Back to the Roots

Chapter 6: The King's Decision

What was fear?

Did we fear a real threat, or the unknown we nourished in the darkest corners of our minds? Was it the stronger that frightened us, or the more merciless?

Every breath I took felt like a weight lodged in my throat—heavy like darkness itself. The concept of time had been stripped from me the moment I entered this place. Was it night? What hour of the day was it? I had no idea. Maybe time had never existed here at all.

Then a sound echoed—

Click.

The turning of a metal lock.

A sliding door crashed open.

They had come for me.

What now?

Should I be afraid? Should I run?

No… I didn’t know.

And that not knowing—that was the scariest part. Not what would happen to me, but not being able to guess what would happen even two seconds from now… That was true terror.

I was lying on the ground, turned to one side. The cold surface pressed against my back; I was motionless, like a sacrifice. I could feel footsteps approaching—slow, cautious, and deliberate.

Suddenly, the sack over my head was yanked off. I took a deep breath, as if my lungs were remembering air they had long forgotten. I hadn’t breathed such clean, cool air in ages. The chill against my face made my skin shiver.

My eyes had adjusted to the dark, so now they struggled with the sudden light. Everything was blurry. I coughed. My throat was dry.

I tried to look around, but I couldn’t see clearly. Someone stood by my side. The silhouette resembled a soldier; his outfit looked like a uniform, but I still couldn’t make it out.

He said nothing. He bent down. First, he untied my feet. Then my wrists. As the blood returned to my limbs, a light tingling spread through them.

Then he pulled me to my feet.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice trembling and hoarse. “What do you want from me?”

But even my words were as scattered as my thoughts. I was tired. Confused.

The only thing I knew for certain was that something was about to begin—and I had a deep feeling it wouldn’t be good.

The soldier grabbed my arm. Another one joined on the other side. My hands were still tied behind me. We left the cellar in silence. Our footsteps echoed over the stone floor.

I was tired of being dragged around, pushed, pulled. Maybe I had grown used to it—but the exhaustion that built within that habit sat like a heavy stone in my chest. I was waiting for the right time. I wasn’t at full strength; my mind was a blur, voices in my head... but it would clear. I would recover. And when that time came, I would change everything.

I didn’t resist. I stayed quiet as they led me. We passed through stone corridors. The walls were tall and gray, decorated with engravings and cracks that told of time’s passage. Guards stood silently before each room we passed.

This was a palace, yes—but not the kind with golden gates and marble columns from fairy tales. It was simpler, yet carried an older weight. It had a serious, strict tradition within it. Unlike the modern, sleek designs of Solvenya, time seemed frozen here.

Eventually, we stopped before a door. The guards opened it without a word.

The moment we stepped inside, I felt the space open up. The room was large, with a high ceiling. Sunlight streamed through long windows, yet even the light seemed to move slower here. The walls were stone, partially covered with carved wooden panels. A faded yet vibrant rug covered the floor. Heavy curtains hung in the corners, and chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. It wasn’t fully traditional, but everything carried traces of the past.

And then… I looked to the right.

There he was.

The man we once ran after in the market to return his forgotten coins. The simple clothes he wore that day were now replaced by elegant, dark, embroidered garments. A cloak flowed from his shoulders down to the floor. A crown rested on his head—decorated with stones, yet not ostentatious. His face was the same—but his gaze, now, was colder, more distant.

Familiar faces stood behind and beside him. The men from the market. Those who had surrounded him back then. Now they stood by his side again. They were all watching us closely.

The king stood in front of his throne, one step ahead. The throne sat at the center of the room, on a raised platform. Not overly grand, but striking—dark walnut, carved backrest, with lion-head armrests.

And he was right there, staring at us. Saying nothing. Yet his silence spoke volumes. The air in the room suddenly felt heavier, tighter.

“Why am I here? Is someone finally going to speak?” I said. My voice trembled with anger and weariness.

The king stepped forward, a mocking look on his face.

“Maybe you would like to speak… our dear agent from Solvenya. Did you really think you could walk around so freely, and no one would notice?” he said.

I stared at him in shock.

“You… who are you?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“Don’t you remember? Or did you simply fail to recognize me?” he said calmly.

I insisted it was a misunderstanding.

“If you allow me, I can clear up all your doubts. But please… untie my hands first. I won’t answer any of your questions with my hands tied.”

One of the men beside the king stepped forward.

“Don’t bother, then,” he said coldly. “We’ll take your silence as an admission. And spies who infiltrate our kingdom… are executed.”

They really believed I was a spy. That I had been sent from Solvenya.

“Look, you’ve got it all wrong. If you let me, I can explain everything… who I am. I’m not a spy. I’m from here.”

“If you untie my hands, I’ll answer all your questions,” I said firmly.

But before I could say another word, the soldiers beside me suddenly forced me down to my knees. The ropes cut into my wrists, making me cry out in pain.

“Look… I don’t know who you are. I don’t even know where I am. But this is a huge mistake.” My breathing quickened, my voice trembled.

“I’m not a spy. I honestly don’t know how you’ve come to that conclusion,” I said, fear mixed with frustration in my tone. My eyes searched their faces for a trace of mercy. But they all stared back like stone.

The king glanced mockingly toward his throne and silently returned to his seat. I was gasping for breath. My wrists ached, my knees throbbed from the pressure. My eyes searched the faces again—for explanation, for compassion—but found none. Then one of them stepped forward and spoke in a cold voice:

“Enough lies. It’s over.”

His eyes pierced into mine. Then he said the words that knocked the air from my chest:

“We read your letter. The one you wrote.”

My throat went dry.

He softened his tone with sarcasm:

“If you’re not a spy, why did you write that you entered Tienya in secret and warned your father to come here too?”

At that moment… everything fell into place. That man... yes, that man… He was the one who had returned my letter in the market. I looked at his face more carefully now. His composure gave it away—he had read it.

“I should’ve known from your face. You must have read it before giving it back,” I said, both angry and exhausted.

“But you misunderstood everything. I never meant to harm Tienya. I only wanted… refuge. I was escaping from Solvenya.”

Despite the plea in my eyes, no one believed me. My words hit stone and bounced back. Their expressions were void of sympathy, their eyes unmoved.

In one final effort, I lifted my head. I stared directly into the king’s eyes.

“Please… my king… If you untie me, I’ll tell you who I am, and why I did what I did,” I said from the heart.

A silence followed.

Then the king leaned forward slightly, eyes still locked on me, and gave a small nod.

A soldier stepped forward and untied my hands.

Not wanting to anger them further, I simply said, “Thank you.” Slowly, I stood up.

“My name is Elia,” I said. “Half-Solvenyan, half-Tienyan. I worked at the palace in Solvenya for many years. But then I found out war was coming. A plan was being formed to attack Tienya. I didn’t want to be part of it. So I came here.”

I paused briefly before continuing:

“Then I wanted to bring my father here. Because my uncle and cousin live in Tienya. I sought shelter with them. All I wanted was to keep my father safe. That’s all.”

My words hung in the air. Some still looked at me with contempt. It was clear they didn’t believe me. But others… seemed to consider my explanation. I kept my gaze fixed on the king. He was silent. Studying me.

“Kral Valen,” I said, speaking his name for the first time. “I’ve never seen you before. If I were truly a spy, I would’ve recognized you at the market. I would’ve followed you—or tried to harm you. But I did none of that.”

The king did not rise, but his eyes never left me. He was younger than I’d imagined. His dark eyes were sharp yet calm. His light brown hair fell over his brow. He wore a crown that wasn’t flashy, but enhanced his regal presence.

I stood as firmly as I could, speaking clearly one last time:

“Please… believe me.”

King Valen tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes.

“If you didn’t know who I was,” he said, “why did you give me that knowing look at the market? And why did you bow your head in respect afterwards? That doesn’t seem like something you’d do… naturally.”

I took a deep breath.

“The moment I handed you the money, the men around you reached for their swords,” I said. With those words, I threw a sharp glance at the commanders watching me with disdain. “I figured you were someone noble. Someone important. I showed respect to avoid trouble. That’s all.”

Just then, a commander in black stepped forward. His voice echoed in the hall:

“If you’re not a spy… then why do you fight so well? That agent we sent after you—you nearly killed him. The man was covered in blood.”

I didn’t have the strength to respond. I just looked away and whispered:

“I was afraid he’d hurt me. Or my family. That’s all.”

The king turned to me again. “So… does everyone who threatens you die like that?” he asked mockingly.

“No, but—” I tried to reply, but he cut me off.

“Enough,” the king said sternly. “You’ll be executed tomorrow morning. Now… get out of my sight.”

A void opened within me. Words clung to my throat. I couldn’t even whisper please don’t. All I managed was:

“You’re making a mistake.”

Two commanders grabbed my arms, dragging me away roughly.