A Bastard's Allure-Chapter 112: A Swift Execution

"All hail, Queen Elena Thornhart!"

Everyone knelt on one knee, their faces cast to the ground as Elena descended the flight of stairs to meet with the parallel ground. She walked with grace, her head poised high and eyes set on the throne.

Her shoes , the only sound in the hall, clicked on the marble floor as she passed a stupefied Lord Atticus. His mouth was wide agape like one who had seen an apparition.

Only when she sat on the throne did everyone else stand to take a look at her. It was not everyday someone recently announced dead walked into a throne hall and announced themselves queen!

"How...?" Lord Atticus asked, rising to his feet. "This can’t be," he whispered in disbelief, his eyes looking at Elena up and down. She was there, in the flesh!

"My first act as queen will be to deliver justice to those who will go to great depths to commit acts of treason in my brother’s name," she announced, her hands resting firmly on the sides of the throne. Her eyes shifted to a standing Lord Atticus, malice filled in them. She loathed his very existence.

"Lord Atticus?" She called his name, her eyes devoid of any emotions. The old man shivered when she rose to her feet. There was something about her he couldn’t put his finger on. It was like an animal residing within her, long dormant but suddenly active.

"You served my father and my brother taking their interests at heart. But when you heard that a woman would ascend the throne, you manipulated everyone for your own selfish gains. The punishment for treason is death!"

Atticus face grew a shade darker, disbelief written all over his face. His forehead turned sweaty before he took a step forward.

"You wouldn’t do it, would you?" He asked, forcing a nervous smile.

Elena’s face was stoic, her eyes staring at him the way a hawk would stare at an ant from above. He was just but a mere lordling beneath her status, one who had betrayed his honor at that matter.

"I served your family for years," he pleaded. "I deserve mercy!"

"And mercy you shall get," Elena replied before giving Gabriel a nod. "A quick merciful...death."

Gabriel had already severed the old man’s head from his shoulders even before Elena finished. The head rolled on the floor, the blank eyes staring at the present audience before the body fell with a thud.

Sheathing his sword, Gabriel picked the head from the ground when his eyes met with the little boy’s. His was an unreadable expression but his eyes never left Gabriel’s. They were large languid black eyes. The fact that he had just chopped off his father’s head in front of him made him somehow guilty.

"Take this," he said handing the head to a knight. Several other knights dragged the headless body out of the throne hall.

Holding the hem of her dress, Elena walked down the stairs to stand side by side with Gabriel.

"He just watched you kill his father," she whispered.

Gabriel knew that look. It wasn’t a friendly one at least. This one was the engraving look where one would master a killer’s face and exert revenge at a later part in their life.

"What is your name, boy?" Gabriel asked.

The boy gave him a blank expression.

"He’s scared," Elena pointed. She crouched low, taking the boy’s hands in hers. "You’re Michael?" She asked, giving one her rare friendly smiles.

The boy nodded before his eyes shifted back to Gabriel.

"The man who just died, did you know him?" Elena implored.

"He was my father," Michael replied, his lips slightly trembling.

"Hey, look at me," Elena said, taking Michael’s eyes off Gabriel. "Your father, he was a good person. But he went against the law."

Lilith walked in at the same moment and rushed towards where the boy was. She hugged him tightly and kissed his head.

"Thank God you’re alright," she said.

Elena stood to find Gabriel staring at the boy. There was hurt and guilt in his eyes whenever Michael stared at him with those dead eyes. Unable to take it anymore, he left the throne hall.

"Hey?" Elena called catching Lilith’s attention. "If you ever need anything, the crown will provide. I’ll write to the treasury to give you monthly support."

Lilith didn’t object. She just gave her a nod before walking out with Michael. The boy took one last look at Elena before they disappeared into the corridor.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Elena made for her room. Gabriel was standing near the window, his eyes cast to the vast ocean. A glass of wine was in his hand but barely touched. His grip was tight around it, and just one look Elena could tell he was disturbed.

She walked closer to where he was, hugging him from the back. Her head rested on his shoulders before she slightly lifted it to look at him over his long hair.

"Do not blame yourself. It was entirely my fault. I could have announced an execution but..."

Gabriel rested his left hand on hers. "He looked into my eyes. I have never been intimidated by anyone’s gaze but his made me feel like a fucking animal!" He whimpered, his breath shuddering. The grip on the glass tightened until it shattered in his hand. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Elena panicked, turning him around. His hand was bleeding. Her eyes traveled to his face, a whimper silently escaping her lips when she saw him crying.

"Hey?" She called him as he stared at the distance. She led him to the bed and had him sit before she fetched a bandage to seal the wound.

"In the island, I told you to choose fear to lead your subjects. You had nothing to do with it."

Elena wiped the tears off his eyes with her thumb. "Will you stop the blame game? Atticus was going to die..."

"But not in front of his son!" Gabriel said, raising his voice so high that he scared Elena. He stood up, taking a step away from her.

"He will never forgive me, will he?" Gabriel asked, standing close to the door. To that, Elena said nothing. "I didn’t think so either." Gabriel said before walking out of the room.