Chapter 4: The Traitor in Our Midst

Nelson's suspicions grew as he watched his army train. He knew that someone was leaking information to King Ryker, but he didn't know who. He decided to set a trap to catch the traitor.

One night, he called a secret meeting with his most trusted generals. "We have a traitor in our midst," he told them. "We need to find out who it is and stop them before it's too late."

The generals nodded in agreement and began to discuss a plan. They would spread false information and see who leaked it to the enemy.

The next day, Nelson called a training session and announced that they would be attacking King Ryker's army from the north. But in reality, they would be attacking from the south.

As the training session ended, Nelson noticed one of his soldiers, a quiet and reserved man named John, slipping away from the group. Nelson's instincts told him that John might be the traitor.

Nelson decided to follow John and see where he went. He tracked him to a secluded tavern on the outskirts of the kingdom. John entered the tavern, and Nelson followed him, hiding in the shadows.

Inside, John met a hooded figure, and they spoke in hushed tones. Nelson couldn't hear their conversation, but he saw John hand the figure a small piece of parchment.

The hooded figure left, and John finished his drink alone. Nelson confronted him, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"John, what were you doing?" Nelson demanded.

John looked up, startled. "Just having a drink, Your Majesty."

"Don't lie to me," Nelson said, his voice firm. "I saw you hand that parchment to the hooded figure. What was on it?"

John sighed, his eyes downcast. "It was just a message, Your Majesty. A message to my family."

Nelson's grip on his sword tightened. "I don't believe you. You're a traitor, aren't you?"

John looked up, a mixture of fear and defiance in his eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty. I am."

"Why, John ?" Nelson asked, his voice firm but controlled. "Why would you betray me and our kingdom?"

John looked down, his eyes filled with shame. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I was desperate. My family is struggling, and I needed the money. King Ryker offered me a large sum to spy on you and feed him information."

Nelson's expression softened slightly. He knew that poverty and desperation could drive people to make difficult choices. "And what about the parchment?" he asked. "What was on it?"

John hesitated before answering. "It was a map of our kingdom's defenses. King Ryker wanted to know our weaknesses.

Nelson's grip on his sword tightened again. "And you gave it to him?"

John nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I was weak and selfish. Please forgive me."

Nelson sighed, his mind racing towards what to do next. Part of him wanted to punish John severely, but another part of him wanted to show mercy and try to redeem John.

Nelson’s expression turned stern, “Be prepared for persecution , you will die by hanging, no one dares to go against my rules.” He said, then ordered the guards to take him away.

John’s eyes widened in terror. “Please, my lord, have mercy on me,” he said as the guards dragged him away. Nelson watched as John was led to the gallows, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision.

As John stood on the gallows, Nelson addressed the crowd that had gathered to witness the persecution. "This man, John, has betrayed our kingdom and our trust. His actions have put our entire realm in danger. Let his fate serve as a warning to anyone who would consider betraying us."

With that, the persecutor pulled the lever, and John was hanged. Nelson watched as John’s body swung from the rope, a sense of sadness and regret washing over him.

But he knew that justice had been served, and that his kingdom was now safer because of it.

As the crowd dispersed, Nelson couldn't shake off the feeling that there were more traitors lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. He vowed to be vigilant and protect his kingdom at all costs.

After John’s execution, Nelson couldn't shake off the feeling that he had made a mistake. He began to question whether he had been too harsh, and whether there had been other ways to handle the situation.

One day, while out for a walk in the castle gardens, Nelson came across a mysterious woman. She was dressed in a long, flowing cloak, and her face was hidden behind a veil.

"Your Majesty," she said, her voice low and mysterious. "I see you are troubled. You are wondering if you did the right thing, aren't you?"

Nelson was taken aback. "How do you know this?" he asked.

"I have ways of knowing things," the woman replied. "But let me tell you this, Your Majesty. You did not do the right thing. You allowed your anger and fear to cloud your judgment, and now an innocent man is dead."

Nelson felt a surge of defensiveness. "John was a traitor," he said. "He deserved to die."

The woman sighed. "John was a complex man, Your Majesty. He was driven by desperation and fear. He did not deserve to die."

“Hey! How dare you question my actions? Do you know who you’re speaking to? He said with a commanding tone.

“My lord, I’m nobody but a woman who speaks words of wisdom. Your anger should be directed at Ryker. He’s your greatest enemy, he used John's situation to benefit his greedy desires”. She spoke in a calm voice.

Nelson was taken aback by the woman's words. He hadn't considered that John might have been driven by desperation and fear.

"I don't know who you are or what your business is," Nelson says, "but I will not be lectured by a stranger. John was a traitor, and he paid the price for his betrayal. I will not question my actions."

The woman's veil rustles in the wind as she nods. "Very well, Your Majesty. But know this: your actions have consequences. And one day, you will face the truth about what you have done."

“HEY!! Watch your tongue, or I will chop it off and feed it to the dogs… You dare not talk to me in that way. I’m the great king of this kingdom, anyone who chooses to go against me will die.” He said with rage in his eyes.

Nelson turns his back on the woman and walks away, feeling a sense of unease. Who was that woman, and how did she know so much about him? He pushes the thoughts aside and focuses on the tasks at hand.