Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Fable universe or the characters it contains. The characters you do not recognize belong to me and were created for the purposes of this story. Changes to the original story line were made by me for creative purposes. Thank you for reading and for the kind reviews! – Fallon.
Chapter Fourteen
Signey allowed the maids to bind the corset and quickly regretted her choice when their skilled tugging made breathing next to impossible. The maids hurried to loosen the laces when her face went red.
Finally able to exhale, she began to quietly pace the room. The maids watched her; Icarus sitting calmly at their feet. Jasper slipped silently into the room.
The expensive velvet dress shuffled at her feet as she continued to nervously walk about the room. Jasper had organized the entire day down to the last detail. He had had the tailors craft the finest dress she had ever seen; a velvet skirt with a bustle and elegant stitching with a gold bodice. The guild seal insignia had been stitched into the red fabric on her back.
Jasper had found her mothers' jewellery and had insisted that she wear it. Her mothers' sapphire ring was heavy on her finger, but she wore it regardless as it was her mother's favourite. Signey had passed on the gold necklaces, choosing instead to wear the Auroran beads.
She inhaled sharply, puffing out her chest in confidence as Jasper lead her to the front doors. He allowed her a second to compose herself before opening the doors to the full courtyard.
Beyond those doors was her future, her future as Queen of Albion and defender of her people. She nodded to Jasper and he pushed the doors open, she was ready to accept whatever the crown brought her.
A bright light greeted her and she closed her eyes.
Cheers erupted as the light died and she was finally able to open her eyes. All of Bowerstone stood in the courtyard, ready to watch their princess become their queen.
Signey walked past Kalin and Sabine, both giving her a low, respectful bow. Page smiled from her spot next to Samuel, who was drying his tears with a handkerchief. She offered them all a thankful smile as she approached Ben and Walter.
Ben's smile was the biggest of all, his pride for her evident on his face.
Happy to have him at her side during such an important moment, she smirked to him before pushing her shoulders back to stand tall in front on the crowd. Walter raised the crown up in the air for the crowd to see before turning to place it on her head.
Signey exhaled nervously as the crown touched her head, everything she had worked for coming together in one moment. The crown was solid, made of pure gold and baring the guild seal adorned with two diamonds. Yet as solid as it was, it was light on her head.
"All hail Signey, Queen of Albion!" Walter boomed as he gestured to the crowd. "Long live the Queen!"
Signey slipped away from the crowd and hurried through the garden to her parents' crypt. Opening the heavy doors, she was hit by a gust of cool air. It hadn't changed much since she had fled through its tunnels months ago with Walter and Jasper. Perhaps there were more cobwebs and dust, but beyond that it was just as she remembered.
She stood between her parents' gold coffins looking up at the huge stone weeping woman that had concealed her fathers' guild seal.
Only the crackle of the torches could be heard in the crypt, faintly echoing in the huge open space.
She knelt on the cool stone and rested her hands on her knees. It had been too long since she had paid her respects to her fallen parents.
To her left, was her father. King Caius, the Sparrow.
To her right, was her mother. Queen Alivana.
She hung her head, trying to wrack her brain for the right thing to do. Feeling like an idiot, she wished she could kick herself for asking dead people what the right thing to do was. She knew what her father would say, have faith in yourself.
Minutes of silence passed in the crypt.
Knowing what she had to do, she stood and approached the coffins. Signey touched the gold coffin that contained her fathers' remains.
"I will try to make you proud father..." She whispered.
She lingered near the coffins until she was certain Jasper would be hunting for her. She left the crypt certain of what she had to do but unsure if she had the courage to do it.
Citizens of Bowerstone and beyond gathered in the throne room, ready to witness Signey's first judgement as their leader, the fate of the old King.
She sat on her throne, her hands folded in her lap in an attempt to show the crowd she was calm, when in reality, she was anything but. Her allies stood around her, all ready to have their say in the trial. Signey swallowed hard as the doors opened and Logan was brought forward in chains. Her breath remained caught in her throat as her brother limped down the aisle, staring at her the entire time.
His words from the night before echoed in her mind coupled with faint memories of Elliot.
The guards made Logan stop before the throne. One kicked the back of Logan's knee, making him kneel before her.
Walter turned to address the crowd. "We are gathered here today to judge Logan, former King of Albion." He let his eyes fall to the fallen royal. "Logan, you are charged with crimes against the kingdom and her people. Those who brought you to justice will now speak."
Sabine came forward. "Tis not my choice to make, but Logan stole our lands and left my people to starve and freeze in the mountains. He spoke promises to us, of how he would make things better and instead he left us to die as though we were dirt. He must pay for his lies and betrayal."
Signey nodded to him and Sabine stepped back. Kalin gracefully came forward. "I am Kalin, leader of the Aurorans. I have little knowledge of your ways or customs; nor am I powerful in your court. But my people saved Logan during his time of need. He promised us salvation and instead left us to face the darkness alone." She stared at her enemy.
Logan tried to stand. "I had good reason to break those promises, and for the crimes you say I've committed!"
Walter raised his hand, silencing Logan's pleas. "You will have you turn to speak." He turned back to the throne.
Page touched Signey's hand as it rested on the arm of the throne. "The Bowerstone Resistance fought Logan tooth and nail for years. He has brought us a tremendous deal of pain but killing him will not right the wrongs he has done! Are we not better than him your highness?"
Signey thought about what Page said before turning to Ben, who had remained out of the discussion. "And what do you say Captain Finn? You have as much a say as the others as your men shed their blood along side us."
Ben sighed and stepped forward. He glared at Logan for a moment before addressing the crowd. "None can argue that Logan has committed deporable crimes against Albion. He killed my mentor, Major Swift; a good man who loved Albion with all his heart. But I can not tell you what is best here my Queen, to kill or pardon, as I can not ask a friend to have her brother killed for my own need for revenge."
Signey nodded. She knew Ben was in a tough spot and wasn't going to push him for his choice; she knew he wanted Logan dead. "My thanks Master Finn." She said as she stood and looked down on her brother.
Walter looked from Signey to Logan and ordered the prisoner to speak now. Logan looked up to his sister. "You know I did what I had to. Albion is going to be attacked by the Darkness, this I was told by our father's guide, Theresa. Massive piles of gold are needed to fund the army Albion will need to save the people. The choices I made, were for the good of the country. If a few had to die, or a few were made to live uncomfortable lives, than it was for the country that I love."
Sabine snorted in disgust. "Uncomfortable lives? I am sure Page will agree that the disease, poverty and starvation Albion has suffered goes beyond uncomfortable!"
Logan ignored the Dweller leader and continued to try to explain himself to his sister. "Kill me if you must, for I know I was not a goodly monarch, but please try to understand why I did what I did sister!"
Walter turned to the young Queen. "What is your decision my Queen?"
"You have the power over life and death sister!" Logan declared.
Signey nodded. "I do, and you told me that once before." She stepped forward. "I do understand the choices you had to make were difficult brother, as they often are for a leader, but your cruelty was not needed. Your sadism and cruelty benefited none!"
Logan hung his head, he knew she was speaking of Elliot and Swift.
Signey continued. "There is darkness in your heart that can not be removed, my brother. But I too have seen the darkness that swells in the deserts of Aurora, and I know what you faced four years ago." She twisted her fingers at her sides, determined to keep her head held high and not flinch. "I will not succumb to that darkness by killing you Logan."
Logan's head shot up, genuine surprise on his face.
Signey continued. "Nay, I will not let that darkness enter my heart, not for revenge, not for anyone. You shall not be killed Logan, but you shall not be pardoned. You shall go to Bowerstone Old town and work with the laborers to rebuild the damaged buildings. From there you will help the Dwellers rebuild and then help Samuel and his people in Brightwall. You will see the filth you condemned Industrial to and know that their pain was caused by you."
The guards pulled Logan to his feet. "Sister, I-I..."
"Remember Logan, until your debt to Albion is repaid, you are her prisoner and you will be guarded and treated as one. No silk shall touch your skin and no warm bath will greet you at the end of the day - prove to the people that you can be the man you once were." She waved to the guards to remove him from the throne room as the crowd booed Logan and tried to claw at him.
She collapsed back into her throne as the crowd filtered out and Samuel and Sabine left for their mountain homes. Page approached her. "You did well my Queen, Logan will see what his choices did to the people."
She squeezed the resistance leader's hand. "I hope so Page."
Only Walter, Kalin and Ben remained with her in the empty hall. She stood to leave, only to be distracted by the large doors opening again and a loud disturbance breaking the silence. Turning abruptly to see who was it's source, she saw the guards trying to urge Reaver to leave the room.
The deviant extended his arms at the empty hall as he approached her. "Ah dear Princess, so good to see you again! And with the crown no less! I am impressed, and that doesn't happen often, I can assure you." The deviant ran his lecherous eyes up and down her velvet covered form and cracked a smirk that made Ben cringe.
Signey noticed but didn't let it affect her. "What do you want Reaver?"
He touched his chest and gave an exaggerated pout. "Oh you hurt me Siggy-dear! I came only to express my relief that you are our monarch, and such a deliciously benevolent one at that!"
Ben stepped forward, hand poised and ready to draw his rifle if it came to it. "Watch your tongue Reaver!" He growled. "Show some respect!"
"Oh but I am!" Reaver said sarcastically in order to piss Ben off further.
Signey reached out for him and calmly touched his shoulder, she could feel how tense he was and gently tried to urge him onward and away from Reaver.
Reaver chuckled. "Ah, you must be the Queen's ever loyal lover! Benjamin Finn, right?" The deviant business man strolled closer and tipped his top hat slightly to greet the irate captain. "Pleasure to met you young man."
Ben snarled at him, oblivious to Signey's hand on his shoulder.
Reaver chuckled and looked harder at Ben. "Tell me Benjamin, do you happen to have an older brother by chance?"
Signey stepped in, knowing Reaver was knowingly treading on dangerous ground with the Captain. "Thank you for coming Reaver, but I'm not in the entertaining mood, we'll have to do this another time."
Reaver gave her a flirtatious grin and rubbed his staff suggestively. "Hmmm, I'll hold you to that my dear Siggy."
Ben sprung forward against Signey's wishes. "What about my brothers Reaver? They're all dead." His voice was thick with rage.
Signey tried to separate the two before either did or said anything rash. She pushed the two away from each other, her left hand on Ben's chest and her right on Reaver's. Walter and Kalin stood silently near the throne as the scene unfolded.
"Oh come now Siggy-dear, I just remember an old slave of mine I acquired from Bowerstone of whom Master Finn reminds me of." Reaver touched Signey's hand seductively as he eyed Ben. "So many...fond memories of that one."
Ben clenched his teeth, knowing Reaver had to be speaking about his second eldest brother, William Finn. He had run a con past the wrong person and had been taken to Bowerstone, never to be heard from again. But that was years ago and Ben had never doubted that William had been killed; so what was Reaver talking about?
"What are you talking about Reaver?" Signey asked.
Reaver turned from Ben and looked at the shorter Queen with devious intent. "I do faintly remember a man with blond hair and lovely blue eyes called William whom I...enjoyed for a time some years ago."
Ben pushed against Signey's hand, ready to kill Reaver with his bare hands. His brother had been forced to be Reaver's sex slave. "You're a sick, sick bastard Reaver!"
Signey struggled to hold Ben back and address Reaver. "Where is he Reaver?"
Reaver sighed happily. "Ah my sweet, sweet pet William, he was so deliciously fun to break..."
"Where is he!" Ben shouted, his voice echoing in the hall.
"Samarkand I believe, I sold him to a rather foul looking silk merchant with a thing for pale, frail and youthful boys." Reaver's voice was sickeningly calm.
Signey urged the industrialist out of the throne room before Ben recovered from his shock. Reaver didn't resist but said that he was more than ready to bed her once she got over Ben. She rolled her eyes when Reaver was gone, knowing that the deviant had accomplished exactly what he wanted to.
Walter stood at Ben's side, trying to calm him down and prevent him from doing anything stupid. "Ben don't listen to him, Reaver is a master manipulator and liar."
Ben shook his head. "This is my brother we're talking about Wally; I never knew what happened to him so for all I know Reaver may be telling the truth." He sprinted out of the throne room, Signey hot on his tail.
She followed him to the war room, were he began searching for his things. Signey reached out for him. "Ben..."
He turned to her. "William's alive Signey; I have to find out where he is and bring him home!"
She nodded. "I understand but please let me send scouts to inquire before you just dash off and leave everything."
Ben snorted. "I didn't beg you to kill your brother, don't beg me not to save mine."
She looked at him, surprised he would take such a low blow on her. "Let me find out if Reaver is telling the truth Ben, he has no reason to tell you the truth; he's trying to eliminate his competition..."
"Competition! So what, this is all about you?"
"I'm not the enemy here Ben!" She exclaimed. Truthfully she wanted Reaver to be telling the truth, for Ben's sake. But she knew Reaver loved to hurt and manipulate people, the thought of him trying it with Ben made her sick. "I'm not against you..."
Ben sighed and his shoulders slumped forward; he knew he was taking out his anger on her. "No...You're not."
She continued, hoping he would listen and not be so eager to believe Reaver. "Please just let me have it looked into so we have more than Reaver's word to go on."
Ben nodded and let the clothes in his hands fall to the ground. Signey approached him and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her neck before resting his head on her shoulder. She hoped more than anything she could get Ben some answers, and if Reaver was lying...she'd personally skin him for it.
Note: *evil laugh*Weren't expecting that weren't you, dear readers? I've been trying to update as often as life allows but I wouldn't want to rush and put up a chapter that was rubbish :) haha, I hope you like it and of course, thank you for the alerts, favs and reviews! – Fallon.