Despite the monk's fervent prayers King Paul Elupitser's life continued to slip out with his blood. The King attempted to choke something out to the monk, grabbing a fist full of his robes and yanking him close with the last of his strength. He released the monk with a deathly grimace. He sputtered and the blood bubbled over his chin, ran from his nose. His eyes were bloodshot. His clothes were ruined.
He had one move left in his life, and what he chose to move was his arm. He raised it up and flopped his hand on his head. The crown was gone. King Paul Elupitser's face twisted into the ugliest of shapes as he brought his arm down again. His elbow knocked on the throne, his forearm extended out, and his hand tightened into a point. His finger aimed at Tromphonia. His eyes popping out of his sockets. He opened his mouth to order her death. A gurgle rose from his throat, followed by a waterfall of crimson. His eyes shifted from Tromphonia's proud nonsmile to the spot above her head. to the spot above the door, to that one rafter on the ceiling.
The sunlight suddenly returned in the windows and it danced on the glazed eyes of King Paul Elupitser, who was dead.
As Malgerious Coven accepted the challenge of the Knights of the King the crowd hushed and withdrew from the front of the room. Tromphonia again began her laughter.
In the back of the room a cat continued to howl and howl, hating the smell of the dirty King's blood, hating being trapped in this room, and knowing that outside of the Norde Keep was even worse for wear than in here. But no, the doors were not going to open - especially not for a cat. Brishen had thrown Sireth to the ground unable to take his fish breath complaints. After all that meowing, Brishen almost wished Sireth would go back to doing that weird thing he did where he talked like a person did. Almost. But Brishen wasn't worried about that right now. Brishen had seen the crown go flying. He knew it's worth -a lot- and there was something about it that struck his interest. Maybe it was a life of ease and comfort?
"Long Live Gaia!" Tromphonia piped from her knees, her eyes fixed on the dead King, not taking them off of him or his face for a second. The Monk in black and red swore and quickly threw a cloak over the dead King's face before anyone could memorize his visage in death, or see. It was too late for Tromphonia, she would literally never forget what she saw for as long as she lived.
And she was going to enjoy every moment of it, and she was going to burn his legacy to the ground.
"Let us see the King!" Tromphonia spat at the monk, who shot a murderous gaze in her direction. His eyes flashed and he bared his teeth at Tromphonia, looking her keepers dead in the eyes. The one cracked, turned tail, and ran. He was quickly absorbed into the crowd. The other, hand still on his hilt, didn't hesitate for a moment. Tromphonia now locked eyes with the Monk. There was a reason he would not let them see the king. It was in this moment she realized that because of this, everything may have been in vain. If nobody saw, nobody would know, and Nightfall would come, and all would be for naught, and that was that.
It was too much for Tromphonia of Skyfall.
The people had to know!
The first knight stepped forth and leveled his blade at Malgerious Corven. His name was Edart Yolette, and his armor was quite shiny. He wore no helmet, most didn't while in court.
"Hah! Corrupt despot? Does he not see his own reflection in his blade? Long live the king!"
"SHOW US THE KIIIIIIIIIIING!" She released a guttural screech as the corrupt knight approached Malgerious, so hard it hurt, visibly shaking and struggling to her knees.
"SHOW US THE KING! SHOW US THE KING! SHOW US TH-"
Tromphonia's eyes flashed all the way open before settling into a narrow glare. She didn't take her eyes off of the monk even as the blade slowly slid out from between her ribs. She maintained eye contact even as the blood bubbled in her own mouth. She struggled back the coughing as the blood filled her lungs, finally breaking eye contact to hack in the face of her executor. Bright red spittle freckled his entire upper half. Enraged, he plunged his sword into Tromphonia again. She grabbed the sword and looked him, too, dead in the eye. A chill ran down his spine. He couldn't look away as the light left her eyes. Her executioner danced backwards as her corpse collapsed on the blade, dumping her to the ground.
Edart Yolette took the moment for what it was. He tucked his elbows, took a side step, and aimed for the hands. He swung the sword at Malgerious Coven, grounding his weight but staying light in his knees.
Sireth howled at the door to be let out. Brishen snaked around the edge of the crowd to his own effect, inching as well towards the crown, unaware that another had the same idea- and had it sooner. Tromphonia lie executed on the ground in an expanding pool of blood. Her eyes were open, still gazing towards the throne, where the King lay assassinated. His face was still covered, although the medicine woman was hovering a little too close to the shroud for the Monk's comfort.
The executioner raised his bloody blade and brandished it at the crowd, lest anyone get any ideas.