"The box has finally been opened by Dexter's foolish son".
They all looked back to find King Grayson beside the bed, he had been hiding there the whole time! Jared walked up to Grayson with a heavy heart.
"I want to hear the truth from you, fa..."
He stopped before he could finish that word, it felt like he had been living a lie his entire life.
King Grayson watched him as he struggled with the internal turmoil, but with felt no remorse whatsoever, he said; "My desire right now is to drive a sword through your chest, Jared, so you can go join your father in the land of the dead"
His words struck Jared like lightning.
"You, you have been a father to me my entire life, how can you say such a thing?"
He had never shed a tear before in his life, but at that moment, his eyes were wet.
"A father? Preposterous! I was never a father to you, Jared, I was just your master. You slaved for me, you obeyed every single instruction I gave you without objections, and you followed me blindly even when you knew that I was wrong. You killed people because I ordered you to, you went on wars because I, Grayson Vanderhall said so! Do you understand now?! You were nothing but a little puppy in my hands. A mindless, brainless beast that I trained you to become! Yes, me!! I sent you on those impossible tasks hoping you'd die there, I sent you on the war of the five great kingdoms to have you assassinated, but what did you do? You survived, you son of a weak King!"
Just then, the door was pushed open and King Grayson's guards rushed in with swords in their hands- one pointed at Kira and the other at Victor.
Grayson laughed, causing Jared to look at him confusedly. "You didn't think you entered my chamber of your own might, did you? No, my men let you, I knew that you and this girl Kira were up to something, especially since her little talk with that fool, Beatrice... So I made a plan to leave the castle with my wife and told my guards to let you walk into my trap. That box you just opened for me-" He pointed at the box lying on the table near Victor and Kira. "-contains my trump card against the rest of the world. Your new friend, Regent Lischan will dance to my tunes just to keep our dealings a secret. Thank you, my boy". He patted Jared on one side of his face, then walked over to the table to take the box. Jared swiftly moved and grabbed the box before he did, but the result of that was a scream of pain from Kira.
"She just got cut in the arm by one of my men. If you do not hand me the box, the next cut will be more severe". Grayson threatened. Jared had no choice but to give him what he wanted.
"Good boy. Now, men, seize them and throw them into the dungeon".
"No, let them both go!".
Ordered Jared.
"No, Jared, you three are going to be tried and executed for treason, trying to break into my private chamber and attempting to kill me... Just look at the cut on my arm..."
Grayson then cut himself on his arm, the wound began to bleed almost immediately. This singular act shocked Jared, Kira, and Victor. There and then, they realized that their adversary was not only a trickster and a thief, but he was also a madman and that made him more dangerous. Grayson's men did as he ordered, and dragged the three of them down to the dungeon, not minding that Kira was the wife of the prince. They locked them in different cells close to one another.
Grayson entered the dungeon and walked straight to Jared's cell.
When Jared saw him, he quickly got up and rushed to the bars that separated them. "Grayson, please let Kira and Victor go, this has nothing to do with them".
Grayson laughed at his adopted son, saying; "You remind me of your miserable father, he was always ready to sacrifice himself for his people... Where is he now? Dead and forgotten, about to be joined by his son in the world of the dead... I will set your friends free on one condition".
"What is your condition?"
Grayson took a few seconds to gather his words, then he looked up at Jared; "Offer yourself to be executed, admit to the crimes, accept the punishment and tell the people that you deserve everything you will get..."
"No, your highness! Don't accept his condition, I am willing to die with you, please your highness!". Yelled Victor from the other cell.
Jared looked at him with a heavy heart, then he looked in the other direction to where Kira was also watching him. He kept his eyes on her until she spoke up; "Don't trust a man like Grayson, Jared. Don't believe a word from a man like him, he is a coward".
Grayson was highly offended by her words. He hurried to her cell and tried to strangle her but she moved back before he could reach for her through the bars. "You little wretch! How dare you?!".
Then he turned to Jared in rage. "What is your decision, boy, don't waste my time!".
"I need you to assure me that you will keep them safe first". Jared answered.
His answer annoyed Grayson who turned around immediately and left the dungeon.
Jared was hating himself with each passing second... He looked at his friend and the woman he loved;
"I'm sorry for dragging you both into this".
"At least I'll get to fulfill my wish". Victor said in response.
They both looked at him,
"What wish would that be?" Asked Jared.
"Of dying in front of a crowd". He joked.
For some reason and for the fact that it was a painful reality, they both found it funny and laughed at the dark humor.
" Well, for me, I'm happy". Kira smiled as she continued; "At least, I won't get to live in a world without you, Jared". She looked over at the man she loved with all her heart.
He looked away in regret, every chance he missed kept coming back to him. Then he turned at her again; "Don't lose hope just yet, the men are working out a plan".
Even though deep down, he wasn't sure about that himself.
"Before I die, I want to know, Victor where did you get all those evidence you sent to King Grayson to implicate the late prime minister?". Kira asked.
"What letters?". Victor asked, bemused.
"There was a wooden box sent to the king on the day of my trial and I thought that since you promised to do something to help me, it must have been your doing". Kira explained confused at Victor's reaction.
"I swear to you, my Lady that I do not know anything about that box. I and the men had planned to break you out of the dungeon". Victor said whilst scratching his head.
"Wait, that means someone else knew about Franklin's involvement with the Verhamians... Who could it have been then?". Jared wondered.
After a silent moment, he concluded. "We need to figure out an escape plan.
***
"Father!!! How dare you to arrest my wife along with Jared and Victor without informing me?!!". Edrin raised his voice as he barged into his father's office.
King Grayson was busy in a meeting with some of the nobles when his son came in and questioned him.
"Leave us". He tells them.
They obediently left with their heads bowed. Edrin was filled with rage, angered by the fact that his father never consulted him before taking extreme decisions and that his Kira was locked in that filthy dungeon being denied a visit from anyone including himself, her husband, on his father's orders.
King Grayson looked at his son unapologetically, he boldly held his head high before his son.
"What can I do for you son?". He asked calmly, resting his back against his chair.
"You know very well what it is father, I demand that you release them this minute!"
"Don't yell at me, son!"
Grayson shot back as he stood from his chair and walked over to Edrin.
"You are worried about Kira, aren't you?"
He asked his son whose eyes were saddened by his wife's suffering.
"Yes father, please let her go".
He pleaded, bowing his head.
"My son, haven't you thought, why in the world was your Kira caught alongside Jared? they were busy working together to bring me down, to bring us down. What does that tell you? They are still together and probably having an affair..."
"That's not true, father, my Kira would never do such a thing". Edrin objected.
"And Jared? Can you vouch for him? No you can't. He has been after your position from the day you both were born, and that is actually because it is rightfully his". Said Grayson.
Edrin's eyes grew wide open at his father's disclosure
"That's not true, father". He argued.
"It is, he is not your real brother, my son, his father was the late King Dexter and that means that he has more right to the throne than you, Edrin".
Edrin felt like his world just crumbled to the ground, he could not believe that the same person he hated for so long- still had yet another thing he(Edrin) did not have.
King Grayson continued, "Kira knows about this, that is why she has chosen his side, they want to bring evidence against me to have me arrested and eventually executed, and you know what your fate would be after that". He walked closer to his son, giving him a knowing look.
Edrin looked down, eyes wet with tears. "Jared has to die father. But not Kira, please". He knelt before his father and begged.
Grayson understood that to get his son on his side, he needed to play his game smartly, so he said;
"Very well, I will spare her life but she will face a short punishment before she is pardoned".
"What punishment is that father?"
"She will stay in the dungeon for a month before she will be released"... He stated.
"Okay, father, thank you"... Edrin got up and hugged him.
Grayson knew exactly how to get his son under his control and as much as he hated to admit it, Kira will be of use to him.
***
After Edrin left his father's chamber, he walked aimlessly down the hallway. some of the maids he passed by turned to look at him with pity, and some nobles who were standing at a corner of the hallway all looked at him with worry. He decided to go see his mother get a clearer understanding of everything his father had told him. He met his mother's chamber door wide open, looked inside, and saw some maids massaging her feet, when she saw him, she ordered the maids to leave them.
Then, he walked down to her slowly. When he finally reached where she was sitting, he fell to the ground in fresh tears...
"Mother, what is happening? Why didn't Kira tell me and why did you and father keep everything from me? Why am I always the last one to find out? Why?".
He cried on his mother's lap. Queen Violet felt bad for her son, she stroked his head gently. Although she hated Kira, she had to accept that it would have been easier if she(Kira) was here with Edrin.
"My boy", she called. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth but everything I ever did was for your good."
"How, mother, how?!". Edrin yelled, perplexed.
"Your father and I want the best for you, we want you to be King someday and the only way was for Dexter's son to be put out of the picture ". She coldly stated.
Edrin raised his head from his mother's lap and looked at her face. "'Dexter's son'? What about all those times you called him your favorite?".
Queen Violet sighed, still stroking her son's hair, she decided to tell him the whole truth.
"Back when your father was King Dexter's chief advisor, they were both such good friends. I was also Queen Vera's friend and we shared so many things including our journey to motherhood, we were both pregnant at the same time. then one day your father told me about his plan to be king, I thought about it and it sounded like a good plan. He sought help from the Dumal secret society headed by the Regent of the Aakhian empire, and was promised the throne but on the condition that he will not forget to pay tribute to them and allow them to operate on Verthona's soil, he agreed and they worked a plan together... On the day King Dexter unknowingly signed the throne over to your father, I was there. On the day your father drove a dagger through his heart, causing Queen Vera to go into forced labor, I helped her deliver the baby but as soon as the baby was born, I snatched it from her and killed her. Your father wanted to kill the child but I begged him not to, since I was going to be a mother, I did not want to soil my hands with an innocent child's blood. We kept the child a secret and your father told the people that the child was stillborn, then he presented the document containing King Dexter's seal stating that he was 'willingly' handing your father the throne to rule after his death. Your father killed everyone who objected to it and instilled fear in the hearts of the people, no one dared question him and they all had to accept us as King and Queen. Soon after that, I went into labor and had you, my son-" She touched his face lovingly, "-my little Prince."
She continued; "Since Jared was born prematurely, you both looked the same age, so I thought it would be a good idea to present the two of you as my twin sons. Your father objected but I did it anyway. You both grew up together, but I distanced you from Jared. At a point, I started giving him attention, your father saw this and decided to kick him out of the castle by dumping him on the training ground to get killed, but he was a fortunate boy, he survived all your father's attempts to have him murdered in combat, defeated every opponent sent his way and became Verthona's strongest warrior. After he won the first war your father sent him off to at age fifteen, your father thought it would be a good idea to keep him as your slave to protect you and fight for Verthona when the need arises. Jared was nothing more than just a defender of our family, he never truly knew what a mother and father's love was. He grew heartless and killed all his enemies without remorse. I became afraid for your safety. Then, your father and the Dumal instigated the war of the five great kingdoms just to sell their weapons and make money, he sent Jared to lead our soldiers to the war just so he would get killed there but he came back unharmed. Edrin, my dear, don't judge us, we did everything for your good...".
"So, father was responsible for all the killings in Verthona?". Edrin asked.
"Not exactly, I mean, the agreement he had with the regent was to let the Dumal smuggle their weapons and more dangerous products into Verthona, but your father cut all ties with him some years back, abruptly ending the deal they had. That was why the Regent waged war on Verthona as a form of revenge on your father and to take back what they had given to him but thankfully, Jared saved us all".
"I am so disappointed in you both, I almost died in that battle, the fire you both started would have consumed your son". Edrin said bitterly.
"But Jared was there to save you like he always does".
"Then why do you want him dead, mother?"
"Because I don't want him to take the throne from you, I may feel a little love for him in my heart, but I love you much more. I can have him killed just so you can be King". She kissed Edrin's head lovingly.
He stood up and stormed out of her chamber, anger, and bitterness eating away at his heart... Anger at the fact that his parents were power-hungry deceivers who sold their souls to the devil. And bitter at the thought that his beloved wife chose Jared's side instead of his, although he loved Jared, he would unthinkingly have him killed just to have her love, but somewhere in his heart, he knew that he could not let Jared die, after all, he saved him from death at the hands of Zseindz.
He grew depressed.
Some hours later, they hear chanting from the outside of the castle, King Grayson, Queen Violet, and Edrin rushed to the balcony to see what it was. lo and behold, the people of Verthona were protesting against the royal family. The king raised his hand and yelled; "SILENCE!!"...
When they were a little quiet, he asked them what the matter was. One of them replied;
"Your Majesty, We Demand That Prince Jared, Princess Kira, And Sir Victor Be Released This Instant!!!?"
"YES YES!!!"
They all chanted in agreement. This was the first time the people of Verthona stood by the truth and it scared King Grayson.
"Listen, people! They attempted on the life of your King, don't they deserve to be killed?!!!!" He asked them in a loud voice.
"NOOO!!!!... We Shall Not Make The Same Mistake We Made Last Time, Jared Is Our Protector And It Would Be Foolish Of Us To Have Him Killed... He Saved Our Children And Our Loved Ones During The War When You And Your Nobles Ran Into Hiding Like Rats!! He Fought For Us All And For That, We Shall Stand Behind Him!!". Said another man.
"YES!!!!!"
They all chanted in agreement. This time, Grayson was very much afraid, the people now trust Jared more than him!
"Listen To Us Too, Your Majesty, If You So Much As Pluck A Strand Of Hair From Their Bodies, We Shall Break Into Your Castle, Drag You And Your Entire Family Out Here And Stone You All To Death!!!?" Yelled an old woman.
"YESSSSSS!!!"...Chanted the others.
Grayson's eyes grew wide open, he knew he had to be smart on this, so he agreed.
"Fine Then, My People, No Harm Will Come To Them, I Promise You All!!".
"RELEASE THEM NOW!!!"They all chanted.
The royals had no choice but to do as the people wished.
Soon after, Jared, Kira, and Victor were brought before them and they all screamed joyfully.
"JARED JARED!!!"
They all chanted Jared's name as the soldiers freed the three of them from the shackles that had kept them bound.
Hallelujah!