Oh my! The reactions to the last chapter were SOOOO worth it! :D

I have received such high compliments, you have no idea how great you all make me feel! This story has been so fun to write and you guys make it all the more exciting to get new chapters published!

That being said, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!


Tales From the Southern Isles


Chapter 10: Mercy

...

Prince Hans stared down at the floor, his eyes glazed over in utter disbelief of what he had just heard. The entire room and all the people around had begun to tilt back and forth dizzily and Hans had to squeeze his eyes shut to prevent himself from becoming too woozy. His mouth parted slightly, his throat suddenly very dry, and a shallow breath eked out from his lungs.

This was it.

This was what was to become of him. Death.

Hans supposed he should hardly be surprised, but he couldn't deny that there had been some small hope left inside of him. It was a hope that had dared to think that his brothers would consider him worthy of a second chance... But apparently not.

Why had he even bothered with such a ridiculous thing as hope? Why should he have ever thought he could depend on his family? He should have known better by now!

A savage bitterness welled inside his gut and he stood, jaw clenched and eyes dark with anger. But not just for his brothers. Anger with himself and the fact that he ever had to draw breath on this miserable planet. If this was what he had been destined for the entire time, than why should he have had to endure all the troubles life had thrown him thus far? If his tribulations hadn't been meant to make him a better person, why had they happened at all? It didn't make sense.

Was he truly that worthless?

Slowly, his eyes opened and he lifted his head to lock gazes with King Fredrik. Currently, Prince Konrad was whispering something privately into his majesties ear. Fredrik's eyes however, were fixed on Hans's, and his expression conveyed nothing less than complete sorrow and pity. Hans hated pity. He'd rather die than be pitied, and with the way things were going, his death wouldn't be long in coming.

After a short time, Hans nodded understandingly.

"I see," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. Hans felt little to no anxiety, which puzzled him slightly, but then again, he supposed it was either that the realization of what awaited him had yet to dawn on him fully, or he was just too mad at himself and everyone else to care.

"I see," he repeated.

The entire court room waited silently, each individual holding their breaths in preparation for an outburst or verbal onslaught of some kind. But none came. Hans simply kept nodding, lowering his head in resignation to his fate.

Finally, the councilman Snodtroff found his voice once more.

"Prince Hans's execution shall commence in three day's time at the first light of dawn. All information regarding his crimes will be released to the public within 24 hours after the hanging. Until that time, Prince Hans will be held prisoner within his room and allowed to make out a will in which he will then-"

"Stop!"

Hans jerked his head up in shock at the booming voice of his brother the king and everyone's eyes flew towards where Fredrik was now standing, his scepter gripped tightly in his right hand. A fiery fury burned within King Fredrik's eyes, unlike anything Hans had ever seen come from him before. Fredrik descended the pedestal steps of his throne chair, his long purple robe flowing behind him regally.

"I will hear no more of this!" he declared loudly, his voice echoing off the marble walls. Hans startled in apprehension as his eldest brother marched towards him in long, determined strides. The council watched their king, utterly aghast at his brash behavior while the princes scrunched their brows in perplexity.

Hans braced himself for the worst as the king stormed up to him, halting to stand facing him with a mere foot's distance between them. Hans had never felt so intimidated in his whole life. Fredrik was practically oozing sternness and authority. Whatever was bound to come from his mouth next was not going to be good.

Fredrik towered high, his shoulders square and his expression solidly resolute. His eyes penetrated deep into his youngest brothers confused and searching ones. Then, taking a slow breath through the nose, the king spoke.

"As crowned King Fredrik the fifth of the Southern Isles, I hereby bestow my royal pardon on Prince Hans," Fredrik announced, eliciting gasps of shock and jaws to drop. Hans blinked in astonishment, his heartbeat increasing rapidly. Surely he had misheard... He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't...

"What?" Hans croaked. Fredrik's firm gaze did not waver.

"He will not be hanged for his crimes and will instead remain prisoner within his bedroom until an alternate punishment for his actions is concluded by this council," Fredrik stated stiffly. The councilmen each stood up, outraged and frustrated that their sound judgement on the case was being overturned. A barrage of pleads erupted into the air.

"Sire, you-"
"But your high-"
"My lord-"

"This trial his over!" Fredrik roared, his thunderous words slicing through the complaints and causing every one of the councilmen to shrink back. The king's gaze swiveled over to the council and eyed them heavily.

"My word is final," he declared. Then, he was striding away, his long robe trailing behind him. The doors were opened by the guards and the king exited without another word.

...

As soon as his majesty was gone, the entire room exploded in an uproar.

"This is unbelievable!"
"He cannot be serious!"
"What has gotten into him?" the questionings went on and on between the councilmen.

"Don't you dare question our brother!" Günter growled savagely, bounding across the room to poke a hard finger into the main councilman's chest.
"His highness has made a critical error in judgement!" the Snodtroff snapped.
"I believe he has done the right thing," Axel put in.
"He is going to doom us all! Now what will we do with the runt?! Lock him away in some god forbidden tower?" Emil sniveled, "The only way this monarchy is going to keep its slate clean is if we wash our hands of him!"
"That's enough out of you Emil!" Günter barked, now spinning to glare viciously at his snake of a brother, "Have you absolutely no heart for our own flesh and blood?"
"I have a heart for this monarchy and for everything it stands for!" Emil spat back, "Fredrik cannot ignore the fact that Hans has tried to murder a fellow Queen!"

"The King ignores nothing!" now broke in Prince Konrad, stepping forward to separate the two quarreling brothers. He gave them both stern glares.
"Fredrik has done what he believes to be right and there will be no more debate on this subject," he ordered strongly, turning to eye even the councilmen, "Not from anybody,"

"You must see that this can only bring greater trouble upon our situation. What will be done with Prince Hans now? Think of the expenses it will cost to keep people's mouths shut until a decision regarding the young prince has been made!" spoke Prince Otto for the first time. As the king's royal treasurer it was only natural for Otto to be concerned with involving money into the picture. To him, expenses were all he ever fretted about.

"Dash the costs!" Konrad responded, "We will pay however many people necessary that it will take to keep word on this subject strictly confined to these castle walls,"

"Whatever is to be done with Prince Hans must be decided quickly," Axel remarked, "We cannot afford to keep the people of the Southern Isles awaiting news of their young prince for much longer,"

"Rumors will spread no matter what we attempt to do!" Emil argued, "and I guarantee you they will all be damaging!"

"Didn't I say that's enough from you?!" Günter blared, bursting forth towards Emil as if he was going to flatten the much thinner man into the ground where he stood.

"I'm not scared of you," Emil sneered.
"Why you selfish-"

Günter lunged.

"Calm yourselves!" Axel interjected, now working with Konrad to keep the two brothers from breaking into an all out fist fight. Keeping Gunter back alone was quite the task, since the man was by far one of the biggest brothers aside from his twin and Fredrik.

"This is not princely behavior!" Axel reminded worriedly, "Think of what our people would say if they saw us!"

"Think of what they'll do to us if they find out we've let our brat of a brother off the hook and have pardoned him from his crimes of high treason!" Emil hissed.

"He is not off the hook! There are far worse punishments than death!" Konrad returned, "Hans will be checked. There is no way the king will allow him to stay in this castle without having atoned for his actions,"

"Someone needs to talk with Fredrik and make sure his head is on straight," Emil stated.
"How about I see if your head is on straight?" Günter returned.
"You big brute!" Emil snapped. Günter went for him again.
"Really?" Axel sighed as he and Konrad did their utmost to keep their younger brothers from fighting. It was clear that these tempers were not going to die down very soon...

...

Meanwhile, during all this chaos, Prince Hans had brought his hands up to the sides of his face, rubbing at his temples in complete shell shock of the circumstances. The arguments waging around his ears had all drifted off into the background. Faintly, after a while, Hans thought he felt a hand on his shoulder but he was still too lost to process all of what was happening.

He had been bound for the hangman's noose. He knew he deserved it and death was the only fitting end for him after all he had done. He had been prepared to accept this vicious fate... and now...Fredrik had taken... mercy on him? Why? Why would he do that? The idea was so far out of his mind's comprehension, he was left standing in a daze.

"Hans-" came a soft voice by his ear. There was a gentle tug on his arm.

Hans shook his head, not wanting to move.

"Hans- brother," came the voice again. Hans shook his head harder, not liking to be nagged while in thought.

"Hans, let's go to your room," the voice persisted.

Hans dropped his hands from where they'd been by his face and turned his head abruptly to stare at who was bothering him. It was Hubert.

Hubert was looking at him kindly, and squeezed his hand on Hans's shoulder ever so slightly.
"Come on.." he prompted, now leading Hans out for the exit. The argument between the princes and the other council members was still in progress but Hubert and Hans ignored it, instead leaving the court room entirely, being followed humbly by two guards.

"Why... why would he do that?" Hans murmured as Hubert guided him down the hall for the stairs.
"It's alright," Hubert comforted.
"Why? Why would he do that?" Hans repeated in awestruck wonder.

King Fredrik had never attempted to show an interest in the happenings of his younger siblings, especially not him, since he was the youngest. And now... when Hans had committed the worst crime imaginable... putting their country in the most horrifying position and proving that as the thirteenth born, he truly was bad luck, Fredrik had thought him worth sparing? It made absolutely no sense!

Vaguely aware of anything while he ascended the stairs and was brought down the hall back to his bedroom, Hans continued to ask himself,

"Why would he have mercy on me...?"


And there you have it! Of course you all knew he wasn't going to DIE! If he was then this would be a pretty darn awful story don't you think? Haha! But hey, I hope you were all touched at how his savior came about!

No Frida this chapter I know, but she's coming up next!

Now, Leave lots of new reviews for me! ;)