━━━━━━━ ♚ ━━━━━━━

If there was one thing Seth didn't miss about Fablehaven, it was the throne room.

Sure, Kendra had always waxed poetic about the stained glass, hanging flowering plants, and vines that climbed the walls. And that was definitely her right—she controlled the garden in the throne room through her magic. That's how no leaves ever obscured the windows and the foliage always bloomed. (Well, Kendra would always diminish her power and point to the fairies that often flitted about, but, to be completely honest, those spiteful sprites were the bane of Seth's existence. He really wished they weren't always in the castle. The times he rarely got his wish were due to another court visiting or a festival bringing in lots of foreigners because the fairies would return to the forest or hole up in people's attics. But don't get him mistaken, Seth didn't advocate for magical creatures to hide—he advocated for himself to prank the little pixies back. But. No. Apparently, not allowed. Protected species or something like that. Anyway—) Besides the irritating fairies, the throne room also held all the boring court proceedings where his butt would ache in the wooden chair and where two thrones had disappeared four summers prior.

But, while the throne room in Fablehaven was at least familiar, the throne room in Terrabelle struck terror into his heart. There were no crawling flowers or bright leaves. It was only the place where the temporary, unstable future of his court had been decided.

It was this foreboding recollection of Seth's last time in Terrabelle's throne room that accompanied him as the doors stood in front of Seth, just as imposing as his first night in Terrabelle.

Servants had pulled the velvet curtains tight across all the windows in the castle today, and the frigid air caressed the skin of the people unlucky enough to be trapped inside. It felt like the Grimm was whispering in his ear, hinting at what was to come. Good thing he'd never been too good at listening.

In front of him, the jewels sparkled on the wood of the doors, and Seth wondered if any of them held the magic-dampening crystals. Personally, he was not shackled with them. But, Kendra was, and she was right behind him. So, they affected him anyway. Her cuffs seemed to affect him within ten feet, but Seth was curious if the radius was affected by the size of the crystals. Or if there were crystals of higher quality that were more powerful. Either way, considering he didn't feel an increase of that cursed dampening feeling as he had approached the doors, he figured that the crystals did not adorn the door.

Boredom stretched even as the prisoners and their personal guards lingered outside of the doors. Seth's adrenaline had deserted him after the first few minutes of stalling, and now it seemed like he would die of boredom before an executor would even get the chance to chop his head off.

It was torture to stand still.

As the guards continued to wait for some signal, Seth glanced back at Kendra.

Until this morning, his last sight of Kendra had been early yesterday at breakfast before he and Patton had left to go to the market. This morning, there had been no breakfast, but he had seen Kendra when they had retrieved him from his cell and began the procession to the throne room. Kendra's transformation since yesterday was astonishing. Anger had sharpened her eyes, and her mouth was set in a grim line. Her constant companion of a golden diadem was absent, and her wavy hair didn't seem to understand how to fall without the guiding tiara.

Their whole lives had been upended in 24 hours, and after the incredibly rough sleep the night before waiting for some sign from Eve but receiving none, Seth's hopes had steadily fallen for a way out.

The guard shook his shoulder to force him to return his forward stare. Back to cataloging the varieties of jewels wrapped in the wooden door.

He and Kendra still hadn't exchanged any words, but Kendra had reached out for his hand when they had first brought him out of his cell. The guards had not liked that and had made sure Kendra felt the sting of her misaction.

It boiled Seth's blood, more so than the guards' treatment of him. That was his sister, and they had hurt her. He wanted to lower the temperature as far as he could until they suffered a slow, agonizing death. Maybe add in some fire, too.

He'd have to hang on to that idea.

Personally, his appearance hadn't changed much. His clothes' minor dirtiness was not exceptional for him, and he had never tried to look particularly happy anyway. The only difference in his attire was the token sitting in his sock.

Ever since Eve had wrapped her arms around his neck in that tower and slipped the token into his collar, it had weighed on him. Was it a promise that Eve was going to try to free him and his sister? Or did she just want him to go to the chopping block with a physical token of her support?

A triple knock at the throne room doors from the inside prompted a space of about five seconds where the guards straightened, gathered the crook of Seth's elbows, and the doors swept open to reveal the same glacial throne room he had expected.

The velvet curtains were open here, with stained glass light throwing shadows across the room. Seth first made eye contact with the servant opening the door. His eyes were regretful, and Seth was pretty sure he had had a conversation with him the other day. Nonetheless, the servant announced his arrival. "Prince Seth of Fablehaven!"

The guards began to walk forward without a warning to Seth, and gasps from the noble crowd seated in the stands punctuated his entrance. He could see several of the nobles that he had spied on with Eve over the past season. With the things they all did or said, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for them to switch places with him.

But, those people didn't matter. It was the ones that currently occupied two out of the four available thrones.

The king's face was gleeful. Malice laced the curve of his smile, and he looked like the cat that had finally gotten the cream—at last, he could exterminate the menace that kept getting his daughter into mud and dirt.

The prince, on the other hand, held the countenance of a funeral-goer. His back was straight and his hands hidden behind it, but a frown etched itself onto his face and the constant shifting of his arms told Seth his hands were fidgeting. His eyes had skipped over Seth like a rock on the water and were locked onto Kendra, still waiting outside the entrance.

Seth couldn't see her procession as the guards would knock his head if he twisted backward, but he heard the same servant announce her name and the clunking of the guards' armor as they brought her. The whispers grew tenfold, and Garreth began to blink more rapidly. The king mumbled something, and Garreth took a deep breath and broke his statuesque pose by adjusting his crown and twisting the rings on his fingers.

It was clear he was uncomfortable. Was Garreth complicit in this? Or was he going to help them get out? He hadn't seen Kendra since she left on her date so presumably, Garreth was there when she had been arrested.

Garreth didn't seem like the type of guy to let a couple of friends get their heads chopped off, but he also didn't seem like the guy to go against his father's wishes.

Seth caught a brief glimpse of Kendra's face as she and her escort of guards overtook his place and stopped a few paces ahead. Her mouth was set in a grim line, but her chin remained high.

"Princess Kendra. Not only have you brought sorcery into Terrabelle, damaged our courtyard, and committed sorcerous acts on our hallowed ground; but you previously misrepresented your case for refuge and put Terrabelle and all her citizens in the Sphinx's path for your own selfish reasons. You have pulled an innocent, pure kingdom—"

Yeah, right. An innocent kingdom? The people, maybe. But the king? No way. Seth's blood boiled. The king's condescending tone tore at any civility Seth maintained.

"—into the Sphinx's agenda—the most dangerous entity on our great land. For these egregious transgressions, I sentence you to death."

Seth would never, ever let his big sister be killed by some pompous king with no respect for magic. His hands curled into fists. There was no way.

Whispers built in intensity. This was absolutely ridiculous. There was no way Seth was going to let the king control the narrative in his last moments. That had always been Ronodin's golden rule—always be the one speaking. Even if the dark unicorn seemed to have ratted him out, he had always had great tips. Like to throttle people that spilled your secrets—Seth was sure he would utilize that on a particular unicorn soon.

"Oh, please," Seth rolled his eyes. The action barely contained the rage behind them. "You act like the Sphinx didn't already have Terrabelle on his radar."

Kendra whipped her head around and widened her eyes in a I do not know what you are doing, and normally I would care a lot about what you are doing, but we do not have any other choice. But, also please do not get yourself killed right now kind of look. Seth was pretty used to that look. It was something he garnered a lot from Kendra in dangerous situations. Something of a trademark, he would say.

"Silence!"

One of his guards readjusted his grip on his forearm before striking his inner knee with a baton.

Kendra cried out. "No!"

His knees buckled, and he momentarily felt dizzy. But as sounds became sharper, he heard the king speak. "Now, onto—"

"We all know," Seth felt the whoosh of air as the guard wound up his baton again. "The only reason the Sphinx even has any followers is because of you."

This time, a blow to his back. At this point, Seth had inadvertently hunched in on himself as his body contracted to manage the pain. The guards didn't bother holding him up this time, and Seth sunk to the floor.

Kendra hissed his name through her teeth. She was probably mad that he was getting himself hurt. Seth was mad that the king felt that she was dangerous enough to deserve the cool public execution and he would probably just be beaten to death in private. Talk about being short-changed.

"Father, shouldn't we allow royal prisoners to have their last words?"

So, was Garreth in on all this? On which side?

"Even if they're treasonous words, father. Let him incriminate himself while we respect the propriety of royal courts." Wow, Seth had forgotten how posh Garreth sounded with his father. Now, he remembered why he initially thought Garreth was such a prick. Well, depending on how the next few minutes went, Seth would see if Garreth still deserved that moniker.

"Very well," the king allowed. Seth couldn't see very well on the floor, but then his collar was yanked up and he fell into a kneeling position. The king and the prince came into full view, and the tension between them was taut like a string. Up close, the irritation in King Dalgorel's face revealed he had not wanted to follow Garreth's suggestion. But, it would not do well to quarrel in front of so many nobles. Seth very much remembered his mother pinching him to remind him to close his mouth when he was little and allowed to sit in on petitions to the crown.

The king set his mouth in a grim line, and Garreth's head inclined as if to give Seth a look of now I got you a second chance and you better not waste it. Man, Kendra and Garreth loved these facial expressions. Something to think about later. For now...what was the best course of action. Maybe try to incite a riot? Delay time? Wait for some rescuer to come flying from the rafters and save them all immediately? How about all three?

"Thank you," Seth grinned. "For your everlasting understanding. Now, where was I? Oh—let's compare the effects of you and us on the Sphinx. What did Kendra do? She asked for a place to stay. What a pity.

"You were the one who provided the Sphinx's fear-mongering rhetoric with validity and gave stability to his shaky anti-human platform. If anyone is to blame for the terrorist cells plaguing our lands, it is one-hundred-percent you."

Seth thought that little monologue deserved a standing ovation, but instead, it was so silent you could hear a dragon's egg hatching. Oh, well. Have to increase his showmanship, apparently. He struggled to his feet. The guards made no move to stop him. "In fact, if anyone should be executed for endangering Terrabelle, it is you, King Dalgorel. You are the blight upon peace. Not any sorcerer I've ever met."

Kendra threw her head back to see her brother. Now, her eyes were blown wide in a how in the world is this going to help kind of look. "Seth!"

Her guards wrenched her back. The nobles sitting in their seats began to gasp and titter as if Kendra's exclamation had broken the quietude.

The king scanned the hall and stood up out of his chair. Conversation would not do for him. A hush fell over the crowd. "Bring the boy forward. I want him to look me in my eyes."

The guards shoved their arms under his armpits and walked him forward. The farther Seth was taken from Kendra, the more her crystal cuffs' effect on him weakened. Score.

Garreth glanced back and forth between his father and Seth, concern etching itself in his features. What would he do if these were Seth's final moments? Seth knew Garreth was far more attached to Kendra than to him, but it wouldn't kill him to help Seth out. Actually, it would probably just get him killed.

The king tilted his head down to stare at Seth. Seth glared back. This man was literally the worst kind of person. It would suck to die by his hand. Seth would much rather die by a wraith or a steep canyon or a rushing river or a skilled swordsman or a goblin or even...even a fairy. Even by a fairy's hand would be a more deserved death than this guy.

"You conveniently forget the damage of sorcery. The damage it has done to Terrabelle. Sorcery killed my wife."

Garreth took a sharp intake of breath at that. Low blow, Dalgorel. But, these Terrabellian citizens have rarely left the city. They know nothing but Dalgorel's rhetoric. It was time to change that.

"No, a sorcerer killed your wife. You let your grief blind you to reason, and your crusade on magic has pushed magic creatures into the margins of society, right into the Sphinx's lap. I've traveled far and wide, and let me tell you—people are far more scared of you than the Sphinx." Seth held steadfast as the king's eyes narrowed. He had to get through the next part or all his practicing last night in his cell had been for naught. "Don't forget that when the Sphinx comes for your city, comes for your kingdom—it will be your citizens and your family's blood on your hands."

Gasps ricocheted across the great hall. Finally! Some audience interaction!

King Dalgorel unsheathed his sword and stepped off the dais, closer to Seth. Seth flinched but the guards held him steady. Bile rose in his throat as his body demanded to be anywhere else but here. The guard's fingers dug into the pockets of his shoulder muscles.

Kendra began to thrash in the guard's grip. "Please, King Dalgorel. Please! Please, anyone! Garr—"

A guard's elbow into her stomach stole her breath.

The king's blade point settled at Seth's adam's apple and broke his skin. Blood trickled down, mixed with dust and grime, and sunk into his collar.

This very moment unwound time back to that day in Eve's bedroom when she had held her sharp tiara to his neck. That day had been the first time that the fear and danger Terrabelle had brought had truly sunken into him.

And now here he was, that fear and danger manifesting in the worst possible scenario as his heart thumped in his head. Execution at the king's hands.

Well, this was definitely the worst possible scenario for his life, but for his legacy? It would definitely top whatever could happen to Kendra in terms of pizazz.

And at the very least, his death might satiate the king's bloodlust and cast some degree of protection over his court...wishful thinking. Stupid thinking. But, oh well.

He did what he could.

┌────♚────────────┐

thank you for reading!

└────────────♚────┘