Chapter 117 - A Case Of Memory Loss

Today shall be the day for Edward's council. Yes, I am indeed the only one that has a say and hands sentence down, but it still requires a hearing to justify. The question is, why have I gone as far as this and not just simply let the man go. Well, the simple answer is respect and tradition, and perhaps my way of showing authority but not revenge as what my beloved claims.

Revenge is a word that shall not be lightly used; if I wished for him to have been dead, then I would have finished him off in the ballroom. The thing is, why do I even bother holding a hearing and not just sentence him? After all, I do know what his reasons are that made him think that it can be justified to attack me in the way he did. Well, the true justice is something that I shall instill today. He has been spent his evening in the confines of his room, mostly as I have declared the dungeon as off-limits and that it should never be used again.

He shall be taken by Matias to the council house which I shall follow thereafter; there is no way that I shall be traveling in the same vehicle as him. Rather childish, as my beloved also claims, but these are ways I have set to keep myself protected from those that chose to bring me harm. And as for the reason why this whole incident has taken place, I am taking the girl with me today to introduce her as part of the community and mainly to show what shall become of you should you defy my decisions.

Now Lilith that has spoken to Edward this very morning, she still has advised me that the man simply does not show remorse for what he has done, but yet again, he is only but a mere Vampire; there should be nothing such as remorse that crosses his mind.

But if I think that his council shall be quite easy and go unsaid, well I am sadly mistaken for there is nearly a group of fifty Vampires that have taken stand outside the council house. This is truly unusual and somewhat disturbing; who would have told them about the sentence that shall be handed down by the Master onto the man he calls his brother. This seems like the work of one of those that wishes me to show remorse. And that shall be either my dear sister of my beloved or even perhaps both.

Not thinking much of this any further, I make my entry into to council house, where I indeed find them both. "Please do not tell me that one of you is responsible for the crowd outside?"

"Only trying to get the support that Edward needs," Lilith explains to me, but then when my beloved wants to add, I immediately interrupt.

"I do not wish to hear of it. The man shall stand council, and he shall be punished as I see fit."

"But Sebastian," my beloved starts, "You cannot just go kill him."

"I can; in fact, I should have. He would have done it if I had given him the chance."

"He was simply upset."

"My god, if that is upset, then I do not wish to see what he looks like when he is enraged. Now you can stand by my side or take a seat in favor of him, but I wish to get this show over. There is about to come questions as to the reason for the gathering of so many outside."

With that, I take my seat at the head of the table and wait for them to bring the man of the hour inside. We need not have to wait long, for he is soon brought to receive his sentence. As he stands, I see him for the first time since our battle, and I can honestly say that the man is half of what he used to be. Does he, in fact, show remorse? But should I go easy on him, I shall show for all that this is how they can freely go about treating not only me but one another. Regardless, he needs to stand council for his action. And as it is unfortunately required, we need to run through the details of what occurred.

So let us begin.

"Edward, did or did you not attack me, Sebastian, as your Vampire Master?"

"I am afraid I do not know what you speak of."

"You shall know that it is wise to admit to your transgression and for us to proceed with your sentence."

"I am afraid, as I said, that I do not know what you speak of."

"Did or did you not attack me in the home that we used to share?"

"I do not know what you are talking about."

Now, if this is going to be his game, we might as well get chairs for those outside and have some tea as we go, for this might just take a great deal longer than we anticipated. I do not truly understand why the man is set in denying what he has done as there were two witnesses to the affair, and I shall be calling on them to bring testimony if he continues to fail at admitting what he has done wrong.

So let us begin again.

"Edward, what was it that you did yesterday?"

"I do not recall doing anything."

"The day before?"

He takes for but a brief second and comes up with a definite answer, "I spent some time with Lilith and Stefan and went out much later to the Hunter's bar and had a few conversations with a lady."

"And yesterday?"

"I do not recall anything specific."

"So you did not see me at all."

"I am afraid that I did not see you at all."

"And Lilith?"

"I did not see Lilith either."

Out of clear frustration, I slam my hand down onto the desk; the cups held on it starts to vibrate as they fall over. My very act startles all present in the room, and for some truly odd but probably expected reason, it does not seem to move him at all. He is acting rather coldly towards the whole situation, but yet I see that there is a great deal of trouble on his face.

"Edward, why do you hold sorrow in your face if you have not done anything as what you claim?"

"For I do not know why I have been forced to take council for something I did not do."

"So, did you find it odd that you were held in your room and taken by Matias this morning?"

"Yes, I do."

Somewhat grinding my teeth, I clench my hand in a fist and call for Anastasia to approach, "Anastasia, what happened yesterday, and please, I need to make you aware that, as my beloved, you are not immune against punishment for lying."

She only but scuffs at me and looks at Edward with true pain in her eyes, "Edward, you tried to kill Sebastian. Lilith and I bear witness to it."

"This is absurd," he bursts out in a rumble, "Why shall I ever do such a thing."

"We shall come to that in a while," I explain, "But do you now confess to what you have done."

"I did nothing, I did not, nor do I remember that I tried to kill you as they are stating."

"You are wearing my patience thin. I am not going to ask you again."

"Then stop asking for the answer will be the same."

Now, if the man is going to insist on this kind of behavior, then I shall hand sentence down as I see fit. Sentence for this action should be death, do I show kindness as he was a close dear friend, or do I let it be known that it does not matter whom you find yourself to be you shall get the ultimate punishment for wanting to kill the Master.

So the decision has been made, "Edward, you shall hereby have your fangs removed, which shall ultimately lead to your death."

There is rumble that settles between the crowd as they hear the sentence leave my very determined lips. There are very clear sounds of shock that fill the air as most disapprove of the sentence that I am handing down on my friend but also my brother. However, there is a hush sound and a few whispers that settle as I hear the footsteps of a man approaching through the crowd. He is not Vampire, it is a mortal, and as he makes his entry into the home rather daringly, I am shocked to see.

"Our dear Vampire Hunter. Now to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Edward is speaking the truth."

"My dear friend, you were not present; how can you possibly know if Edward is speaking the truth?"

"The same thing has happened to me. I have no recollection of what I did the day before, and apparently, I wreaked havoc of which I know nothing?"