The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

As she spoke, her face grewsmooth, losing its natural expressiveness, even as her posture tookon a sterner form. Her pronouncement had wrought a change in her,as though her subconscious came to accept the fact as shespoke.

She hasn’t been crowned,and considering the present events, she might never be, but I’veseen a woman become a queen today, thoughtDorian with a bit of sadness. Whatever the outcome, the young girlhe had always known as Marc’s younger sister would never be thesame. Her change of tone had resonated with the other people in theroom, and they were now on their knees.

“The King is dead. Long live theQueen,” pronounced one of the cooks softly.

The veteran knight studied the facesof those around him. He alone remained standing. Gazing seriouslyinto Ariadne’s hard eyes he made his choice and fell to one knee.“I have served Lothion all my life. I served your father in goodfaith, and I will continue to serve the crown. You have my pledgeof fealty…,” he paused there for a moment before continuing, “…YourMajesty.”

She looked calmly down upon him. “Iaccept your fealty, Sir Dorian. Please continue to use ‘Highness’,for I have not yet been crowned, and if my brother lives he willtake precedence. For now, I will carry the burden of yoursovereign, until Roland’s fate is known.”

Dorian stood at hersignal, and he might have imagined it, but he thought he saw aflicker of emotion pass over her. She isstrong, but this day will test her limits—if we survive.“I still advise you to escape, Princess. Thepalace is no longer safe.”

She disagreed, “I must see my fatherfirst, and if possible those who were to meet with himtoday.”

They made it back to the stairs andthe second floor without meeting any resistance, a fact thatbothered Dorian. He couldn’t help but feel that their situationmust inevitably get worse. It was just a matter of‘when’.

The hall leading to the small meetingchamber was empty, though they could hear voices through thedoor.

“Your opinion counts for nothing,Airedale! You’d best keep your thoughts to yourself if you plan tokeep your head on your shoulders.”

The voice seemed familiar but Doriancouldn’t put a name to it.

“That’s Earl Balistair,” said Ariadnebeside him. “Open the door, Dorian, we’ve found the viper’snest.”

“We don’t know how many men areinside,” he cautioned.

She looked unconcerned. “It’s a smallchamber. It couldn’t hold enough men to be a threat toyou.”

It isn’t ‘me’ I’m worriedabout, thought Dorian. Pushing his worriesaside he thrust the door open and entered with a rush, surprisingthe men inside.

The room turned out to be lightlyoccupied; only four men were within, and all of them were lords ofthe realm. Martin Balistair whirled to face the open door withshock registering on his face. The man he had been haranguing,Count Airedale, sat on the floor beside the bodies of two men, oneof whom was surely James Lancaster. Two others sat at the tablethat occupied the center of the room, Duke Cantley and BaronSurrey. None of them looked happy, but Airedale’s face took on anexpression of hope when he recognized Dorian. No onemoved.

Dorian’s sword was in his hand as hemoved purposefullly toward the King’s body. “Stand aside,” hecommanded them, pointing at the back wall. “Over there if youplease.”

Duke Cantley was the first to find hisspine, “On whose authority do you give such commands, SirDorian?”

“Mine,” declared Ariadne as sheentered the room. Alan, Evan, and Gerold had entered ahead of herand were maintaining their positions around her defensively. Therest of her band gathered in the doorway or kept watch on thehall.

Cantley and Balistair both blanchedwhen they saw her appear, while Baron Surrey remained studiouslysilent. Only Count Airedale seemed glad of her arrival. “Thank thegods you’re alive, Princess,” he said with tears in his eyes.“Tremont said they’d killed you.”

Dorian motioned for them to moveagain, and this time Brad Cantley moved, taking his place againstthe wall while the knight knelt to examine James Lancaster’scorpse. It took little time to confirm the fact of his death, andDorian looked at Ariadne with sad eyes to confirm her fears. “I’msorry, Your Highness,” he said.

She nodded and looked back at thelords standing along the wall. “Which of you were present when hedied?” she asked.

None of them answered for a moment,until finally Airedale spoke, “We all were here, Your Highness.Tremont…”

“Silence!” she ordered. “I will askthe questions. Who slew my father?”

Cantley answered promptly, “AndrewTremont, Your Highness.”

“How did he die?”

“The Duke ran him through as he soughtto pick up a sword to defend himself,” answered Cantley again. “Wedidn’t expect…,” he started to continue, but she cut himoff.

“One more word, Cantley, and I’ll haveyou put to the sword. Disobey me again at your peril,” she growled.“Do you understand me?”

He bowed quickly, “Yes,Highness.”

“Which of you tried to defend yourKing?”

Surrey finally found his voice, “Ithappened so quickly. Tremont had replaced the guards. There wasnothing we could do!”

She nodded at Dorian, and he could seecold murder in her eyes. Stepping forward, he slammed the hilt ofhis sword into Baron Surrey’s stomach, using enough force to drivethe wind from the older man’s lungs.

“I will ask again: Which of you foughtto defend your King?” she repeated.

They remained silent.

“Then I pronounce you all guilty oftreason,” she said bluntly.

“All of us?!” gaspedAiredale.

Cantley was more forceful, shouting,“You cannot judge me! You have no authority, nor do you have anyproof of such a preposterous charg…” His words cut off suddenly asDorian treated him much the same as he had Baron Surrey.

She addressed John Airedale then,“Count Airedale, you alone seem surprised. Do you have something tosay in your defense?”

His head was down as he replied, “No,Your Highness. I have no defense except to say that I knew nothingof what they had planned. I was a coward and failed to act inJames’ defense.”

“Do you honestly think you can lock usup?” said Cantley from the floor. “Tremont has an army. He controlsthe capital now!”

Ariadne held up a hand to forestallDorian before he silenced the errant lord. “You bring up a goodpoint, Lord Cantley. You will not be imprisoned. The punishment fortreason is death.”

“But we haven’t had a trial!” criedMartin Balistair.

She looked straightthrough him, “That was your trial, Lord Balistair.” Turning