Chapter One: Part Twelve

The air suddenly felt like it was on fire. Astraea couldn't breathe. Her body felt like it was falling into a bottomless pit, though she was still standing. Her thoughts were in a frenzy as tears streamed down her cheeks.

What what what what WHAT OH MY GOD OH MY GOD—

"What was that noise?"

That simple question snapped Astraea to attention. Panic settled in as she realized that she was in danger. Her feet seemed to grow wings and she took off running down the corridor. The hallway that led to the King's apartments seemed impossibly long and narrow, but she hoped that the dim lighting would not give her away.

Her right hand started to glow, and a sudden gust of wind swept down the hallway. It wasn't strong enough to damage the walls, ceiling, or floor but it was strong enough to snuff out every torch that had been lit. The glow in her hand ceased and immediately the corridor was consumed with darkness, giving her the necessary cover. Astraea did not pause in her steps, but she looked down at the True Wind Rune in shock. Did…Did the Rune act to help me?

The True Wind Rune did not respond to her question this time, but she knew she didn't need the answer. She could not see in front of herself, but she had wandered down this corridor many times in the eighteen years of her life. She knew the way by instinct. She knew when the corridor would end and where she would need to turn.

As she rounded the bend, there was a shout behind her. "Princess Astraea!"

It was Albert, and Astraea faltered briefly in her steps. But she knew that she couldn't stop. She picked up the pace and ran faster.

How—How did he know it was me?!

But she knew how Albert would know. The True Wind Rune activated to protect her—but in doing so it displayed its power.

She continued to run blindly, not knowing where she was going. The thoughts of fleeing then left her mind, flooded by the horror of what she had learned. A jumbled chaotic, hysterical mess of words screaming in her ears.

It was Father—

It was Father—

It was Father—

Father did this—

HE DID THIS—

OH MY GOD—

OH MY GOD—

OH MY GOD—

PAPA TRIED TO KILL ME!

A helpless whine rumbled in Astraea's throat. Unable to help herself she stopped in her tracks and covered her mouth, muffling screaming sobs as best as she could against her palms. A terrible, sickening pain engulfed her body. She thought he was throw up. She knew that her father didn't like her, but she had thought—hoped—that he felt some good feeling for her.

But Franz didn't love her. He hated her. He hated her so much that he tried to kill her as a means of starting a war.

Oh God…oh God…Papa, he—oh God, he killed Milo! Ritta, Barrett, Darko—he killed his allies' children for his own power! He killed his own children for his own power! How could he do this?!

The thoughts made her feel sicker, but Astraea forced it down and tried to calm herself. Getting upset right that moment would not help her. She needed help. She needed to do something!

I swore I would get justice for my comrades, but Papa is the one who arranged their deaths. What…What am I going to do?! What CAN I do?!

Astraea quickly scrubbed at her eyes and straightened. She realized that she was out in one of the east gardens and she quickly ducked behind a pillar to get out of any line of sight. The sight and scent of the flowers around her quickly made her nostalgic for a time not long past where she was still ignorant of what her father really felt about her. A time she didn't know that her own father plotted her murder. Her eyes scanned her surroundings…and that was when she saw the Call to Action Bell.

It was a bronze bell at the top of a tower 30 meters tall, and was the tallest tower of the Eisenblütig. The bell itself was 2 meters tall and weighed 1,000 kgs, and when it rang the sound was so loud that it could crack glass. The bell was so heavy that it took five people to pull the rope to ring it.

Astraea had no memory of the bell ever ringing; she had heard the last time it rung was when her mother died. She was fairly certain that it didn't even ring when everyone thought she had died. But the bell was called the Call to Action Bell for a reason. It was only allowed to be rung in the most extreme circumstances, such as a full-on invasion of the capital. It was a call for the entire city to arm and get ready for battle.

After what Father and Sir Albert have done…this warrants it.

Astraea raised her right hand, directing her palm towards the bell. "True Wind Rune," she said softly. "I don't need you to destroy the tower, but I need you to ring that bell for me."

The True Rune still did not speak to her, but her hand glowed again and a large gust of wind surged from her hand and towards the bell tower. It was a powerful gust; one that she was certain may still damage the tower. The gust hit the Call to Action Bell so hard that it sent bell straight up until it was parallel with the ground. A couple of bricks fell off the tower that surrounded the bell.

But then the Call to Action Bell swung back down, and a thunderous "TUNG!" rattled in Astraea's ears. The sound was so loud that she felt dizzy, and she covered her ears. When it swung in the opposite direction, emitting another "TUNG!", the entire castle came to life. Astraea gasped in relief and took off running again, knowing where everyone would be gathering and what she had to do.


The Call to Action Bell finished ringing by the time Astraea reached the Great Hall. The Great Hall was filled with soldiers and servants armed with weapons and fully alert. Everyone was talking at once. When they saw Astraea they parted, letting her go through. She saw her siblings armed and ready for battle. She was so happy to see all of them that tears stung her eyes once more. "E—Everyone!" she screamed.

"Astraea?!" Denzel looked shocked as Astraea reached him, and she hugged his arm. "Astraea, what's going on?! Are you all right?!"

Astraea shook her head and looked at her siblings. They were talking to their assists and the Royal Guard. Her throat felt tight, almost choking her, but she had to say it. "It was Papa!" she shrieked.

This got the attention of her siblings and several soldiers. Philomena hurried over to her, her brow furrowed. "What did you say, Astraea?"

"PAPA DID IT!" Astraea screamed. "The Massacre of Innocents! It was Papa and Sir Albert, NOT the Bianca Alliance!"

A chilly silence overtook the Great Hall from her scream. Her siblings and their assists stared at her with gaping mouths and wide eyes. After a painful moment Denzel choked, and hugged his arms. "W…What?" he whispered. His tone was full of pain.

"What the hell are you talking about, Astraea?!" Vahan demanded sharply, quickly advancing upon her. "Do you know what you're saying?!"

"I heard them! Papa and Sir Albert! I heard them arguing about it!"

"Astraea, calm down," Sigrun said, grabbing her shoulders. Her expression was calm but Astraea could see the color draining from her face. "Just take a deep breath—"

"PAPA TRIED TO KILL ME!" Astraea screamed. "He killed Milo and Barrett and Ritta! He killed all those kids, Sister! I know what I heard!"

"Astraea, you're not making any sense!" Brendan snapped, advancing upon her. His eyes were hard but also…had a look of alarm? "This is the King you're talking about! This is our father you're talking about! Why would he kill his own children, and the children of his own allies?! For what purpose would that serve!"

"It was to get a True Rune!" Astraea insisted. "Sir Albert told Papa that the Bianca Alliance had a True Rune, s-so they arranged the Massacre of Innocents as an excuse to go to war with them and get the True Rune!"

"That makes ZERO SENSE!" Kion shouted suddenly, his voice echoing throughout the Hall. "I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life! You're saying that the King killed a bunch of kids and tried to kill you and framed another country for it as an excuse to go to war?!"

"Yes!"

"We are Zelantans, Astraea!" Kion snapped. "We live for battle! Doing something so extreme to compel us to go to war would be asinine! All the King has to do is order us to go to battle and that's what we do! The King wouldn't need to kill you or anyone as a means to convince us to go to war!"

Another ominous silence filled the room. No one knew what to say or how to react to the arguing between the royal siblings.

Astraea pulled away from Sigrun and rounded upon Kion. She breathed harshly through clenched. "I know what I heard," she hissed. "It was Papa, not the Alliance!"

Philomena's breathing grew shallow, and she hovered a hand over her mouth. After a moment she shook her head and whispered, "Papa wouldn't kill you, Astraea. Not after what Mama gave up for you."

Astraea looked at her and tears burned her vision. She was about to speak but Brendan spoke first. "Did you ring the Call to Action Bell to tell us this—this story, Astraea?"

Astraea nodded slowly and she swallowed hard. "I—"

"A clever cover for her actions," a new voice spoke up. Heads turned and the crowd of soldiers and servants parted as Albert moved towards them, his face a cold mask. Several Royal Guardsmen followed behind him with their weapons already drawn.

Despite the mixed reaction from the siblings to Astraea's proclamation they all tensed when they saw Albert. Astraea moved away from Kion, her posture guarded and her hand on her knout as a makeshift circle formed around the siblings and Albert. Rage bubbled inside her and she snarled, "I'll never forgive you for what you've done!"

Albert did not respond. He held out a rolled up piece of parchment, and with a dramatic flick of his wrist the parchment unrolled, revealing an official document. Astraea could see King Franz's seal at the bottom of the document. "Princess Astraea Reiser," Albert announced. "By Royal Decree you are hereby placed under arrest for high treason."

"WHAT?!" Sigrun, Denzel, Vahan, and Philomena exclaimed together. Several shouts of shock filled the Great Hall from the soldiers and servants. Brendan and Kion said another.

A numbing feeling of shock took hold of Astraea's body. "T..Treason? Treason?!" her voice rose with her growing rage. "How DARE you accuse me of treason after what you've done!"

"Your foolish ramblings have disturbed everyone long enough," Albert retorted. He moved around in a circle to show the document to everyone assembled. "As you all can see here, this is an official arrest warrant stamped by the King himself. His word is law, and by his word Princess Astraea has been labeled an enemy of the state."

Astraea's breathing quickened as she realized the situation she was in. She knew the truth. She had heard it with her own ears. But no matter what the truth was, no one in Zelant could defy their core rules. And she knew that rule #7 had trapped her.

The King's word is law above everything.

As Albert turned back around to face her, Brendan snatched the warrant out of his hands and scrutinized it closely. His brow was furrowed and his expression was grim.

"T—This can't be!" Philomena breathed. "It can't be!" she shouted, clutching her hands to her chest. "Astraea couldn't have committed treason! She fought on the front lines! She sunk a warship from the Bianca Alliance! Enemies of Zelant don't fight for Zelant!"

"It is true."

The icy feeling of fear rose to Astraea's throat as King Franz entered the Great Hall. Everyone immediately saluted and bowed in deference to him. Astraea could not bring herself to do it. She stood frozen, gaping at her father. In the moment, she felt like a small child.

But when King Franz looked upon her, she saw in his eyes that he did not see her as his daughter. He saw her as an enemy.

"D—Daddy," Astraea whispered, tears stinging her eyes. "You tried to…kill me."

King Franz's expression did not shift. "Astraea Reiser," he said, his voice booming. "I accuse you of treason, murder, and cowardice. You are charged with crimes against the state, and for conspiracy with the Massacre of Innocents—"

Astraea almost fainted. She collapsed to her knees as her ears roared. He was still speaking, but she couldn't hear him. She couldn't believe it. After what she had suffered…what she had survived…her father was covering up his hand in the Massacre of Innocents by framing her for her own assassination attempt?!

"Father."

Kion's low voice cut through the roaring in her ears. She quickly looked at her brother, but his eyes were on the King. "Father," Kion said again, this time enunciating the word. "Are you saying that Astraea was complicit in the Massacre of Innocents?"

"That is exactly what His Majesty is saying," Albert said. "Does it not seem convenient that the children lost in the Massacre were brutalized to the point of overkill, but Princess Astraea's major injury was a "broken back"? And somehow she didn't drown with a broken back despite claiming she threw herself from the cliff?"

"The True Rune!" Astraea wheezed, scrambling to her feet. "The True Rune saved me!"

Albert looked at her. "Yes. You have a True Rune. But there is no real evidence that you actually suffered any injuries during the Massacre, is there?"

"Sir Albert, Astraea's blood was found all over the place!" Sigrun exclaimed. "She bled on the grass on the cliffside and on the rocks she landed on! She bled all over her personal items! She was clearly injured in the Massacre!"

"But was it really the Princess's blood?" Albert asked. "We have no way of knowing, do we?"

Astraea looked around herself. Everyone was murmuring and exchanging glances. Some had looks of disbelief, but others…they seemed to believe Albert.

"I get it now," Kion said. He glared at Astraea. "Your story was too unbelievable to be the truth."

It didn't surprise Astraea that Kion believed their father, but it felt like a knife to her heart. She saw the open conflict in Gwenette's face, but Kion's assist stood by his side.

"If this was all some elaborate plot by Astraea," Denzel said, his tone chilly and his expression uncharacteristically dark. "Then why would she return here? What sense does that make?!"

"All will be revealed in time," King Franz said. "For now—" he jabbed his finger at Astraea. "Seize her!"

Astraea scrambled to her feet, her heart in her throat. She couldn't believe this was happening. There were so many holes in their explanation that it didn't make sense. How could they think to accuse HER of conspiracy when they were the ones who created the Massacre?!

But…they were just exposed. This whole thing—they had to have thrown it together quickly. They'll fabricate evidence against me later.

She knew she had to escape. She turned to flee, but she saw a wall of soldiers surrounding her. Men and women who barely an hour ago had been willing to follow her into battle. Now they looked upon her as an enemy.

But…none of them moved forward. Not even Kion did so.

"Your King has issued an order," Albert said sharply. "Dead or alive, seize the Princess this instant!"

Before anyone could move, Brendan abruptly pulled out his claymore. Astraea stood frozen, as did everyone else, as the eldest heir slowly circle the perimeter of the makeshift circle. He kept his head ducked, allowing the tip of the blade to scrape against the floor as he walked. It sounded loud in the deathly silent Great Hall.

Then Brendan stopped and turned to face Astraea. After a moment and slid into the ox stance; holding the blade parallel to the ground, the hilt close to his right temple, and the tip pointing at Astraea.

Astraea puffed out a short breath, and she raised her hands slightly. "B—Big Brother," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Brendan—"

"As a Prince of Zelant, it is my duty to follow the will of the King," Brendan said, his tone cold and his eyes hard. Yasmine unsheathed her weapon as he spoke. "If you will not come voluntarily Astraea, I will slay you where you stand."

The air felt like it was punched out of her lungs. Astraea didn't expect this. She was never close to Brendan, but she never expected her own brother to draw his weapon on her with the intent to hurt her.

With the intent to kill her.

Astraea frantically shook her head and raised her hands higher. "I'm innocent," she said. "I'm innocent!"

"I will give you to the count of three to surrender to my custody," Brendan responded. Behind him, Kion unsheathed his flyssa and taking the roof position stance. Gwenette looked crushed, but she raised her hand with her rune. "If you do not, then I will strike you down Astraea."

"I'M INNOCENT!" Astraea screamed. She looked at her siblings pleadingly. "YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!"

"One."

Vahan looked at his brothers and then looked at Astraea. His expression was unreadable, but then he drew his fauchard. As soon as he did so, Kerime drew his spetum. His expression was hard.

"Two," Brendan said, drawing Astraea's attention back to him. Astraea's breathing quickened, looking around her. She didn't want to fight Brendan, but she knew that her brother was ready to kill her. As was Kion and Vahan.

"Oh, my God," Philomena whimpered, but she followed her words but drawing her own sword. Aravine followed suit. Astraea felt queasy, like the whole world was against her. They don't believe me. No one does! They want to kill me!

"Three," Brendan announced, and then he suddenly lunged forward.

CLANG!

Just as suddenly, something struck the middle of the blade of the claymore, and Brendan jumped back. Astraea's left arm was suddenly seized and she was yanked backwards. Denzel pushed her fully behind him, and Astraea suddenly found herself pressed tight between four backs. She looked around, and shocked and elation filled her body. Denzel shielded her from the front…but Sigrun shielded her from the right, Musashi from the left, and Ferdinand from the back.

They're protecting me!

"Anyone who dares try to attack MY SISTER will have to go through me!" Denzel roared, readying his plumbata.

"And me," Sigrun seethed, sliding into a plow stance with her cutlass. "I'll kill anyone who threatens Astraea!"

Rumbles of shock filled the Great Hall. Astraea grabbed Denzel's back with one hand and Sigrun's with the other. "You—You guys—"

"Stay still, Astraea," Sigrun said, glancing at her briefly over her shoulder. "Don't give them an opening to strike."

"Sigrun. Denzel." King Franz's voice was cold and ominous. "You dare draw your weapons against a direct order from your King?"

"Astraea is my sister, Father," Sigrun retorted, glaring in his direction. "She is my sister and I love her. That is enough for me to defend her."

"Even after she has been accused of treason, Princess Sigrun?" Albert asked her.

"Astraea isn't a liar!" Denzel shouted. "She's the most honest person I have ever met! I believe in her!"

"You believe her over your own King?" King Franz said. "Over your own father?"

Denzel growled at him. "You better believe it, Father." He spat out the last word like it was a curse word.

"Ferdinand, Musashi, stand down now," King Franz said.

Neither Musashi nor Ferdinand moved from where they stood shielding Astraea. "I am King and you are obligated to obey my order! Even above your charges!" King Franz snapped. "Disarm and stand down NOW!"

"I owe you no loyalty," Musashi responded coldly. "My loyalty is to Prince Denzel, and only him."

"My faith is in Princess Sigrun and I believe she is doing the right thing," Ferdinand said, raising his glaive. "She will defend Princess Astraea with her life, and so will I."

Tears spilled down Astraea's cheeks. She felt both relieved and heartbroken to see Sigrun and Denzel defend her with their lives at stake.

But Brendan…Kion…Vahan…Philomena…they've taken arms against me! She buried her face into Sigrun's back and sobbed quietly.

"Enough of that now, Astraea," Sigrun said, though her tone was gentle. "We need to get out of here first."

"So be it," King Franz snarled, pointing to them. "Sigrun and Denzel! I hereby declare you both enemies of the state and charge you with treason and sedition! Musashi and Ferdinand—I hereby sentence you both to death effective immediately! SEIZE THEM NOW!" he shrieked. "Take them alive if you must, but kill them if need be!"

The Great Hall suddenly came to life. Roars and battle cries erupted around them, and Denzel, Sigrun, Musashi, and Ferdinand pressed tighter around Astraea. "This is it," Denzel said quietly.

"Yes," Sigrun said.

Astraea peeked between Denzel and Sigrun and she saw the wall of soldiers closing in on them. She realized then that they were all going to die. "NO!" she shrieked.

At that moment her hand glowed, and the True Wind Rune's symbol rose into the air. Everyone stopped in their tracks, but then a massive gust of wind shot skyward, striking the high ceiling of the Great Hall, causing it to collapse.