Chapter XLIX

People, adults and children, gathered in the village to see the prime minister for the last time in their life. They watched the grey-haired man sitting inside the iron jail, his face pale and his legs shaking. He was caged like an animal —­ though he was far worse than an innocent tiger. The villagers shouted insults and threats and threw stones at him. The prisoner had no more leather or fancy fabrics on his body. Now, he was only but lower than a beggar with his stained shirt and trousers. He was shoeless, and his feet were bleeding.

The royal guards were ordered to drive the prime minister and the men who helped him to a faraway island outside the kingdom. The king decided it would be merciful to publically execute him, so he and Keith thought it would be better to exile him. The prime minister was not only going to live on an island and rot to death. No, he needed to pay for what he had done to the women and girls. He destroyed their families, and now was time