this a lesson to the rest of you! If I dare hear word of one of my servants or knights gawking at my daughter in anyway; this will happen to you. Things are going to change around here in Witzend!" He ordered and turned away as the guards still holding onto Stayne, dragged him off.
Iracebeth had quickly exited the room through the servants door, heading into the hallway. A rather cruel yet accomplished smirk on her lips as she walked down the hall to head to the dungeons, to recruit Stayne in her revenge…
