"BARON GODFREY!" she called again, her tone cutting through the uneasy silence that followed. "You stand accused of heinous crimes! By decree of Marquis Vendor, you are under arrest!"
The murmuring among the enemy soldiers grew louder. Some glanced at one another. Others hesitated, their grips loosening on their weapons.
Valeria continued, her voice unwavering. "The charges against you are numerous. Child trafficking.The enslavement of common folk.Murder, extortion, and betrayal of the Crown! Your crimes are well-documented, and your fate is sealed!"
A few of the soldiers on the walls visibly flinched. Even those who had been prepared to fight now looked uncertain.
Valeria's eyes narrowed. "*There is no honor in protecting a man like this!**" she declared, raising her chin. "Lay down your arms, and you will be spared! Resist... and I will see to it that every last one of you falls for a cause that is already lost!"
The tension was thick, a suffocating weight in the air.
