Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Cass had told me this would be his proposition.
I, personally, felt it was too kind. I had heard of Bishop Cross, a small, isolated island off the southeast coast of Airen, very close to Firenze. But it had an old castle there that tales told was quite lovely and the weather was most temperate, sunny skies and warm climes.
It was far from any civilization, both in Airen and Firenze.
But it would be better than this cell.
“I will not do anything that preposterous,” Gallienus spat.
“Then when you are found guilty, facing tribunal in front of courtiers and laymen alike, Father, you will receive an issue five sentence,” Cass warned.
My prince had not shared about these “issues.”
Though, I’d ask about them later.
“As if that will be worse than this,” Gallienus retorted.
“You will not be in this cell. You will have a cell elsewhere and it will be shared. You will sup in the canteen with the other issue five prisoners, who have all demonstrated an extreme propensity for violence. And you will have but one hour out of doors each day.” Cass paused before he concluded, “Though your cell will have a window.”
“This only if my army does not vanquish yours.”
“Your army will not vanquish mine.”
“You do not know how happily the lords of this land jumped at the opportunity to rise up against you and your,” Gallienus jerked his head my way, “Nadirii.”
“So it was you who conspired to break the treaty we signed with all the realms of Triton and your promise to relinquish reign.”
Gallienus looked foiled for a moment before he rallied.
“That’s hardly a surprise.”
“No, it isn’t. Though, when I share with my fellow monarchs how you so swiftly reneged on your promises, I wonder how they will feel, should the impossible happen and your army vanquish mine. You do realize, with the seas freed for use, how very small Triton has become and how very lonely, and trapped, Airen would be if we were the only one suffering under sanctions. I assure you the other realms could do without our olives and wine, our golden salt, even our leather and steel. But no Dellish wool or wheat? No Firenz silk and spices? We could do without, but we cannot do without the coin we earn in return trade.”
Gallienus had no reply to that.
Cassius waited.
Gallienus remained silent.
“So be it,” Cass said on a sigh. “You face tribunal in two weeks.”
“I demand to be held in Carleigh Manor during my confinement,” Gallienus declared.
“Father, I feel I have failed to impress upon you that you are in no position to make demands,” Cassius said.
“This,” he moved to the table in the room and slapped his hand on it, “is not to be borne.”
“This is not for you to decide.”
Hate filled Gallienus’s face as he stared at his son.
“When I am victorious—” he began.
“You will never be victorious,” Cassius said quietly. “You will never again be free. And the only thing I find troubling about that is that I have no feelings on the matter. Not desolation my father will live out the rest of his life as such, not jubilation that you will be treated to something akin, but nowhere near as monstrous, as how you treated your wives and the women who are your citizens who were also yours to protect. Including and especially my mother.”
And with that, Cassius said no more.
He left the room.
I, and the rest of our party, followed.
“Issue one?” I asked, laying nude atop an equally nude Cassius in our bed much later that night, asking questions at the same time tracing the ink on his face with my eyes.
“Minor offenses or the first of some less minor ones. Such as disturbing the peace. Brawling.”
“And issue two?” I prompted.
“Destruction of property. Unpaid debts. Petty theft. Issuing threats. Forgery. Minor assaults.” He aimed a small grin up at me. “And before you ask, issue three is kidnapping, assault, robbery, arson, embezzling. Four is battery or repeat offenders of any of issues two and three. And five is murder.”
“Ah,” I murmured.
“Violence against women will start at four. Rape will start at five,” he declared, and I felt my eyes round.
“Five? Really?”
He nodded before he explained.
“I have thought on this. And what I have thought is that many years ago, when Mars was in training here in Firenze, Trajan targeted him. The scars on Mars’s face were delivered by Trajan and his mates. They would have done worse to him if Mac had not seen them attack, and he, I and my mates intervened. And the worse they would do was their intent to rape him.”
“Oh, my goddess,” I whispered, shocked to know Mars’s scars were delivered by Trajan, and even more shocked at all the rest.
“I shudder to think of the man he might have become if that had not been stopped. He might have had the strength of will to persevere and be who he is now. Or the man we know might be as good as dead. Which is a form of murder. The killing of the life someone could have had if they had not been forced to endure such. And so, I have decided, as this is the way, any rape will be treated as such.”