[ota] it,s the end of the as we know it. and feel fine (not really)
There were few times when a formal audience was called, at least these days. Fewer still when the King of Hearts sent out request to each suit that they send someone to bear witness...without saying why. Hadyn and Jordan's presence was required, in a way to did not give them room to deny their King.
And Ceiro, for once, looked the part of a King. In the few months since his illness began, he seemed to have aged. His face was drawn, lacking the customary kindness that so many of the Deck had always known him to possess. On his eyes were hood, and his face was drawn as the crown on his head seemed to weigh him down more and more. He sat on the aged, rarely used throne as people filed in, ignoring the hushed murmurs that seemed to rush people as they entered. Instead his eyes stayed focused on some spot ahead of him, hands folded and pressed against his lips as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair.
It seemed as if hours passed (though they hadn't) before Laureline Novak was escorted into the room, a guard on each side as they held on to her arms.
"What is the meaning of this, your....Majesty." Her tone seemed to shift even in mid-sentence, and she hesitated as she looked at the scene in front of her.
"Madame Novak," Ceiro spoke after a moment, his voice an eery mix of calm and anger. "You stand before us accused of treason against your Suit and the Deck, of attempted murder, and..." He paused then, before adding one last charge. "And the murder of your husband."
"W-what?" Laureline started to gape, before she scoffed. "Murder, your highness? I hard-"
"Silence, Madame!" Ceiro said in a booming voice. "You are guilty by your own words!" He hit the button that began the record in exquisite detail, in her own words as she admitted to her crimes. Slowly Laureline's face grew hard, as she looked to her sons, to Jordan.
"How...how could you!"
But before Jordan could answer, Ceiro stepped closer to her. "A mother who loved her children would not ask how. She would never have placed them in the position they found themselves in- pitted against the love of their mother and love of their suit. To force them to choose, to make drastic decisions in order to....protect her from herself."
She started to speak but Ceiro cut her off with an uncharacteristic lack of kindness. "I have no patience for your excuses!" He snapped, be it true anger or the poison in his system talking. "I strip you of your rank, Laureline Novak, and of your suit. You will find no solace in the arms of the Hearts, these so called 'weak people'. You are banished, least some other suit might well step forward to defend you."
And then he turned to the boys, Jordan and Hadyn who stood side by side just to the right of the thrones. Hadyn was watching his mother with an expression caught between regret and attempted apathy. Ceiro knew as well as any that he'd sacrificed to do what was right. And Jordan, despite what he'd done to help Ceiro, was stony faced...even if only on the outside. The King of Hearts suspected that was not truly the case.
"This is my last act as King." He said, standing up taller as he looked at everyone gathered one by one. "Though it breaks my heart. An ill king does no better than a dead one, and I do not seek to inflict more suffering upon the Deck." Enough people had died, had they not? Death haunted too many of them, too many of the suits. "I leave to get well- so that I might live for my wife...for my son. For those that need me."
He stepped then toward Jordan and Hadyn, continuing to speak in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "And for that, I have you both to thank. Had you never spoken, there might well have been another king to set in the ground. I cannot express you to, Jordan, how much of a service you have done my family. You have earned my love and respect." He clapped the younger man on the shoulder at that, "and you deserve the love and respect from other."
When he turned to Hadyn, the newest Nine gave him an almost skeptical look, before offering a slightly humorless, weak smile. "And you, Hadyn. You too have earned my love, my respect. My thanks. And I hope that someday you kind your way life- the way you want it."
He offered them both a hug before he turned and looked at Laureline, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If any would speak for the accused- they should speak now."
[ooc: This is Ceiro's final post. After this, he will be leaving the Deck to seek advanced medical assistance. He will, eventually, make a recovery and will return at least in an NPCly fashion. As for Laureline, this too, is her last post for some time. Assuming that no one steps up to speak for her- she will be escorted from the Deck lands without- well...anything more than she has on her back. Ceiro, of course, is not entirely cruel. She has just enough money to get her started on a life outside the Deck- but that's about it.]
And Ceiro, for once, looked the part of a King. In the few months since his illness began, he seemed to have aged. His face was drawn, lacking the customary kindness that so many of the Deck had always known him to possess. On his eyes were hood, and his face was drawn as the crown on his head seemed to weigh him down more and more. He sat on the aged, rarely used throne as people filed in, ignoring the hushed murmurs that seemed to rush people as they entered. Instead his eyes stayed focused on some spot ahead of him, hands folded and pressed against his lips as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair.
It seemed as if hours passed (though they hadn't) before Laureline Novak was escorted into the room, a guard on each side as they held on to her arms.
"What is the meaning of this, your....Majesty." Her tone seemed to shift even in mid-sentence, and she hesitated as she looked at the scene in front of her.
"Madame Novak," Ceiro spoke after a moment, his voice an eery mix of calm and anger. "You stand before us accused of treason against your Suit and the Deck, of attempted murder, and..." He paused then, before adding one last charge. "And the murder of your husband."
"W-what?" Laureline started to gape, before she scoffed. "Murder, your highness? I hard-"
"Silence, Madame!" Ceiro said in a booming voice. "You are guilty by your own words!" He hit the button that began the record in exquisite detail, in her own words as she admitted to her crimes. Slowly Laureline's face grew hard, as she looked to her sons, to Jordan.
"How...how could you!"
But before Jordan could answer, Ceiro stepped closer to her. "A mother who loved her children would not ask how. She would never have placed them in the position they found themselves in- pitted against the love of their mother and love of their suit. To force them to choose, to make drastic decisions in order to....protect her from herself."
She started to speak but Ceiro cut her off with an uncharacteristic lack of kindness. "I have no patience for your excuses!" He snapped, be it true anger or the poison in his system talking. "I strip you of your rank, Laureline Novak, and of your suit. You will find no solace in the arms of the Hearts, these so called 'weak people'. You are banished, least some other suit might well step forward to defend you."
And then he turned to the boys, Jordan and Hadyn who stood side by side just to the right of the thrones. Hadyn was watching his mother with an expression caught between regret and attempted apathy. Ceiro knew as well as any that he'd sacrificed to do what was right. And Jordan, despite what he'd done to help Ceiro, was stony faced...even if only on the outside. The King of Hearts suspected that was not truly the case.
"This is my last act as King." He said, standing up taller as he looked at everyone gathered one by one. "Though it breaks my heart. An ill king does no better than a dead one, and I do not seek to inflict more suffering upon the Deck." Enough people had died, had they not? Death haunted too many of them, too many of the suits. "I leave to get well- so that I might live for my wife...for my son. For those that need me."
He stepped then toward Jordan and Hadyn, continuing to speak in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "And for that, I have you both to thank. Had you never spoken, there might well have been another king to set in the ground. I cannot express you to, Jordan, how much of a service you have done my family. You have earned my love and respect." He clapped the younger man on the shoulder at that, "and you deserve the love and respect from other."
When he turned to Hadyn, the newest Nine gave him an almost skeptical look, before offering a slightly humorless, weak smile. "And you, Hadyn. You too have earned my love, my respect. My thanks. And I hope that someday you kind your way life- the way you want it."
He offered them both a hug before he turned and looked at Laureline, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If any would speak for the accused- they should speak now."
[ooc: This is Ceiro's final post. After this, he will be leaving the Deck to seek advanced medical assistance. He will, eventually, make a recovery and will return at least in an NPCly fashion. As for Laureline, this too, is her last post for some time. Assuming that no one steps up to speak for her- she will be escorted from the Deck lands without- well...anything more than she has on her back. Ceiro, of course, is not entirely cruel. She has just enough money to get her started on a life outside the Deck- but that's about it.]