The next day, the council reconvened, and I laid out my plan. "I will leave a legacy that ensures tyrants do not get a firm foothold on the throne," I said. "There will be a new council established, one comprised of good men and women regardless of their social status! Too many good minds are being wasted because of the ridiculous class privilege that persists to this day."
Schelmer and Therey looked pale, while the rest of the council looked more or less resigned. "You are all retired as of today," I said firmly. "I have a list of instructions to deal with each and every one of you, and you will all be rewarded for your years of loyal service."
Gerard summoned the guards, and as each noble was clapped in irons, their faces showed dawning horror as they all to a man realised the trouble they were in. "We have worked only for the good of the kingdom!" Schelmer screamed. "How can you repay us like this?"
"Because I know it's all been to line your own fat pockets!" I snapped. "Take him away; a diet of bread and water ought to teach him a lesson in humility, and at the very least, small rations should give him an idea of what it's like to be a serf on his land."
The rest of the former councilors shut up and let themselves be led away, though Schelmer continued to scream insults until well after the doors had shut, and Gerard turned to me, shaken. "I had no idea," he said, shocked.
I sighed. "I had to keep you in the dark," I said regretfully. "I didn't want to risk you falling into the wrong hands and being tortured for information that could have ruined today's proceedings."165Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TUEsjjsGr
"No fear of that," Gerard assured me, though he still looked poleaxed. "I can't blame you, though. That was a move no one could have predicted, but it could have gone wrong so many ways if it had gotten out. What's next?"
That at least, I could tell him. "We get confessions out of them," I said. "The Sisters of the Whip are very good at what they do, and even the most strongest-willed man wil break under their ministrations."
"Not torture?" Gerard exclaimed, horrified.
"I did away with that practice a long time ago," I assured him. "The Sisters of the Whip use a different method; they get inside their patient's minds and let them experience what it's like to suffer under a cruel master. It's not torture, my friend; it's justice, and it's only fitting my former councillors get to see what life was like while they were in charge of their estates. If that doesn't make them break, well, I have other means to extract a confession."
Gerard looked even more horrified. "You wouldn't dare use the Throne of the Elders for such a purpose!"
"I would, and I will, if I have to," I said firmly. "My friend, the high elves left us this throne for a reason. It's not just to test the mettle of every mortal who sat it; it was also used to judge criminals, and win confessions from even the most stubborn man or woman. Thousands of years' worth of ancient lore should be enough to make even Schelmer rethink his position, and if he ends up a gibbering idiot from the experience, it serves the silly bugger right, and that, my friend, is justice."
"I suppose I can't argue with that," Gerard agreed, still looking faintly sick.
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As I'd guessed, Schelmer refused to spill the beans on all the plots he had going behind my back. The other councillors had broken down and confessed all after a few sessions with the sisters, but Schelmer remained as tight-lipped as a clam.
So I had his fat arse plonked on the Throne of the Elders. As expected, he went pale, then green, and proceeded to be sick all over the carpet. He was bundled back to his cell with two physicians in attedance, and they worked with him for two nights and three days. On the morning of the third day, they came to me and regretfully informed me he'd passed away during the night. I was miffed he'd escaped justice, but reassured myself that he was now facing another justice which would not allow him to sidestep his sins.
As for his plots, I had his highest-placed lackeys brought in for questioning, and they revealed all their master had planned in his quest to overthrow me. His palatial residences were ransacked on crown orders, and each serf and servant was brought in to be questioned. The serfs had no idea, and once a sister had confirmed their innocence, they were placed under crown service until such time as they could be freed. Some of the lesser placed servants were also released to crown custody, but the higher placed servants were jailed once it became clear they'd known something of their former master's affairs.
It took a good few weeks to untangle the web, by which time Fiona had returned with Prince Fionn, and once I was assured nothing would interfere, I went ahead and declared there was to be a wedding at midsummer. Fiona threw herself into planning, and I was relieved the sordid affair with my former council had been closed so well.
But as I went over the last bits of housekeeping with Gerard and Count Volger, I felt that everything had been wrapped up a bit too neatly. I usually dismissed such wanderings, however, and Gerard gently suggested it might be time for me to retire, now that it seemed the special liquid that had preserved me for so long was starting to fail. I didn't want to admit it, but I knew deep down he was right. The special substance which had kept me alive for so long only had a shelf-life of one hundred years, and I'd managed to outast it by three and a bit. It was small wonder I felt like I was finally starting to go a bit loopy in my old age, but Gerard promised to find a way to ensure the liquid would last longer, thus granting each vatted ruler a longer lifespan, enabling them to rule as long as they wished before they retired of their own free will. 165Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe590MpetAJ
I did hope that all the loose ends had been tied up, though. There was no sense retiring and then finding out something had escaped to come back and bite us on the arse.
But that would be Fiona's matter to deal with. And she had a new council to help her navigate any minefields left over. Clarissa's safety was well assured; Fionn was fiercely devoted to her, and would go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. Gerard still had some years left in him, and I had the feeling Fiona would likely unbend and finally admit she loved him just as much as he loved her, with another royal wedding to follow in the wake of that confession. And Fiona, like her daughter, would be in good hands.
In all, things had, in my opinion, settled themselves well. The threat to future vatted rulers was removed, and I had a good, wise, and capable daughter and future son-in-law to succeed me.
It was all a brain in a vat could ask.
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END.
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