2Chapter 1: Gnawnia Throne Room - Trial
"Catherine Plankrun. Today, you have been summoned to stand trial before the King and his Ministers for your alleged crime against the Kingdom, which includes destroying the Gnawnian artefact - the Pagoda, and depriving future mousehunters their Arcane Rods of Never Yielding Mystery as well as leaving the Kingdom the massive bill to clean up the mess up to causing the death of one of our greatest Knight, Larry Jenkins."
Jordan Ringdas, the Minister for Law and Regulations paused to draw in a new mouthful of breath, before releasing a huge sigh and looking over the painfully long scroll in his hands once more.
"The charges against you detailed property damage of up to approximately twenty-six million three hundred thousand and fifty-six gold pieces, not including the aforementioned lost of potential weapons against the mice of uncountable opportunity cost."
There was an audible gasp. "No.. Twenty six million... How am I going to raise twenty-six million? Oh, Jack..." Then, a thud signified that the speaker had collapsed, causing a significant rustle as people panicked over the commotion.
"ORDER. I will have ORDER!" The King bellowed as he placed his hand over his head, not wanting to look at the scene any longer. "Bring Mrs. Plankrun out to have some fresh air."
When it was done and all was settled, he gave the signal for the Minister to once more continue.
"Catherine Plankrun, you are also charged with the murder of one Larry Jenkins..."
"SHE WAS INNOCENT. IT WAS THE ACOLYTE!"
"NONSENCE Zugzwang. Acolytes are behind the Portal at the Forbidden Grove. One could not simply be around to take the blame off the girl just like that. LOGIC FORBIDS IT!" Jordan snapped irritably. "Now stop being a madman and let me continue this trial. This trial had been delayed long enough since the funeral."
"I SAY THE TRUTH! THE ACOLYTE WAS THERE! WHY THE HELL WOULD SHE BRING LARRY BACK THEN? WHAT WAS HER MOTIVE? YOU JUST WANT SOMEBODY TO BLAME!"
"Do not force me to evict you from the castle Mister Zugzwang." It was the King this time, danger evident in his words.
That shut Crevice up just fine.
Jordan rolled his eyes. "As I was saying, Catherine Plankrun, you are also charged with the alleged murder of one Larry Jenkins. Do you plead guilty?"
All attention was upon the kneeling form of the girl as the sentence was finished. Her head was down, and her hair had covered her eyes but in the silence that followed it was undeniable that she had been crying. Tears stained her cheeks and her body convulsed from time to time as she sniffed back her tears, penetrating the still air of the room as the rest watched on with bated breath. All in all, she was a total wreck.
"Do you plead guilty?" Jordan repeated uncaringly.
"I plead guilty." Catherine finally said.
That one sentence caused the whole chamber to erupt into chaos. First, there were distinct murmurs of shock at the confession, then expressions of disbelief, but the loudest of them alll would be of one Crevice Zugzwang who had decided to delight all present with his colourful language.
"%#$ #$. I AM THE ONE. I KILLED LARRY, NOT HER! TAKE ME INSTEAD. $%#$#$# ARE YOU MAD, WOMAN? WHY THE $#$ # DID YOU ADMIT THAT? *^^%&("
The King of Gnawnia shook his head in disappointment. He had not want to believe that Plankrun of all people would have committed such a crime. He had even wished that Catherine would fervently deny the accusation, then the trial would have been put on hold and her on probation until more evidence had been unearthed. Now that she had gone and confessed, effectively damning her to a lifetime in the Stockades. Such a waste of potential.
"ARREST ME INSTEAD! I WAS THE ONE! I WAS THE ONE!" Crevice was still shouting like a raving madman even as the guards under Jordan's order dragged him out of the Throne room.
Oh, how he would like to pin the blame upon Zugzwang but no, an important witness had seen the boy with the knight before the events of the Dojo and it would had made more sense if the boy killed the knight right there and then. He had further testified that Catherine would be going to challenge the Master of the Dojo. Given that Larry had died in the Pinnacle Chamber and the Master of the Dojo was supposedly dead then, the only person who would have done the deed was Catherine, or had Crevice really killed Larry once he was inside? Or was an Acolyte mouse really there? No, it could not have been. The thoughts are maddening but it did not matter anymore. The girl confessed and it was all that matters.
"Catherine Plankrun, you are hereby sentenced to a lifetime in the King's Stockades. Your family would have to find a way to pay the debt you had to the King's Treasury. I declare the end of this trial." With a quick decisive re-scrolling of the parchment, Jordan Ringdas walked out of the room, his job done.
As the Room cleared and Catherine was hauled out by the guards to the dungeons below, the King of Gnawnia hummed a tune he did not know he knew as he went through what had happened again and again in his mind. Should he clarify with the witness again? The witness is in the castle after all, invited specially for this. Somehow a part of him did not want to admit that Catherine Plankrun was the culprit, but another was adamant about it.
Maybe he really should go talk with that shopkeeper once more. Maybe... maybe...
The King sighed with irritation as he gave up his thought processes.
What was the use asking things that would only beget the same answers? Etyloca is only a shopkeeper, not an omnipotent being that was somehow involved in all of this.
Yes, he affirmed himself, Etylcoa is only a mere shopkeeper, as he hummed the tune he did not know he knew again and again and again.
