Indiscretion

He raised his hand to silence the uproar of cheers and well wishes and waited until he had their full attention. His first words as king would send fear through the hearts of many but he was sure there were some here who would find them long in coming.

“Lords and ladies, members of the nobility, I thought it best to begin as I mean to go on. As you all know by now, my father was cut down in battle just a few short hours ago.” There were murmurings of regret and sadness and again he held up his hand for quiet.

“The kingdom is secure, I do not wish for you to worry on that score. We have run our foes to ground.” Here he paused and looked over the crowd, studying the faces of all who stood before him. Knowing that come sunrise some who stood here would be no more .

“But there are still some scores to be settled here at home.” He looked pointedly around the room as he said this, taking in the faces of the men that his father had whispered to him about.

“Baron Holsey, Lord Edgar Duke of Wooten, Lord Albert Earl Glyn.” As he called each man’s name, a contingent of soldiers moved forward to take them into custody. There was, as was to be expected quite a stir in the room as the guilty were gathered from among their peers.

“What is the meaning of this?” He held his hand up to halt the movement. “My good lord Wooten, what think you is going on here?” The room fell silent as the remaining guests tried to make sense of what was happening around them.

The old duke puffed his chest up like a gilded rooster, but before he could open his mouth to pontificate the young king beat him to it.

“My father wasn’t as unaware as you lot and your coconspirators believed.” The older man’s color drained as he looked around at his fellow traitors.

They had obviously believed their dealings well kept from the eyes and ears of the old king. His anger grew as he looked at them now. They had shed the blood of a good man and for what, to bring about their own end?

“Would you like to tell all gathered here of your perfidy?” He stretched out his hand over his remaining subjects who looked on in surprise and disbelief. Beyond the doors could be heard the wailing of women and children as they were pulled from their beds, as well as any other member of the three families that were in residence.

The other treasonous dogs were being rounded up in their manor houses at the moment with strict orders that there must be proof of each one’s demise. He did not plan to leave any alive to see the new dawn.

“That wailing that you hear is your women and children being rounded up to share your fate. Remember, when you sat around your tables plotting in your hearts against my father, your king, you brought this upon yourselves and them. You have no one else to blame. All that was yours will now be given to other more deserving men.”

He looked around at the stunned audience who daren’t move for fear that some past infraction be remembered. No one shifted and he was sure some held their breath in fear as he read the room. Looking for any who looked askance.

“Let this be a lesson to the rest of you. If you, or anyone belonging to you betrays me, I will destroy your entire line. I will not hesitate and there will be no mercy shown to my traitors. One more thing and hear me well. The friend of my enemy is my enemy. Choose your loyalties wisely.”

“Your majesty I do not think…”

“Lord Chancellor.” He turned to his last remaining enemy as the men were dragged kicking and screaming from the room where they were to be taken to the gallows and hung forthwith. The birds were going to enjoy a mighty fare this day as they feasted on the blood of nobles.

Julian refused to have even one of his father’s enemies see out this day. They will all suffer the same fate as the man who had shown them only kindness, only to be betrayed by his own.

“I’m very pleased that you saw fit to interrupt your king. You sir, have held the wool over my dead father’s eyes for a very long time, as has your predecessors before done to many a king I’m sure. But it all stops here, with me.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, the church…” The blustering old fool thought to hide behind the patronage of the church. Did he know nothing of his new king? Julian had long held with the belief that the church was nothing more than a corrupt harlot who sold her wares to the highest bidder. The church held no sway with him.