Maria - The Blind Princess

Chapter 16

Within that noon, Jacques covered himself by the Crown Prince's coat, ordered his servants to prepare the royal horse cart to return to Eurydia Palace. He had to confirm if everything that he heard was true. He couldn't believe the king - his father could be so brutal and merciless even to his own son. Also, Jacques was very afraid that if he was going to execute William, it would raise the dissatisfaction of not only civilians, also the intellectual noble families of the academy and there would be a civil war inside the kingdom, which could lead its recession.

Jacques had to stop it to happen. He hoped everything wasn't late yet.

"The prince is coming!"

"Father!" Jacques didn't let the servant announcing, pushed the door leading to the throne hall, where the king located at "I need the explanation!!"

"My child." The king threw a cold glance to Jacques "Have you forgot everything that I taught you? The first phrase you must say to me is 'YOUR MAJESTY'!"

"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" Jacques yelled in anger "I want to confirm, are you going to kill William?!"

Jacques pointed his royal sword to the king. The soldiers reacted back by surrounding, pointed their weapon to him. However, Jacques already swore himself, he wouldn't leave the palace without receiving the answer from the king. If the king was going to kill him as well, he wouldn't see him as his father anymore.

"Enough!" The king shouted to dismiss the soldiers "If you want the answer. Fine! Raise your ears and listen carefully: All the traitor behaviors will result as death sentence. He tried to steal the high secret royal document in my office room without letting me know."

Jacques went speechless after hearing the king said: "Brother.. stealing our family's document...?" No, he certainly knew it was just misunderstanding, because he knew well his brother William wouldn't do this such sinful thing like that. Jacques desperately kneeled in front of the king's throne, begged the mercy from him.

"Father, please reconsider about it one again! William is royal member, a future of this kingdom with me! Please have mercy on him and investigate what really happened!"

"No! The king's order wasn't a joke! Everything has been settled and nothing can change it!"

Jacques's body trembled, stood in the middle of the hall between the emotionless stare of the king's soldiers and servants. Everyone was trying to be against him. They were scared, because they wouldn't know what the king was gonna do with them if they stood by the prince's side.

Suddenly, a woman in luxury costume and the shining crown went to the throne hall. She answered with surprised face.

"Oh my... what happened here?"

"You have come very right time, my Queen Rosabelle."

The king answered her. Jacques knew, that gorgeous woman named Rosabelle was the current queen of the kingdom also Jacques, Emily and William's step mother. But they weren't close with her much since they noticed she mostly spent her time beside the king only. He didn't know what kind of magic that woman did use to seduce their father, that he would do everything for her. Her presence at this moment was one of rare occasion where Jacques could witness her.

"Can you help me training this child again? I'm now having so many tasks to do so I don't want to see him now."

"With the pleasure, your Majesty." Rosabelle then ordered the soldiers around "Bring him to the South Tower, I'll catch up later too!"

Jacque's face got pale when he heard the South Tower. It was the special place to t*****e the prisoner for the investigation. What was the Queen going to do once she brought him there??

"Spoiled kid need to be punished, right?" Rosabelle whispered beside Jacques's ear, low enough to let only him hear her voice "Hehe, good luck up there."

Meanwhile, Emily could witness everything behind the curtain of the hall. She was really scared, now Jacques couldn't even protect her anymore. She hold her hands each other and prayed: "Please God, if you can hear me, please save my brothers..."

In her mind, she still remembered what William told her as his last sentence. But the more thinking about it, the more harder she tried to burst in tear... but she didn't have other choice...

***

Everyone inside the academy was currently in chaotic state because of the official news they have got from the king: The eldest prince William was going to be executed at this sunset. Maria and Gerald walked through the corridor. She could see so many of white shadows around her with full of discussing noises. Almost of them showed their worry about the prince. Also it seemed like they were rushing to go somewhere.

"I cannot see Mia coming to send message to us either." Gerald kept looking at the sky to wait for Jacques's news "Will Jacques be okay?"

"Jacques is a strong prince. I think he will be okay." Maria chilled Gerald. Then, her next sentence shocked him "Gerald, is it possible for me to stop the execute process?"

"No you can't do it Maria." Gerald panicky refused "The king is a very cruel bastard. He can kill you if you are against him."

"So you are saying we just can stand here and let professor being killed..?" At this moment, Maria began crying.

"We aren't strong enough yet... One day, we can make him pay for what he has done to the prince...."

From afar, Maria and Gerald someone calling them from behind.

"Richard! Gerald! Finally I found you guys!"

It was Martin. But surprisingly, there wasn't not only him, also so many students of the academy following him as well. Even today was Sunday, everyone already wore the academy's uniform, ready for the demonstration to demand a fairness about William's case.

"I really feel ashamed that few months later, I have to serve in the military of a king without having mercy and sympathy. Martin encouraged us to fight, that's why I joined." Nicolas Reynaud, 4th year of Advanced Martial Art.

"I agree, 'This kingdom can be the king's, but the freedom is ours'. I remember professor William used to teach me like that in his philosophy class few months ago. So I joined as well." Clement, 2nd year.

"Please join with us, since I know you love professor William too. We maybe weak but we have everyone supporting us." Louis, Maria's friend also joined.

Not only the students, every professors of this academy also joined to support the prince William. They were the top tier mages in the kingdom, so they could fight back a military of the king's soldiers with their supreme magical knowledge and experience

Everyone's aura gathered in front of Maria's eyes. They combined together, shined bright and dispelled the darkness. She could sense, they were the aura of the hope, of the light and it burnt on each of students and professor's inner determination.

"Mr.Reynaud" Maria asked Nicolas "Is there any real lance at your class?"

"Yes. But what are you gonna do with it?"

"I can be a blind. But, it doesn't mean I'm not a skillful knight."

Gerald looked at Maria with proud smile. If she insisted to join the demonstration with everyone, he would do as well. Despite his shoulder was broken, he could use knife and his gifted agility as the alternative weapons as well. 

***

The sunset had eventually come, the civilians gathered at the guillotine square of the capital. They kept discussing with their dissatisfaction, about how cruel the king was, when he already executed his own formed queen by this way, now it was turn of his son.

"I don't understand. The prince from what I know is a very kind person. Why does the king want to guillotine him?"

"It's so sad.. He is still too young to die..."

"Shh, be quiet guys. Otherwise the king might capture us."

On the execute stage, William stood and looked at everyone. Despite being a prisoner, he still showed himself a gentlemen with gentle amber eyes as there was a fire burning inside. His black long hair and the old Crown Prince coat followed the blow of the breeze. As the rule of the kingdom, if a royal member was committed death sentence, they would have a honor to be executed with their own royal costume.

Somehow, William felt so nostalgic. He remembered 10 years ago when he was still a little boy, he wore this costume and stood at the palace to greet everyone during the ceremony. They welcomed him as the Crown Prince, now they had to say goodbye to him with this costume as well.

The soldier announced: Due to the traitor's behavior, the eldest prince William will be executed as the signature of the king of Eurydia Kingdom, and the method was guillotine. The crowd of civilian went chaotic because of the king's unclear reason to commit crime to the prince. However, they then got subducted by the royal soldiers. Anyone who dared to have any opinion, they could present themselves to the king. After hearing the soldier saying that, everyone was frightened and went silence.

"Prince William." The soldier then asked William "Do you have any last word to say?"

"I just want to say sorry. I'm a failed prince, not as my father and you expected." William looked at everyone below him and said "If we can reborn at a next life, I wish I can become your king as I used to promise...."

"Nooo!!!!" Jacques, who was currently prisoned at the South Tower, he could also witness the execute from that place so he yelled loudest as possible. But his voice couldn't reach William.

Even Emily, who stood at a corner next to her royal soldiers couldn't held her tear. "Don't say that. You have been a very good prince, a professor and everyone already knew that, big brother..." She then remembered there was a time she heard that, God would take away the good person earlier than anyone else, so she thought it'd be better if William would stay in peace with him than staying at this such suffering life...

"Begin the operation!"

Maria, Gerald and others in the demonstration group just arrived at their right time. But everything was too late...

Bang! When the guillotine's blade fall, its sound crushed everyone's heart in silence.

"Ah....ah... Professor!!"