Sweet Waters Throne

212 Chapter 21Henceforth the desire to see Matthew go free lurked amongst the nobles of the realm, but whenever they were reminded of the gatherings and meetings he did to question Artemis’s claim to the throne, they lost hope. The Dragon King wasn’t merciful these days, maybe his father King Luca was but not him.

Artemis changed his attitude and ways the day he flew a dragon. That amount power would change anyone, to be able to have the world in the palm of his hands. He could burn cities and he proved it when he destroyed Lawsend’s City.

With just a flip of his dragon’s wings, he could travel between kingdoms faster than any horse or rider. With this power, Artemis earned the ability to act as how he saw fit. But Aurora had to remind him the power wasn’t meant to punish others, or to look down on those he ruled.

Hence even when it came to Matthew’s trial, Aurora took a sit alongside her husband. They weren’t in the throne room hence the Sweet Waters throne wasn’t there, both Artemis and Aurora sat at the highest table inside the court hall ready to listen.

The Master of Laws, his name is lost in the chronicles and tales written for now. Maybe later when we go through more of the written notes, but for now let’s just call him Lord Tyrell — Master of Laws in Blackmount. So Lord Tyrell started the trial when he was sure everything was alright.

“Lord Matthew Hofun, of House Hofun in Sea Tone. You may take the stand” said Lord Tyrell calmly, his voice was soft and not his usual tone. The Master of Laws was known for his uncanny behavior and his lack of sympathy. He once sent two siblings to the Mines because of fighting with a guard in the Smoke Street. Their father pleaded for his boys lives but the Master of Laws didn’t listen nor felt pity for the father who wept day and night.

Those poor boys didn’t make it out, both of them died in the Mines because of hard work and the harsh conditions in the Mines.

Yet today, Lord Tyrell pretended to be civilized and calm. Matthew took the stand dressed in city’s silks and leather shoes. He was the only one dressed in expensive clothes than those he so called friends, most of Matthew’s friends were poor fishermen in Sea Tone and others were beggars. They were in stinking rugs smelling of manure and rotten fishes, no one could tell whether the rugs were naturally gray or was it because they were dirty.

When Matthew stood in the stand waiting for his fate, Lord Tyrell started asking him questions. Most of the questions were about his loyalty to the crown. Lord Tyrell reminded him what it means to be a Maldonian, and the consequences that will fall upon him for betraying his citizenship and conspiring against the King.

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All this time Matthew was silent, he was just listening to Lord Tyrell without saying anything. He only spoke when he was asked to, and when it wasn’t his time to speak, he remained silent.

Then one of the witnesses was summoned, one of Lord Balrus’s rodents in Sea Tone. She was a young girl of about thirteen years of age, her name was not disclosed at the court for her own protection. The girl spoke about the horrible things Matthew said to them about Artemis. “He called our king a Usurper, he said he wasn’t the true King and that we should take up arms against him.” she said and the whole court gasped loudly. They all looked at Matthew with disbelief looks on their eyes.

Lord Tyrell demanded silence at court and asked Matthew. “Is it true Lord Hofun, did you call our king a Usurper?”

Now this was the moment Lord Hofun was waiting for, a time for his son to do the right thing and deny the witness. If he were to say he didn’t, then the girl would be punished for lying in front of the Master of Laws and the King himself. One thing about trials is, they always favor the higher ranking noble comparing to the witnesses.

Matthew took his time before replying to that question. He was silent for a minute, and this had the whole court looking at each other as if they were asking themselves what was going on.

“Lord Hofun, I am going to ask you again. Did you call our king a Usurper?” Lord Tyrell repeated the question again.

This time Matthew replied, “I didn’t my Lord. But I did say he isn’t the true King because that’s the truth” then he added that sentence in front of Artemis, Aurora, his father and all the nobles who came to see his trial without fear.

Lord Hofun knew his son was done, Lord Angun told him even before the trial and he refused to accept it until now. Matthew did nothing to save himself, in fact he was making an effort to hasten his death.

“How sure are you that our king isn’t the righful king, Lord Hofun?” Lord Tyrell asked again.

“Aprophil of Free Hall is the first true born son of King Luca Arteides. Everyone knows it now, Artemis can’t be king as long as Aprophil still draws breath” Matthew said this while looking at the Lords, ladies and nobles as if he wanted them to support him.

“What evidence do you have to backup Aprophil’s legitimacy to the throne?”

“If his face isn’t an evidence already my lord, then I don’t know what you need from me”

This made Lord Tyrell chuckle softly, “I have two bastards Lord Hofun and they all look like me. Both of them, are you telling me these are also my true born children?” he asked.

The whole court hall erupted in laughter by the remarks made by Lord Tyrell. Of course except for Artemis, on this day he found nothing to be fun or amusing. The secret he intended to keep it hidden away was out, there was nothing to amuse him during this time. His face was hard and cruel with no sign of mercy on it.

“Lord Hofun, I ask you again. Could these bastards be my true born children just because they look like me? I can bring them here right now for the people to see” Lord Tyrell proceeded just exactly as Artemis instructed him to.

This trial was rehearsed by Artemis and Lord Tyrell so it may work out to favor the King. There was no way Matthew was getting out of this, and Artemis made sure of it.

The two bastards twins who Lord Tyrell fathered them with a whore were brought inside the court hall. They were twenty years of age, strong and tall just like their father. There was no denying that these bastards belonged to Lord Tyrell, not even a bit, the resemblance was uncanny.

“Lords and ladies in attendance today, I want you all to look at these two bastards who I fathered with a common whore in the streets of Spices in Penrith. I was married at that time and my wife was yet to bear me a child, now my wife and I have two sons and one daughter. Will my titles and my wealth go to these bastards just because they look like me or to my true born son?” he asked the whole court. If the trial was to be carried fair and square, it was important for people to see how wrong Matthew was so they won’t sympathize with him when he is either burned by a dragon’s flame of lose his head.

One of the lady at the court replied, “To your true born son my lord” she said. Everyone nodded in agreement of what she said.

Then Lord Tyrell turned to Matthew. “What do you say Lord Hofun? Should the bastards inherit my wealth and tittles just because they look like me?”

“How do you know they are bastards?” asked Matthew, it was a stupid question for him to ask.

“How do I know —” Lord Tyrell chuckled. “How many children do you have with your wife, Lord Hofun?”

“Two”

“You have two children with your wife, would you say they are bastards or true born children?”

This was a tricky question, Matthew took his time before replying. He was digesting every word before speaking out loud.

“They are my true born children” replied Matthew finally after taking a few seconds to think.

“And how did you know this, Lord Hofun. This wash a stupid question for you to ask, just like how stupid your claim is. You say Aprophil is the true heir to Sweet Waters throne because he just looks like our late King, yet you forget his mother was a slave. A slave is a property, you can’t wed your property. And even if it was true that King Luca married this slave, that marriage is illegal. It doesn’t exist in the eyes of the gods, only Queen Haisa and King Luca’s children are true born children of the crown. And for that Artemis is the true heir to Sweet Waters throne, and you my Lord... You have committed treason against your true King”