Too weak to walk, Kassen’s limp body was dragged across the stone floor. The chains that bound his hands made a soft scrapping noise as it trailed along the ground with him, to the foot of the stairs leading to the throne, where King Baynil sat waiting.
Through half closed eyes the General saw that people had gathered either side of the hall. The decorations from the ball had long since been removed and the room looked far less inviting than when he had first been shown around the castle; despite his only view being the cold walls of a prison cell for the last week. At least he thought that was how long it had been.
Since Dergen last visited, the beatings had become more frequent and the lack of food had made Kassen unable to fend off most of the attacks. His body was now bruised and bloody and he could only imagine what he must have smelt like.
The guards, who had hold of either arm, dumped the General unceremoniously before the King and the other attendees. Kassen only just managed to hold himself off the floor with his arms, his head lolling between them.
“It almost sickens me to have to treat a guest like this, but I am even more sickened that a guest in my Kingdom would do me such wrongs.” King Baynil’s tone was solemn but unforgiving.
“There are far worse wrongs afoot, your highness.” Kassen managed to wheeze at the floor, he suspected he had more than one broken rib, which made it difficult to breath, let alone talk.
An overzealous guard stepped forward and pulled Kassen’s head up by his hair, he could just about feel his scalp prickle through the other pain the movement caused him and was disheartened to see Dergen’s mocking smile from where he stood beside the King.
“You will look at the King when you are spoken to.” The guard growled, tugging hard before releasing his grip on Kassen’s hair.
“Forgive me.” Kassen gritted, clutching his midriff as he tried to stay upright on his knees and look to where the King sat, both hands clutching the arm rests of his throne as if trying to cling to some hope long vanished.
“For which crime?” Zea Dergen sneered, his mocking smile still present.
“I believe I was talking to the King.” Kassen retaliated.
“You do not deserve that honour.”
“Nor a fair trial, it seems.”
“Silence!” The King demanded.
Baynil’s eyes had black rings around them and his beard had gotten longer. He looked as if he had not washed or slept in days and he slouched in his throne like a wilting flower, but there was no mistaking his derisiveness towards the man he had welcomed to his Kingdom not so long ago.
“I have brought you here to be judged before the court as advised by my council..."
"You mean Dergen." Kassen coughed.
His exhaustion and certainty of death made him bolder than would have been sensible in the situation. He barely flinched when one of the guards held up a hand to strike him for his insolence.
Before the hand had a chance to land the King shook his head and eased himself out of his throne, he wobbled on shaky legs before composing himself and walking down the few steps towards the general.
Close up it was clear to see that the King looked as ill as Kassen felt. His eyes were bloodshot and weary and his posture slouched. However, his haggard appearance made him all the more menacing and Kassen found himself regretting what he had said. Now was not the time to provoke the King but to make him see reason. He could not be the only one aware of Dergen's power over the King and his people.
"My apologies your highness but I must make you see reason." Kassen began, meeting the King's eyes.
"Dergen has been manipulating you from the start, putting thoughts in your head, Raliena didn’t trust him either." Kassen saw a flicker of doubt enter Baynil's eyes at the mention of Raliena. Surely he knew how much she didn't like him.
"Sir, if Sa Raliena doubted me she would have said so. She is an intelligent woman and would have warned you had she thought something was amiss." Dergen’s voice filled the hall and Kassen saw people nod and murmur. The King nodded in agreement, Kassen's foothold of doubt quickly eliminated by one line from Dergen.
"You are right;” Baynil said to Dergen and addressed the gathering. “General Kassen has dishonoured us and now he refuses to tell us what he has done with our darling Araman.”
“I have done nothing...” Kassen tried to argue. Kassen could contain himself no longer after listening to these slights on his honour, especially about Raliena.
“...Who knows what this monster could have done to her and now the black hearted villain wishes to turn blame on someone else...”
“Can’t you see reason...”
“...making wild claims about how Raliena betrayed us and abandoned her duties!”
“...He is manipulating you all...”
The King turned back to Kassen, ignoring his pleads.
“You are a vile creature and whatever you have done to Raliena will be done to you one hundred fold in return!"
"I would never hurt Raliena!”
“You will be punished for your sins against us.”
“I'm in love with her!"
Smack.
Kassen fell to the ground from the force of the King striking him across the face with the back of his hand. The general could barely open his eye to look at the King, his face throbbed as the wound by the side of his lip opened up again and blood filled his mouth.
The King grabbed him by the collar and held him close to his face, his hands trembling with rage.
"How dare you.” His voice shook with uncontained hatred. “How dare you lie in such a way after taking the only thing I had left that matters to me?”
Kassen swallowed the blood in his mouth so that he could splutter out a heartfelt reply. “She matters to me too.”
The King stared at him for a long while. Kassen felt as if his very soul was in question, but if he could just find that doubt again and cling to it, make it bloom inside the King then perhaps he could still find a way to make him see what was before his eyes.
“King Baynil.” Dergen’s unwelcome voice travelled the length of the hall to the King’s ears and Kassen once more had to watch his hope die and fade away as the King wilted once more under Dergen’s influence.
He let go of Kassen’s shirt, wiping his hands on his breaches in mock disgust at touching him.
“I refuse to listen to this filth any further; you will die in the morning."
"Your highness," came Dergen's voice once more from across the hall. "Perhaps it is wiser to send him home and end the alliance?"
The King considered this carefully as he made his way back to his throne.
“To kill him would almost certainly mean war and while we still do not know what happened to our precious Raliena, we do not want to endanger her if they are holding her somewhere.” Dergen finished.
Kassen looked at him in confusion. Why was Dergen trying to save his life? What purpose would that serve? He didn’t want war but he wanted to break the alliance as surely he could not think that Attashar was holding Raliena?
“I want him dead, Dergen.” Baynil spat keeping his eyes locked on the frail figure at his feet.
“As do I,” Dergen replied, leaning in closer to the King, his long dark shadow engulfing the throne. “But we are not yet strong enough to resist an attack. Give me a few days and I can make the arrangements. In the meantime we must prevent Attashar from standing against us.”
Kassen could only just hear these words. Was Dergen trying to prevent Attashar from coming here? He must know that King Dagerten would attack anyway after the treatment of his son.
“Very well.” The King said finally. “Send the scum back, but do not make the journey a pleasant one for him.”
“I would not dream of it, your highness.” Dergen bowed and signalled for the two guar
ds to remove Kassen again.
“Baynil you must listen to me!” Kassen tried for a final time. “I can speak to Dagerten, we can find Raliena together!”
“Get him out of my sight!” Baynil yelled, turning his face away as Kassen was dragged, kicking and fighting from the hall.
"This is what he wanted! To end the alliance for his personal gain! Don’t let Dergen poison you!"
Kassen watched the King sag in his chair again as Dergen leaned down to speak in his ear twisting and worming his words into Baynil’s consciousness before the doors closed him out.