The king's eyes
The trial

Samael

We found Iris.

We walked for a long time through the meadow of orange trees, until we found a wild forest and the night that appeared as we progressed.

We continued to hear the song, more and more distinctly.

Then I saw her. Sitting against a tree.

She was holding something close to her, some kind of black stain... Perhaps the curse that kept her sleeping?

But she seemed at peace, happy.

I was able to hug her, see her smile, see her moved about replaceing her father’s arms again and Romeo held her hand to encourage her to come with us.

She nodded as she followed us.

We have traveled the reverse path and brought it back to the light, the bloom, the wind, and the river.

We woke up from our trance all at the same time, except Iris.

I start to panic when I see that she doesn’t wake up. But Levander tells me:

“Fear not my king. Iris is not awake yet but she is here, her consciousness has regained its place, and we have succeeded.

She just needs a little more time to regain the use of her body.

Let’s take her back to the castle and give her time to calmly reconnect with all her nerves.

I made sure her body received her newfound consciousness without difficulty.”

I get up, a little more confident thanks to the words of the elf.

I take Iris back in my arms.

Yes, I clearly feel the difference, her body is illuminated by her consciousness, and she is there with me.

I hug her.

Come back to me, my sweet love...

Back at the castle, I install Iris in my bed, in my sheets. I kiss her forehead and leave the room.

It’s the middle of the day.

The guards put Romeo back in the cell, he didn’t protest. Levander eyed me to see if I objected, but I said nothing.

After lunch, I get up to address the whole table.

“I would like Romeo’s trial to take place this afternoon, is there any objection to that? Is anyone against it?”

I look at Satine, she has a face of surprise, and of fear. She got attached to this kid...

He managed to touch his soul...

I look at the rest of the room, no one objects.

“Since everyone seems fine with that, I’ll meet you all in an hour, in the throne room, with the inmate.”

Satine is looking at me angrily now, but I pretend not to notice.

Everyone is here for the trial.

Felice stayed a little longer to attend. Levander joined the crowd, he won’t take sides, and he gave me all the information he thought fit to let me know.

I speak:

“Quiet Please.

We are gathered today to determine the guilt of Romeo Vossen, here present, in the incarceration and torture of my companion, Iris Du Neflier, still under the yoke of this ill-treatment.

Romeo is enlightened and educated enough to mount his defense on his own, and will submit to all of our questions.

I make it clear that I will feel every lie spoken and act accordingly.

Let’s start."

"Romeo, when did you learn that Iris had been abducted by your coven?"

Romeo: "I heard a noise in the great hall that night. I went to see, Gregoire had arrived with Iris unconscious in his arms."

Samael: "So you knew immediately when he arrived. Did you show your opposition to this abduction?"

Romeo: "Yes. Gregoire announced to everyone that she was behind the phenomenon that made you regain all your faculties.

I then made it clear that it was useless to have her removed since she had already accomplished what they feared the most. And that your anger at losing her will bring you to us, and kill us all."

Samael: "But no one took your advice into account?"

Romeo: "No, they don't. Gregoire had plans to weaken you again, with someone who became close to you. He took her to the cell to incarcerate her."

Samael: "Did you try anything to stop him?"

Romeo: "... No... They were very numerous and all wanted to see her locked up. They saw her as a traitor."

Samael: "So she was put in a cell for saving her king. Did you go to see her in the cell, did you calm her stay among you a little?"

R: "Yes, I brought her water and food. We discussed at length, in particular the fact that I was never really an opponent..."

S: "After how long? How long did it take between her incarceration and the moment you came to feed her?"

R: "Two days."

S: "Two days? Or forty-eight hours of torture, without sunlight, without fresh air, without food, without drinking water?"

R: "They only violate her on the evening of the second day, I intervened with her at that time... I wanted to stop that."

S: "Speaking of violence... The morning of the day we arrived in Drazzel, I felt... Fire.

I felt the anguish crush my chest and the fire invade all my nerves without any particular event, it came from her.

What happened to her that morning, what did they do to her?!"

R: "... Celerus.

She burned his face and his neck, he died by her fire, his upper body completely charred."

S: "How did she manage to manipulate the fire?!

And what could have ENRAGED HER TO THE POINT OF MANAGING TO IMMOLATE THIS DADTY GUY BY THE FLAMES WHILE SHE WAS WEAKENED BY HER IMPRISONMENT?

WHAT HAS HE DONE TO HER, ROMEO??!!

WHERE WERE YOU AT THAT MOMENT??!"

R: "...I don’t know how she did it, I don’t know what he did to her...

I wasn’t there... I slept late that day because I had stayed up with her... I..."

Satine: "Stop Dad! He did not know! He couldn’t always be there!"

?: "That’s enough!!

Samael: "Iris??"

Iris is standing, staggering, at the entrance to the room, Samael asks for help:

Samael: "Bring her a chair!"

Iris: "No! I need to walk to wake up my muscles.

Samael, why is Romeo chained? Why are you suing him?

He helped me endure the imprisonment of the coven, he did everything to help me!"

Samael: "It’s not true Iris, he didn’t do everything. He left you in the hands of those rotten people..."

Iris: "No Samael!

He transmitted his energy to me when I was on the ground after Rognus’ blows, he nourished and hydrated me, he soothed me, he talked to me, and he risked his life!!

When they wanted to punish me for burning this guy, he intervened, he stood in front of me!

He threw them away from me as much as possible, and he fought to prevent them from putting me to sleep when there were far too many of them, they obviously managed to reach me but he tried!

What more could he have done?!!

He doesn’t have to be tried as a criminal.

This man is a good, brave, thoughtful person who miraculously got on our side when he was bullied by these twisted ideas all his life!

We should thank him Samael. We should welcome him because he is one of us.

Romeo is one of us."