‘Wakey wakey, Mattias’ she greeted.

‘Huh? Oh, hello there. I’m sorry, I didn’t sleep well last night’

‘The dungeons are not supposed to be comfortable. Anyway, I had just received word that a murder happened last night’ Mattias gasped the moment he heard that.

‘Really?! That’s… pretty bad’

‘It was just some peasant, nothing too much to worry about’

‘But mother!’ Patricia began ‘Peasants are essential to functioning of our Kingdom! We cannot allow them to die!’

‘I know, my dear. They are however easily replaceable’ she turned her attention back to Mattias ‘Anyhow, the peasant’s wife is going to be here and she has requested an audience with me. I would presume she wants me to have this murder investigated’ she paused for a short while ‘As this might be a good experience for your future development, I’ll allow you to watch her ramblings in my throne room. You will however, be escorted there by my guards. Is this all OK?’

‘Uh… yeah, I guess’ one of the guards opened the cell door.

‘Come with me, my sweetie. This may be of great amusement to us’ Mattias was lead down a few long corridors until heading over to Helga’s throne room. Helga sat on the throne, with Patricia and Mattias standing to one side. Helga looked at the guards and said ‘Bring this loser in’ A few moments later a woman wearing a torn brown dress walked over towards Helga. The woman glared at Mattias the moment she saw him.

‘There he is!’ she shouted ‘That’s the murderer!’

‘Now now, we must be civil’ said Helga ‘This is not the time or place to be throwing around accusations’

‘But, your highness! I saw him murder my husband! With my own two eyes!’

‘That is not sufficient in order to uphold an accusation of murder. I need proof for that. Do you have any proof?’ the woman suddenly looked puzzled.

‘Uhhhh… no? Are you saying my word is not enough?!’

‘Yes. Murder is a very serious crime, and the punishment in most cases is death. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, please do remember that’ the woman looked completely miserable ‘I do understand this is hard time for you’

‘What?! You don’t say! My husband has been murdered and my child with have to grow up without a father! How would you feel if that happened to you?!’

‘That’s not the point’ the woman’s face was turning red.

‘How can you be so insensitive?! And to think you’re a woman, too!’

‘In order to think of things objectively, one must subdue their emotions, Also, not all women are the same. In fact, in my lifetime I’ll say they’re just as cruel and vicious as men’

‘What’s that got to do with anything?!’

‘Were you just expecting me to keel over for you just because I’m a woman? It has everything to do with that. Every man, woman and child has to follow the same laws and procedures set out by the king. None of us are making exceptions for you’

‘OK, fine. But could you at least investigate this murder?’

‘It already is being investigated. Like I said before we need evidence before we can convict someone. Also that person must be trialled before that person can be sentenced’

‘Ugh, fine then! Also, and it’s not just me who’s saying this, we have a shocking lack of guards in our area, can we not have more?’

‘No. As hard as this is to explain to one such as you, the guards have no duty to protect the people of Ofenaar. They exist to uphold the laws we obey on a daily basis. You are not the first person I’ve spoken to who doesn’t understand this’

‘What?! You can’t be serious?! The hell we have guards for, then?!’

‘Like I said, to enforce the laws we have and to protect the peace of our kingdom. The guards however do have a duty to respond to crimes committed and to bring murders to justice’ the woman had her arms crossed.

‘Huh? That’s reassuring’ the woman sighed and looked towards the exit of the throne room.

‘Anything else you wanted to ask me? I am more than happy to indulge you’

‘Well, could you report this to the king, at least?’

‘I have already wrote a letter to him. What I am requesting for you is to be patient. Also it’s up to him whether not it is in his interests. I have no control over that’ the woman was just glaring at her ‘If the king doesn’t take this seriously and you’re angry at me for it, you’re barking up the wrong tree’ tears were rolling down the woman's face at this point.

‘I can’t believe this. That bastard over there is just going to walk away free, I know it!’ Helga sighed.

‘This session is over. Guards? Please escort her out of this castle’ the woman left the throne room, with the guards following her out. Helga got off the throne.

‘Mother?; asked Patricia ‘May I ask you something?’

‘Yes?’

‘If the guards don’t have a duty to protect our people, what is their main duty?’

‘Not here, my sweetie’ she was then looking at Mattias ‘It’s time to go back to your cell’ They were then walking down the corridors back to the dungeon. ‘To answer your question, they’re here to protect us, the upper class. And of course to keep the lower classes at bay’ Patricia didn’t say anything, she looked somewhat miserable. They all remained in silence as they were walking down the corridors.