Chapter 24: 24: Zombie in The Courtroom
Beulah's care was thorough; within days, I was back on my feet. She had a gentle touch I got healed like a miracle. I was a little heartbroken as she never lingered for conversation, but just her presence brought an unexpected calm.
Then one afternoon, as I rested in my chambers, word arrived: there was a dispute in the court.
"Your Highness, there's unrest," one of the guards said, his face tight with worry. I rose, still limping slightly from my injuries, and followed him to the hall.
As I entered, the loud, clashing voices of the chiefs dropped to murmurs. I made my way to the throne, enduring my brother Duncan's glare as he leaned against a pillar, arms crossed and his jaw set in defiance. I took my seat, surveying the room, waiting until the voices died down.
One of the chiefs, a weathered old man named Chief Alaric, stepped forward, his eyes narrowed as he addressed me.
"Your Highness, by tradition, you must be wed before claiming full authority over the throne." His words were like a pebble dropped in a still pond—the room erupted into murmurs, everyone whispering, debating, throwing looks my way.
I raised a hand, quieting them. "We are facing a greater threat than tradition, Chief Alaric," I said, my voice steady but sharp. "The longer the undead ravage our people, the greater their numbers grow. We are at war! Do you think marriage will shield us from the claws of the undead?"
I let my gaze sweep across the court, lingering on a few of the more outspoken chiefs. "You are fortunate, safe behind these castle walls, protected by the rivers that keep the zombies at bay. Yet our people on the outskirts—they are defenseless. They fight and die while we sit here debating rituals."
Chief Alaric's face tightened, but he didn't respond. Instead, Duncan's mocking voice cut through the silence.
"Well, brother, it seems they're just curious about the woman who'll warm your bed. Are you really so opposed to the idea?"
A ripple of amusement passed through the room, but I ignored him. "If my marriage is so urgent, then I'll consider it. But it will not distract me from the battle we face."
Just then, the court's scribe—a frail, pale man with ink-stained fingers—pushed his way into the hall, looking nervously around. As he caught sight of the packed room, he stopped short, clearly considering retreat.
Chief Alaric noticed him and gestured sharply.
"Come in, scribe! Since you've interrupted, share your message with the court," he said, his voice laced with suspicion. "Or perhaps you're hiding something?"
One of the guards, following Alaric's command, nudged the scribe forward, into the center of the room. He stumbled, nervously adjusting his tunic before bowing low.
"Your Majesty" he said, his voice wavering slightly, "I've come with an urgent discovery."
"Speak," I commanded, holding his gaze.
The scribe took a shaky breath, glancing uneasily around the court.
"I believe… we may have found a way to capture these undead creatures. To study them, to understand their weaknesses." He nodded toward the entrance, and with a signal, two guards pulled the heavy doors open.
A gasp rippled through the room as a grotesque figure was wheeled in, held fast in a massive iron cage. The creature clawed at the bars, eyes sunken and wild, mouth twisted in a perpetual, silent scream. Chains weighed down its neck and wrists, keeping it from lashing out. Its flesh was pallid, sagging off bone in places, and mottled with black and green decay.
The smell was overwhelming—a sickly, rancid odor that filled the hall, causing several maids to sway, their faces drained of color. One fainted outright, collapsing into the arms of another servant.
The entire court fell silent, their eyes fixed on the creature. It writhed within the confines of its cage, snarling, a guttural growl rising from its chest as it reached toward us with bony fingers. For a moment, everyone sat frozen, entranced and horrified.
"What… is this?" I asked, my voice hardening as I fought to keep my composure.
The scribe swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously.
"It's one of them… a zombie. We captured it at the edge of the river," he explained. "We used bait, and it… it followed."
I glanced around, noting the expressions of horror and revulsion on the faces of my council, the guards, even Duncan, who looked disgusted but intrigued. "You've brought this creature into our court? Into the heart of our kingdom?"
The scribe cowered slightly, realizing the enormity of what he'd done. "I—It's the only way, your Highness. We can't kill them fast enough. This way, we can learn. Perhaps we can find out what controls them."
"Study it?" I repeated the idea settling in. The scribe was right in one respect: the zombies' numbers were growing too quickly, and each of our fallen people added to their ranks. If we could understand these creatures, we would find a weakness… it might give us a chance.
Chief Alaric stepped forward, his expression stony. "Your Highness, with all due respect, the people of the kingdom would never approve of this creature remaining within our walls."
"Would they rather I send it to their doorsteps?" I asked coldly. Alaric looked away, lips pressed tightly together.
"It's dangerous," I acknowledged, "but if we're to fight this scourge, we need to understand it. Keeping this creature here is a risk I am willing to take."
Duncan's eyes flashed with a predatory gleam as he stepped forward, a hint of challenge in his voice. "And who will study it? You, dear brother? Or will you cower in your chambers while others take the risk?"
Ignoring his taunt, I focused on the scribe. "Who among the scholars is qualified for this task?"
The scribe stammered, "Well, uh, there are several who have studied ancient texts on dark creatures, your Highness. But none have experience with… with the living undead."
I looked back at the chained creature, which was now clawing at the cage bars with renewed vigor, its yellowed eyes tracking each movement. The foul stench permeated the room, growing thicker with every desperate pull of its shackles.
"We'll need our bravest," I said finally, glancing at the guards stationed around the room. "Guards who can stomach close quarters with this… abomination. And scholars willing to study it, however gruesome the task."
Chief Alaric bristled, his expression filled with barely concealed fear and disgust. "But what if it escapes, your Highness? Think of the disaster it could cause, right here in the palace."
"We'll keep it contained," I assured him, though inwardly I shared his apprehension. "Heavy chains, iron cages, and armed guards at all times. This could be our only hope to learn how to stop them."
I turned to the rest of the chiefs. "If anyone has another solution to this plague, now is the time to speak."
Silence filled the hall. No one had an answer, but the heavy stares told me they were far from convinced.
"Then it's settled," I said. "The creature will remain, under constant guard. Every resource we need for its containment will be provided."
The murmurs started again, uncertain but resigned. Duncan's mocking smile had faded, his face dark with displeasure as he watched me. I knew this decision would add fuel to the fire of his resentment, but it couldn't be helped.
Just then, the creature let out a hideous, gurgling screech that reverberated through the hall. Its decayed fingers clawed wildly at the bars, eyes gleaming with a feral hunger. Another maid screamed, clutching her head and stumbling back, while others shrank away from the cage.
I remained still, meeting the creature's gaze, feeling a strange mix of revulsion and fascination. This was the enemy that haunted our lands, the nightmare that tore through our villages. And now, perhaps, we had a chance to learn its secrets and end this horror once and for all.
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