Chapter 35.3

In his foolishness, Ulchel actually mistook everyone's stunned silence for a moral victory. As if he had found the perfect argument. He huffed as he looked at Eirwen. "The Flamehearts were proper rulers. No lackey of an emotionless usurper can ever compare."

Eirwen shook her head at how foolish the man was. "Fang, gag him again. Red, set him straight for me." She kept her focus on herself, trying to get control of her emotions again as Red walked over and looked down at the former Warden. He spoke with a tone so eerily calm, it terrified her. 

"You honestly believe that? That they would have been better leaders? The sixth Duke who was such a coward, he refused to leave his home and became a bad drunk? Who even in the mountains was so afraid, he burnt this town down even though there were people still hiding inside, then didn't even verify if any made it out alive? That's how much he feared fighting the Frost Giants himself. He'd rather burn down the town and everyone in it, than face them on the battlefield."

That was news to all present, but his tone made it believable. He knew this, not even Ulchel would have dared deny it, if he had been able.

"And the seventh Duke? The man who for four years would rather lead an army against his beloved, than face his father in combat? Who prepared ways to force the nobles to side with him, so that he could usurp his father? Who on the battlefield executed those who disobeyed his orders, then spoke about it so vehemently, that somehow those violent acts of his made his troops follow him in blind loyalty? You really think that man could have been a decent ruler? A conqueror, yes. A leader, maybe. But never a good ruler. Not when carrying everything he had done."

Strangely enough, he was actually helping Eirwen regain control over herself, if only because emotional pain was now drowning out the helplessness that this day had reminded her of. It hurt to see him put himself down like that. She had seen the loyalty everyone had to him, the way he thought about all kinds of aspects. He would have ruled wisely even in peacetime, as long as she had helped curb his madness.

"Besides, the crown wouldn't have stood for it. The outcome of the war would have been used to harass both dukedoms, weaken them out of fear. To rule, the seventh Duke would have needed to prepare for war against the kingdom. Instead, he handed the dukedom to Verglas, on a silver platter." Blacktree barked a laugh at realising that yes, he had. Eirwen and Light also realised and barely managed to keep quiet. Ah, that broke the tension for but an instant, until Red spoke once more, his tone now turning into subdued rage.

"So no, Verglas isn't the usurper. The Duchess rules by right, and she rules fair. You have no right to use my name as a weapon against her."

He abruptly turned away, stepping towards Eirwen while behind him, realisation set in. And Eirwen could tell from the suppressed rage in his eyes, he had wanted to say much more, but he was holding back.

She looked past him at Ulchel. "Lord Blacktree. Since I failed to convince the militia to replace their leader, I have no choice but to have you take over. I imagine it will be hard for you to justify this act without invoking my name. Correct?"

He nodded. "Correct, milady." Still holding up the pretense. Good. At least Red had knocked some sense into him.

"Very well. Ulchel is guilty of treason. You will oversee his punishment for that. The half dozen men here refused to prove their uninvolvement. They get one last chance to do so. Drag Ulchel to the town's square and have him flogged thirty times. Each of his men will flog him five times. Any who refuse, will be decapitated for treason. I will loan you a knight as executioner."

She could see the despair in Ulchel's eyes. He knew he had gone too far in arrogance and spite.

"As for Ulchel, if all flog him, afterwards he'll get one last chance to choose. His life or his neck. Now go and announce his punishment in my name." She looked in Blacktree's direction. "You may kneel."

He knelt at once, his son and knights only half a count behind. "Yes, your Grace! In your name of Duchess Verglas, your will shall be done!" At once, he rose and began escorting the others out. She hated the fact she had to do this, using her authority to order a man's death. She had come to the mountains to explore, not to rule. For far too few days, she had been able to pretend. Not anymore.

With a deep sigh, she turned to the ones remaining by her side. "Siress Nantgate, take the Iceheart knights with you to the square. Red, it's best if you stay away from this all. I ask of you to stay with the wagons. Fang, you are not mine to command. Please do as you wish."

They nodded before leaving, Red staying behind to escort her downstairs. There, she met with Blacktree's other children, and four of his knights. Even now, he had left some behind to serve her. They carefully looked at her, his children recognising her. She sighed and nodded. "You may kneel."

Like their fathed, they were quick to understand as they knelt. "Hail, your Grace!" She sighed once more and told Red to brief them, then turned to Bethan. The healer had caught on, hiding her worry while they were in public, but understanding just fine that Eirwen was currently not in her right mind. A subtle touch of her hand was all she could afford as support, while Eirwen took several swords out of a carriage. Crimson, and her ancestral blade. Both wrapped in cloth to hide their identity, but now it was time for them to be on display.

Her senses told her that at the square, Ulchel had already been tied up. Blacktree's voice rang out loud, audible even with sharpened hearing from her current position. "For plotting against Duchess Verglas, Warden Ulchel has been replaced and will now be flogged thirty times!"

The first man doubted, but when Nantgate took position behind him, he employed the whip. Eirwen stopped observing, looking at the Blacktree entourage by her side. "Escort me to Lord Blacktree. Bethan, with me." She left no orders for her own, but they understood just fine, staying behind as she made her way towards the square, Ulchel's screams becoming softer despite the decreased distance.

There was already a small crowd at the square, gossiping in surprise about what was going on. Mixed in the crowd was Fang, keeping her silence. As the people saw her approach, they quickly stepped aside. As for Ulchel, it seemed like all his men had turned on him, afraid enough to apply significant force. Enough to leave him barely conscious. The man had been untied, leaving him dazed on his knees. She felt no sympathy for him. He had willingly rushed towards death, just to protect his own ego.

 He looked up at her, flinching as he saw her cold eyes. She let her voice sound loud enough for all to hear as she addressed him. "Ulchel. Duke Aodhán offered me his life and neck, for me to choose between. For you who used his name to justify your treason, I offer a similar choice. Your life or your neck. Either receive healing and abscond from this place in exile, bringing your personal belongings with you, or die for your crimes."

For a few counts, she could tell he was considering it. But his arrogance got the better of him. He smirked at her, his voice laboured from the pain. "You say you're no usurper, yet here you are, with Crimson on your side. It wasn't enough for you to treat your former lover as a lapdog, you even had to claim his finest accomplishment for yourself. I will not kneel for you, Duchess. None ever should."

"As you wish." She drew her ancestral longsword, the weapon that represented her family, like the broken greatsword that had represented Flameheart until it was snapped in two inside her halls. "Get on your feet. Both the sixth and seventh Duke of Flameheart died with their eyes open. For you who used their names in vain, the least you could do is do the same."

He hesitated, but once more his pride controlled him. Slowly, grimacing as he did so, he rose to his feet. As he looked at her, she saw the smirk beginning to form in his eyes, gathering the thoughts and breath to insult her once more.

Her blade flashed out at once, Verglassed to the point that the actual blade never faced any resistance as it cut his neck. While his body fell to the ground, she sheathed her sword and looked at Blacktree. "Bury his head. Burn the body." Without even awaiting his response, she turned away, joined by her entourage as she walked back towards Red. She hoped that tonight, he could hold back the nightmares once again.