Chapter 201 - Trinity - Loyalty Is Essential For Leading (VOLUME 2)
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Trinity
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This day, the first official day in France, was exciting. That was the simplest and easiest way to describe it. I never expected that there would be anything like those men in the Sentinelle. Everyone else was so devoted to their cause, so why did those other men join the Sentinelle if they never intended to take it seriously.
But then, with everything that happened, I honestly think it was necessary. Reece needed to make sure everyone knew that we were not to be trifled with. Everything that happened, while tense and unexpected, did serve a purpose. And I know that it helped to cement Reece's authority and dominance among these wolves. He was their Alpha as well as the alpha back home.
Hell, Reece was essentially the Alpha for the whole world, and I was the Luna that was there at his side. That was going to take some getting used to. Knowing that I was the leader of every single shifter and warlock in the world, it was a bit much, wasn't it? But I would work hard to live up to the expectations that everyone had for me.
But there were a few things that we now had to discuss with everyone, specifically with Gabriel. I needed to know how this was going to impact us in the long run. What this was going to do to our goal here.
So, it was with those thoughts in mind that I asked for a meeting after dinner. We had eaten in our rooms, everyone was a little on edge. And by everyone I mean everyone in the Sentinelle and all of us here for training.
Gabriel came to my room where we were all waiting for him. He didn't come alone though. The man named Perkins who had come to fetch us this morning and Ghirald, the steward, were with him.
"Excuse me, Queen Trinity, I hope you do not mind the additions. These men are some that I trust very much."
"Vincent?" I asked him for his opinion on these men.
"They are of no threat." He answered me immediately with a nod.
"Your ability seems to be stronger than it was before." I smiled at him, happy that the gift he had been granted was coming in so handy for us all.
"He got a level up? No fair, I want one too." I heard the joking tone in Shane's mocking voice.
"Maybe when you get some more XP, but right now you're nothing but a useless NPC." Vincent joked right back at him.
"Dude, when did you learn to talk like that?" Shane was shocked. "Don't tell me, you had Conner teach you? Isn't he like six?"
"He's seven now." Vincent snapped, his ears turning a bright pink as Shane sniggered at him.
"This conversation is confusing to me." Perkins was looking between the two men who were joking with each other.
"It's also irrelevant." Reece's voice quieted the room and brought the jokes to an end.
"Ignore that part of the conversation." I smiled at the three men before me. "I of course trust you, and Vincent has given me no reason not to trust the others, so please come in and let us talk." I had been trying to act more regal around the Sentinelle, you know, to live up to expectations. But I had to admit that this way of talking was a little strange. It made me want to laugh at myself, if I wasn't the one actually saying it all I probably would have laughed already.
We all seated ourselves around the room. I sat beside Reece, holding his left hand in my right. Side by side we really did look like a true power couple, I just never thought that that power would have been as King and Queen.
"My Queen, what is it you have summoned me for?" Gabriel asked as soon as we were seated.
"Frankly, Gabriel, I want to know if today is going to have any long lasting repercussions." I spoke matter-of-factly, just cutting to the chase was the best case here. Wasn't it?
"What kind of repercussions are you speaking of your grace?" Perkins was the one to ask this question as Gabriel seemed a little taken aback by my words.
"Will the rest of the Sentinelle view us as enemies now? Will they be too afraid or angry to serve us in any capacity? What will become of our status here? Will we even be able to accomplish our objectives?" I loaded him with question after question, my worries leaking out even though I did my best to remain calm.
"My Queen, I think all will be just fine." Ghirald was the first to answer.
"I agree." Perkins nodded his head in agreement, the light shining on his glossy black hair. He was a very exotic looking man with smooth skin the color of creamy chocolate. His eyes were a warm, rich honey color, very close to Reece's.
"They are indeed correct, Queen Trinity." Gabriel finally spoke just to agree with the others. "It was necessary for the King to put those behaving impudently into their place. The King and you both need to be firm in situations like these. There is none that truly believes in our ways that will be disheartened or unsettled by your actions."
"So you have no problem with the outcome from today?" Reece asked him.
"No, quite the opposite, King Reece. Today showed the others what I already knew to be true. You two are very much Goddess blessed. King Reece has been granted with the only lycan form in over two thousand years. And our Queen has had so many blessings, not just from the Goddess Nehalennia, but also from the God Thoth. Who could rightfully deny someone so proven worthy by the Gods?" Gabriel was as reverent as always when he spoke about me.
"Gabriel, if I may?" Dietrich interrupted when the other man had finished speaking.
"Yes, Lord Dietrich?" Gabriel was having a hard time letting everyone's title go, apparently.
"What will become of those two? How will they be punished?" Dietrich was more concerned with the more immediate aspects of the day's events.
"They will most definitely need to be punished. The method for that can be decided by our leaders." He gestured toward Reece and I. "Or as the acting Watcher and highest authority in the organization, I can decide the punishment myself."
"What type of punishment would be normal for something like this?" Dietrich wondered.
"We have never had something like this happen before, so I must admit that there is no precedent for the punishment. If there is something that our esteemed rulers would like to suggest, then we will most certainly accept that as the intended punishment." Gabriel seemed a little uncertain as he spoke, clearly thinking through everything he had ever learned before.
"Is execution an option?" Reece smirked.
"Yeah, I like that idea." Vincent chimed in.
"Vincent?" I yelled his name, complete shock on my face at his lack of gentlemanly attitude.
"Why are you only yelling at me?" Vincent seemed hurt that I had reprimanded only him for his response.
"Him I expect that sort of childish response from. But you? You're supposed to be better than that." I shot him a disappointed look causing his face to fall with guilt.
"I'm sorry Trinity. It's just I will not accept someone mistreating my Luna in such a way. They need to be punished."
"And they will be. But their wrong doings do not warrant such a harsh punishment." My voice rang with a note of authority and finality.
"I agree with Trinity, it is not that serious of an issue. They must be punished, and made an example out of, but death is not the option here." Dietrich added his support for me.
"Why do we need to make an example out of them?" Shane asked, confusion written all over his young looking face.
""Because, dear brother, Trinity and Reece will not be able to command respect if they do not use this opportunity to show everyone that they are willing to retaliate. The only way to rule is through loyalty. And sometimes, you need to show people what it means to be disloyal. Everyone else in this abbey and village are loyal to the King and Queen, but what if they show weakness to their enemies? Will they still have their respect and loyalty then? No, they need to cement themselves as strong rulers now so that they never lose the loyalty of their followers in the future." Dietrich spoke as if he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Do you really think it will come to something like that?" Shawn asked him with a note of worry in his voice.
"Ja meine Geliebte, I do. It is exactly what I had to do." There was a far away look on Dietrich's face, like he was remembering something from a long time ago. Something that wasn't exactly pleasant but gave a wistful feeling of fondness nonetheless.
"You did?" Shawn looked worried for his mate.
"Worry not, Liebling, there is nothing to worry about now."
"Will banishment and stripping them of their status in the Sentinelle be efficient for this matter?" I asked Gabriel and Dietrich.
"Stripping them of their ranks will make them normal citizens. They will not be given the same advantages that we of the Sentinelle are privy to."
"Such as?" David asked, speaking up for the first time in this situation.
"We were frozen in time while we waited for the new Queen to be named. Once she accepted her role we would begin our lives again, however, at a much slower rate. We can again find mates and will age, but we will not age at the same rate that everyone else does. Those in the order will age as slowly as the Queen and King, allowing us to better serve her during her entire reign."
"So, what, they will be forced to age at a normal rate?" Reece asked, not satisfied with that as a punishment.
"That, or possibly even faster to make up for their unnaturally long lives."
"So their lives will be shortened?" Reece smirked.
"Possibly. I am not certain." Gabriel was answering all the questions while the other two men just stared on in awe.
"Is there anything else that we can do to punish them. They don't even deserve to call themselves wolves anymore." Reece ground out.
It was with Reece's words that I had a sudden inspiration. I knew something we could do that would be a punishment for these two, that would most likely be acceptable to everyone present.
"What if I were to seal away their wolves. They would never again be able to shift, hear their wolf's thoughts or emotions. They would most likely lose the extra senses that we have as shifters. In a sense, it would be like I made them human."
"That is quite the fate." Perkins looked shocked, but not against the idea.
"It is the life that I thought I was going to live, until I finally shifted for the first time. I thought I would never be a shifter. If it can be granted by a Goddess, then it can be taken away by one as well. This will help serve as a reminder not to just the Sentinelle, but the world. If I can sever the link someone has with their animal form, then they will think twice about crossing us. Likewise, we can also spread the knowledge that I have unlocked new shifting forms. Whether I can do that for other people I don't know, but I am guessing it will help people to remain loyal if they think they might be granted something extra."
"That is actually a very good idea." Dietrich smirked and looked at me with a proud glint in his eyes.
"And I like that they will no longer be wolves. They don't deserve it." Vincent added.
"And, they will probably have to listen to us still, won't they." Reece grinned with a wicked light in his eyes.
"I must concur with them, your grace, it seems to be the best punishment available, and a fitting one as well." Ghirald smiled happily.
"So, the punishment for their crimes will be the sealing of their wolf and banishment."
"With the banishment will come a blacklisting to all packs worldwide. They will be forced to live life without any aid from the shifters ever again."
"That sounds much more appealing to me." Reece's voice held a slight growling edge as he gleefully spoke those last words.
"Will you be able to pass judgement tomorrow, Queen Trinity? Or would you prefer to wait a little longer?" Perkins looked at me with expectant eyes, but I didn't know which answer he was hoping for.
"I think I will let them stew in the dungeons a little longer." I smirked. "No need to rush things." At that, everyone in the room smiled like they were quite pleased with my answer.