/Oh no! This is a dangerous situation now. How could this have been? They are being called by the Higher Supreme Court? Whose kingdom must've faultered now? Who will be the next king to face judgement for his people? Information Ding! Before you continue the chapter, I wanted to educate you on what the Higher Supreme Court is. It is also referred to as the house of Justice, where kings are judged for the wrong of the people. You get? Everyone in the kingdom or region is responsible for their king's life. If they are guilty for committing a specific crime, they are judged and punished, and the king has to pay for his crime of not civilizing the citizens correctly. They pay either by fee, or by death. Justice is a very strict item in the whole country. But justice amongst men is never completely just. So, what happens now? Keep reading and.... enjoy./
***
Royce : You said...what?
Colson : Oh... I should've known. It is indeed something to be shocked, I suppose.
[Royce pushes him aside and hurries to search for the envelope holding the letter. He wildly rummages through the stack of documents, panting, eyes searching in anticipation. Then they widened.
Right in the middle of the bunch, a glamorously white envelope lay, with a purple seal, and the statue of Thermis carved on it. He retracts his hand slowly, and stared at it as still trying to believe what was in front of him then.
Colson : I got the carriage ready once I got the envelope arrived. Mathias will accompany you there in case of any.... future inconveniences.
****
[Rumbling of thunder]
[The carriage set it's way with the prince and Mathias in one which was placed in the middle. At the front were five other carriages, while the back were arranged the same, all conducted by guards.
The sky was already starting to cover, and the clouds disturbingly rumbled loudly. It was obvious there was going to be a downpour, and perhaps a king going to the slaughter as well.
What if that king was him? He spent almost an hour thinking about it back in the palace. It hadn't been days since he got the report about his citizens' scandals, and now he's getting a call from the Higher Supreme Court.
He was almost reluctant to go; he'd rather die for disobedience than die from whatever punishment they were going to give him there...in front of all his subjects and other rulers. What exactly will he explain to his father in the afterlife? That he was lazy and broke his promise? Or he'd put the blame on the people?
He let out a deep sigh, and his eyes drifted to the transparent window that was soon overwhelmed with beads of raindrops slowly rolling down the glass. The scenery was blurry, but he wished it was enough to get him out of his train of living nightmares.
Mathias stared at the young man in front of him, a hint of concern clear in his eyes. But he just brushed the thought. Even so, in his mind, something else restrained him.]
***
Colson : Mathew, I need you to do me a favor.
Mathias : (annoyed but keeps composure) Hm? (Skeptical ) A favor ? Did the heavens suddenly fall unto your heart? Or could I just be living in a sweet dream?
Colson : I know. It's very peculia of me to ask anything from you, but I still need you anyway.
[The guards were packing all their weapons ready, and preparing the horses as well. They also put in a few blankets and some warmers, just in case the weather failed them. It was the rainy season now in Elvadesh. Crossing into their border would mean stepping into an endless shower of cats and dogs.
Colson and Mathias stood at the entrance of the palace, while everyone else stood outside of the palace doing their responsibilities.]
Mathias : [short silence].....Go ahead.
[Colson lowers his gaze, his dominance slowly diminishing into an aura of vulnerability. It was really hard for someone who'd been 'independent' to suddenly ask a favor from someone. After a moment of reeling, he finally clears his throat and looks up again.]
Colson : I just want you to help me deliver something. If you are going to the higher Supreme Court, then you'll be closer to White Snow mountain.
[ He then reveals an old scroll from his hanging bag, and hands to him. The scroll was all brown and dirty, which he did intentionally to secure it's cover. Though it did have a few distinct features, like a crying humanoid fox and a clay pot pouring out golden oil from its mouth.
Mathias looks at it intrigued and a bit questionable. He observes the scroll from angle to angle, nodding in amusement, before putting it away and bringing his attention back to Colson.]
Mathias : So if I'm not wrong, you want me to deliver this to White Snow mountain?
Colson : Yes. The leader to be precise.
Mathias : A leader? A place such as that has a king to rule and I'm not aware of it?
[A dark look flashes across his face in an instant, and the rest of his words were silence which somehow ached Mathias' annoyance]
Mathias : You should know better than to shut me up after letting me on something this serious. (Sternly) If my judgement are not wrong, I'm sure you're communicating with an external ethnic group outside of Lewis. Do you know what danger that could bring to you?
[Mathias was slowly losing his grip, and his anger and frustration was clear in every word he last stated. Colson only looked away to avoid his gaze. Deep down, he knew he was guilty and this might actually bring grave problems to the king, but he didn't have a choice. He had to do it anyway.]
Colson : I understand that. Still...
Mathias : There's no still about this situation, Emmanuel! You saw it yourself. Your king has just been called to the supreme Court with a legal stamp on it. It means the situation IS grave. What if they know? What if they know about this your discreet operations right under the empire's nose?!
[Colson couldn't really say he was right. He'd done everything possible and impossible to keep every communication line beneath the sheets, and his confidence was at its peak. Except his formal communication line was severed, and now he has to use the latter, he cannot miss it. He understood. He always puts his king's interests at heart, but even he had his own responsibilities. Sometimes, it is worth the sacrifice.]
Colson : I understand you are mad. I sincerely do, trust me. But,on the other hand, I must do what is right... Please, I can't explain much. I just need your help.
[Mathias stared at him, already exasperated at how stubborn he is to the point he's trying to make. Lewis has 7 official regions, all whom have signed a pact to remain under one law. All of them had left other pacts with their subordinate regions and they are now considered outsiders. Most kingdoms severed their pacts either because the opposite parties did not take their interest at heart, or both parties did not come in accord with the share of gains mainly because only one party benefitted than the other.
So this led to their flee. Since then, the empire has been in endless turmoil. Receiving attacks from the outsiders to release their partners. The empire has now placed many restrictions for any outsiders to be let in, or for any information be let out without official notice. The penalty was grave.]
Mathias : Wait, don't tell me.
[He paused cautiously, then stares at him persistently. Colson on the other hand was waiting for the worse to come out of his mouth for soughting help from an old friend.]
Mathias : Are you an outsider?
***
Mathias' mind: What exactly can it be that is going on? And he'd been hiding it for years?
[He frowned deep in his thought.]
Royce: It is raining really heavy out here. I'm already... sleepy.
[His mind was quickly drawn back into reality at the sound of Royce's voice, and was startled the moment he saw his head already falling sideways. He hurries to him and quickly holds his head to his chest, and hushes for him to go to sleep.
Royce's body soon relaxed and sleep carried him immediately. He waits for a moment, till Royce was fully asleep, before gently and cautiously lifting his hand and sliding the window glass aside. Right there, was an infantry walking beside the carriage.]
Mathias : Hey, call the guards the hand me a blanket over there.
[He nods and quickly lets out a huge cry for the carriage to stop. The carriage rolled to a stop, and soon, soldiers came down to guard them surrounding them. Another entered the king's carriage with a neatly folded velvet blue 🔵 blanket.
At first sight, he is startled. ]
Mathias : The king is getting cold. Cover him quickly with the quilt. Bring some warmers as well.
Guard: Yes, sir. But, would you mind if I brought another for you? The weather is getting worse as we get deeper into the border (worriedly) I doubt if we will even make it through the storms with his highness' condition. We didn't bring any maids along because we feared for such a scenario. And his highness' would've been displeased himself.
Mathias: I understand. You shouldn't worry, I'll take care of him.(Calmly)
Guard: Thank you, Lord Iyen.
Mathias: (Secretly rolling his eyes) Yes. You can go now. And, please don't call me that again, will you?
Guard: (flinch) Eh...Yes, M'Lord.
[Taking one last look at the young emperor, and seeing how much care Mathias started giving him, he was assured. He finally made his way back to his position, and they continue their matching.
Royce is indeed a treasure to the Doncrat Kingdom, Mathias thought to himself. It would be a horror if he was the reason the Higher Supreme Court hosted a call. He just couldn't imagine.]
***
[The rain and wind washed across the land in cold rage as the carriage made it's way to it's destination.
The carriage chauffeur had a hard time even navigating their next turn with all the heavy rain pouring down upon them. It poured like thousand hail from the sky.]
"Brace yourselves, soldiers, and match forward!! No matter the weather, we must protect the king!!" The leader said with all his might.
"Yeah!!!"
[Mathias had already had enough with all their courage talk and yelling. To him, coming to the Higher Supreme Court was already a test to be king on its own. ]
[He sighed stressfully while still trying to hold unto Royce's body which hung like that of a dead man.]
Mathias : Good grief ! What on earth have you been eating lately!! Hey! Bozo!
[A young guard who was close to the window, plump and fair, turned the second he heard his name.]
Bozo : Y-Yes, Lord Mathias...?
Mathias : How far more are we to go from here?
[The footman shrunk in his boots with fear, quivering while a look of no hope settled on his face.]
Bozo: Um, I don't mean to sound pessimistic at the moment, but I fear we might have actually lost our way.
[He replied shaking, clearly not from the cold running down his spine. Mathias was nearly thrown off balance with shock.]
Mathias : What...? (snap) How can you say that? Do you know where we're going !?
Bozo: I do! But... The temperature has dropped so drastically that the voltage in the electric compass has completely malfunctioned. Using our sense of direction wouldn't help either since there is way too much water in the air and we can't be sure if the road is free of obstacles... Lord Mathias, this is bad. What do we do about the king?
[Mathias was barely holding unto his patience at his response. And truth be told, he could hear the rukos from the front seat. Talking or even listening to the man talk was even difficult. The blizzard grew even thicker as soon ice was now slapping them across the face.]
Mathias' mind: {This is bad. This is really bad.
Does this mean... We're lost?}