The gavel was about to fall, signaling the transition into recess,when the guards moved forward by a single step—
a step that was never completed.
"Wait."
The voice cleaved the hall cleanly—without hesitation, without softening.Ken.
The judge turned slowly. His brows lowered, his voice carrying a clear warning:"Your Highness, the court—"
Ken cut him off without raising his voice:"The truth is not finished yet."
Marvin shifted a small step, as if preparing to explain, but Ken moved faster. He turned directly toward him, his tone fractured with restrained anger:"Didn't I tell you to mention the questionable details?Didn't I say it clearly: do not leave gaps… because gaps are filled with treason?"
Marvin hesitated for a moment, then replied in a steady voice:"Your Highness… what was presented is what has been verified beyond doubt.Those points—"
"—Were not investigated thoroughly enough?"Ken interrupted sharply."I know.But ignoring them now is more dangerous than presenting them incomplete."
Ken stepped down from his place.
He reached the center of the hall, snatched the files from Marvin's hands, flipped through them rapidly, then threw them onto the table before him.The wood shuddered—and with it, many nerves.
Ken turned toward the throne, then toward the judge's platform:"Your Majesty… Your Honor.I bear full responsibility if I am mistaken.But if we remain silent now… we will put ourselves on trial later."
He raised his voice this time:"There are three major heads that have not yet been named.Three duchies… from among the Sixteen Families."
A muted disturbance spread.
Ken continued without hesitation:"The Duchy of Millflower.The Duchy of Viridian.The Duchy of Lumindrim."
The gavel exploded downward."Enough!"
The judge stood, his voice sharp:"Your Highness, this is a blatant overreach.Return to your place immediately."
Ken did not move.
Instead, he turned toward the rows of the Sixteen Families and took another step forward:"You are families.Names.History."
He paused, then continued:"But when the kingdom is touched…all these weights fall away.And only one question remains:Who betrayed it?"
Among the rows, some faltered.Others froze.
The whispers gradually died out…but the gazes began to rise—sharp, pressing.
Suddenly, Ken felt an immense wave of pressure, heavy and crushing, coming from the row of duchies among the Sixteen Families.
"Your Highness…"
Ken turned toward the voice.
Duke Faidor.
He did not move from his seat. His hands were calmly clasped, but his voice was heavy, sharp, filling the hall:"Your words are like mirrors.They reflect what must be seen."
He paused briefly, then continued:"Yes, we are names. History. Weight.But these weights—as you call them—are what carried this kingdom on their backswhen it was nothing more than an idea in the mind of the first founder,His Majesty King Orvalis the First."
A heavy silence fell.
"My family was not merely one of the Sixteen Families.It led them.And my great-grandfather's sword decided the founding battle in favor of the first king."
His voice rose slightly:"We are not hostages to titles.We are the ones who forged the title you bear today."
Duke Draconis intervened, calm but clear:"Careful… do not forget our merit and role as well, Duke Faidor."
Faidor continued without turning:"Treason is a vile thing.But the greater danger… is forgetting."
He looked directly at Ken:"Forgetting who stood.Who sacrificed.Who founded."
Then he said in a lower voice, heavier in impact:"When you say: only one question remains—who betrayed?I say to you:the first betrayal… is the betrayal of memory."
His voice softened, yet grew heavier:"Search for the traitor. Tear him out by the roots.My family will be the first to stand beside you."
He paused:"But do not confuse those who build the lifeboat…with those who try to pierce its hull."
"The Sixteen Families are one tree.Some branches are rotten—and cutting them is a duty.But uprooting the roots…that is not justice.That is ignorance of the history upon which your throne stands."
Ken swallowed.His eyes remained locked with Faidor's, and the pressure did not fade.
"We are here.We were here.And we will remain here.In service of the king… and the kingdom."
Then he concluded:"And our oaths… are heavier than titles."
An absolute silence followed.
It was broken by a single voice—Duke Elithor:"Your Honor… proceed."
Ken remained silent, exchanging a final look with Duke Faidor.
The judge spoke in a taut tone:"The session is hereby temporarily suspended,pending careful review of the necessary decisions."
At the border, a messenger arrived carrying a sealed envelope to the Supreme Commander of the Army.He received it, entered his tent, and read the orders carefully:
Secure the mountains west of the border.Advance into the forward forest and prepare it for defense.Contain the surrounding villages and use them as concealment and supply points.
He sat for a moment in thought, then exited the tent and called the officers:"Begin execution."
"Immediate redistribution of forces:Mountains: forty-five thousand.Forest: eighty thousand.Surrounding villages: thirty-five thousand.Mobile reserve: seventeen thousand."
He turned to one officer:"Record orders for General Morgan:occupy the passes before sunset,establish observation points on the peaks,prepare timed rockslides,and close all unused routes."
Then to another:"Orders for General Leander:occupy the villages quietly,convert large houses into depots,take hostages to ensure cooperation,train villagers in guard duties,use caravans as cover,and build a covert movement network."
Then to the forest officers:"Barricades.Camouflaged trenches.Traps.Archer positions.Hidden paths.Route disruption.Concealed depots.Secure water sources.Prepare timber for tactical fires."
"Disperse… immediately."
The Mercenary Guild.Meeting chamber.
The Mercenary King asked:"What's the payment structure?"
The Guildmaster replied:"Half upon reaching the border,and the other half immediately after victory."
The king laughed:"Good. We move this evening."
He turned:"Hiry."
The calm voice of the youth answered:"The wagons, supplies, weapons…everything has been ready since sunrise."
The king laughed again:"Do you know now why I like him, Miri?"
Silence.
Then Hiry said:"I tracked Aghor.He's now with Savina's forces… in the front lines."
The Mercenary King smiled slowly:"Then… we'll be meeting him soon."
And the kingdom, in that moment,took another step toward a trial that recognizes no names—only the price...
End of Chapter.