Disclaimer: I don't own the Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer does.
When the doors to the throne room opened, Jacin didn't need a moment to compose himself, having already spent the entire march up from the holding cells preparing himself to again stand in that hall where he'd seen so many criminals executed by their own limbs - and stand in their position.
His wrists were bound together behind his back, the rope chafing. He willed his posture to maintain the rigidness it had adopted during his long hours spent as a guard in this very palace, and held his chin high. Their treatment of him, their accusations, had not broken him. He was not broken.
And he was painfully aware of the one thing - one person - who could potentially break him unintentionally, sitting in her plain throne next to her stepmother, but distinctly lower so that any onlookers could see the spread of power. Not once did he glance at Winter, but he felt her presence like a black hole in the room; attracting all light and matter towards her with that curious gravity she possessed.
He couldn't look at her. He couldn't. It would only hurt the both of them.
She looked pale, he noted, desperately trying not to peer at her in his peripheral vision, but unable to help it. He knew why she was pale, her skin the colour of second era cocoa powder. He'd presented not to hear her anguished cry from outside the door as Levana gave the order for him to be summoned.
Hoping desperately that she wouldn't lose herself, he sent out reassuring thoughts, hoping against common sense that she might hear them. Stay with me, Princess. Listen to my voice, Princess.
As he was led to the centre of the room, where he'd seen so many people - innocent and guilty - on trial, he made sure to school his face into a blank unreadable expression. It paid off as Thaumaturge Aimery began to speak, and he violently repressed the urge to glare at him. Or scowl. Or run him through.
Stars, he hated the man.
He restrained himself from looking at the princess whilst Aimery was talking.
"Jacin Clay," said Aimery. "you have been charged with betraying the crown by failing to protect Thaumaturge Mira and by failing to apprehend known Lunar fugitive despite nearly two weeks spent in said fugitive's company. You are a traitor to Luna, and to our Queen. These crimes are punishable by death. What have you to say in your defence?"
The moment Aimery said his name, Jacin's jaw clenched. He only clenched it harder as the speech wore on.
He was not a criminal - he was doing what was right.
He was not a traitor - his was merely serving his Princess (princesses, he thought wryly) rather than his Queen.
He kept his eyes fixed on Levana and the astounding beauty her glamour afforded her. Without being able to help it, he glanced at her finger where her wedding ring sat - out of sight. He didn't miss how she paid Winter's fleeting look no heed.
His heart battered his chest, but he refused to show that. Instead he said levelly "I plead guilty to all stated crimes, except for the accusation that I am a traitor." He kept his head held high.
A movement caught his eye as Levana tapped her ring-less fingers against the arm of her throne. He fought not to raise an eyebrow. A nervous tick? It didn't seem characteristic of her.
"Explain" came the quiet, authorative order.
He didn't noticeably stiffen his posture but it suddenly became clear to everyone in the room that he was standing like a guard should, not like a criminal would. "As I've said before, I did not apprehend the fugitive while in her company because I was attempting to convince her I could be trusted, in order to gather information for my queen."
"Ah, yes, you were spying on her and her companions," Levana drawled mockingly. His jaw clenched harder. "I do recall that excuse from when you were captured. I also recall that you had no pertinent information to give me, only lies."
He forced himself to regulate his breathing. I'm doing this for Winter. He would not give them a reason to murder him in front of her.
Jacin took another breath and spoke. "Not lies, My Queen," the honorific tasted bitter on his tongue, "though I will admit I underestimated the cyborg and her abilities. She was disguising them from me."
"So much for earning her trust." He was sure everyone heard the mocking in Levana's tone. He caught wind of a few titters, which only caused him to stand straighter.
"Knowledge of the cyborg's abilities was not the only information I sought, My Queen." Bitterness, bitterness. Overwhelming bitterness. Could she hear the impertinence in his tone?
"I suggest you stop playing with words. My patience with you is already wearing thin."
He heard the thinly disguised threat. He had little time to turn this around. He racked his mind, searching for anything - anything - that could possibly help his predicament. That could prevent Winter from having to witness his execution.
An idea struck him.
"During my time with Linh Cinder, I uncovered information about a device that can nullify the effects of the Lunar gift when attached to a person's nervous system.
He could feel the crowd's sudden investment then. A device like that... It could change the hierarchy. It could change the world as the Lunar's knew it.
It could change everything.
And he didn't care, besides its potential use for Winter. The only significance in held in his mind otherwise was whether or not he could use this information about it to get out alive.
"Impossible." He could hear in the Queen's tone that she believed him, though. But would that be enough to save him?
"Linh Cinder had evidence of it's potential." He barrelled on, hoping no one noticed his desperation. "As it was described to me, on an Earthen, the device will keep their bioelectricity from being tampered with. But on a Lunar, it will prevent them from using their gift at all." He didn't give them a chance to digest the information. He went straight on. "Linh Cinder herself had the device installed when she arrived at the Commonwealth ball. Only when it was destroyed was she able to use her gift - as was evidenced by your own eyes, My Queen."
Jacin couldn't help the insolence that slipped out. Levana tightened her grip on the armrests until her pale knuckles went even whiter. "How many of these hypothetical devices exist?"
He'd been prepared for that question. "To my knowledge, only the broken device installed in the cyborg herself. But I suspect there still exist blueprints or patents. The inventor was Linh Cinder's adoptive father."
Colour flooded into Levana's knuckles as she loosened her death grip. "This is intriguing information, Sir Clay." She was using his title. Was this a good sign? Or was it yet another method of mocking him? "But it speaks more of a desperate attempt to save yourself than true innocence."
So she did notice. He shrugged, wondering if the nonchalant gesture would calm his racing pulse. "If my loyalty cannot be seen in how I conducted myself with the enemy, obtaining this information and alerting Thaumaturge Mira to the plot to kidnap Emperor Kaito, I don't know what other evidence I can provide for you, My Queen."
"Yes, yes. The anonymous tip Sybil received, alerting her to Linh Cinder's plans." Levana sighed. Jacin allowed himself a moment to fantasise that she was actually tired. "I find it very convenient that this comm you claim to have sent was seen by no one other than Sybil herself, who is now dead."
Yes. That would that gap in his defence. The wide, hungry, bottomless, gaping abyss in his defence.
Levana turned to her captain of the guard, Jerrico Solis. Jacin didn't have any particular opinion on him, but he seemed as airheaded and easily manipulated as the rest of the guards - Jacin himself included. "You were with Sybil when she ambushed the enemy's ship that day, yet you said before that Sybil had mentioned no such comm. Have you anything to add?"
Jerrico stepped forward. His multitude of bruises from the scuffle Thaumaturge Mira was killed in hadn't faded yet, Jacin noted. "My Queen, Thaumaturge Mira seemed confident we would find Linh Cinder on that rooftop, but she did not mention receiving any outside information - anonymous or otherwise. When the ship landed, it was Thaumaturge Mira who ordered Jacin Clay to be taken into custody."
This time he couldn't hold back the minute raising of one eyebrow. "Perhaps she was still upset that I shot her." He paused for a second, before realising how that must sound. "Whilst under Linh Cinder's influence, in my defence."
"You seem to have plenty to say in your defence," said the Queen coolly. He glanced up at her, not quite meeting her eyes. He didn't respond, if only because he was slightly stunned he hadn't infuriated her with his boldness.
"Permission to speak, My Queen?"
With a faint pang, Jacin saw as the figure moved to the front of the crowd that the speaker was a guard. He tried to remember his name. Kinney.
He felt briefly sorry for Kinney, who was currently on the receiving end of one of the queen's famous glares. "What is your name, and why do you dare interrupt these proceedings?" She asked coldly. To his credit, the man barely flinched.
The guard stared at the wall. Nothing else. "My name is Liam Kinney, My Queen." I assisted with the retrieval of Thaumaturge Aimery's body."
After a moment of deathly silence, a raised eyebrow, and a slight nod, the Queen said "Go on."
Kinney didn't hesitate. "Mistress Mira was in possession of a portscreen when we found her, and though it was broken in the fall, it was still submitted as evidence in the case of her murder. I wonder if anyone has attempted to retrieve the alleged comm."
Jacin watched as Levana turned to Aimery, who hadn't spoken in a while, and was wearing that particularly pleasant expression that meant he was particularly annoyed. "In fact, we did manage to access her recent communications. I was about to bring forward the evidence."
It was a lie, Jacin knew. But Aimery had to preserve his standing, and his dignity.
The thaumaturge gestured to the door and a servant scurried in, carrying a tray that held a holograph node and a portscreen with a shattered screen. "This is the portscreen Sir Kinney mentioned. Our investigation had confirmed that there was, indeed, an anonymous comm sent to Sybil Mira that day."
The servant turned on the node and suddenly Jacin's view of the Queen was obscured by a holograph, displaying a basic text comm. Jacin remembered sending it, believing that Cinder and her team could get out of there alive, and needing to have some sort of lifeline to cling to. One that led back to Winter.
Linh Cinder plotting to kidnap EC emperor. Escape planned from North Tower rooftop, sunset.
He heard Levana's words from behind the holograph, before it was switched off. "Thank you, Sir Kinney, for bringing this to our attention." Jacin had to hide a smile at her lack of gratitude towards Aimery.
Kinney bowed to the Queen, before stepping back. He cast one glance at Winter, and despite the blankness to it, it irritated Jacin.
He stood to attention as Levana continued. "I suppose you will tell me, Sir Clay," She was using his title again, "That this was the comm you sent."
"It was."
"Have you anything else to add before I make my verdict?"
"Nothing, My Queen." He refrained from spitting the title. The room fell into a hush as she leant back, waiting for her decision.
"I trust my stepdaughter would like me to spare you."
The boiling rage he felt was squashed down. He didn't look at Winter.
"Please Stepmother," he heard her small voice say. His heart skipped a beat. She seemed to be struggling to speak. "It's Jacin. He is not our enemy."
"Not yours, perhaps," Levana admitted snidely. "But you are a naïve, stupid girl." Jacin was willing to bet he was more upset by the insults than Winter herself was.
"That is not so." Jacin's heart stopped at what she said next. "I am a factory for blood and platelets, and all my machinery is freezing over..."
In the court's explosion of laughter, Jacin's clenched fists went unnoticed. How dare they laugh at her? Winter had more good in her alone than every single corrupt courtier in this room did put together. She doesn't deserve this!
Levana's lips twitched, in amusement or annoyance Jacin couldn't tell, and she announced suddenly "I have made my decision." The room silecnce immediately. "I have decided to let the prisoner live."
The audience giggled further at Winter's relieved cry.
"Have you any other insights to add, Princess?" Levana asked tauntingly.
Winter shook her head frantically. "No, My Queen. Your rulings are always wise and final, My Queen."
"This ruling is not finished," Levana said, and instantly any whispers disappeared. Her face hardened as she looked Jacin in the eye. "Your inability to kill or capture Linh Cinder will not go unpunished, as your incompetence led to her successful kidnapping of my betrothed. For this crime I sentence you to thirty self-inflicted lashings to be held on the central dais, followed by forty hours of penance. Your sentence shall commence at tomorrow's light-break."
He saw Winter flinch at his punishment, but he himself was relieved. This was nothing - nothing - compared to having Winter watch him get killed.
"And Winter..." He immediately tensed up again at the Queen's tone. Looking up, he saw Levana eyeing her stepdaughter with disdain. "If you attempt to bring him food, I will have his tongue removed a payment for your kindness."
She folded in on herself slightly. "Yes, My Queen."
I'm sorry if there are any mistakes; it's late, and I'm not sure I proofread it very thoroughly.
Review?