Actions and Consequences || l.s. au ✔

20. IT IS VERY PERSONAL

Louis narrowed his eyes, his voice tight. "That's close enough!"

Lionel was still putting up the happy brother façade. "What... What does this mean! I am your brother! I thought you had died Lou... I thought I had lost you forever!" He went to push away the blade but a new one came up to his gut.

Liam was positively fuming. "You don't deserve to call yourself his brother after what you did!" Louis felt his heart melt a little, but his strength doubled.

Cracks started appearing in the façade. Lionel looked from one man to another. "I don't understand. Lord Payne, what's the meaning of this?"

"Oh you know... just the usual." Louis said lightly.\, before hardening his expression. "This is a coup. Give me the crown!"

"Sorry... what?"  Lionel blinked. 

Louis shook his head and announced in a loud voice, so that everyone assembled could hear him clearly. "I have come for Valium's crown. My crown. Give it to me peacefully and abdicate. I will show you mercy," His gaze hardened. "Even though you don't deserve it."

Cracks covered the surface. Lionel was no longer smiling. "Tread carefully, little brother."

Louis let out a mirthless laugh. "I see you want to do this the hard way. So be it!"

Leaving Liam to keep an eye over him, Louis turned around and took in the so familiar courtroom. Years he had spent with his mother, flashed before his eyes. Right till the moment when she had suddenly fallen right there, next to that column. That was over two years ago. He remembered it like it was yesterday.

But today, the room was crowded. Filled with generals and advisors. The thirty-eight Lords had taken their places too, like it had been determined.

"Two years ago, queen Annaline died right here in this courtroom." Louis announced loudly, looking at every person in the eyes. "She was poisoned!" Gasps echoed round the room. "Soon afterwards, King Zacron also lost his life in the battle. And then me! Vanishing into the city without a trace!" Louis paused.

"But here is what you don't know. Before dying, my father removed Lionel and pronounced me as the next heir. I was supposed to be the next king. But that didn't happen, did it?"

Louis turned around, looking Lionel directly in the eyes, with rage burning in his veins. "You see, Lionel here did not want to lose his position. SO HE KILLED THE QUEEN! And when that didn't work, HE KILLED THE KING HIMSELF and passed blames. And finally, when he got me alone, HE STABBED ME IN THE BACK WITHOUT GIVING A DAMN!! Isn't that right, dear brother?"

The whole court was shocked. The marble cold. Even the torch fire still.

Lionel was hanging on to the façade by an inch. "You are barking mad Louis! This is all false accusation! You don't have proof of any of that!"

"I am wearing the same vest I was wearing that day." Louis reminded with a calm rage. "Blood soaking in as I called out to you. Again and again while I fell to my knees, bleeding out on your dagger. While you told me what you had done."

"LIES! ALL LIES!" His veins were bulging as spit flew out of his mouth. Lionel looked more like a beast rather than a man.

Louis sighed. "Very well... THE WHOLE CONFESSION LIONEL MADE, WAS NOT ONLY HEARD BY ME, BUT ALSO BY MY TRUE BROTHERS,  LORD LIAM PAYNE AND ZAYN MALIK WHO WERE THERE THAT NIGHT AND SAVED MY LIFE. They will testify for your crimes. You are finished, Lionel! Its over."