The night had finally come. The sky was now pitch black, save for the moon's inexorable glow. Night flowers bloomed, revealing their rare beauty and kaleidoscope of colors. A slight breeze swept over the landscape adding to the air of anticipation that was so palpable the onlookers could almost taste its presence.
The king with his dark fur and skin had ceased being distinguishable from the night air around him save for the soulless, glowing, white orbs that were his eyes. His ebony cloak swirling in the breeze behind him coupled with his twilight aura gave him the illusion (or was it?) of formlessness and unapproachability.
In stark contrast his brother, the fire elemental seemed to be practically glowing from within. As if lit by an internal flame he had the flickering surreal glow of a jack-o-lantern and thus stood out like signal beacon to all of the onlookers.
Something that was lost in translation to all of the onlookers however was the conversation currently taking place between the two brothers. Almost imperceptively the King slowed his pace, his way of wordlessly opening up to any questions his brother may have had. Without missing a beat the flame colored hedgehog started questioning his older brother: Do you truly intend to let me...incinerate the protesters alive? The King answered without hesitation: "They have shed our blood and for that they must die. However, if you feel as though this might require you to expend more energy than is currently feasible I can change the current method of extermination..." This gave the younger hedgehog pause; he could back out but that could ultimately backfire condemning the prisoners to an even worse fate...and part of him wanted to try out his newly developing powers in a situation that wasn't battle-involved and therefore not life threatening.
They both ultimately decided to judge the ultimate fate of the protestors by the way that they behaved upon face to face confrontation. Thanks to the young hedgehog's reckless actions the entire group was guilty of "Royal Bloodshed" by association. In many instances a group was given the option to cast out a guilty member and plead for their lives but the flame colored hedgehog doubted his brother was in the mood to extend this particular courtesy. Steeling himself inwardly for what was to come he followed behind his brother and at what seemed like long last into the waiting crowd.
Speaking decisively, authoritatively and coming across as completely unflinching the flame colored hedgehog made his first appearance to the crowd with a single sentence: "Who Is Your Leader?" Sweeping the crowd with a simultaneously piercing, vivid and fiery gaze he hid his surprise when an elderly female hedgehog rose with great difficulty and approached him head on. Looking directly into his eyes and standing tall with pride that defied her lowly status she spoke clearly and without fear as she responded "I Am."
As he sized her up upon approach she so sized him up and her assessment was fraught with implications as if she were wrong in her assessment she and those under her charge could quite possibly die. This hedgehog seemed to be barely containing a raging inferno inside of him, his eyes appeared to be lit from within. These eyes while clearly ablaze with some sort of unreadable emotion were now trained squarely upon her. Hiding her discomfort she stated "As I told the royal family member that initially made contact" she gestured in a non dramatic fashion towards the purple hedgehog "we will not leave until we have spoken with the sovereign ruler himself the king of mobius." She glanced around at those who followed her and looked back at him "We are prepared to spend the night if necessary to get our point across and consequently a hearing with our lord."
Narrowing his eyes into an even more vividly intense gaze the dynast looked to his older brother for directions on how to proceed. Stepping forward in a motion so smooth that it could only be described as sinister the King stopped before the old leader. Shudders of shock and confusion passed through the crowd as the King was almost as small if not smaller than she was. Some doubted the authenticity of his presence but those doubts were quickly silenced by the iridescent, blackness of his coat and the supreme air of coldness that seemed to encircle him.
Wordlessly he stood before her as if daring her to speak in his presence. Upon getting over the shock of meeting him outside of palace, unannounced, and without the presence of any bodyguards she addressed him: "I've come to address your less than satisfactory treatment of those whom suffer from mental illness." Pausing for a second to take in his constantly shifting aura and impossibly dark features she continued "We are peacefully requesting a hearing." Scarcely a second had passed before the king gave his malice filled answer: "You claim to be peaceful yet shed my peace loving brothers blood for no perceptible transgression." He glanced in the Lilac colored hedgehogs direction as he approached. On his way over to his brother the King snatched the little hedgehog from her sleeping place by her left arm and dragged her along. Upon reaching his destination he turned back to face the old hedgehog. "Am I to let attacks against my family go unpunished...even rewarded?" The young hedgehog finding herself in the King's unyielding grasp, went rigid with terror.
Knowing very well that the child's life hung in the balance the lilac hedgehog carefully offered an apology on her behalf. "She didn't truly understand what she was doing...she's an orphan that hasn't been properly raised or cared for. If mentored I'm sure she'll learn to respect authority." The King's response to this was not to acknowledge it however his rhetoric to the crowd was brief and concise: "The penalty for this particular offense as you all know is immediate death." Pausing to let that sink in he continued: "Since she's a child and my brother has generously decided to spare her life you have two options. One of you can die in her place, or you can disown her and let her pay the consequences for her actions alone..she will accompany us back to my palace and you have my word that she won't be put to death." The crowd withdrew, shocked at the impossibility and unfairness of the decision. Their elderly leader stood unflinching but her voice trembled slightly betraying her fear as she questioned him "And what of our hearing?"
It was the inferno colored hedgehog that spoke in answer to her question: "Make your decision. Let us take out our retribution for the wrong that was committed against our family and then we will give you our answer to your demands." Upon the completion of that sentence several willing volunteers offered up their lives in exchange for the child's to be spared without the consult of their leader. With tears in her eyes she over rid them: "My decision is guided by our doctrine which forbids me and all members from taking the life of another even if it is through the offerance of one of our own lives. If the King of Mobius states that she we will not be killed under his watch I will take him at his word." Visibly drawing herself together the old hedgehog looked at the king: "Take her."
Pulling the young hedgehog closer with scarcely disguised eagerness the King glanced at his youngest brother, who picking up on his cue addressed the crowd. "We agree to a hearing with you tomorrow at high noon." With that the three members of the royal family turned away and began walking towards the palace.