Part Four
Armed with his souvenir for Arin, Daunte followed Cius up the stairs onto the bridge. He cleared the top step when he heard someone shout, "Daunte!"
Daunte quickly looked towards the Sun Palace. A familiar face dressed in the uniform of a Queen's Knight was running towards him. Daunte broke out in a smile and waved. "Surya!"
"I can't believe you're here!" Surya laughed. Daunte held out a hand for a handshake, but Surya bypassed the hand and gave him a quick hug. "Gosh, it feels like it's been forever! How are things for you?"
"Better," Daunte said, which was a bit true. "Arin seems to have made a full recovery. He was practicing swordsmanship when I left."
"What a relief," Mokuren said, and Daunte was embarrassed that he hadn't noticed her before. He also noticed that she wasn't dressed in a Queen's Knight uniform. "That poor boy looked so sickly for so long!"
"And what about you?" Surya asked Daunte. "How are you doing?"
"Well, I found out the name of my Rune," Daunte said, raising his right hand slightly. "And it found out what some of its powers are."
"Yeah, that's always good information to know. How are Roen and Felicity?"
"They're good, too."
Surya nodded and laughed again. "It's kind of surreal seeing you here in Sol-Falena, Daunte. It's hard to believe it wasn't too long ago we were running all over Nagarea's countryside looking for my cousins!"
"I know what you mean. I feel the same way."
"And we are eternally grateful to the three of you for your work," Cius said. "Prince Surya, are you going to be in attendance for the assembly?"
Surya shook his head. "Dad said it wouldn't be a good idea. But once I heard Daunte was here, I raced over so I could see you before the assembly. They're about to start, but I still wanted to see you."
"That reminds me," Daunte said. He pulled out the letters from Arin, Roen, and Felicity and handed them to Surya. "These are from our friends."
"Oh, thank you!" Surya looked at the letters excitedly. "I can't wait to read them!
"Prince, I can have someone examine—" Cius began.
"No, that's not necessary. I trust Daunte." Surya looked at Mokuren. "Let's head back to the Sun Palace. I want to read these and write reply letters."
"That sounds good, Prince," Mokuren said. She suddenly pulled out a pink handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes dramatically. "Oh—parting is such sweet sorrow, but we must never forget the ties we leave behind!"
"I must be going," Surya told Daunte. "But I'll look for you after the assembly."
Daunte nodded. "Thank you, Surya."
The pair hurried off and Cius gestured to Daunte. "Shall we?"
Daunte was escorted back to the Parliament building. As they descended the steps to enter the main entrance, he became acutely aware of a…difference. When he'd initially entered with Bearyl and the others, the guards posted didn't give them a second glance. Now that he was walking alone with Cius, he saw that the guards were actually watching him. But he didn't see suspicion in their demeanor. They almost seemed to be looking upon him with admiration.
So they know as well. How many people actually know the truth about the events in Nagarea, though? If these guards know, then the Queen certainly knows.
"There you are," Caesar greeted him as Cius led him back into the waiting room. "They'll be calling us in any minute."
"What did you get?" Gunther approached him excitedly.
"Cius showed me a whittler's shop," Daunte said. He pulled out the figurine and carefully unwrapped.
"Wow!" Gunther gasped, snatching the figurine from Daunte. "This is incredible! I'm so jealous—maybe I can go to that shop too!"
"They accept potch and not bits though," Daunte warned him.
"Ah, damn it all." Gunther huffed in disappointment, but handed the figurine back to Daunte.
"Are you both quite finished?" Bearyl asked irritably.
Daunte glanced at him briefly before bending his head to rewrap his figurine. Is he in a bad mood? Maybe he's nervous.
Daunte tucked the figurine back into the bag when there was a sudden sharp knock at the door. They all snapped to attention as a guard opened the door. "Dignitaries of Nagarea, the Parliament is ready for you."
"This is it," Bearyl said, standing up. "Everyone, leave the talking to me."
"Of course, my Lord," Caesar said.
The five of them were escorted out into the main hall. The civilians and politicians who had been loitering around were gone, replaced with a heavy security of more soldiers and Queen's Knights. Daunte started feeling very nervous as they were escorted into the two-story room in the middle of the hall. Upon entering the large room Daunte was overwhelmed by the loud conversations overlapping in the room which immediately silenced as they entered. He craned his neck and saw that the building was packed to seemingly full capacity. On the second floor he saw several people crowded at the rail looking down at them. He lowered his gaze and saw red risers rising up towards the second and almost all of them were filled. In the center of the room the red carpet led to a podium. The group was directed to sit on a set of risers to their left and they all sat down.
Daunte continued to look around in amazement. The risers were also similarly filled, but they contained individuals wearing badges—no doubt the representatives of Falena. But it was striking how diverse Falena's Parliament was. He saw humans made the majority, but he also saw dwarves and—and saw little fuzzy creatures that were small enough to be mistaken for plush toys. Yet these same small creatures were talking with the humans and dwarves, and the humans and dwarves answered them without hesitation.
Our Theocracy is run entire by humans. We don't have dwarves or those fuzzy creatures in Nagarea, but we do have Wingers and elves. Yet neither race is represented in our government.
"All rise for her Majesty, Queen Lymsleia Falenas, Prince Consort Shoon, and Commander Freyjadour Falenas of the Queen's Knights!" a woman suddenly announced, standing next to the podium. She was in her forties, but she was strikingly beautiful. She wore curly tawny hair to her shoulders and she wore a flowing pink dress, in addition to a badge that identified her as a representative.
What was most striking about her was how…familiar she looked to Daunte. Daunte had never seen the woman before, but she still seemed familiar to Daunte. She…this woman looks an awful lot like Mokuren. Are the two related?
"Thank you, Luserina." A woman's voice echoed in the chamber. Everyone rose to their feet as a dark-haired woman in her thirties appeared at the main door led by Freyjadour. She was flanked by several Queen's Knights and a blonde-haired man in his early forties, dressed in well-tailored clothes that seemed to cling to his body. Daunte gulped audibly, knowing that this woman was surely Queen Lymsleia. She was dressed in a dark blue and pale orange hanfu and she had an exquisite gold crown on her head. Her presence did not intimidate Daunte, but she revealed nothing on her face as she walked fully into the chamber. The group bowed to her as she passed, and she acknowledged their presence with a slight nod. She walked around the podium, nodded to Luserina as the woman curtsied to her, and walked up a flight of stairs to where a throne was waiting for her. The Queen's Knights dispersed throughout the chamber, and only Freyjadour and the blonde-haired man followed her up the stairs as she took her seat on the throne. Freyjadour stood to her right while the blonde-haired man stood to her left. Everyone then took their seats.
"I hereby call this Parliamentary assembly in order," Queen Lymsleia announced.
"Yes, my Queen," Luserina said. She raised a clipboard. "Onto our first order of business. Today we welcome special guests into our assembly—dignitaries from the Nagarea Theocracy."
The chamber exploded in loud conversation as the group stood back up. Bearyl grinned at Caesar. "We've been given the highest priority with the assembly today! This is a good sign!"
"My Lord, they're allowing us to go first so that we are not present while they discuss any possible internal disputes," Caesar told him softly. "It wouldn't be appropriate to talk about such things with foreign dignitaries present." Caesar's words, however, failed to deflate Bearyl's enthusiasm.
Lymsleia gestured with her hand and the chamber became silent once more. "Welcome to the Queendom of Falena, my guests. How have you liked our capital?"
"It is simply splendid, Your Majesty," Bearyl said, bowing respectfully. "And you have done us a great honor by inviting us here for your assembly."
"You have reached out to us with the offer of an alliance," Lymsleia said. "I have summoned all of my representatives of Falena's Parliament to hear your case, and so that we collectively can reach an agreement." Lymsleia gestured to the podium. "Lord Bearyl Lutis, the floor is yours."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Bearyl strolled up to the podium and braced his hands upon. "My lords and ladies, our Theocracy has been on a rapidly downward decline in the last two decades. We are a nation built around the Nagarist Order, but not even true Nagarists are safe anymore from the manipulative machinations of the Cabinet of High Clerics. My people have been gradually beaten into submission, living lives where we have no choice but to duck our heads and listen and obey anything that is bade of us. Our Scriptures have been twisted to create skewered, blasphemous laws that punish anyone and everyone. Under the rule of our High Clerics, any infarction is punishable by death. Smuggling, forgery, adultery—even anything that they consider blasphemy—my people are being killed for what they deem to be against our religious order."
Daunte was immensely impressed with Bearyl's diction. He spoke eloquently and with great enthusiasm. He looked around the chamber and saw that Bearyl had the attention of the entire room and everyone's eyes were on him.
"Incredible, isn't he?" Caesar asked Daunte. "Bearyl Lutis was once a cleric of the Theocracy, so he has quite the power of persuasion with his words."
"But then he was accused of bribery and corruption and the Cabinet defrocked him," Varnaz said darkly. "The charges were completely unfounded, of course. They got rid of him simply because he was a threat."
"It's quite ironic that Lord Bearyl was dismissed on charges of corruption considering how corrupt our government currently is," Gunther muttered.
"I agree," Daunte whispered back.
"Daunte."
Daunte looked up, and the group snapped to attention. Bearyl was looking at him, and by extension the rest of the assembly was also looking at him. Daunte looked at Caesar, but the strategist also seemed confused. Daunte slowly stood up. "Yes, my Lord?"
"Daunte, please come here," Bearyl told him.
Caesar sucked in a sharp breath, and Daunte's stomach clenched. Bearyl wanted him to come to the podium? But he wasn't prepared for this!
But if I don't go, then Lord Bearyl will look bad in front of the entire Parliament.
Daunte approached Bearyl and the podium, though his knees were shaking as he walked. "What is it, my Lord?" he asked, his voice a little unsteady.
Bearyl placed a hand on Daunte's shoulder and turned him towards Lymsleia. "This child is the living embodiment of the hardships my people face in Nagarea," Bearyl announced. Daunte immediately flushed and looked away from the Queen. "Our Theocracy fabricated a law so heinous that it is difficult to put into words. They call it "Original Sin", and under this law entire families are punished for the crimes of one family member. It is a way to scare my people into submission, and it has worked very effectively.
"Daunte." Bearyl gently pushed him towards the podium. "Don't be frightened. Tell them about what happened to you. What happened to your brother."
Daunte felt like throwing up. He knew he should've expected this when Bearyl invited him along to Falena, but it was still too much. They'd reassured him that he wouldn't participate, yet here he was, front and center in a chamber full of strangers, put on the spot to talk about the utter living hell he'd experienced for the last three years. He wasn't prepared at all—either verbally or emotionally.
"The boy seems very nervous," Luserina said suddenly, her tone soft. "Perhaps he does not need to speak—"
"M-My family was killed," Daunte said quickly. He was afraid that if he'd remained silent that Bearyl would lose face in front of the Queen and Parliament. And by extension they may lose an alliance with Falena. "Three years ago, my mother and father were killed by the Theocracy. They were deemed traitors and k-killed. Arin—my brother and I were considered "tainted" by their evil and so under Original Sin we were also arrested.
"B-But it…" Daunte shook his head quickly to clear it. "Original Sin stipulates that children are capable of banishing the evil inside of them. They just have to "work" for their forgiveness from Nagar, our god. So Arin and I were…t-there's an abandoned mine called the Dark Chasm. Arin and I were sentenced to hard labor in this mine, along with hundreds of other children convicted under Original Sin."
Soft murmurs filled the chamber from Daunte's words, and Lymsleia once again gestured for silence. "It must have been very difficult for you," she said softly. She held Daunte's gaze with her own. The kindness he saw in her eyes almost made him cry. "And it must be difficult for you to tell this story to us."
Daunte shook his head again, once again afraid of losing face for the Liberation Army. "A-Arin, he…he was only six years old when he was sentenced, and he became so sick from the living conditions we endured. He's now nine and he's smaller than other boys his age. And I—I had a friend named Kass who—" Daunte didn't know what had compelled him to bring up Kass, but tears stung his eyes the minute his friend's name past his lips. He ducked his head once more. "Kass was killed due to the conditions of the mine. He was given no funeral, and…" Daunte swallowed the hard lump in his throat and forced himself to calm down. He looked back up at Lymsleia. "It was awful. It still is awful for the children of the Dark Chasm. Arin, my friends, and I escaped with the help of Su—Prince Surya. Without him, we would probably still be there."
Murmurs rose once more, and Lymsleia shook her head. "I'm deeply unsettled that my nephew was brought to such a heinous place, and I'm glad he was able to help you escape."
"Daunte," Bearyl said behind him. "Daunte, show them your hands."
Daunte looked at him in shock, but Bearyl's face was unmoving. He didn't dare look towards Caesar or the others and turned back around. He didn't dare remove the glove on his right hand and expose his Rune of Restoration, but he did remove the glove on his left hand with trembling fingers.
"This is the result of the care the Theocracy has given my people." Bearyl grabbed his left wrist and held up his battered hand for all to see. Muted sounds of horror and disgust filled the chamber. "This child's poor mangled fingers. Daunte, how many times were your fingers broken during your time in the Dark Chasm?"
"I-I don't know," Daunte mumbled, ducking his head again.
"He doesn't know," Bearyl spat, lowering Daunte's hand. "How much abuse can one child endure where they get to the point that they don't know how many times they've broken the same bones? And it isn't just Daunte—as he said, hundreds of children in Nagarea suffer the same fate, and many more will unless I am successful! Unless my Liberation Army is successful! We must beat back these tyrants who suppress my people in such a horrific manner!
"Queen Lymsleia." Bearyl gestured to Daunte to move away from the podium, and Daunte gladly scrambled off of it. Bearyl retook his position on it. "I come to you asking for an alliance. I am but one man leading a small force against a corrupt Theocracy. Our shared history has been anything but pleasant, but I believe Nagarea is more than ready to join the modern age and allow bygones to be bygones. Most importantly, I believe that Nagarea needs to be free from vicious oppressors who have twisted our religious texts to suit their own purposes. The time is now, and I feel that the both of us could benefit greatly from alliance." Bearyl bowed deeply again. "Again, thank you for your time and consideration."
There wasn't an applause to follow his speech, but the chamber once more lit up in conversation. Lymsleia once again gestured for silence. "You have quite a way with words, Lord Bearyl. The Parliament will now have a discussion about your proposal and then vote on how to proceed. I must ask you to vacate this chamber until we are able to reach a decision."
"Of course, Queen Lymsleia." Bearyl bowed again, and Daunte stiffly bowed too. He saw Bearyl gesture to the others to stand up, but he kept his head ducked. He didn't say anything out loud, but he couldn't hide his discomfort over what had just happened.
I feel used. I can't believe Lord Bearyl would put me on the spot like that without asking me if I was okay to be talking about such things. Especially after lying to me about why I was being brought here!
"My Lord, how could you do such a thing?!"
Daunte had been angry enough with Bearyl all the way from the chamber, and he'd felt like he would explode with his anger if he didn't unleash it. He fully intended on confronting Bearyl in the waiting room once they were left alone.
But Gunther beat him to the punch.
"How could you use the horrible experiences Daunte has suffered as a selling tool with the Falenans?!" Gunther raged. The Lieutenant looked red in the face with fury, and Daunte stared at him in shock. "Have you no consideration for how he might feel about it?!"
"I don't understand why you're angry, Gunther," Bearyl huffed. He unbuttoned a wrist cuff as he sat on the couch. "Daunte did join my Army because of what he suffered under the Theocracy."
"But you're the one who said this was a vacation for him!" Gunther shouted. Caesar said nothing, but stormed over to an empty couch and planted himself onto it. "I overheard what you and Lord Caesar said! You were spoiling him! How is putting him on the spot like that and taking advantage of him in such a way spoiling him?!"
"Gunther, you will be quiet this instant," Bearyl told him harshly. "This is the most important political deal in the history of the Liberation Army! We must do everything we can to secure it! All of you should understand that!" He glared at Daunte. "For all of the trouble you have given me, boy, and what little you have given to my cause, this mild discomfort you may be feeling pales in comparison! You owe me far more than I owe you, so don't stand there acting indignant with me for expecting you to do no better than I would expect from any of my soldiers!"
Daunte could feel his rage bubbling over. He bit down so hard on his bottom lip that he tasted blood, and he clenched his fingers as tightly as he could into a fist, which wasn't much. I suffered. I suffered so greatly, and it doesn't matter to this man. All that matters to him is his own ambition. How could I be so stupid to put my faith in him for anything?!
A shadow suddenly fell over Daunte, and he found himself face-to-face with Varnaz. "Stand down this instant," the other man told him darkly. "Your body language and your expression easily tell me you mean to strike our Commander. I will not allow you to do that."
Daunte released his bottom lip, and felt a trickle of blood run down his chin. It was surprising how easy it was to suddenly shift his anger to Varnaz. He could tell that the Lieutenant General likewise saw him as a nuisance, and was nothing more than a "yes-man" to Bearyl. No matter what Bearyl did or said, Varnaz unflinchingly obeyed his commands and sided with him. His blind loyalty only seemed to make their circumstances even worse.
"And clean up your face," Varnaz snapped at him. The older man suddenly reached for Daunte's face, and Daunte reflexively swatted his hand away. "No—!"
The Rune of Restoration suddenly glowed on Daunte's hand from the brief contact of their hands, and Daunte grabbed his own wrist. Wait, no! No!
"What is the meaning of this?!"
Daunte blinked several times. He was no longer in the sitting room in Falena. No, he was now outside in front of a military barracks. The sky was overcast, and snowflakes were falling all around him.
"I demand answers! I have done nothing wrong!"
Daunte looked to his left, and he realized he was surrounded by Theocratic soldiers in silver uniforms. Varnaz was standing in front of him, dressed in the Theocracy's uniform, but wearing a slightly pointed hood on his head indicating he was a lieutenant. However he was being heavily restrained by two soldiers that he clearly outranked.
"First Lieutenant Varnaz Behzadi." Another soldier suddenly came into view and stood in front of Varnaz. Daunte couldn't see his face, but he saw that this new soldier did outrank Varnaz. It was probably his commanding officer. "You are hereby under arrest on charges of treason."
"Treason?!" Varnaz spat out, struggling violently. "This is an outrage! I am a loyal soldier of Nagar and of the Theocracy! Who dares accuse me of treason?!"
"You will answer for your treason in Mlkwt Alsmwat and be punished accordingly," his commanding officer continued.
"Who has accused me?!" Varnaz hollered. "I demand to see my accuser face-to-face!"
"Your accuser is Cleric Ramiro Lažov, and you will meet him for your sentencing."
Varnaz's face twisted up in shock. "R-Ramiro? Is this a damned joke?! Cleric Ramiro Lažov is my brother-in-law! How could he possibly accuse me of treason?! Bara would never stand for this!"
"It is he who has leveled the charges, and per Article Thirteen of our Holy Decree, you and your kin are guilty by-proxy," his commanding officer said.
Daunte stiffened. Article Thirteen? Oh no…
Realization quickly dawned on Varnaz and he gaped at his commanding officer. "What—What are you talking about?"
"Bara Behzadi Lažov has been accused and found guilty of adultery," the other man announced as though he were announcing the weather. "As you are undoubtedly aware, adultery is a crime punishable by death. Per the law of Original Sin, anyone who shares her blood is also guilty and will be sentenced along with her. As Bara is your older sister, you are hereby found in violation of our Holy Decree and thus guilty of treason."
Shock and horror filled Varnaz's face, and Daunte was equally horrified. Varnaz violently shook his head. "No! That is a lie—that is a lie! My sister is an honest and faithful woman! She would never cheat on her husband! Never!"
"Varnaz Behzadi you are hereby stripped of your rank and livelihood and are thus branded a heretic and a traitor. We will escort you to the capital for your sentencing. If you refuse to cooperate, per Holy Decree we are authorized to use lethal force against you."
"No! I won't let this happen!" Varnaz was also to break free of the soldiers who held him. "I've done nothing wrong, and I will NEVER believe Bara committed adultery! Sir, Sir, you've known me for years! I was your squire! Have I ever lied to you?! Have I ever done anything to bring shame to our unit?! I've devoted everything of myself to you—to this country! Please don't believe these lies! I know my sister, and I know that this is a mistake! M-My brother-in-law must have been mistaken, or—" he froze in his tracks as realization down upon him. "O-Or—Or did he simply fabricate the charges?!"
The commanding officer swung the scabbard of his sword and struck Varnaz along the side of his head. The world vibrated and swirled as Varnaz collapsed to the ground and slowly lost consciousness. As the vision faded away, Daunte heard the commanding officer say, "Shackle the traitor."
Daunte sucked in a sharp breath and squeezed his eyes shut. He pressed his right hand over his heart, which was thudding strongly, and pressed his left hand over the True Rune. Why…Why do you activate at random intervals and show me such things?
A hand touched his shoulder, startling him. "Daunte, are you all right?"
Daunte slowly opened his eyes. His vision was hazy, but he knew he was back in the sitting room. He forced a smile and nodded stiffly at Gunther. "I-I'm fine."
"You should clean up your face," the man said softly. "You won't make the best second impression on the Parliament if your face is bloody."
"R-Right." Daunte wiped at the blood on his chin and glanced at Varnaz. He paused when he saw the expression on the Lieutenant General's face. The man looked stricken, and there was a note of outrage in his eyes as he looked at Daunte. It was very surprising. Did…Did he also see the memory I saw? But nobody else I've interacted with when my Rune triggered seemed to have noticed that I accidentally saw their memories!
There was a sudden knock at the door, and a clerk stuck his head in. "Excuse me, sirs. The Parliament has reached a decision."
"So soon?" Bearyl asked, quickly standing up.
"I thought that such a thing would take hours at the very earliest," Caesar said. Daunte didn't like the uneasy tone in his voice.
But Bearyl didn't notice and grinned. "Of course they voted in our favor. I'm very adept at swaying people to my side. Let's go and forge our alliance!"
Varnaz finally looked away from Daunte and stormed out of the room after Bearyl. The anger Daunte felt towards the man dissipated very slightly. So he was also convicted under Original Sin? And it was highly likely the charges were false? I feel terrible for him…by why is he always so hostile towards me? I was also convicted under Original Sin!
He shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore, and left the waiting room.
The loud conversations in the Parliament chamber silenced once more as the group was escorted back in. They almost moved to sit down, but Luserina instead gestured them forward to stand at the podium in front of the Queen. Bearyl took his place at the podium, while Daunte and the others lined up behind him.
"Parliament will now come to order," Luserina announced. The chamber fell to absolute silence. "Dignitaries of Nagarea, we have discussed at length your proposal for an alliance, and after careful deliberations and a Parliamentary vote we have decided—"
"Yes?" Bearyl asked eagerly.
"—to deny your offer."
Bearyl visibly deflated right before their eyes and Daunte ducked his head. He glanced at the others and only saw that Varnaz was shocked and outraged. Neither Caesar nor Gunther looked at all surprised.
"We know nothing about Nagarea," Lymsleia spoke up. She leaned forward on her throne. "We have no maps, no knowledge of your political system other than that it is a Theocracy. We don't even know the population size or how many people actually want change in the country. But most of all we know nothing about your Liberation Army."
Bearyl stiffened, but Lymsleia continued. "You have demonstrated to me the plight of your people, but you haven't indicated to me what you would do if you're successful in your civil war. You've told us none of your plans of how you are going to make things better for your people, or the direction you would take our potential alliance. And you've told us nothing about the structure of the Liberation Army itself. What this indicates to me is one of two things: one is that you do not have an actual plan laid out for if you succeed—but I doubt this because you wouldn't have any allies if did not have such a plan. So that leads me to the second theory—that your forces have dwindled and you have reached out to Falena as a means to rebuild your Army.
"It is because of the efforts of your men Lord Bearyl, that my children and my nieces and nephew were successfully rescued. But you have given me no substance and no cause to lend you any aid at this time. There is too much uncertainty in forming an alliance with you, and I cannot commit my soldiers to an unknown cause that may be doomed to failure."
"How—" Bearyl was shaking violently, and Daunte suddenly filled with dread. He's losing his temper. Uh oh.
"How dare you speak that way to me?!" Bearyl hollered. "I saved your children and I saved your kin! They would still be captured or dead if it were not for me! Is it the policy of Falena to simply take what they want from others and not give anything in return?!"
Rumbles of outrage filled the room, and Daunte saw Luserina frown with visibly fury, but Lymsleia was unmoved. She even gestured to the gallery to remain silent. "After everything I've done for the royal family," Bearyl raged. "The very least you can do—"
"Everything that you have done for the royal family?"
Heads snapped up at this new voice. Daunte turned his head towards the throne. The blonde-haired man at Lymsleia's left had stepped forward.
"The assembly recognizes Shoon, Prince Consort and husband of Queen Lymsleia," Luserina announced.
"Unless I am mistaken, Lord Bearyl," Shoon said darkly, leveling the man in question with a heated glare. "And unless my own children are mistaken, you did not personally see to the rescue of any of the Falenan royals. Did you?"
Bearyl flushed, and floundered on his words before he spoke. "It was my Army that gave the Falenan royals safe haven. It was my soldiers that rescued them from their captors. It—"
"But was it you who did any of these things?" Shoon interrupted him. "Did you give the order for any of these actions? Or are you simply taking the credit from others and claiming it as your own?"
"This country owes Nagarea!" Bearyl shouted, jabbing at nothing with his index finger. "The current state of my country is entirely your fault! The original Cabinet of High Clerics was assassinated and taken over by high-ranking assassins from Nether Gate! Your assassin group! The assassin group you banished to Nagarea! If you had handled those bastards when you had the opportunity, then nothing that any of us has suffered would've happened!"
"W-What?!" Daunte burst out, and quickly slapped both hands over his mouth. He looked at Caesar, who had a grim expression on his face. "It's true. The current Cabinet of High Clerics are made up of former members of Nether Gate, that assassins group I told you about when you discovered Raging Nostrum."
Both Freyjadour and Shoon looked outraged by Bearyl's accusations, but Lymsleia still did not visibly react. "I believe you are mistaken, Lord Bearyl. My mother Queen Arshtat did not simply corral the worst of Nether Gate and herd them into Nagarea. She disbanded Nether Gate, and the assassins fled this country instead of assimilating into society like civilized people, or answering for their numerous crimes. However, I do acknowledge that we could've possibly have done more to bring these unsavory characters to justice and you have my sincerest apologies that they have brought so much ruin to your country.
"Even though we have voted against committing our troops to your cause, I would be more than happy to provide food provisions and medical supplies for your soldiers, as a gesture of good w—"
"I will not accept your pity, Your Highness," Bearyl retorted. "It is an insult against everything I stand for! You may call it good will, but I see it for what it really is—a half-hearted gesture to make yourself look better!"
"Oh?" Shoon asked, his tone incredulous. "Did you not use that poor boy's personal tragedy to make yourself look better?" Shoon was looking pointedly at Daunte.
"What do you know of personal tragedy?!" Bearyl challenged.
Shoon's gaze shifted back to Bearyl. "A lot more than someone like you would understand. While I am understanding of your outrage, you will stop spouting insults at Her Majesty. Do I make myself clear?" He spoke with a tone that brokered no compromise, and he held a stance that indicated he would spring into action if necessary. He was unflinching, unafraid—it was very clear the Prince Consort was far from a pampered royal.
Bearyl shifted, and looked like he would say something else, but then Freyjadour stepped forward. The Commander of the Queen's Knights said nothing, but he didn't need to say anything. His authoritative presence and challenging glare to Bearyl was more than enough to silence the other man. Daunte couldn't help but be impressed.
After a long moment, Bearyl turned. He still held fury in his face. "This was a waste of time. We are leaving now."
"Lord Bearyl, you and your comrades do not leave to leave so soon," Lymsleia told him. "You have traveled a great distance, and despite our refusal of alliance I will not cast you out of my country so callously. I would be more than happy to accommodate all of your for another night."
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I have left my Army without a leader and I must return post haste. And my must return quickly now that I know I was brought here on a fool's errand." He stormed off the podium and towards the door. "Let's go. I want to be back in Nagarea by tomorrow morning."
The group turned to go. Daunte followed the group but stopped in his tracks when Queen Lymsleia called out his name. He avoided Bearyl's gaze and looked at Caesar, but the strategist also looked surprised. Daunte knew if he left without answering the Queen that it would probably be taken as a greater insult than everything Bearyl had said. He slowly turned and walked back towards the throne. "Yes, Your Highness?" he bowed awkwardly.
"I have heard many great things about you, young man," Lymsleia told him. "My nephew has done nothing but sing my praises. And I must say I'm very pleasant to meet my future son-in-law."
Daunte flushed dark crimson as the chamber filled with rambunctious laughter. Shoon even cracked a smile before remembering himself. Lymsleia continued. "But I digress. I just wanted to give you my thanks for saving my children and my nieces and nephew. My family is very dear to me and it would've devastated me to lose even one of them. I know that you contributed greatly to the rescue of all of my kin, and I am eternally grateful to you."
Freyjadour left Lymsleia's side and walked over to stand in front of Daunte. Daunte was a little intimidated to be under this man's scrutiny but he reminded himself that Freyjadour was Surya's father, and that this man was also a national hero. Freyjadour still said nothing. After a few moments of silence the Commander broke out in a smile and reached out his hand to Daunte. Daunte gaped for a moment before accepting Freyjadour's handshake. It was a surreal feeling.
Do these people really hold me in high regard? I-I think they're giving me too much credit, but it seems like they're reacting this way to me based on what Surya and his cousins told them.
Freyjadour released his hand and Daunte breathed out a short laugh. He hung onto his smile as he turned to leave, but the smile quickly left his face when he saw the look Bearyl was giving him. He lowered his head and hurried after the group out of the Parliament chamber.