The Queen took her seat in the courtroom. From where she sat she could see everyone and everyone could see her but she was higher up so that no prisoners who tried to run could get to her. The rest of the courtroom stood at her arrival and with a wave of her hand they sat back down.

“Bring in the accused!” Her voice boomed through the large room, echoing off the stone walls.

The Queen watched with delight as two guards dragged a struggling prisoner into the room and towards where the Queen and the rest of her court were seated.

“Now I have important business to attend to,” said The Queen, “so, let’s get this over with quickly.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” said the court clerk, standing and unrolling a scroll with a list of crimes.

Everyone in the courtroom seemed to sit a little straighter in anticipation of the list of crimes that were about to be read.

“Arden Fernsby.” The court clerk turned to the prisoner. “You are being put on trial for your many crimes against this kingdom and Her Majesty, Queen Aurelia. You have been accused of the assassination of King Chester, the attempted assassination of Queen Aurelia and Prince Oliver, conspiring with enemy kingdoms…”

The list went on. Arden Fernsby was clearly a traitor and The Queen had much better things to do than sit here and listen to his crimes but here she was. Listening to crimes she new all too well when she would rather just swing the axe and be done.

When the clerk had finished his list, The Queen stood and said to the prisoner, “How do you plead? Guilty or innocent?”

The prisoner stared defiantly at The Queen. “Guilty,” they said and a few gasps were heard. “Of trying to save this kingdom from its corrupt monarchy!”

The doors to the courtroom swung open and five men walked in carrying swords and flaming torches. A smile crept across Arden Fernsby’s face as one of the men threw his torch at the Queen. She dived out of the way, narrowly avoiding the flames, but hit her head and was knocked out cold.

When The Queen came to she was outside, and the courtroom up in flames.

“Your Majesty!” a guard cried upon seeing her awake.

“What happened?” she asked. “Where is the prisoner?”

“He got away.” The guard looked down. “What would you like us to do?”

The Queen thought for a moment. Not long ago she would have been happy to let her soldiers handle this but now? Now, she wanted to be the one who swung the axe or tied the noose.

“Hunt down the traitor, and bring them back to me alive.”