The Unfair Ruling

TALIA'S POV

The council always sides with the king. I have heard people say it before, but now I am watching them do it in reality.

It's clear they are set on declaring our chained and abused young mother guilty without giving her much chance to defend herself. The queen on the other hand has got all the attention and stands to speak whenever and for as long as she feels like it.

Seeing bruises and tears on my mother's face makes my jaws clench with anger. She sits on a wooden chair being guarded by three soldiers despite having all her limbs chained. Her expression is a mixture of anger and despair.

I can only imagine how mean the soldiers have been to her considering how much everyone adores the prince, a powerful man leaning on the wall while standing a little too far away from the Council.

One would think he would see through the lies of his mother. Apparently, he has been fooled alongside everyone else.

He lost his servant and I can see the rage in his eyes. He is probably the person that wants my mother punished most.

For the first time, I find myself able to resist staring at his face. I am too worried about my mother who he has been glaring at since he walked into the room.

The Queen is still faking tears, acting like this is the worst thing that has ever happened to her precious family. The council once again gives her all the time to speak and lays more false accusations on our mother.

Who gives a damn if some poor single mother lives in prison for crimes she hasn't committed anyway? Not any of the adult people in this room apparently. Or they are too blinded by anger to figure out the truth. 

Michael already gives up fighting the two soldiers restraining him from running to his mother he now just stands looking down at the floor, tears falling from his eyes.

Taylor is crying as well as she glares at the wicked Queen. She too realises that no one in this room will listen to us no matter how loud she screams that our mother is innocent. We are clearly and utterly doomed.

"I have always suspected that my friend was envious of my son's amazing perfections. But I never thought she would try something so wicked!" The Queen pauses to wipe her fake tears. "I asked his servant to take a bite of the food she made because I wanted to be cautious with anything that can endanger my son's life. The servant is now dead and the monster responsible is still breathing freely!"

 Everyone cast our mother a death glare like they didn't already know what she was being accused of. Being jealous of the prince's amazing perfections and trying to kill him. As if his perfections were hurting us. He isn't even as perfect as I thought if he can figure out that his mother is fooling them.

 

 Her aim is to have our mother imprisoned for life so she will no longer be the one that people think of as the strongest or bravest female in the Kingdom.

 

 That will mean that I and my siblings will officially be orphans. I don't know of a single thing I can do to find the money for food for all of us. Too much will fall apart if my mother goes to prison.

 

 I don't plan on letting it happen. I will not let the devilish queen have her way.

 

 The council and the King may not want to listen to us. But there are many ways of killing a rat. I am never afraid of burning the house.

 

 I can take her place. The laws of our Kingdom allow it. But the punishment will be doubled.

 

 Like. . . if she was going to get imprisoned for life, then I would get the same plus torturous daily work. I am ok with that as long as my mother goes free.

 

 "How do we know you are not the one that poisoned the food, you awful liar!" Taylor screens, causing the council to turn their glare at us.

 

 "You are just as ill-mannered as your mother! Such an evil family you are! No wonder your father left you!" The king snaps and I see Taylor's eyes feel with fresh tears. She was too little when her father left that she can't remember the kind of a jerk he was. Of course, the King's words hurt her feelings.

 

 "Was any of you aware of your mother's plan to murder my son?" He asks watching us with a disgusted face. No one answers him.

 

 "I will take your silence as a no." He states, looking around at his council members.

 

 "I think it's time we decide on the punishment that best fits this devil." He says gesturing at our mother. There is so much concern and misery in her eyes as she looks at us. It's like she is trying to say goodbye but is afraid of verbally saying it. It's obvious they will send her to the dirty and unsafe prison of our Kingdom, I and my siblings will be left to survive on our own in a Kingdom that hates us.

 

 "Wait! I cut him short and all eyes turn to me. "The time for you to defend your mother is Long gone! Now allow my council to speak or we will have you punished for impudence as well!" The king snaps.

 

 "I am no longer seeking to defend my mother," I swear. Everyone except the prince looks at me with confusion on their face. The king seems irritated.

 

 "Then what is the important thing you wish to tell us?" The king asks in a voice full of impatience.

 

 "I will take whatever punishment you and your council will decide in place of my mother," I said in a firm voice so no one will doubt my resolve.

 

 Most of the council members gasp in shock. Even the prince turns his head to finally look at me. The Queen shoots me a glare but I ignore her.

 

 "I am sure one of the laws of this Kingdom gives me the right to take her place since I am her daughter. It's not up to you or the council to decide." I say, looking directly at the King. 

 

 He first clenches in anger but I know he has no option but to allow it. "If you take her place then you will suffer twice the punishment, be careful what you wish for young girl." He warns.

 

 "I am well aware of what the law states. But I still stand by my decision, I will take my mother's punishment in her place." I affirm and watch him and his Queen get even more furious.

 

 "Talia don't!_" Mother attempts to speak but she is cut off.

 

 "Be quiet!" One of the soldiers guarding her shouts. I am grateful that they were ordered to force her to stay quiet. She doesn't seem to understand that I am making the best decision for our family.

 

 A decision that will see me spend the rest of my life in a prison cell. But she and my siblings will be free to go home and carry on with life.

 

 The angry King consults with the members of his council for a full minute before looking back at me. His eyes are literally glowing with rage.

 

 Evan steps away from the war he was leaning on and taps his father on the shoulder before whispering something in his ear. I can't tell what it is but it makes the king's lips curve into a terrifying smirk. The prince goes back to leaning on the wall while his father once again casts his glare at me.

 

 "Well, your request to be punished in place of your mother is granted." The king says. The smirk stays on his lips as he delivers the most horrifying statement.

 

 "Your mother's punishment for causing the death of a loyal servant and attempting to kill the prince of this Kingdom was supposed to be an immediate public execution! We cannot kill you twice to multiply the punishment, so we will make the experience worse!" He says and my whole body trembles. our mother's gasp is loud enough for everyone to hear. The guards once again hiss at her to say quietly.

 

Execution?! For a crime, no one actually committed?

None of the former convicts of murder got killed in front of a crowd in the name of punishment. but I guess everything changes when you are accused of attempting to kill the prince. I look around and see that the council members are all nodding their heads in agreement with their King's decision.

I don't really regret dying in place of my mother. She can do a lot of things for my siblings that I can't. And the queen didn't get exactly what she wanted. She doesn't look as happy as I imagined she would be.

"That doesn't stop my body from going stiff with fear when the king speaks again. "You will be locked up for five days without food or water. Then your public execution will take place outside the gates of my palace on the sixth day! I will make sure to tell my man to make it as painful as possible."

I am surprised that my heart doesn't stop beating. But it does feel like it will soon burst its way out of my chest. Will I even be alive on the sixth day? No food or water for five days should be enough to kill me.

I am too afraid to look at the faces of my siblings. They are obviously too appalled. 

"Your evil mother and siblings cannot be allowed to carry on living in my Kingdom with the rest of us of course. They seem to salvage to know what is right or wrong. So we have decided that they will be sold as slaves to people outside of this Kingdom! Perhaps then they will learn the importance of respect and loyalty." The king adds,  taking away the hope I had of my mother and siblings freely returning home. The council once again nods in agreement with their King.

The queen now smiles like she has won the biggest battle of her life. I see mother burst into tears from the corner of my eyes. She must be blaming herself for this moment of horror. But the jealous Queen is the one to blame. She and this council of fools.

"You are a monster just like your wicked Queen!" I angrily yell at the King. "Your wife will always be the useless vixen she is whether my family lives in or out of this Kingdom."

Everyone including the prince gives me the worst of their glares. Of course, they see the queen as a good and very talented woman. What I said is a fact but it is taken as an insult.

Take her out of here and I lock her up!" The king orders and the soldiers that were restraining me from moving immediately starts dragging me out of the room. I know it's useless to fight them, they are too strong than I am.

I rather save the energy for the days ahead. No food or water for five days, that will be unbelievable. Yet not even my mother or siblings will be going free. Slavery is sometimes worse than death. 

Michael once again attempts to free himself from the soldiers holding him but he can't. He screams my name as the soldiers keep pulling me towards the door. Wish they would at least allow us one last hug.

I glance at Taylor who watches me with her face stained with tears. She isn't fighting the soldiers holding her, she seems to have already accepted our fate.

"Bye sister!" she mouths.

''I love you." I mouth back before the soldiers pull me past the door and close it.