The king looked down at Marcus. “I don’t think we can be gentle when it comes to traitors,” he said coldly. “You have crossed a line that cannot be undone, Marcus.”
The Duke of Norish pleaded. “Please, Your Majesty! He is just a kid! He was easily influenced by the promise of power! He didn’t understand the consequences!” His voice cracked. “Please, Your Majesty, show mercy! He deserves a chance to redeem himself.”
The rest of the room remained silent and the tension was palpable. None of the other dukes dared to speak, knowing how delicate the situation was. Their eyes shifted between the king and Julian, unsure of how this moment would unfold.
The king’s gaze shifted to Julian. “Since he tried to kill Julian, whatever decision he makes, you will be subjected to that,” the king declared, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Julian’s lips curled into a wicked grin as he observed the Duke of Norish’s desperate plea. The Duke had fallen to his knees, begging with the urgency of a father who feared losing everything.
“Please, Lord Julian please forgive him,” the Duke pleaded. “I will do anything you say, whatever you say.”
Julian slowly released his Authority and his form returned to its usual state. His hair faded back to its natural blonde color. The thunderous sky calmed and the storm dissipated into nothingness. The tension that had enveloped the battlefield melted away. Everything returned to normal, as if the chaos had been nothing more than a illusion.
Julian chuckled with a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. “Anything I say? That sure is tempting,” he teased.
The Duke of Norish who was desperate and with no other choice, bowed his head deeply. “Yes, I will do anything you say, Lord Julian.”
Julian’s smile widened, his gaze unyielding as he continued, “Is that so? Then from now on, I want the Norish family to be under the Easvil family. Everything that belongs to Norish will now belong to Easvil. You will exist as one of the forces of the Easvil family and listen to every one of our commands.”
The Duke of Norish’s face paled as the weight of Julian’s words sank in. The tone in the Julian’s word made it clear that there was no room for any negotiations.
Alden, the Duke, and the King all widened their eyes in shock at Julian’s demand. The King, though a sovereign himself couldn’t help but feel the weight of Julian’s power in that moment.
Even Alden, usually calm and collected, could not mask his surprise at his son’s boldness.
Julian’s laughter echoed in the tense silence, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he gazed at the Duke of Norish. “Now tell me, do you want your son’s life, or do you want your family’s independence?” he said.
The Duke of Norish hesitated as his mind raced. The weight of the decision bore down on him. His mouth went dry and the words were stuck in his throat as he looked helplessly at the King and the other Dukes.
Julian’s smirk widened as he watched the Duke struggle, clearly enjoying every moment of this intense moment of power. “Make your choice,” he said coldly.
“But choose wisely. There will be no turning back now. And remember,” he continued, his tone carrying an air of finality, “if you choose to save your son’s life, I will request His Majesty to issue a royal command that if any member of the Norish family does not comply with the Easvil, they will be branded as a traitor and immediately executed.”
The Duke of Norish’s face was drained of any color, his body trembling under the pressure of Julian’s words. His gaze flickered from Julian to Marcus, torn between the life of his son and the fate of his family.
The King stood in stunned silence, his expression conflicted as he watched the Duke of Norish agonize over the impossible choice. As the ruler of the land, the King had witnessed many power struggles, but never one so ruthless and calculated.
“Julian,” the King finally spoke, “You go too far. This is a decision that affects the entire kingdom.”
He paused as his eyes narrowed and addressed the Duke. “But as Julian said, your family’s fate is yours to decide.”
The Duke of Norish’s hands clenched into fists and his body trembled under the words of the King.
Alden’s shock was evident as he looked at his son, Julian, standing confidently before the Duke of Norish. His mind raced to understand what had brought Julian to this point of change. The boy he had raised, the son who once displayed an unwavering sense of duty and respect, was now displaying a ruthlessness and cold calculation that took Alden by surprise.
Alden who was still struggling to come to terms with his son’s transformation, quietly whispered to himself, “What have you become, Julian?”
Meanwhile, Marcus clung to his father. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, his voice cracked with emotion.
“Father, please! Don’t abandon me! I didn’t know what I was doing… I was just trying to gain power, but I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”
The Duke of Norish who was still kneeling before Julian, looked at his son with anguish. His hands shook as he reached out to touch Marcus’s face.
“I… I never wanted this for you, Marcus. I never wanted this to happen,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The Duke of Norish was torn between his love for his son and the overwhelming weight of his family’s future. He felt the walls closing in.
Yet, the reality of the situation was undeniable, choosing his son meant losing everything; their lands, their power, and their independence. The Norish family would be nothing more than a puppet to the Easvil family, their very existence subject to Julian’s will.
He clenched his fists in agony, the thought of losing his legacy was too much to bear.
