Splendid Fall

Ch.20 Proper Introduction

"Your grace," the guard spoke up once more. "What happened here? We heard a commission..."

"What does it look like?" Wren asked, looking around. "Just clean this up or something. Take them out after dinner. We don't need people seeing this."

The guard slowly straightened up and reached for the handcuffs in his back pocket.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from the bodies," he said, a little bravely.

"Will do," Wren took a step towards the door.

"Please stop," the guards pulled out the cuffs.

Wren stared out at the empty hall in front of himself before taking in a long deep breath. He knew what was to come. His mind and body was ready.

The guards began to move swiftly all at once. They hesitated slightly as they handcuffed the prince and moved him out into the narrow hallway. Sheets were laid over the bodies as Darrian and Jeffry's mother was informed.

"My baby!" Josephine screamed as she pushed past the guards and came running towards the dressing room. "You killed my baby!"

"He attacked me," Wren said calmly.

"Tamzin!" Darrian's voice thundered through the hall. "What did you do?"

Adania, who hurried behind her husband and sister-in-law, was as pale as a ghost. Her first thought was of her son. She moved as fast as she could, her eyes desperate to catch a glimpse of him.

"Wren," Adania grabbed the prince's arm. "What happened? Did you do this?"

"Of course he did this!" Josephine screamed. "He has Jeffry's blood all over him. Look at him!"

"What happened?" Adania turned her son to face him. "What is the meaning of all this?"

"You have gone too far this time!" Darrian pulled Wren away from Adania and turned him around. "Your arrogance and your recklessness is the cause of this!"

"Darrian, please!" Adania raised her voice. "We don't know what happened."

"What happened?" Josephine narrowed her venomous eyes. "He killed my son!"

"Wren," Adania's voice shook. "Talk to me. What happened? Did you do this?"

"Yes," Wren spoke for the first time since his mother had walked into the room.

Adania's hand froze. She stepped away from her son and stared at him, her eyes full of questions.

"What?" The queen's voice was barely a whisper. Wren would have never herald her if he wasn't staring right at her.

"Hang him!" Josephine cried. "Hang him, Darrian!"

"Is that your confession?" Darrian looked at Wren.

"No, it's not!" Adania stepped in before Wren could open his mouth. "We need to know what happened here."

"Are you out of your mind?" Josephine asked.

"I know Wren," Adania said sternly, her eyes narrowing at her sister in law. "And I knew your son. There's always been bad blood but I know Wren would never do anything like this without reason."

"I don't need reasons!" Josephine took a threatening step forward. "I need his head on a silver platter."

"If you dare touch my son before a fair trial is conducted I will banish you from the kingdom," Adania threatened.

"You can't vanish my sister," Darrian's eyes narrowed.

"I can if she is a threat to the heir to the throne," Adania said.