Flashback

One day, Azonia secretly entered Moldovar's room. Moldovar was there, organizing papers in preparation for the Moonatoria.

"Azonia? What are you doing here?" Moldovar crumpled the corner of a paper when he saw her. His mouth was slightly agape. Azonia slowly approached him, observing what he was doing.

"Moldovar, you know why Moonatoria still has no heir... it's because of the King's inability!" A shadow almost covered her face, and she wouldn't look at Moldovar directly, as if the light itself betrayed her words.

"And what's your plan? Are you going to seduce me?" Moldovar looked up from her waist to her eyes, meeting Azonia's gaze. "To be a pawn in your desires?" Moldovar's face turned cold, and he gave Azonia a dismissive look.

"They say that if the King dies, you might be the one to replace him?" Moldovar's eyebrows furrowed, and he clenched his fist, breathing with self-restraint as a bitter poison flowed from Azonia's words. Moldovar was irritated by what Azonia said about the matter, but he didn't want to do something that was unbecoming of a high-ranking commander of Moonatoria.

"You'll just grow old, and it will never happen, do you know why...?" Azonia looked boldly into Moldovar's eyes, feigning pity.

"Because you are so weak-minded!" Moldovar was speechless and his eyes widened. His forehead wrinkled even more, but despite those words, he chose to keep his mouth shut. His jaw hardened and his cheeks trembled from Azonia's words. The words Azonia uttered felt like a punch to his very being.

"His foolish ambition is hopeless... he can't even get his wives pregnant!"

"That's enough, Azonia! You have no respect for the King!" Moldovar said, as the table slammed and the papers on top of it were now crumpled.

"And what do you want me to do, laugh and agree with him? Wake up, Moldovar." Azonia said, taking a sharp intake of breath and staring intensely. It was as if she was laughing or getting angry because of Moldovar's words.

"Why don't you just seize the throne early? You'll benefit greatly." Azonia's words were like a dagger to Moldovar, and he was almost in disbelief.

"What?! Are you crazy, Azonia?" Moldovar finally stood up, his eyes blazing.

"Do you think you're the only one seen as worthy of the throne?" Moldovar fell silent and looked back at the papers. "Der Funthus is also there, who could seize the throne from Harthur?"

"How long will you put up with being a follower? Even when you grow old, you'll remain the King's subordinate forever." Azonia's words, with her seductive tone, felt like they were drowning Moldovar. "I hope you understand Moonatoria's future. When the King gets old, there will be no hope for him to have a child— oh, wait... even if he slept with every woman in the world, he would never get one pregnant!"

"Whatever wicked plan you have, don't include me." Moldovar sat down and sighed heavily. "Get out!"

"Give me a child, and when I become Queen, I will ensure you become King."

"Harthur is my friend..." Moldovar replied.

"Friend?" Azonia gasped. "Don't you feel sorry for your friend, how many women has he been with, hoping one of them could give him a child?" Azonia said. "The future of Moonatoria is in your hands. Your blood is the one that deserves to flow in the leadership of Moonatoria, more than anyone who is not of Harthur's blood."

"I know what you are, you're a woman of loose morals..." Moldovar said.

"Do you think I'm no longer a virgin?" Why don't you try...?"

"If you become the father of our child, I will make sure you rule Moonatoria. The truth is, this isn't just about becoming Queen or for Moonatoria... It's because I've fallen in love with you, Moldovar..." Azonia said.

End of Flashback

Death was the sentence the King would impose on him, even though they were of the same blood and he was a close friend. This was what the families of Moldovar's friend were clamoring for, but he was instigated by the queen.

"I know what you're thinking, and I feel that it's against your will because your own judgment will be the cause of your dear friend's death..." Azonia said, feigning concern.

"I am a King, but it pains me for this to happen." The King could only sigh because of the heavy burden on his heart, a sadness that infected even those who were genuinely grieving.

"Do you hear yourself?" Azonia said. The King shook his head, puzzled by his wife's actions. "You have spoken the solution yourself!!"

"I've never seen you think before, my wife. What do you want to imply?" Harthur said, still looking sad and dejected.

"You are the King, and you are also the one who can provide a solution to what's happening. After all, all of us don't want him to die, and there is no other way to stop the death sentence once you have decided tomorrow, unless you change the verdict."

"Death is the only sentence for anyone who commits a crime." The King's reply was short.

"Sign this now, and it will be distributed to the council tonight to deliver the new judgment from you." Azonia had her steps perfectly planned.

"This is against the council if it doesn't go through a formal review... It needs to be deliberated." The King replied. "Think about it!"

"Your friend's life or his death sentence?"

"Are you making me choose?" The King was baffled. "Of course, you know my answer!" Harthur read the writ of judgment. And he was shocked when he read it. "This is a...!" He almost collapsed from his understanding of it. "No! This is madness!!! I will not agree!!!"

"That's the only way!!!"

...

In the morning, in the great hall in front of the public indictment stage, people gathered to hear the King's final verdict. And Moldovar was bound, with a wooden stock around his neck and his hands shackled. This was not an ordinary judgment, as many people knew Moldovar to be a good man, and the death sentence did not truly fit a person who had served righteously.

In the moments he was still on the stage, being shouted at by some people, especially the relatives of his deceased friend, he was being blamed for a crime he did not commit. And while he was there, he seemed to be looking for someone, hoping to catch a glimpse of the face of the baby, the fruit of the queen's secret betrayal of the king, on his last day. His son, Whyte. And he, too, had betrayed the king in a moment of temptation.

The bell signaling the start of the death trial rang. At that point, Harthur had not yet come out of his room, seeming to have difficulty with his decision.

And when it was time for the judgment, he first wrote a message for Moldovar on a small piece of paper. And there, on the stage of judgment, he spoke.

"From the powerful nation known as Moonatoria, and as I, the King, I hereby nullify the death sentence!" Everyone was shocked, but Moldovar's loved ones were happy.

"This man's sin is grave, there is no other sentence that can match his crime!!" Shouted Mr. Solthuan, one of the leaders of the protest against Moldovar.

Azonia looked down from a palace veranda, assisted by servants, shaded and fanned gently. She was holding the baby while he was sound asleep.

The high-ranking members of the council stood up and spoke. "His sentence cannot be voided because he has violated our law, and according to the law of Moonatoria, he must die!"

"You cannot cover up the victim's justice, Moldovar must die!" Mr. Solthuan said. "Whoever sins, in the name of the law of Moonatoria, it does not look at who he is or what his identity is." Mr. Solthuan continued.

"Listen, I will sentence this man to a new judgment!" Harthur said. The people around him were stunned. The council members were confused.

Trumpets sounded. A soldier hurriedly approached the stage, holding a scroll.

"You're giving a new sentence that didn't go through our deliberation?"

"This is an outrage against our ordinance and even our law."

"This is not formal!"

"It's probably because the defendant is his friend!" others whispered. "We're sure he's doing this to save a friend."

Azonia made a noise from above to get the people's attention. "Why are you annoyed? You intellectuals who do nothing but sit and talk, are you really using your brains or just your judgment?"

"Who is that audacious woman?"

"The new Queen of Moonatoria!" Lancaster shouted. "Give your respects!"

Harthur spoke and opened the scroll in front of the council to have them read it.

"My new verdict for Moldovar..."

The council leaders looked at each other, as if they were studying it, even for a moment.

"Moldovar will leave the country of Moonatoria and be considered an enemy. Anyone who mentions his name, anyone who speaks about him... will be killed!"

"Horrifying!"

"From this day on, he will be released, but this is also the last day he will be recognized. If he returns here or is even seen stepping on the land, he must be killed. But if you disregard this command, you will be hanged and considered an accomplice and spy of this country."

"On this day, he will be marked." A soldier immediately arrived, holding a heated iron.

Moldovar's loved ones were crying and could not accept that this would be done to Moldovar.

"Time to brand him!" a soldier shouted. Two soldiers approached Moldovar and forcefully brought him to the front of the stage. The soldier lifted the iron, with a boastful display for the crowd.

Harthur approached Moldovar and secretly placed the letter inside his clothes. He held him by the shoulder as a farewell.

And after that, a soldier came and immediately held Moldovar's head, tilting it to the side. And he was marking his neck.

Moldovar screamed and groaned from the intense pain. "This man is now marked!!" The man who branded him shouted.

"Who are you now? I don't know you?" the man jeered.

Moldovar was dizzy from the extreme pain he felt. And the soldiers were pulling him towards the outside of Moonatoria, and the ferocious Yakals were going to chase after him. He could hear the cries of the people there. He tried to reach them, but the soldiers were pulling him by force.

"Moldovar!" Menca cried. "I love you!!!" A confession of love in the midst of a crumbling wall or in a time of flood.

"Take her with him!!!" another soldier shouted. "She wants to die!"

"No!!!!" Moldovar screamed in horror. "She's not at fault!!! Don't include her!"

"The verdict was just announced, but that woman acted foolishly."

"Why did you put yourself in danger? Menca, you shouldn't have done that." Moldovar cried.

"I love you, Moldovar, if you're going to die, it's better if we die together!!!"

"Go on!! Do you see that forest? Go as far as you can. Because if not, these five Yakals will bite your bodies!!!" The leading soldier said, with a hint of mockery.

"And on the second day, if we see you're still in that forest, and still alive, we will end your lives... Do you understand?"