Astrid - The Hybrid Princess 125 King Bayard's Verdict 2

"Take a look, sire."

Gerald handed the scroll to King Bayard and he too a.s.sessed it, side by side with the other one.

By now the sweat on Prince Owen's forehead glistened the more with each pa.s.sing second.

It was obvious he had failed, giving Lady Erwina and her daughter a fighting chance.

"What about the thief's own signature?" Owen asked.

"Ifi didn't know better, I would think you are supporting this man, Your Highness."

"Lady Lorelei!" Prince Owen called out.

She was implying that he didn't want the truth found out because it would put him in a bad position.

"I think the Prince is just making sure, we get the right person this time. Does his apprentice have another contract with him? You know so we can verify." Lord Raymond chipped in.

Prince Owen was more than happy on the inside, really Lord Raymond was on his side. Having the top Lord of all the prominent and wealthiest families side by him, what more could he have asked for?

"If only Void was here, it would end this whole problem and make my brother shut up." Cyrena was having a headache having to deal with her brother.

"That wouldn't be necessary."

"Why do you say so, Lady Lorelei?" Lord Raymond inquired.

"Watch and see. I hope after this, His Majesty would put an end to this episode and let us move on."

She turned to face her right hand side, brought out a small bottle out of nowhere and opened the lid, and then she chanted a spell. 

"Revela su procedencia. Reveal its origin." 

Then she blew on it.

Right before their eyes, a thick smoke arose from the spell like a votex and finally dissipated showing two people staring at each other in a room.

The next thing, they saw Mr Brandon as he spoke to Void who was seated behind a desk. He wore a black mask, so his face wasn't visible.

"I have a job for you. I was told you are the man for the task. You get your work done without any complications."

"Get to the point, what do you want from me?" Void asked.

"Tonight at the gambling centre, I lost my money to my friends. You see, they had tricked and drugged me and so, I lost all ten thousand bags of coins. What I want you to do is help me recover them. I would reward you handsomely when you are done."

"No," Void stated flatly.

"What do you mean by no?"

"If you lost, then you lost."

"Did you miss out the fact that I said I was drugged and tricked by them?"

"I heard you do things justly, if so, then help me recover what was stolen from me. I would pay you, one thousand silver coins. How is that? You could use it to help ore people and fund your shop, please help me," his voice broke as he said the last part and feigned being pained.

After some time, Void finally spoke.

"Fine, I would help you. I do not need your money in return, just next time, be careful."

"Anything you say." He quickly grabbed Void's hand and knelt down crying. "You are a life saver that was all the money I had, thank you so much."

Void s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand from the crying man and said, "Not so fast."

"Huh? What is wrong?"

He ignored him and looked to his side. "Bring the paper and the ink."

A young boy came into everyone's line of sight with a paper, pen and an ink cup in his hands. He dropped them on the desk in front of both men. 

"This is a contract stating you agree to do business with me and you would fail on your part as I will not on mine. Write your name and signature here, I would do the same. If you do not agree, I would not do anything and forget you ever came here."

"What part do I have to play in this?"

"Get me address and all important details of these people."

"Just that, well I most certainly would."

"Good then sign here; you better not sign a fake signature, because I would find out."

He handed the paper and the pen to him; Mr Brandon took it and signed, after which he pa.s.sed it to Void to do the same. When all was done, both men shook each other and Mr Brandon finally went out.

"Master, why didn't you want to help him?" The young boy asked.

"Sebastian, I was at the same bar today and saw everything, he lied."

"How do you mean?"

"I overheard him when he told one of his so called friends that one of them brought eleven thousand silver coins to gamble, in hopes of increasing it to help his family. There and then, they conspired to drug his drink and make him lose, then split the money equally amongst themselves."

"Wow!"

"Then he came here and feigned being the victim to make me steal back all the money for him."

"Speaking of which, he didn't look like a man who was drugged or just lost all he had. What would you do?"

"Steal the money as he asked."

"Why?"

"The contract would go on but with a slight modification. I would steal all the money and return it to its rightful owner."

"That is brilliant master."

The smoke screen disappeared leaving everyone with a clear view of what happened.

"There you have it, all the evidence you want, Prince Owen."

"You are truly vile, you despicable man. You should rot in jail for all eternity," Princess Cyrena spat out.

"He really was the master mind, what a conniving man," Prince Owen said and shook his head.

"Your Majesty, please have mercy on this poor soul," Mr Brandon quickly cried out. "I admit I was wrong, I was in dire need of money, please pardon me, I would never do it again." 

"Yes, you would never do it again because I would make sure you don't. I will now pa.s.s my verdict. Brandon George of the house of Grimwood, you would be stripped of your t.i.tle and banished from this kingdom. You can live out the remaining days of your life at the outskirts of the village, to be watched at all times."

"Your Majesty, please no. Don't do this to me. I beg of you sire."

"You should be thankful I didn't kill you for your crimes, do not forget, you attempted to a.s.sa.s.sinate the Princess. Get him out of my sight before I change my mind and have him stoned to death."

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