Velmore stumbled back a step as the traders moved toward Elias, forming a loose semi-circle of newfound loyalty. Their greed had washed away whatever scraps of guilt might have clung to them. Not one of them looked back at Velmore.
Elias smirked and continued, "As you can see we have enough witnesses for the case now."
And for the first time, Lord Velmore realized what it felt like to be on the other side of the game, being isolated, doubted, and outplayed.
Elias's smirk deepened as he saw the man's struggle. The way Velmore's throat bobbed. The twitch of his jaw. The silent plea in his eyes that someone, anyone, would defend him.
But no one did.
"You lost, Velmore," Elias said softly. "And the best part is you did it to yourself."
"No! This did not end here. I can not lose no matter who would stand against me." he gritted his teeth and declared. There was no way he was going to accept defeat from Elias. The man did not deserve to hold his shoes, and now he dared to challenge him. In his dreams.
He glared at the scribe who was still hesitating.
"Did you not hear the lord? He wants to complain about me. Then what are you waiting for? Write his complaint and fix a time slot for us in the court." the way Velmore challenged it as if he had nothing to worry. The traders exchanged glances but said nothing. Since they had already chosen a side, they were going to stand there until the end.
The royal scribe's hand moved swiftly over the parchment, every word etched with ceremonial precision as he stared between two lords, unsure of who would win.
"Complaint has been noted," the scribe said, not lifting his quill. "An official hearing is to be conducted before the royal council, effective immediately, given the gravity of the accusation." or because the slot was already booked by them for the payment of land. Only the matter of course had been changed unprecedentedly.
The murmurs began to rise again as they entered the royal court. Whispers filled the whole large hall as people talked about what happened in a low and shocked voice. Accusing Lord Velmore, in public, of attempted murder? It was more than bold, It was almost suicidal. Velmore may have only held the title of baron, but his influence in this region was legendary. His estate was rich, his coffers overflowing, and his hands were bloody. Everyone knew the rumors, but no one had ever dared to voice them aloud.
Velmore laughed in a dry, disbelieving sound that echoed in the hall. "Shall we start the procedure then?"
The council chamber was tense, layered with murmurs and whispered wagers. The nobles who once flocked to Velmore's side now sat watching him with thinned lips and cautious eyes.
Baron Elias was standing on the other side. He was still clad in a torn shirt and ripped breaches with blood and a layer of mud covering his body.
"I stand here to accuse Lord Velmore of attempting to take my life before I could complete the trade deal of the new land in Hayport for which the crown had earned twice the tax offered. I was ambushed on my journey to this city. Eight armed assassins, not mere thieves, targeted only me on the way and they admitted that they were sent to take my lives. The intent was murder, not robbery. And the timing was conveniently matching Lord Velmore's own prediction that I would not arrive today, speaks volumes."
The room gasped softly. The council members leaned forward to meet Lord Velmore's eyes.
Lord Halves, the elder lord and the one taking the decisions, looked at Velmore and then narrowed his eyes at Elias, "These are serious allegations, Baron Elias. You must understand, Lord Velmore has long served the interests of this region. Do you have evidence beyond implication?"
Elias did not speak. He merely stepped aside and gestured toward the traders who had come with him.
The first merchant stepped forward, he was the bearded one who had spoken earlier. "My Lords, I admit I once trusted Lord Velmore, but he told us with certainty that Elias would not survive his journey. Not that he might be delayed. Not that something could go wrong. He said he would not come." He gulped. "It was as if he already knew."
Others followed one by one, they repeated similar accounts. Some were hesitant, others were more confident now that the dam had broken. One mentioned Velmore's increasing desperation. Another spoke of subtle threats masked as advice.
By the time the fourth trader finished, the atmosphere had shifted again. No one was in Elias's favor, but for the first time, they doubted that Velmore could lose this case too. There was a storm of uncertainty and suspicion.
Velmore stood rigid. "They speak from greed, not truth. I refused their petty demands last month and now they see a new opportunity. You would take the word of merchants as truth without any proof?"
Velmore turned to the council with barely controlled rage. "I demand this trial be dismissed. There is no proof. We do not even know if the person was even attacked. He claimed that he had defeated eight trained assassins, yet I do not see a single deep wound on his body. Who knew he had just rolled himself in mud and then spread pig's blood on his body to accuse me. It was all just hearsay!"
Lord Have turned toward Elias. "It is true that without direct proof, we cannot pass judgment as per the Crown's law. Though the statements come from respected people, they had not seen anything happening." He was about to announce the decision when Velmore turned to look at Elias with a smirk. As if he was saying that you were nothing but a fool to spend so much in just convincing a few foolish traders.
They must have accepted the given statements because they knew it was not enough. Velmore stood proud and erect.
"Then the case dismiss here?" he asked lord Halves. The man nodded and picked up his nib to write the decision when Elias laughed, stopping everyone.
They looked at him, confirming as if he had finally lost his mind.
"But when did I say that I only have statements as proof?"