Technomancer: Genesis Chapter 110: Crime and Punishment

Ezra returned to the castle begrudgingly while Aerwyna and guards along with his own escorted him in the dead of night. There were few establishments open, mostly brothels and inns still operating at night. When they arrived, they were met by a woeful Rycharde with Hearth in his arms. His body seemed battered although there weren't any signs of bleeding or bruises, what struck the party was that there were two huge holes in his clothes with the front of the ceramic layer of the bulletproof thoroughly destroyed.

Ezra was the first one to speak, "What happened?" shock in his voice. "Assassins again? That's twice this week," Ezra cried out as he rushed toward Hearth.

However, he was met with a stern look from Rycharde.

"Wait is he-" Ezra didn't want to think it. Evan's death was already a huge blow to him. He clenched his fists in apprehension. If he truly passed away he would not stop at until he had claimed vengeance for his murder.

"Nay, Lord Ezra" Rycharde with his voice still solemn.

"Please, what do you mean," Aerwyna asked in turn, she knew that it would devastate her son if Hearth truly passed away, however, Hearth suddenly hiccupped. Much to all the onlookers' relief.

"Then what happened, explain" Ezra asked.

"You see, Hearth drank a little too much. He picked a fight with a visiting lord," Rycharde paused.

"So he got beat up? Wow, that's a first. He rarely gets into trouble," Ezra was contemplative.

"He destroyed half the reception of a tavern. So I am afraid Castle Blackfyre has to pay for damages, He soiled the Blackfyre name,"

"We'll punishments are in order I guess," Ezra scratched his head and looked at his mother. "Mom I'm not very good at these, unlike you,"

"What does that mean?" Aerwyna raised an eyebrow.

Ezra gulped, "I meant that I don't know how to deal with misconduct. I think you should be the one to do the punishment calculation," Ezra sweated again and wiped his forehead.

"Lady Blackfyre, if I may, there are some sins that he did tonight that cannot be mentioned outside the confines of Lord Ezra's cortege." Rycharde announced as he bowed.

Ezra's ears suddenly turned red, he knew what this meant.

Aerwyna nodded, "Alright all of you are dismissed for tonight," she addressed the guards who accompanied her and they all abruptly left.

"Okay, Now, what happened," Aerwyna mouthed as the other guards left.

"He pulled out the colt," Rycharde said.

"No." Ezra's gasp almost sounded like a hiss.

"Did he . . . ?" Ezra asked as he gulped.

"He didn't fire it but a few nobles saw it," Rycharde answered. Ezra felt the heat from his ears slowly spread to his body like a consuming fire

"I reprimanded him after the incident, but he forgot to put the gun to safety," Rycharde paused as if to gain the courage to speak again, "He tripped and it fired, that is why you saw his bulletproof vest destroyed, although it looks like it did suffer some damage before he accidentally shot the thing on himself. It was a good thing that he was still wearing the armour else he probably would have died."

The rage he had suddenly was unbearable as it overwhelmed him. "Hey, YOU!" Ezra steadily paced toward Hearth, "YOU, YOU BLASTED IDIOT LYING THERE."

"Mom, blast him with your [Flood Cannon] to wake that damned boy up,"

Aerwyna was stunned she had never seen Ezra this furious, she was bothered by it so she did a [Water Ball] to comply to Ezra's demand. The hit Hearth on the face and soaked his tattered clothes.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKER YOU!" Ezra bellowed as soon as he saw Hearth open his eyes ever so slightly. He grabbed him by the collar with his left and smote him with his right hand.

Hearth realized where he was and his eyes filled up with horror. Ezra's face was contorted into unspeakable fury. Hearth tried desperately to avoid his eyes. It was strange being reprimanded by such a young boy, but it seemed to hearth he was much older and had a much higher standing than anyone he had known.

He hung his head low.

"YOU FUCKING INGRATE. I GAVE YOU THAT WEAPON BECAUSE I WANTED TO PROTECT YOU! TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU!" his voice was even louder.

"NOW YOU, YOU PUT MY CITY AT RISK! YOU PUT BREN AT RISK! YOU PUT OUR FRIENDS AT RISK! AND MOST OF ALL YOU PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK!" Ezra's bellow made him inhale deeply. His veins on his necked popped out in his rage.

"YOU RISK EVERYTHING FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT EXACTLY? YOU ARE NOT STUPID HEARTH, I NEVER KNEW YOU TO BE AN IDIOT!"

Everyone suddenly fell silent. No one had seen Ezra this angry before.

"YOU GET BEAT UP AND SO TAKE OUT THE GUN TO KILL THE GUY? DIDN'T I TELL YOU CLEARLY THAT YOU SHOULD DO THAT IN DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN YOUR LIFE OR OUR COMRADES' ARE AT RISK? BUT NO, YOU GO PRANCING AROUND BECAUSE YOU HAVE A GUN. OH, LOOK I HAVE A GUN LETS GO KILL SOME PEOPLE, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE LIKE THAT!" Ezra spat at the ground.

Hearth spoke up suddenly as if to defend himself," He- He told me that I was a bastard."

"SO BLOODY WHAT? YOU KNOW YOU AREN'T! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND HEARTH? I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT! WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH! BREN IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH! WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEFEND OUR SELVES TO PROTECT OURSELVES. I AM NOT STRONG ENOUGH YET!" Ezra huffed.

"I am not strong enough," his voice turned down and began to weaken, "Don't you understand?" his voice was cracking. "That's why I am working hard! That is why I am trying to pry open the secrets of magic! That is why I've been trying to industrialize Bren, that is why I've been pushing for better weapons so that I can protect you! So that I won't lose," Ezra was breathing heavily," So that I won't lose anyone important to me ever again!"

"I don't want to lose anyone, I don't want to go through that pain again," Ezra started to sob, "I don't want my friends to die, I don't want my family to die," Ezra broke down in tears sobbing uncontrollably. Aerwyna rushed to his side and hugged Ezra immediately.

"Don't worry little one Mama is here, she won't let anything happen to your friends," Aerwyna's voiced tried to soothe Ezra.

"No mom, no one understands' only I can protect you, Only I have the knowledge," Ezra shook as he stuttered, "that's why I much teach it to them, I must gather more people who can help me, who can help us. People are smart. People can live better lives with the knowledge I have."

Aerwyna didn't understand how powerful the gun was, for her it was just a token, a gift made for her by her son. She hadn't even tested or fired it, but she heard praises for it from Reitz. So she was somewhat bewildered by Ezra's reaction.

Hearth's head hung low.

Ezra wiped his tears, he stood up once more. "For brawling in the tavern, you are sentenced to three months of hard labor. For violating the orders of your lord, you are sentenced to have the dungeon as your quarters for the months you are sentenced. For ENDANGERING THE WHOLE OF BREN you are sentenced to five lashings. Do you accept,"

"Ye-yes milord." Hearth bowed his head to the ground.

"Five lashings per day for three months." Ezra declared with authority.

Hearth gulped, "As you command milord."

Ezra's last statement left everyone stunned.

Chapter end