Maybe some would say that a powerful commander would be stupid and unwise to do so. But to the common people, tormented by internal and external wars, it was a sign. A sign that there were still people in power who hadn’t forgotten about the mandates of their ancestors, for whom honor and nobility weren’t empty words and outdated concepts. And yet, they averted their eyes.
“Today, we’ll finally get rid of the last parasite on the body of our glorious homeland! This small beetle, devouring us from the inside, took the form of a hero! Using deception and betrayal, he led Moon Leen’s army! He sent many of our warriors to their deaths! Ruined thousands of people! Made a vile, corrupt agreement with our enemy — Balium! He did all of that to get here and have the opportunity to stab me, your King, in the back! He didn’t shy away from anything! He used my son! He tried to take my daughter by force during their hunt!”
Elaine recoiled from her father at that moment, but then her face assumed the same impartial mask once again. Hadjar saw a small amulet glowing with a dim light in the Governor’s hands. The General realized what was happening. Enraged, Hadjar almost broke the post. If he hadn’t been wearing the collar, his strength would’ve been enough to break it. The noise and struggle made quite an impression on the crowd. They didn’t see it as Hadjar wanting to kill the King and Governor, they saw it as their General refusing to surrender...
“For these heinous crimes, I sentence the false Prince, Hadjar Duran, to death by burning. May the forefathers meet him, see that he was burned alive, marked by his dishonorable actions, then spit in his face and not allow him to enter their house!”
The executioner, averting his eyes, lit the torch with the flint and stepped toward Hadjar. At that moment, somebody in the crowd shouted: “His last words! According to the laws of our ancestors, the condemned has a right to that!”
The executioner froze. The torch never touched the brushwood.
“Last words!” other people cried.
“Last words!” sounded from the other side.
A minute later, the whole crowd was chanting the phrase “Last words!”
For about half a minute, millions of people chanted their demand until the King waved his hand. Apparently, even Primus, who was confident in the outcome of today’s events, was interested in what the Prince had to say.
The crowd fell silent. The guards of Lidus mixed with the crowd. They stood next to their countrymen. Having removed their helmets and lowered their shields and spears, they looked toward the platform. Only a few hundred legionaries still held swords aimed at the gathered crowd.
“You know,” Hadjar’s voice didn’t sound like thunder, but it was quite audible. “I’m looking at all of you and it makes me sad... It’s a shame that I was born in this country and that I was destined to call you my countrymen until the end of my days!”
No one had expected such harsh words from the General. In the absolute silence that followed, the Governor’s and King’s laughter filled the air.
“And you say this man is your hero?” The King shouted gleefully.
“I’m not done talking!” Hadjar roared. Despite the fact that his strength was being suppressed, there was still so much power in his cry that the world was once again plunged into silence. “Where were you, my countrymen, when my father was killed? When that kinslayer ripped the still-beating heart out of my mother’s chest?”
Elaine jerked and her face twitched for a moment, but then the amulet in the Governor’s hands began shining more brightly. There was so much rage in Hadjar that it could set fire to the brushwood.
“Where were you when your fathers, brothers, sisters, wives were all taken to the mine? Where were you when my warriors bled on the Blue Wind ridge? Where were you when Moon Leen gave her life for you? Where were you when your countrymen died in the Black Mountains of Balium? Where are you now, when injustice is happening once again, right before your eyes?”
Primus, who understood what Hadjar was doing, squeezed the balcony’s parapet so hard his knuckles turned white.
“Executioner, begin the-”
“Shut up, traitor!” Hadjar snapped. “My speech isn’t over yet! You, the people that my father, his father, and his father’s father shed blood for, what are you doing now? Just standing around? Watching events unfold? Averting your gaze? Why aren’t you looking me in the eye? Are you afraid of seeing your own reflection there? Look at me! Look!”
One by one, the people looked away from their own feet. They looked up, into the clear, blue eyes filled with rage and determination. They saw their own reflection in them. They were a bunch of frightened, indecisive sheep.
“Who stands in your way? Two hundred foreigners at most. They trample our lands, tear down our flags. They kill our own. They rape our country ruthlessly, taking whatever they want. And what are you doing about it, my people? Nothing.”
Silence reigned. Primus smiled, realizing that nothing would happen. The people of Lidus weren’t united and weren’t courageous. What would they do in the face of imminent death delivered by the legionnaires’ blades? Nothing.
“Do you really think that I traveled all this way just to get closer to Primus?” Hadjar turned his head toward the King and smiled. It was a wide, cunning, and bloodthirsty expression. Nero shuddered at that smile. He knew that
