Chapter 3: The Cold King

"Please don't kill me! I've done nothing wrong!"

The man pleaded as he was kneeling on the ground with his hands chained and his dirty clothes torn off. He was about to beheaded on the underground dungeon of the castle.

"The court has already proven you guilty. The king wants your head immediately," Kael replied as he was standing in front of the man. The knight beside him gave a long and sharp sword to him.

"How did I end up to this? It was that noble who drugged and tortured my family to death! Where is justice in that?! He should be the one to be punished, not me!" the man cried out as tears fell from his bloodshot eyes.

This is how life runs here in the capital, you fool. When you have no money and power, you can't touch the high class men. Kael thought as he raised his long sword.

"I'm just following orders. You should have let this matter go if you valued your life,"

"I'd rather die-"

The blade of Kael's sword stopped the man from speaking as it sliced through his neck. The head fell to the ground followed by his body. Blood spurted out and flowed to the stone ground.

Kael gave back the sword to the knight beside him. "Clean this mess," he ordered.

The two knights nodded and took care of the dead body while the other three knights followed Kael.

"Was that the last one?" Kael asked the knights following him as they walked. One of them nodded in response.

The dungeon had this smell of dust combined with thick air. It was an underground prison. The stone walls have torches placed that were needed to illuminate the dark path.

"Divine Knight Kael, the king demands for your presence," a squire came to him as he walked out of the dungeon.

Kael just nodded without taking a glance. The king has very less patience so he had to hurry up. He wiped the small tracks of blood on his golden armor using a cloth before walking. His purple cape was flying out with the cold wind in his back as he went directly outside.

He looked at the gloomy sky as he passed the high garden. Snow was falling lightly. The boring and cold scent of the winter flowers together with the depth of the silence stayed in the cold air of the castle.

He entered the dark halls with high ceiling and passed between the blue pillars on the sides. The knights stood at attention when they saw Kael walking through. Everything inside the castle was almost in complete darkness that only the light from the big windows illuminated the dusk and huge space inside. There was no life in it. Even the chandeliers and candle lights were out because of the coldness in the castle that covers them. It's what makes the castle worthy of its name, the Ice Crown Citadel.

Kael arrived in the black doors of the throne room. Both huge doors were open so he could hear the echoes of the loud voices inside. He waited outside and stood at attention while listening to what they're talking about.

"Bloody hell, Maester David! I've already mentioned about these damn taxes to the council meeting that they're supposed to pay!" Kael heard the king's mad voice.

"The merchants are already moving out of the kingdom because of such unbearable taxes, your grace. Trading has been one of the traditions of the kingdom that are essential for our kingdom's economic stability and growth,"

"I am fully aware of that crap, maester. However we are in big debt to the iron bank from rebuilding the damage of the war that we had years ago," the king replied. "We already discussed about this in the council yesterday!"

"Fo... forgive me, my king," Kael could hear the maester's old and shaky voice. "I was just reporting the situation-"

"Leave!" the king's voice flowed out like thunder that struck Kael's ears.

He saw the old-looking maester slouched while walking out through the doors. When the maester saw Kael, he just nodded as a greeting and then left.

Kael now entered the huge throne room. The floor has a depth of blue color that almost looked like frozen surface. Only the light from the big glass windows saved the room from total darkness. King Terrowin always wanted everything dark, which kind of fits his own intentions and attitude. Kael also has always been used to this gloom. Probably because there was never a change now from his past which was only filled with sorrow and tragedy.

His gaze now turned to the king who was sitting on the throne, ice crystal made. It commands attention and power. The seat was in the end of the throne room and was elevated above the blue floor that has a staircase towards it.

Kael kneeled and bowed his head. "You called, your grace?"

"Is the execution done?"

"I already beheaded those three, your grace,"

"As they should be,"

Kael sighed. He knew that the king always received money from nobles to clean up their name every time they do something horrible, which has always been happening every day in the capital. It was definitely unjustifiable. But orders are orders. A knight is loyal to the crown so he has to follow everything the king demands.

"How was the search?" King Terrowin asked in a monotone.

Kael raised his head and saw the king's usual intimidating face. He was still middle-aged that has sharp blue eyes. His hair was black as a crow and on his head the blue ice-crown was placed. 

"Still no sign, my king," Kael replied as he stood up straight. "We've got no leads in Hailborne City. But now we're still waiting for the report from the other search in Casterfall."

King Terrowin massaged his right temple as he muttered a curse.

"We also got a report earlier that another noble was assassinated in Hailborne City, your grace," Kael continued.

"That rebel guild is already getting farther every single day," the king said with a sarcastic smirk plastered on his face. "Your brother, Lucas, has been outsmarting you ever since you replaced him in his rank. You never caught a single assassin on their guild. You can't even locate their hideout. So what the hell did I appoint you as my divine knight for?"

Kael looked down to the blue floor. He knew that behind those calm tone of the king's voice was already raging with anger and disappointment.

"This will be your last chance, Kael. Find your own team and hunt down those fucking traitors to the ground,"

"I will, your grace," Kael bowed his head.