would work for him in this instance. His mere appearance should instill fear in those responsible for this tragedy.
After he finished dressing, he began his march to the council chambers. As he made his way to the hall, he saw a flurry of activity around his destination. He immediately knew that they were making preparations for the meeting and were beefing up security as best they could. The security would be enough for today, but the official meeting would be something else entirely. He knew that he would be able to manipulate the situation to his advantage as he always had before. He would prove to himself all over again that he was the consummate master of persuasion. He would not have to raise his hand at all to get what he wanted in this case.
He had reached the back door to the chamber hall before he knew it. He had been so consumed in his own thoughts that he did not realize how much time and distance had passed. He set his jaw and renewed his resolve to do what was needed as he entered the council room. He saw the worried looks on the faces of the council members as he entered the hall. He walked resolutely toward his wife's throne and sat in the chair to make a point to the people at the round table. This gesture answered their fears about their queen and at the same time infuriated them. How could this man sit on the throne as if it were his right to do so?
The council members began to whisper to one another about what was really going on. They were all thinking that Yukio had killed their queen so that he would be king. General Yukio looked at each member in the council and was wondering when they would realize that someone else was missing from their group. It appeared that everyone was concerned about Queen Kira's absence and not their beloved chairman. He believed this fixation on the queen was further evidence of their treachery in this matter. This helped to stiffen his resolve to stick to his plan.
'Where is the queen, General Yukio?' asked one of the members of the council boldly.
The general stood slowly from his seat and set a bag on the table in front of him. There were more whisperings among the group at the sight of this mysterious parcel. Yukio's face fell slightly as he worked up the courage to relate the events of the previous day. He did not think it would be this hard, but the death of his wife and good friend had left him scarred. He knew then that he would never be the same again. He knew that his actions would lead to a war if he was not careful in his dealings with the council this day. If he did not give way his intentions or his real beliefs on the matter, then he would be able to crush them all in one swift stroke. If he was unable to control himself and give something away, there would be no avoiding an all-out war. Either way, he would have his revenge.
'Dear council members, I have called you here to give you ill news,' Yukio said heavily. 'It appears that an assassination attempt on my wife's life was successful yesterday.'
There were shouts of anger and dismay when he made this declaration. People stood up and waved their fingers threateningly at General Yukio. It was clear they believed that he murdered his own wife in order to take over the kingdom. He had expected this reaction and knew that he had to get his evidence out before they stoned him. He raised his hands in an effort to calm them down and also to have them sit down. That did not work at all.
'Sit down!' he bellowed loudly. His eyes were gleaming red with anger. He would not allow this situation to get out of control.
'You murdered our queen!' yelled one member indignantly.
'She was my wife, you fool! I loved her more than life itself! Why would I kill her?' he blasted back angrily.
'You thought by killing her that you would be our king. You have committed high treason and should be put to death immediately,' continued that same member.
'What you are doing now, dear friend, is treason. I am the only one who can tell you the truth about yesterday's events. Mistress Kana has revealed the whole truth to me of the tragic events, so sit down and shut your mouth! If I have to ask you again, you will never utter another word!' Yukio threatened the belligerent councilman.
The obstinate council member sat down with a look of pure loathing on his face. He did not want to take his seat, but he valued his life very much and knew that the general was capable of horrible deeds. He thought it wise to appease this traitor and hear what lies he had to share. He nodded slightly to the rest of the council members to take their seats and to listen to what Yukio had to say.
'Now that I have your undivided attention, let me tell you what happened. I want the truth to be known because once you hear what I have to say, you will not be so quick to point your fingers in my direction,' he said smoothly as he regained control of the meeting.
'Please continue, General,' said the council member closest to him.
'Thank you. Yesterday there were rumblings coming from Mount Quang that continued far too long to be an earthquake. The instant I sensed the tremors, I knew that something was wrong. In the very center of our mountain lies a cavern that was established as an escape root for the queen. I knew of this secret and shared it with General Marek. He then passed the information along to my wife. They knew that if an assassin was sighted that they would have to flee at once to the hiding place. It appears that there was an attempt on her life in her bedchamber. Thankfully the trap door to this cavern was hidden in the room, so General Marek and Queen Kira were able to make it into the door before either of them were assaulted,' Yukio explained carefully. He was using his psychic power to convince the members of the truth of what he was saying. He was forcing the image of what he was describing into their minds, though some were having measured success in keeping him out.
'Unfortunately, Bronwen Merindiel also followed them into the passageway somehow. He inadvertently allowed the assassin to follow him through the trap door. Once in the chamber, the traitor slew the chairman and your general before turning on the queen. She defended herself valiantly, but the killer used magic far more powerful than her own. She could not fend off the attack and died in the battle. By the time I reached the cavern, the murderer had fled, leaving no evidence of who they were. He had also set a trap for anyone who came into the cavern, which I unwittingly walked right into. I was able to retrieve the queen's crown, Bronwen's badge, and General Marek's sword before the ceiling collapsed entirely,' he said sadly. He had opened the package he had brought with him to display the articles he had just described. He allowed the council members to examine the evidence he had brought to convince them of his story. The sword was not really Marek's, but Yukio made it appear to be so in the council members' minds. Those who were mentally blocking the general were uneducated in weaponry, so they could not tell the difference.
'After seeing this grisly scene, I passed out and did not wake until this morning. I went to my troops at the outer wall first to give them this horrific news and to instill in them the importance of being ready for an impending assault from whomever the assassin worked for. I then came here to report to you. However, I would like to continue to investigate what went on and then present my final findings to you in a week's time,' he stated flatly.
Silence fell over the council. His report was not what they were expecting at all. Their initial beliefs did not fit what he had told them. There would be no reason for Yukio to kill his good friends, Bronwen and Marek. They believed what he had told them about the events he described to them in detail. They would support him in his request to continue to investigate the murders.
'General, I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we are deeply sorry for your losses. We know how much you loved our queen and that you were very close to both Marek and Bronwen. We will do what is needed to find the killer responsible for these heinous crimes. We will need to send a message to Queen Kishi right away,' said the council member on his right.
'It brings me comfort to hear you say that. Please, do not delay in sending a message to Kira's sister. We need to prepare for three funerals for three fallen heroes. I will be in the castle where this all began if I am needed,' he said quietly. I cannot believe the fools are so easily manipulated.
'Do not worry about the arrangements or the messages that will need to be delivered. Use your unique abilities to unravel the mystery behind these cruel acts. We will convene officially one week from today at high noon,' the council member to his right said.
The council members stood up and left the hall at once. They needed to work on the arrangements for the funerals, sending messages to Queen Kishi and King Ciel, and notifying the home guard about the tragic events. They would need to be better prepared for follow-up attacks. This preparation would be the undoing of General Yukio's secret plans. Yukio thought that he had convinced all of the council, but he was gravely mistaken in his assumption. This too would end up costing him dearly in the end.
