New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Every person concerned was quickly brought in, and the meeting was ready to start.

Phoenix and Astaroth were on their thrones, acting as judges in this situation, while Coral, Alena, Rodney, Castien, Chele, and the beaten servant were kneeling before them at the foot of the dais.

"Alright, all rise," Astaroth said once everyone was there.

They all rose to their feet, looking at the king and queen.

"We asked you here this morning to deliberate on the prisoner's fate. We were given free rights to deal with him how we deemed fit, but picking a sentence is not as simple as it sounds.

"For the purposes of staying fair to the victims, we thought it was better to consult you before deciding his fate," Phoenix said, taking the matter into her hands.

Already, she could see a malicious grin stretch on Alena's and Castien's faces. Meanwhile, Chele's face remained placid, Rodney had a complicated gaze, and Coral and the other servant had uncomfortable faces.

They were twitching nervously, remembering the events from only two nights ago.

"We don't want to shake this mess up more, as we believe the people concerned have suffered enough. But we want to hear what they think would be an appropriate sentence," Astaroth added.

"I think he needs to be hanged from the tree palace's branches!" Castien exclaimed, not waiting for the monarchs to permit them to speak.

"I second that," Alena called out, smirking.

"Silence!" Phoenix snapped, slamming her fist on her throne's armrest.

"We will tell you when you can speak. Until then, you best keep your mouths shut and behave. Respect this room's proper etiquette, both of you," she growled.

Both of them clenched their teeth, but lowered their heads apologetically.

Nodding in satisfaction, Phoenix turned her gaze to the servant boy, who still exhibited cuts and bruises.

"You, young servant. What is your name?" she asked the boy, who couldn't be older than Silent Light.

"My… my name is Tobias, Your Majesty. Tobias Hawthorn."

He kept his head down, not daring to look at the queen as he spoke to her.

"Please look at me when you speak, Tobias. It is disrespectful not to look at your interlocutor when holding a conversation," Phoenix chided lightly.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Tobias almost shouted out in nervousness.

His face went red as he realized the decibel level in his voice, but he kept his ashamed eyes on the queen.

She smiled at him, paying no attention to his screaming.

"Good. Now. I know you don't want to remember that night, and I understand that. But I would like you to tell me what you think would be an appropriate punishment for what that man did to you. And Tobias. Think nothing of his status. He no longer has one."

Phoenix added the last words as a reminder that he needed not consider whose feet he stepped on. A kingdom no longer backed the diplomat.

He was now just a regular man who had assaulted him.

"I… I believe prison is only fair for what he did to me…" Tobias mumbled.

Phoenix nodded her head, acknowledging his words.

She then turned her head toward Coral.

"Coral. My dear Coral. I know you want to forget this the most. But as the gravest victim of this man's actions, your opinion is the one that weighs the most here this morning. What do you think he deserves for his actions towards you?"

Coral fumbled her hands together, looking at her feet, tears already accumulating at the corner of her eyes. Images of her being raped flashed through her mind.

"Coral. Please look at me," Phoenix gently asked.

The maid lifted her chin, her tear-filled eyes locking on the queen.

"I know this must feel terrible for you, and I am sorry we need to remind you of such a painful and horrifying memory. But I believe your opinion matters. Can you share it with us?"

Castien looked at his fiancé, and her pain hurt him. The Coral he had known, the one he fell in love with and proposed to, was nowhere to be seen.

"Your Majesty," he spoke up, trying to relieve the pressure from Coral.

But a little girl appearing before his eyes, floating a foot and a half above the ground, who grabbed his jaw and shut it for him, interrupted him.

This was Luna, acting on Astaroth's orders.

"Castien, do you not know the meaning of silence?" Astaroth asked, looking at him with anger.

Castien didn't even know how to react.

Alena opened her mouth to speak up but received a death glare from Luna, and shivers ran down her spine.

"Papa said quiet. You be quiet," Luna said in her cute but heavily mana-laced voice.

"If either of you opens their mouth out of turn, you will eat soup for the foreseeable future. I don't want to have to warn you again."

Alena nodded, clenching her jaw shut. She was angry at the king for the threat, but, ultimately; he was the authority in the room and had already ordered them to stay quiet.

Or, at least, Phoenix, the queen, had.

Castien couldn't nod, as the pressure from Luna's hand clamping down on his jaw was too powerful. But from the look he gave Astaroth, he had understood.

With a simple mental command, Luna disappeared inside him, and he nodded to Phoenix.

Coral was white as chalk at the situation.

She felt like the room would blow up at any moment as it waited for her to talk.

Coral could hear her heartbeat inside her head. The room was spinning as the blood flow accelerated inside her, making her dizzy.

Phoenix rose from her throne, walking down the dais as Coral started hyperventilating.

The maid couldn't see what was happening around her already, as the room was spinning too fast, her legs shaking under her.

When she felt arms hug her frail body, she almost jumped in fright. Her sight filled with red hair, which smelled of lavender and vanilla, as the queen hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, Coral. No one is going to hurt you. You are amongst friends and family. You are safe. Breathe in, breathe out."

Coral started breathing in and exhaling loudly as her heart slowed and her breathing stabilized. But the emotions inside her exploded, her tears flowing out uncontrollably.

She sobbed in Phoenix's arms as the red-haired woman rocked her sideways, trying to comfort her.

Alena's hardass facade broke down as she saw her daughter-in-law in shambles. She joined in the hug, awkwardly at first, until she realized Phoenix had started holding her as well.

"It's ok to cry. You are allowed to cry. You are allowed to feel weak. It is my duty to be strong for you. And I will complete my duty. However, I want to know what that duty entails. But take your time. Cry. Cry and empty out the fear from your mind. It's ok," Phoenix ushered in her ear.

And so she did.