AN: This chapter deals with the topic of rape. Not the act, but the feelings and pain afterwards. If this chapter could be triggering for you, you don't have to read it. This is an introductory chapter for Claite who will be introduced again later on.
I look upon the last few in the crowd, only a dozen people left. A headache grew, causing some pain behind my eyes.
The only bad thing about this full status skill, it causes a headache after excessive use. I better get used to it, after I'm done with these last few. Nobles are next and there's hundreds of them. Damn, I hate this shit.
"Next, you with the red hair," I order in a little more of an aggravated to than intended.
She walked up to the throne and stopped. "Claire, your grace," she informed, "My name is Claire. I'm a cook for the royal castle."
I look at her my eyes widened a bit in surprise. She held no fear and she was the first person, other than the general, to do so. She was even smiling as she stood there, a hopeful smile. In fact she was also the first person to voluntarily call me, your grace.
Claire was tall for a woman at about 5' 11''. She had a slim figure. Her skin fair. Her hair fire red, long reaching her mid back. Golden eyes with dark reptilian slits. Small red draconic horns adorned the top of her head. Noble dragon, but not a noble herself. Wearing a loose white chef's shirt and a long brown skirt. Hands calloused from years of honing her trade.
No crimes
"I see," I said in understanding, "The reason you show no fear is you have nothing to hide. The reason for your smile.... there's something you want. Isn't there?"
She dropped to both knees and bowed until her head hit the floor, before she answered, "Yes, your grace, but not really a want, but a need. There's something I need so I can move on and continue to live and to serve you. If you grant me this request I'm willing to give you all of me, my body, as well as my soul. I will serve your every need until the day I die."
I chuckle a bit, the corner of my lips shift upwards slightly. "Ok, I'm interested."
I lean forward a little in eager anticipation, this being the first person to actually request something, I was dying to know what it was.
"What is it that you need, Miss Claire?"
She stands up once again and looks out to those remaining, then points to a certain individual. A middle aged man with a similar uniform as hers, a fellow cook.
What does she want me to spare his life? This just got a little boring. My smile fades and I recline back into the throne.
"I wish to give that man his sentence and to 'judge' him myself. You offered it to Miss Margaret, I wish to do the same."
Shock and awe that's what I felt. Only for a moment I was frozen to the throne. Then it started as a chuckle, but turned into a hysterical laugh.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
My laugh echos through the hall. The hall shakes with it, as if laughing as well. I gripped my side feeling a cramp coming along. When my laugh finally comes to an end, the hall stops shaking.
"I understand, we will see if he deserves to be judged first. If he deserves judgement then I will allow it. You chef, come on up."
The middle aged man in the chef's uniform starts to shake violently. He doesn't move. He just stays there on his knee, not moving.
He's afraid of her judgement. He definitely did something.
I look at the middle aged chef activating the full status.
Rape. Molestation. Sexual Assault.
My smile after reading this immediately disappears. Finally understanding the reason for her judgement. She wasn't the only victim of his crimes either.
"General, bring him forward and give her your dagger."
The general complies handing her his steel dagger, that still had some blood from the old healer. He then grabbed the middle aged chef and forced him up and dragged him to towards the throne.
"N-n-no. Please, don't do this. I'll do anything. I'll never do it again. Please just don't do this. I don't want to die," he cried and begged for his life.
He knew his crimes. He knew what he did. Now he had fear. King Drakonos was fat and lazy. Therefore he was able to get away with whatever he wanted, but now he knew he was about to face judgement.
He was forced to stand in front of of the throne. He tried to get on both knees to beg but a sword met his neck. The general drew his sword and swiftly placed it across the chef's neck. It barely registered to the chef, until it was already there.
He started to sweat, as he knew his death was near. He tried to beg, but was stopped by the sword pressing closer to his throat. A trickle of blood started to gently flow down his neck.
"You know, there's many things I hate. I hate it when people show disrespect, when shown kindness. I hate when people beg for there lives and say they will never do wrong again, because they only do that when they've been caught. Never right afterward after their crimes, only when caught do they do this. Most of all I hate it when a person's body becomes a prison. What I mean by that is that feeling of no control over your body, like when a woman is forced against their will to have intercourse with another. You see, when a woman or man is forced against their will to do something you feel trapped unable to do anything about it, then there's the after effect where you feel gross, dirty, unclean. It causes you to hate yourself, once again feeling trapped, because the only way to not continue feeling that way is to get over it. Which by the way, is absolute bullshit. You never get over something like that. You will never feel the same way you did before. There will always be moments where you look over your shoulder, sleep with one eye open, because you're afraid that the same thing will happen again. That is exactly what you caused, that feeling, the feeling of walls closing in, the feeling of the only way out is through death, hoping, praying that your next life will be different. Its a horrible feeling.... So I will grant her your judgement, hoping that this will give her even the slightest feeling of ease and make her believe the world is just a little safer."
Claire smiled thankful for the opportunity. She stood in front of the man that caused her suffering. She looked him in the eyes determined to face her fear, face her suffering head on.
She saw her pain, every painful memory he had inflicted upon her. Rage and disgust started to surface on her elegant features, then a small stream of tears began to flow.
She bared her teeth, releasing a low growl.
Her knuckles turned white, gripping the dagger, gripping so hard her hands started to bleed.
While glaring into his eyes as if seeing all the ugliness of soul, she pulled the knife back. With one swift swing, she stabbed him in a place even the devil would avoid, his groin.
Blood starts to flow. His face red, veins popping, wanting to scream but the pain too much.
Every man in the room flinched, feeling the pain. Even I winced from the pain, my legs suddenly tightening. The pain in my groin sharp, sudden.
She pulled the knife back again and stabbed him again and again. After the third time she whispered in his ear, "Now you know how it feels to be violated."
She pulled the dagger out one last time. The middle aged chef collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely. His body twitched a few times before he finally stilled.
She looks at the general holding out the dagger dripping fresh blood. The general looks at the dagger with pain and disgust, then dismissively waved his hand, telling her to keep it. Claire shrugs her shoulders slightly, then turned towards me.
"I thank you for the opportunity, my king. Not only me, but every one who he has hurt thanks you. He deserved much more than this, but they'll have to accept this outcome," she said as she dropped down to one knee. "From now on until my death, I will serve you faithfully."
I look at her for a moment in compilation. I could see tears falling to the floor, she was biting her lip trying to stop her tears, feeling weak. Then I decide to speak, "It doesn't get easier taking a life. Its a different type of pain, it's gnawing. Even if they deserve it. It still gnaws at your soul. All life is precious it's a heavy burden to end it. When they say it makes you numb after a while it's a damn lie. It makes you step closer and closer to madness. In fact you start to enjoy the feeling of having a life in your hands. Its a power in of itself."
I paused for a moment before I continue, "You can cry, Claire. You have to cry to release the frustrations, the pain. You held it in all these years thinking of your pain as a weakness. Its not, it's a strength that makes us stronger. We learn from it. If we hold it in we can lose our sense of self and fall into insanity. For too long you suffered, Claire. Just because you cry now doesn't mean you condoned what he done or regret his dearh. It means that you yourself, even after all that he did to you, are a good person, so cry Claire, release the pain you felt all these years."
As if waiting for permission she began to cry. Finally after all these years of holding in her pain, disgust, anger, hatred, she was finally letting it surface. Releasing her pain, it was overflowing, finally showing it's ugly head.
The room was silent, the only thing heard was her cries and screams. I let her go, so she could let it out. At least some of it. It will probably be impossible for it to be fully gone, It will always be there, somewhere.
Minutes felt like hours, but the screams and crying died down. When it did only then did I speak. "As of right now, Claire, you are relieved of duty. You are to take an extended vacation, indefinitely. You to only come back when you are ready ,Or you can leave this place and never return, you can choose freely. If you decide to come back you will receive a new position of Head Royal Chef. The kitchen will be yours to control. If you come back, there will be memories here you may not wish to remember. I could erase them for you, but I won't. I want to see what you make of them, to see if you can rise from them. Now go."
"As you wish, my king. I will be back." She declared, as she stood up and left.
"We will see."