Avengers: Vengeance

Renegade Prince

Blackagar moved his hands, communicating with Medusalith nonverbally. Medusalith nodded and looked back at Helion. "The atmospheric generators are a marvel of inhuman technology. They will continue to protect and support us while we fix the issues rather than run from them."

Helion rose from his seat, staring all of them down. "Have any of you bothered to venture beyond the castle walls? The people are starving while we enjoy these feasts!"

That was when Helion had seen it- that staunch refusal to see their privilege challenged.

"We could enforce a new law to restrict birthrates," Crystal suggested as she toyed with her meal.

Helion watched the princess lazily push food around her plate- food that the people of Atillan would give anything to have- and his hands glowed with intense light. "The people of Atillan deserve better than us- rulers who sit in privilege and make decisions for people we don't even truly know!"

He reflected on the threatened expressions on everyone's faces. He should have known then that they would find some way to silence him. Of course, killing him outright went against the cloak and dagger tactics that were typical among the royal family. So they fabricated enough evidence to damn him. He didn't have to wait for the high court members to return. The sentence would be death- of that much he was certain.

"We, the high court, have found Prince Helion guilty of treason. At dawn tomorrow he will be taken to the perimeter of Atillan where he will then walk out of the protective barrier and into the true atmosphere of Uranus. This is the final verdict. It will go unchanged, but if the guilty party wishes to speak, he may do so now."

Helion let his gaze slide over Blackagar, Medusalith, Crystal and Acrimon. "I have nothing to say to any of you. You've made up your mind regardless of how wrong you are."

Without further discussion, Helion was escorted out of the room and taken to the prison adjacent to the castle. As the cell closed behind him, he felt rage boiling within. He'd only wanted to do what was right, and now he was at the mercy of his family and their refusal to see the world as it was, to see themselves as they were.

After I'm gone they'll continue to be blind to what's happening around them. Then, once the people have had enough, they'll turn on them.

Of course the people of Atillan likely stood very little chance. The genetic counsel had decreed long ago that only those of royal blood were permitted to undergo terrigenesis to achieve their powers. The people beyond the castle were without the means to actually face them. Blackagar alone could level the entire city if he wished to do so.

"I blame your empathic powers," Acrimon said as he walked toward the cell and stared the imprisoned prince down. "All of those feelings cloud a person's judgement. No king could thrive with such distractions."

"Some would say it makes for the perfect king," Helion said.

Acrimon moved closer to the cell door and looked at him with total condescension on his dark eyes. "Yet here you are- disempowered and awaiting execution."

"Thanks to the underhandedness of my family," Helion coldly replied.

Acrimon shrugged his shoulders and gave a lazy little sigh. "That's politics, cousin. Perhaps your execution is an act of mercy." He turned and walked away from the cell before looking over his shoulder. "Sleep well."

Helion ignored Acrimon and leaned against the cold wall. Atillan was falling apart all around him, and it started with the callous indifference of the ruling class. He thought about his ancestors, how they put their people first. Those days, it seemed, were long gone.