A startled, but enthusiastic, feeling began to swell through the onlookers.

“And in that vein, you cannot have missed,” True said, “that we have an enemy in our midst. I can assure you that all efforts will be made to keep the peoples of this land safe. I can assure you I, and my father, and my lieutenants, and my soldiers will use every power at our disposal to root out this problem and dispel it from our borders. It is with grave disappointment that one of the first proclamations I must make as your king is that we are at war. We are at war with a party that calls themselves The Rising.”

True took a moment to allow that to be heralded throughout, and the reaction it caused to melt through, before he carried on.

“Their goal is to subjugate all to their beliefs. I will not allow that to happen in my realm. My people are free to think what they wish, say what they will, believe what they believe and worship as their hearts guide them. And I will stop at nothing to defend your right to do all of that.”

At these words, in the front, a cheer broke out, and as they were repeated, this cheer cascaded in a wave all the way to the back.

True allowed it to die down before he continued.

“To that end, I will share now, if you are of this Rising. If you have aligned yourselves with these oppressors who wear a false mantle of devotion. Consider this carefully. For I decree Henry Carrington guilty of high treason against the Dellish monarchy and the country of Wodell. He was the mastermind behind a fraud perpetrated on the entire nation, and he was complicit in the assassination of our queen.”

An agitated murmur moved through the crowd.

“Henry Carrington will thus be drawn, executed and quartered on the morrow.”

Shock swept the citizens.

But True kept on.

“Those who raised their bows against my mother, after they’re fully interrogated, will be publicly hanged.”

People shifted on their feet in dazed surprise.

True kept on.

“Anyone who collaborates with this Rising will share this same fate. People who abet this Rising, if proved in tribunal, will be imprisoned in Crittich Keep for twenty-five years.”

A low hum started amongst the onlookers.

“Anyone coming forward, however,” True continued, “with usable information about this faction will be remunerated with five gold coins, ten silver coins and five pewter coins. Twenty coins. Twenty being the number of archers who took aim at my mother, our queen.”

The hum escalated.

“I will remind you, my people, we are Dellish,” True told them. “We are wise. We are loyal We are true to our own. Thus, no matter what you hear, this Rising is acting on its own remit. It has no alliance with any other realm or religion. If any citizen of this land causes harm or commits foul against anyone or anything, including people or property, this will be punished. Information and known associations with this faction are to be reported to a representative of the crown. Anything else will be unacceptable and punishable by royal edict.”