Tessa knew who was standing before her and Will without any introductions. It was none other than King Edmund. And he looked nothing like his son. Compared to Will, he was all light, but held a strong aura of coldness around him. There was an angry glint behind his stony blue eyes, and Tessa felt a wave of humiliation pass through her for being caught doing something strictly forbidden by the king of Idris himself.
"Um, father," Will started in a hesitant, shaky voice, "this is Theresa Gray. Tessa, as you might of noticed, this is my father."
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance, sire," Tessa said timidly, trying to think of the best way to address the king.
King Edmund snorted unceremoniously. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, peasant?"
Tessa was dumbfounded. "Father!" Will exclaimed.
"Save it, William," King Edmund retorted, "I want to know why there is a peasant girl in your room."
"I – " Will started, but seem to be in a loss of words. Then seeming to muster enough courage, he said in a firm voice, "I love her father."
"Nonsense," King Edmund barked back, "you love no one but Jessamine Lovelace. Now tell me the real reason why she is here." He threw Tessa a scathing look, and Tessa recoiled in her spot.
"I already told you father," Will sneered, "I love her."
"How dare you talk to me in that manner!" boomed King Edmund, "something is wrong with you William, and I won't rest until you tell me the truth."
"I have already stated the truth," Will said, suddenly sounding very tired. Tessa snuck a peak at him and saw that he had gone very pale and suddenly looked extremely ill. She wanted to reach out and grab his hand to comfort him, but thought better of it, especially with his father breathing down their necks. "Why can't you just believe me?"
King Edmund narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Will. "Yes, why can't I? Maybe it's because you are making no sense whatsoever. Men like you don't fall in love so easily, William Herondale."
"Well, maybe this time it's different," Will said back.
King Edmund took a step back towards the entrance to Will's room, opening the door more. "Guards!" he yelled, "come in here. Now!"
As if on cue, five guards wearing sturdy armour clambered into Will's bedroom. "What do you need assistance in, your highness?" asked one of them.
"Take her away!" King Edmund demanded, pointing straight as Tessa. Tessa gulped and instantly felt the colour drain from her face. "She deserves a special place in the depths of the dungeons. Keep her there and do whatever you must until my son answers the truth to me."
Before Tessa could even react, she felt arms all around her and yank her away from Will's side.
"Tessa!" Will shouted, trying to reach for her.
"Will!" Tessa shrieked back in pure panic. "Do something!"
"Father, stop!" Will commanded.
"I'm sorry William, but this is the price that you pay for dishonesty," King Edmund said, stepping between them, hindering Tessa's line of vision to Will. The guards dragged her out of the room and slammed the door behind them. Tessa felt as if all connections between herself and Will had been shut off.
"Come along," one of the guards said, and roughly shoved her alongside them. Tessa had no clue where they were leading her, and she grudgingly obliged. It was five to one and Tessa's chances were very slim. They pulled her along various corridors, but Tessa could barely soak in her surroundings; all she wanted was Will. Eventually, they reached a giant wooden door and all Tessa could see was darkness and nothing beyond that. They pushed her forward, and Tessa stumbled a bit to find them descending down a steep set of stairs. She continued on down, and with each step the place became colder and darker. Not to mention that the air stunk of rotting flesh. They reached to the bottom, where torches were lit sparingly to reveal an eerie, stone corridor. The guards took a set of keys from the side and opened the nearest cell, shoving Tessa into it and quickly locking the door. There was no way out. Tessa was completely hopeless.
Tessa then heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Will, Tessa thought, but she knew that it was illogical. After what happened, there was no way he was allowed to come down. And much to Tessa's dismay, King Edmund Herondale appeared before the barred door.
"Leave us," he instructed to the guards. The guards bowed, and Tessa heard them climb up the stairs.
"What did you do to Will?" Tessa said. She was surprised that she could still speak in a firm voice after all that happened.
"Nothing, yet," King Edmund shrugged. "But believe me, I will find the truth. My son was perfect and had never acted out of step, until you came along. There is something wrong with you, girl. And I am destined to find out."
"What are you going to do to me?"
"I can't tell you yet. That will ruin the surprise, won't it?" King Edmund grinned at her visciously. "It would be a shame if I let you go, but I simply cannot do that. Criminals never go without getting what they deserve."
"Criminal?" The word echoed in Tessa's mind. "I did nothing wrong."
"You did everything wrong," King Edmund corrected her, "and I will find out the truth. And once I do, you will suffer the severe punishment." And with a flourish of his cape, he slammed the door shut, locking it and leaving Tessa alone in the darkness. Once she heard his footsteps recede, only then did she let the tears out.
Tessa Gray was close. Too close. She was right in the Herondale castle, the Institute. News spread like wildfire, and within no time, the Magister was fully aware of the situation at hand.
Everything was now perfect. All the pieces were beginning to fit together and the Magister was finally ready to execute the final step of his plan. It was just too easy, and the Magister was grateful for this. People were such fools, and the Magister scoffed at the thought of them. He just needed the opportune moment. Soon, Tessa Gray would be his.
Will hated his life. And this time he really did hate it. Why couldn't his father just understand him? And where was his mother? Linette Herondale always lived in the shadow of her husband, but she did have a gentler side to her. Surely she couldn't be so oblivious to what was happening.
His father had taken everything from him. His wishes, his freedom, and the love of his life. Tessa he thought with a pang to his heart. What would Edmund do with her? Will could only hope that she would be fine. Will was determined to have her once everything was settled. But his father could barely believe him, so what was the chance that he would now?
The door creaked open, shutting off any further thoughts from his mind. Edmund Herondale stepped into his room, his expression carefully neutral. He shut the door behind him, leaving a safe distance between where he stood and where Will sat on his bed.
"I have reached a decision," Edmund announced.
Will raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?" he asked, silently wishing that Tessa would be freed.
"You are to be married to Jessamine Lovelace."
"Tell me something I don't know," Will rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"I will not accept this form of behaviour in my household," Edmund scolded, "and I was not quite finished. I'm moving up the wedding date. It is as punishment for what you did, and to get such foolish thoughts out of your head. Your marriage will take place a week from today."
"A week!?" Will nearly shouted. "That's too soon father!"
"Silence!" Edmund commanded. "This whole falling in love business is quite irrational, especially for you William. I thought perhaps that something was wrong with you, but I have been thinking. No love comes this fast, and that only means one thing. That peasant girl is a sorcerer."
Will gaped, completely struck speechless. "She… no father," Will finally said, "that's not what she is."
"It seems she must have played with your mind," Edmund shook his head solemnly, "of course she would. Most sorcerers are so conniving. And that would be the only explanation to this recklessness of yours. As you know, you are one of the most eligible bachelors in the kingdom, apart from your betrothal to Miss Lovelace. It would only make sense that she cast a spell on you so she could gain control of this kingdom. But, I will not allow for a peasant girl who is a warlock to take advantage of you."
"You're delirious," Will muttered so his father couldn't hear.
"What she did to you was entirely against all laws of this kingdom," Edmund went on, as if he didn't hear what Will had said. "I have finally made my mind for her form of punishment. And I have decided that it will happen a week from today, the same day as your wedding."
Will felt sick. "What is it then?" he asked, even though he did not want to know the answer.
Edmund looked at Will so intently that it burned. "The peasant girl will be executed. And my decision is final." And at that, Will felt his world collapse.
Muahahaha. I just love being so evil.
On a happier note, some of you were inquiring about the other TID fic that I was going to be writing, and I just published it :) The plan was to write it after this one, but it was just far too tempting. So it's now up. Go check it out! It's called A Year Abroad. Not a very creative title lol.
Review! You know the drill!