CHAPTER 62: NO EVIDENCE

The king and the council members are in the high hall and then they began their meeting. This was the first council meeting since Aeron had been arrested, and the topic on everyone’s mind was his fate.

As the council members stood facing the king, Lord Daryn spoke first.

"Your Majesty," he began, bowing slightly. "Perhaps we have wasted too much time already. The son of a traitor, Lucian Velzorah, is in our hands. His bloodline is dangerous. We should sentence him now, and perhaps... we should go to the northern village and arrest his mother as well. Let them both face their consequences together."

There was a murmur of agreement among the council members, but Lord Edgar stepped forward and said.

"Has he been questioned thoroughly?" He asked in a calm voice. "Has there been any interrogation? Have we explored every avenue? Why are we so eager to pass judgment so quickly? We must be careful, Your Majesty. What if we are punishing an innocent boy? Shouldn’t we be certain before making such a decision?"

Lord Daryn’s expression tightened. Clearly, he felt uneasy with Edgar’s line of questioning. "I’m just saying," he muttered, "we cannot let a criminal breathe. We can’t afford to wait any longer. The longer we delay, the more dangerous this boy becomes."

But before anyone could respond, Lord Vanýr, spoke up with authority.

"He is powerful," he said. "A dragon rider. We’ve heard reports that he can summon fire, control a dragon... That alone makes him a threat. Do you not see? We cannot allow him to stay alive for long. If we keep him here, what if his dragon reaches the capital? What will we do then? We must act quickly, before he becomes a real threat."

Everyone in the room kept quiet, but then Lord Lucius spoke up too. "I believe," he said, looking at Vanýr, "that only a true dragon lord can release their dragon. And as of now, the dragon lord is here, in the capital, while his dragon is far to the north, far from our reach. So, rest assured, nothing will happen as long as we keep the boy here with us. We have him in custody. The dragon is no threat... for now."

Vanýr narrowed his eyes and took a step toward Lord Lucius. "You were the one who worried most about this boy’s existence in the first place. You were the one questioning whether he might pose a danger to us. But now, suddenly, you seem to want to protect him. Why? What is it that you’re hiding, Lord Lucius? Are you trying to keep him alive for some reason?"

The room fell silent again. The council members exchanged uneasy glances. Lord Lucius stiffened, his expression was unreadable. He glanced briefly at the king who also looked at him like they were hiding something.

"I’m not protecting him," Lord Lucius said in a calm voice. "I’m just saying we must act with caution. We cannot risk sentencing an innocent person to die. We need more than just accusations."

Lord Vanýr’s expression hardened, and he stood straighter, as if preparing for a fight. "But I’ve already provided sufficient evidence!" he snapped. "The boy’s connection to Lucian Velzorah is undeniable. What more do you need?"

Lord Lucius shook his head. "It’s still not enough. A few letters that the boy himself denies, and nothing else to back it up, is not enough to conclude that he’s the son of the former Lord Arbiter. We need more solid proof."

Lord Vanýr’s face flushed with frustration. "You’re making excuses! This boy could be the death of us all, and you want to wait for more evidence?"

Before the situation could escalate further, the king raised his hand and silenced everyone in the room.

"Enough!" He screamed loudly. "I am disappointed. I am disappointed that the Queen of this kingdom is locked away in prison, and nobody here is speaking of her release. And yet, here you are, arguing about a boy who has done nothing but prove that he is no threat to this kingdom."

"There will be no further talk or mention of this boy, not until sufficient evidence is brought to me. And Lord Vanýr," the king added, "we have already checked the boy’s belongings. His books, his properties, and the writings within them do not match the ones you provided as proof. They are not the same."

Lord Vanýr’s eyes widened in surprise at the king’s words. For a moment, he was speechless and struggled to comprehend what the king had just revealed.

"What... what do you mean?" Vanýr stammered.

"What I mean, Vanýr, is that you have no more proof. You cannot send someone to the dungeons based on assumptions and old letters. The boy has been questioned, and there’s nothing that ties him to his so-called heritage." the king said.

Lord Vanýr, still visibly shocked but not willing to back down, clenched his fists. "Give me 24 hours," he said in a firm voice. "Just 24 hours, Your Majesty. If I don’t bring more proof, then you can release the boy. But for those 24 hours, neither he nor the Queen should be released."

Lord Lucius stepped forward and narrowed his gaze as he stared at Vanýr. "You speak as though you want to harm Her Majesty, the Queen," he said.

Vanýr met his gaze without flinching. "I do not want to harm anyone. But this matter is urgent. If I’m right, it’s a threat we cannot ignore."

The king sighed heavily. "We will give you 24 hours, Vanýr. But after that, if you bring nothing more to support your accusations, you will have to answer for your actions. The consequences will be yours to face."

Vanýr nodded without hesitation. "I will. And I will bring proof."

"Lord Lucius," the king said, "this threat from the west... Is everyone in this room aware of it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lucius replied. "It is no longer just a rumor. It has become an open threat. We hope that Aerthwyn will fight it off, but as I mentioned, it’s unlikely. King Rollo is already on his way to see you in person. He should arrive any moment now."

The king asked, "King Rollo of Aerthwyn is coming here without notice?"

Lord Lucius replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, it’s that urgent."

The king said, "Alright then, we will welcome him with open arms."