To Love, Once Again

Chapter 68

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

Several knights heave their shoulders against the heavy oak door. The doors were tightly shut, making them have to open it by force. When it finally it opens, wood creaking in protest against the repeated abuse, the knights quickly go on the move. Tramping in with swords at the ready for any resistance. There wasn't any. Soon afterwards, from inside the brightly lit mansions in the capital, the sounds of women crying and men yelling and protest ring out.

"Darling! Darling!"

A inebriated nobleman, blood trickling out of his nose, gets dragged out of his home as the whores that had been entertaining him scream out in fear. The whores with heavy makeup cry out but don't follow the knights out the door, trying to see what was going on.

"I've done no wrong!" The man cries out, though his eyes were not focused and his words were slurred.

"Kneel!" Heavy armored hands push down as arms lash out in a drunken struggle.

Unfurling the scroll that contains his orders with a thwapping sound, the head knight of his group in charge of this noble's house pronounces King Lucien's decree.

"In the name of the King, King Lucien Alexandros Thedea of Thornmere, you are arrested for suspected crimes of embezzlement and treason against the Crown."

Grim-faced servants stream out of the mansion, observing their masters being escorted out of their homes by force. They stand as silent observers, not interfering with the knights at all. There was no loyalty there. The servants had known what was coming. Had hoped for it even, to be freed from the tyranny of their masters. It wasn't an easy life to serve, yet they'd done it to put food on their family's table.

Similar scenes like this were happening all over the capital. Many noblemen, young and old, were brought out in the midst of whatever vice they indulged in at night. More often than not, they were in various states of undress and inebriation. Most seemed to have been celebrating late into the night, not yet understanding the depth of the troubles that they'd brought upon themselves.

Their women and children were allowed to stay in their homes for now, but the Head of each household was dragged out, their suspected crimes read to them, and taken away.

Those were the fools, the ones that continued to live their lavish lifestyles thinking that their King was still the uncaring, battle hungry monster that he'd been.

After all, Lucien had done his best to keep the news of Sera's return from leaking out of the castle. Security in the castle was tight. Though not as tight as he preferred.

The nature of the nobles themselves had worked for him this night, in combination with the element of surprise. Nobles were a selfish breed. They looked out only for themselves, so the ones who knew of Sera's return wouldn't be willing to share the information so easily.

Only those with 'special connections', spies in the castle, would be able to know that she was back, and he knew they'd been watching and waiting to see his reaction.

How they must have sighed with relief to see him treating her like a servant. Yet now the farce was over. The moment he'd had the 2 noblewomen who had hurt his Sera arrested, someone was bound to find out.

Lucien wanted to punch himself for believing that they would give him some time to prepare for their counterattack. He hadn't expected them to move so quickly, trying to assassinate him the very night he'd declared Sera as his Queen once again.