The Dragon King's Substitute Bride (Morgan and Tsuneo)
Chapter 95

CH95

Tsunco

I led Anya towards the kitchen. The memories Tarufu had shown me were all horrible. I knew that Ari had a history of being quite mean to the palace staff, but I had never imagined it had all been so violent. The worst of it had been while I was pretending to be unconscious. I hoped that some of the other victims would be willing to testify against her. None of them had heen hurt as badly as Anya, but that didn't matter.

As we entered the kitchen, the servants looked up, their eyes wide with surprise. I cleared my throat, my voice filled with a mixture of determination and resolve.

"Listen to me," I said, my voice echoing through the room. "I am putting Ari on trial for her crimes against the palace. It's staff and other miscellaneous crimes. I want you to be heard. I apologize on behalf of the royal family for the abuse you have endured, and I want proper justice to be administered."

The servants exchanged uneasy glances. A murmur ran through the group of them. They kept looking at Anya:

"If you testify against her," I said, my voice filled with a mixture of hope and determination. "You will be compensated in full accordance with the law. What can be made right will be made right."

"Who will agree to testify against her about her abuse?"

The servants hesitated, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and anger. But then, one by one, they began to nod.

"If you would come stand with me, please?"

A few of them stepped forward.

There were more than enough to testify.

"Now," I said, my voice filled with a sense of urgency, "I need you to tell me about the things she has stolen from the palace... from you if applicable. I'd like to facilitate the return of those items. quickly if they haven't already been returned."

"She stole from me," one of the servants finally said, her voice barely a whisper. "She took my necklace, the one my mother gave me...." She looked down. "She said it was too nice for at

servant."

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Another servant nodded. "My mother's wedding robes." She sniffled. "I... I couldn't even get

married."

One by one, the servants began to speak. They described the items Ari had stolen and the valuables she had taken from them. Some of them knew about the robes and pieces of jewelry that Ari had taken from my mother's chambers, but I had no idea that she'd also taken things from my chambers. As I listened, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust. Ari was much worse than I first thought.

"Shall we go then?" I asked, gesturing toward the doors. "Her trial will begin in just a few moments."

The servants nodded and they headed out the door. I turned back to the rest of the kitchen staff.

"Take your time," I said. "If anyone dares to complain about dinner being late, tell them to cook it themselves."

They giggled as I followed the rest of the staff out of the kitchen. I stopped to tell a guard to

round up anyone else who might have been abused, forced to do something they didn't want to,

or otherwise had a realistic grudge against Ari. He nodded and headed away.

I went to another group of guards with a list. "Search Ari's room for these items. If you replace them, bring them to the hall. If there is any spare coinage, bring it as well." I smirked. "I'd like to pay reparations as quickly as possible."

The guards nodded and went off.

I followed the servants towards the grand hall. Soon, more came to join the procession, including a knight. As I entered the grand hall, I was met with a cacophony of voices. The Elders were gathered, their faces etched with concern and anxiety. My father, sat on the throne, his eyes scanning the room. He looked a little more rested as if he might have taken a nap or a potion in the few minutes we'd been apart.

"So glad you all can make it for the trial."

"Trial? What trial? We are here to discuss the Convening of the Celestial Compass," one of the Elders began, her voice barely audible over the din. "What are all these servants doing her?" Father raised his hand.

"Crown Prince Tsuneo has determin matter."

that Ari's trial will take precedence. It is the more pressing

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances. "Nothing could be more pressing than the Convening."

"A great number of things are more important than the Convening. Like how Ari has been allowed to terrorize the palace staff all these years, and likely many citizens as she's pleased with no repercussions." A murmur ran through the group. Then, one of them shot to their feet.

"You expect us to try a member of the royal family-

"Need I remind you that Ari is a ward of the royal family, not a member," I said. "And her status has no bearing on the fact that she is guilty of several crimes and should be punished accordingly." Another scoffed. "That's all well and good, but no one knows where she is. She's vanished. You can hardly try someone when they aren't here."

I chuckled. "She hasn't disappeared. She's simply been detained." I turned to the servants. "If you

ild take a seat, we'll get started as soon as the Elders pull themselves together."

They nodded. The Elders continued to grumble among themselves. I could hear them speculating whether or not I was lying.

Did you have Elders like this?

Tarofu scoffed. I am the Elder, and I would never suffer a babbling panel of buffoons to advise me. My Pyra set up the Elders for our children to guide them when we no longer wished to rule. They used to be smarter.

I tried not to laugh. When the door swung open again, and the unit of guards I sent to search Ari's room entered, I could tell from the looks on their faces and the large boxes in their hands that they had found most, if not all, of what I had asked them to. "If you could set those here? We'll get started."

They set the boxes on the table in front of my father and then stood off to the side. I let my gaze sweep over everything in the boxes and felt myself growing more irritated. The jewelry was all nice. I didn't see anything that would have been Maya's, but even Tarofu recognized some of the pieces as family heirlooms given to former staff members. I let Tarofu step forward. His power surged through me, lighting up the floors and walls. A wave of energy rippled through the room.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream. A dark vortex appeared in the ceiling, and Ari came falling through the vortex, tumbling through the air and crashing to the ground in a heap. The Elders

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gasped and shut up, but my father said nothing. His eyes were wide. Ari groaned and lifted her

head. She looked dirty and grimy. She smelled, too. When she met my gaze, her eyes widened with disbelief.

"Had a nice time in the dungeons, thief?"

Chapter Comments

Tammy Bunder

Finally! I really hope this is brutal!!!

Michelle White

thanks for the last update a few days ago. please update again soon