Public Trial
Cupid at Heart
Without awaiting any explanation, Hyunmi quickly stormed to the balcony, and jumped on the pegasus. Before others had a chance to stop her, the creature took flight toward the royal prison cell.
“We need to stop her. She will only worsen things when father sees her,” Dongwoo said, trying to chase after her from the balcony. He looked down to see quite a distance to the ground, and quickly regained his balance.
“Your Highness, considering you are the fiance of Princess Biah, I assume your presence at the trial will be of utmost importance,” Myungsoo told him, grabbing him by the blazer to keep him away from the railings.
“You are right. I have to give a testimony,” Dongwoo remembered, his eyes flickering with confusion. “What about my sister?”
“Do not worry about her. You have to carry your role in testifying,” Myungsoo said, swaying his arm to shoo the prince away.
Dongwoo wasn’t sure who this person was, but seeing Seulyi and Sungjong with him—two of Hyunmi’s closest friends—assured him as a trustworthy man. So he nodded lightly, and ran out of his room to resume his position.
“And now we have to stop Hyunmi?” Seulyi asked.
“We won’t stop her,” Myungsoo corrected her, smirking in amusement. His eyes fluttered to Sungjong and Sungyeol who stared back, waiting for a speech. “I will require the two of you for another task.”
Hyunmi hid herself behind a nearby wall, gaining enough access to witness other guards manhandling Hoya. The men who used to work for him pulled him from the prison cell barbarically. They laughed when Hoya lost his balance and nearly fell on the floor.
She could not stand it and was ready to regain justice. The moment she stepped away from the wall to fully reveal her presence, a pair of arms had wrapped itself around her waist and in front of , pulling her without a sound.
“Ssh, do not be foolish.”
Hyunmi’s eyes sprang open, realizing Seulyi had muted her for a moment. Myungsoo squatted on his feet as he stayed on the lookout, watching Hoya get taken away.
“Your Highness, showing yourself in this situation will only arise more problems. You could obtain the same punishment as Hoya,” Myungsoo spoke, scoffing at her instead of showing a sympathetic frown.
As much as she hated to admit it, Myungsoo spoke the truth. “What do you suppose I do now?”
Myungsoo’s lips lifted into a sinister grin, up to no good. His eyes darted to Apate’s Mask in her hand. “You shall do what Woohyun wants you to do.”
They suddenly understood the reason for the kingdom’s eerie silence; everyone had gathered to watch the public trial take place. The peaceful kingdom beckoned for a dramatic twist. They craved for drama and any thrill to put their peaceful life on hold. Every citizen circled in the courtroom, sitting on either sides of a long hallway. Hoya was taken to sit in a lonesome chair at the center, his wrist tied to its armrest. The poor knight looked distressed as people from all sides yelled at him.
The king, prince, and two older princesses sat on the podium opposite of the accused, taking the empty spots next to the judge’s chair.
The large entrance opened, and everyone fell silent at once. The judge walked up to the highest chair provided, nearly stumbling against the long cloak that extended beyond the wearer’s height. The white wig curling in symmetrical layers seemed a little too big, nearly swallowing the judge’s head. But true absurdity was found in the golden mask showing such a sorrowful expression, most appropriate for this somber atmosphere.
The trumpet blew an alarming tone as Kihyun officially marked the start of the trial. “Judge Changkyun has arrived. Let the trial of Sir Hoya begin.”
The judge sat down, and everyone followed. This was the only place where another person bore more authority than a king. Every word spoken would become law, and even the innocent could be declared corrupted. It was a powerful role wanted by many, but not to the princess who had attained it against her will.
Hyunmi had never been fond of court trials. She could not stand watching innocent people get punished, neither could she abstain Judge Changkyun from his position—today Myungsoo and Seulyi made it possible to overthrow him.
“Sir Hoya has served the royal family since birth, and both his parents are loyal servants to the palace,” Hyunmi began speaking, as mighty as she could. Her eyes widened in surprise behind her mask when she realized a change taking place. Perhaps it were her anxieties, perhaps it was Apate’s Mask, but her voice twisted into one almost similar to that of Judge Changkyun, along with his confidence and authority.
“Today he is accused of a treason by courting Prince Dongwoo’s fiancee, the Princess of Diamond.”
The audience let out dramatic gasps.
Hyunmi did not know what she was uttering. At one point, the judge persona took over, limiting her conscience to the voice in her mind. She wanted to defend Hoya, so why did she make these claims to deepen his mistakes?
She took a moment to open the parchment Changkyun had carried earlier and quickly scanned the words. “Sir Hoya is no longer titled the Knight of Heart, but by committing this sin, he shall now be known as the Knave of Heart, for you are a dishonest and unscrupulous man.”
The people cheered, their gauge for excitement being fulfilled. Even the king nodded slightly, lacking conviction. One could tell he was fighting his moral obligations against his merciful heart. He knew Sir Hoya wasn’t a villain.
Hyunmi did not know what overcame her again when she got up from the judge’s seat, tilted the side of her black cloak which nearly revealed her long red dress underneath, and carefully descended the steps. She headed to the center of the courtroom, standing in front of Hoya. The look in his eyes were defensive, trying to challenge anyone who looked down on him. There was no sense of guilt, because he believed his love for Princess Biah was a cause worth fighting for.
From her peripheral vision, Hyunmi noted Seulyi and Myungsoo had taken their place in the audience seat. They were holding hands. The image of a loving couple reminded her of her own feelings for cupid. She knew how to end the trial.
“What is the true crime he has committed?” Hyunmi suddenly asked, turning to the audience to gain their attention. They were rendered speechless when put in the spotlight, so she continued. “It isn’t the pursuit of an unlawful relationship that turns him into a criminal, but rather, his act to acclaim the freedom of choice.”
The king frowned, looking at the judge with hard lines forming on his forehead. The people began to talk and whisper among one another, and he disliked this skepticism.
“You see, Prince Dongwoo and Princess Biah were engaged under no fundamentals of romantic emotions or affectionate feelings. It was an arrangement that would bring merit to both kingdoms,” Hyunmi spoke. Despite the confidence in her voice, her heart continued trembling in panic and fear. She was certain the Apate’s Mask and Athena’s wisdom brooch provided her the much needed strength.
“With Sir Hoya, Princess Biah found the love and affection she sought for. It is a feeling as natural and beautiful as the roses blooming every spring. It happens without the need of any explanations.”
The murderous look on Hoya’s face faded into the curiosity of a child. His gaze pierced through her mask, but he couldn’t recognize her by visuals alone. However, those words, they were oddly familiar to the kind of speech someone had spoken before. The princess.
“So I would like to question the fair citizens of Heart,” Hyunmi spoke, her voice louder and more challenging than before, “If you are able to sacrifice the person you love to marry a stranger for political merits, please raise from your seat.”
The king looked around the courtroom, seeing everyone seated in place. He had mixed emotions swirling through him when he slapped his hand against the desk. “This is ridiculous! No one would dare to be at the center of spotlight. The question itself is unjustified to begin with.”
“Very well, I shall rephrase it,” Hyunmi accepted her father’s challenge. She smirked behind her mask, feeling a magical sense of confidence rising in her.
“If you are willing to defy rules in order to pursue and protect a relationship with a loved one, I cordially invite you to raise from your seat.”
As the king had predicted, no one dared to move. People enjoyed drama, but refused a greater involvement. They’d rather become a shadow. The king would have gotten his victory, if one person had not raised from her seat.
Seulyi courageously made a stand in front of the entire kingdom. Her lips were pressed together, and her eyes glistened with tears. She wasn’t sad, but rather proud at herself for showing such courage in favor of love. She was only a mere servant, but today she would partake in a revolution.
Next to her, Myungsoo raised from his seat as well, casually slipping his hand around her fingers again. She wasn’t alone.
Slowly, more and more people began to follow them, proudly making a stand. It was as if a dark room was lit by a thousand small candles—the minority made up the majority when united together. Soon, the entire courthouse were at standing ovation, mentally applauding each other.
Hyunmi smiled behind her golden mask. She turned to her family who stared at her with different emotions. “If you consider the freedom of choice a sin, you shall have to punish your entire kingdom, Your Majesty. By choosing to stand for what we believe in, we have also trespassed the law.”
“That is a selfish argument you are making. The one who holds true deciding power over this case is the prince,” the king rang back, countering the argument with ease. He turned to his son with veins visibly decorating his skin. “Tell them, Prince Dongwoo, will you declare Sir Hoya guilty or innocent?”
Dongwoo always took on roles behind the scenes, living by the rules of obedience to prevent chaos. When presented with a choice, his default response was to obey his father. The king stared at him, and it pressured him to follow along.
“I—”
The entrance door opened loudly, interrupting the truthful moment. They watched a figure dart by with graceful yet clumsy movements—the flowing pink garments chased after her, halting when she dropped on her knees in front of Hoya. It was Princess Biah.
“Why have you come here, princess?” Hoya asked, widening his eyes in shock. He ignored everyone’s whispering, staring at the love of his life in front. Her eyes were swollen from her tearful nights, but he thought she was beautiful.
“I now know the reason behind your late replies, but I never expected them to treat you with such brutality,” Biah spoke, crying incoherently as she buried her face against his lap.
“Princess, you musn’t do this in front of the people. You can’t get punished for my mistake,” Hoya said worriedly. He wished to hug her, but his hands were tightly bound. The inability to do something frustrated him.
“I no longer care about my status as a princess. I shall not live to see you be treated in this manner,” Biah said. She let her cries dry out and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her pink dress. She got up from her knees, and stared at the entire courtroom. This was an obstacle she had to overcome.
“If you wish to charge him guilty, you shall have to punish me too. I am at fault for loving a man other than the prince. I apologize to the Kingdom of Heart for disappointing you.”
It was the most courage Hyunmi had ever seen from the princess. She willingly placed her own life on the line to save Hoya. How admirable.
“Prince Dongwoo,” Hyunmi called out to her brother, observing the look of hesitance on his face. “If you insist on the marriage, you’d be playing the antagonist to a couple. I do not wish for you to be like that.”
Those words were strangely familiar as Dongwoo’s eyes sprung up in realization. How could he not have realized sooner? The identity of the judge who tried to regain justice was none other than his sister.
“I hereby declare that Sir Hoya is…” He watched the silence take over. People held in their breath, giving their utmost attention to him, awaiting for the best. As a brother, as a son, and as the future ruler of a kingdom, he had to stand firm and make a decision.
“Innocent.”
A jubilant cheer erupted throughout the courtroom. Despite a human being’s natural tendency to chase after conflict, their conscience desired a happy ending. Seeing the forbidden lovers reunited brought a sense of relief in their heart.
“What?” It was the king who got outraged, bonking his hands against the table once again. He turned to Dongwoo, grabbing his son by the collar of his royal robe. “Have you no shame over your actions? That is the woman you shall marry, and you foolishly let her run into another man’s arms.”
Dongwoo waited for the king to release him before he calmly spoke. “Father, forgive me for being an undutiful son. I have made up my mind not to marry someone I have no feelings for. I do not wish to obstruct a lover’s path.”
The king was so stupefied he fell back in his own chair. “You must be possessed by evil spirits to utter such bogus!”
“No, father. My eyes have been opened and my perspective are straightened. A relationship with the absence of love is a call for disaster. It is for this reason that Hyunmi and Prince Sunggyu cancelled their engagement.”
The king had no words left to say, forced to remain in his royal throne despite having no authority of the situation.
Dongwoo politely bowed down, an act of respect and a plea for mercy. He stepped down from the podium and quickly rejoined the others who were celebrating. Seeing the familiar faces, he was absolutely certain his sister was involved.
“Princess Biah, Sir Hoya,” he called out to the hugging lovebirds. He waited for them to fix their attention to him, and smiled sincerely. “I apologize for my foolishness. I should’ve called off the engagement as soon as I knew of your relationship.”
Biah bowed her head to him, the earlier courage disappearing. “I am the one who should be apologizing. You were merely a victim in this situation. I thank you for bestowing mercy upon us.”
“Prince Dongwoo, I cannot offer enough gratitude to you,” Hoya spoke, bowing down.
Dongwoo grinned, placing his arm around the judge who still hadn’t taken off the golden mask. “If you’d like to thank someone, you should thank my sister.”
Myungsoo, Seulyi, and Hyunmi all flinched, surprised at the failed disguised. Would anyone else have noticed, or was it due to the special bond the two siblings shared?
“Oh, is that you Princess Hyun—”
Hyunmi quickly placed her finger in front of Biah’s mouth, stopping her from exposing her identity. She was currently no different from a wanted criminal in Heart. Even Sungjong and Sungyeol who rejoined after alerting Princess Biah knew when to keep quiet.
“Princess Biah, I hope you remember our part of the deal,” Hyunmi said, keeping her speech limited and quick.
“Certainly,” Biah said, lacing her fingers around her lover. “As soon as I return to Diamond, I shall prepare the caduceus for you.”
Hyunmi nodded in agreement. Then she turned to her brother, softly grabbing him by his arm. “I am very proud of you, brother. If I had to be reborn in another lifetime, I would be honored to be your little sister again.”
He chuckled. “Do not speak such nonsense when we still have many days ahead of us. We have a bright future ahead.”
The two siblings shared a small embrace which went unnoticed by the crowd of people exiting the courtroom. Once they released each other, Hyunmi blended in with the crowd and disappeared from his sight. Dongwoo patiently waited for his sister’s return.
Obviously I know nothing about courts and trials, but this seemed appropriate enough.
Back to the Alice in Wonderland prompt, this is how the knave of Heart came to be XD
Thank you for the comments you lovely people <3
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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