Sweet Waters Throne

213 Chapter 21The word “treason” is the most feared word in all the ten cities of Maldonia. First, it symbolizes death. Either by being hanged or beheaded, ever since the existence of dragons in Maldonia. The word treason also meant you can be burned by dragon’s flame until your bones turn black and your meat to ashes. This was a law passed by Artemis himself.

So what’s the worst death if you were to choose? Was it being hanged by the neck till you die, or the quick death of being beheaded? Or would you rather die screaming by fire? Those options stood right in front of Matthew’s eyes and he had no idea what to choose.

Two days passed ever since he was found guilty of treason against His Grace, the King. Lord Hofun returned back to Sea Tone and abandoned his son, he told his people that Matthew was lost and he can’t be saved anymore. At least this time his first son Aegon agreed with him on that matter.

However it wasn’t easy for Lord Hofun to make such hard decisions. Matthew was his favorite son, while Aegon was always grim and full of himself, Matthew was the charming one and he did a lot of fun things with him. Such as hiking, horse riding and many memorable things. Even though he wanted to hate Artemis, Lord Hofun knew he shouldn’t. His son brought this on himself and everyone witnessed it.

Artemis suffered in silence because of this trial. His claim to the throne was challenged, but whenever he got nervous of what the future had in store for him, he reminded himself that he was a Dragon King. “Cursed be who will try to take it from me” he said this to himself.

The day of Matthew’s execution with his traitorous friends finally arrived. Even though Matthew chose to be beheaded — a quick death, Artemis went against it and said he will personally deliver the punishment with his dragon.

“But Your Grace... I’m afraid this isn’t up to us anymore. If he wants to die by a sword, let us grant him that final wish” Lord Tyrell intervened.

“His final wish will be by my dragon’s flame. He spread the rumors to all these people in my kingdom, he called me a Usurper!” Artemis banged the table hard.

Lord Balrus, Angun and Akirbus were also present during this time. It was a small secret council and they wouldn’t miss it for the world, yet they were silent when Artemis started to scream at Lord Tyrell.

.....

Lord Tyrell turned to the three for help, “Are you all agreeing with His Grace in this matter? Don’t you all think Matthew at least deserves to die by his way of choosing?” he asked them.

“He committed treason” said Lord Angun. “He doesn’t get to choose”

Lord Akirbus quipped in, “I’m with Lord Angun in this, and His Grace too. He should die screaming to alert those who still continue to spread these lies” he added.

Now the votes were casted and it was three against one, only Lord Balrus was remaining, he didn’t have much to say about the matter. He said he sided with Artemis too, and hence finally the decision was made.

That same day during the evening, Matthew Hofun and his group of twenty friends were taken to the the market square while manacled with heavy shackles. As they passed through, the good folks of Blackmount started to throw rotten tomatoes, cabbages and even cow dung at them. They screamed, “Traitors! Burn them all! Burn them...” and the women were the one shouting with high pitch calling out for justice.

Artemis stood close to Aurora, while Artodo was behind them ready to pour out his flames. The black beast was terrifying just by looking at it. His wings were huge the size of two buildings, his skin was hard like a stone and no spear can penetrate through, his teeth sharp like swords. Dragons can tear off a human in less than a minute if they want to, they wouldn’t even have to try hard.

Matthew was forced to kneel in front of Artemis, a few yards from each other. His friends were behind him, they were crying and pleading to be shown mercy by Artemis. They said, “Show mercy Your Grace, mercy...” but it seemed even the good folks didn’t show them mercy because with every word they said, more and more rotten things fell on their stinking rugs and made them stink even more.

With Matthew down, Artemis looked at him. “Won’t you beg for mercy Matthew?” he asked him.

Tired and beaten up badly by the good folks who were angry at him and the guards, Matthew was bleeding from his nostrils and mouth at the same time. He could barely speak, his once good looking face was destroyed by rotten fruits.

“Beg... I won’t beg Your Grace” he tried to speak with difficulty. Then he started to cough blood, Aurora being a mother herself felt bad for Matthew.

“If you tell us who started this rumor we may give you a quick death” said Aurora. Then she turned to Artemis, “Right? We would show him mercy?”

Artemis nodded, “Yes, we will if he stays true to his word. Where did the rumor come from?”

Matthew hesitated to speak, he just stared at Artemis and Aurora while his eyes cried for help. Artemis asked him again, still he remained silent.

“Alright Matthew, have it your way” said Artemis and he turned to his dragon.

“Wait...” Matthew called out to him. “It was Aryan, the rumors started in Old City. She sent a note her loyal Lords there, one of them is my friend and he told me about what she said in her note. She instructed her men to spread the word all over the kingdom, and she also prepared men to fight for Aprophil”

“You mean an army?” asked Aurora shocked by this information, she was a seer and yet she didn’t see this coming.

“Yes, twenty thousand men in Old City have sworn an oath to Aryan and Aprophil. They are waiting for Aprophil to declare war for the Sweet Waters throne, and then they’ll join him” said Matthew while crying.

He cried because he knew he betrayed his friends, the people who listened to him during his speeches and gatherings, Aprophil himself and he also betrayed his hard work and dedication he put in spreading the rumors all for it to end before it even began.

Artemis pinched his jaws, Sir Dante Lucan was standing behind him and he listened to the confession carefully. Five other members of Kingsguards stood behind Sir Dante Lucan and they sure did hear everything that Matthew said.

“Lord Commander...” Artemis called out.

“Your Grace” Sir Dante Lucan replied.

“Make it quick” Artemis gave out an order.

Sir Dante Lucan drew out his huge sword, it was sharp and shining even in the winter sun. Then he moved closer to Matthew.

Matthew was caught with wonderment. He told Artemis everything that he knew, he even betrayed his own self just by doing it, why does he have to die for that? “Your Grace... I just told you everything I knew. You said you’ll spare my life” Matthew wept while Sir Dante Lucan stood right beside him like an angel of death ready to deliver the sentence.

This time Aurora quipped in, “He didn’t say anything, I was the one who pleaded for your quick death. You betrayed us, and the realm too. For that you cannot be allowed to live Lord Hofun” she said with a serious look on her face. For once both Artemis and Aurora agreed on one thing.

Matthew wept and tried to move with his heavy shackles, but that didn’t help him not one bit. Sir Dante Lucan got to him and the sword befell his neck the first time, his eyes popped up. The second time his was was departed from his body, and that was the end of the famous traitor in Blackmount.

The good folks who were gathered in the market square erupted in cheer when Matthew lost his head. And even more when Matthew’s friends were burned to ashes by Artodo. They praised the huge big black dragon as if it was a god.

Songs were sung during this day, some of the singers called it, “Fire in the Square Market” while others called it, “Burning of Traitors”. The names didn’t matter since the concept was the same, both songs spoke about the flames which burned the traitors without mercy.

And how the traitors screamed. This was a lesson to those who were in cold rebellion against the crown. The burning of the traitors and beheading of Matthew Hofun created a little bit of fear inside hearts of many good folks. Those who has started to do discreet rebellions stopped and never looked back.

But Artemis was the one who refused to look back on what happened. He couldn’t stop thinking about Aryan and how she knew about Aprophil, was this a revenge she was plotting because of the death of her brother and the burning of Lawsend’s City? Artemis couldn’t decide which was true.