The correct answer is C. pardoned.
To pardon someone is to forgive them for a crime they have committed. It is a legal act that is usually done by a king or queen. When someone is pardoned, they are no longer considered guilty of the crime they committed and they are not punished for it.
To excuse someone is to forgive them for a mistake they have made. It is not a legal act and it does not usually have the same consequences as a pardon. When someone is excused, they are not considered to be guilty of the mistake they made, but they may still be punished for it.
To forgive someone is to let go of anger or resentment towards them. It is a personal act that does not have any legal consequences. When someone forgives another person, they are not saying that what the other person did was right, but they are choosing to let go of the negative feelings they have about it.
In the case of the king and the rebel, the king pardoned the rebel. This means that the king forgave the rebel for the crime he committed and he no longer considered him to be guilty. The rebel was no longer punished for his crime and he was free to go.