What Shouldn't Be Chapter 3: Trial

Evan of Deerhorn surveyed the courtroom. From the high chair where the Lord Magistrate sat he could see all the Provost Guards's-Dogs, that's what they called themselves, he corrected mentally-all the Dogs, the prisoners behind the cells and the common folk waiting outside.

He cleared his throat and stood. Immediately all the papers being shuffled were quiet and everyone in the room stood still.

"I am Sir Evan of Deerhorn," he announced. "Lord Gershom is mentoring me to replace him as the Lord Provost when he retires, so today I am filling in for the Magistrate as part of my training." He paused and sat, though everyone else in the room remained standing. Then he cleared his throat again and looked out at the seats. "Court has begun."

Evan dispensed the expected sentences for the assortment of criminals presented to him. That is, until he got to the last prisoner before the break for the midday meal.

It was a girl. A girl of the age where she should have been a wife with a newborn babe in the Lower City. Not the age of someone who's a pickpocket or thief. But her strangeness, how unusual and different and yet appealing she was to him, it went beyond just that.

It was her hair, her eyes. He would have bet five gold nobles she was at least part Scanran. She had pale blond hair, almost white, which was falling out of its loose braid and into her eyes, a smooth icy blue, unnatural but perfect.

The girl-he didn't know her name-was meeting his gaze steadily. She stuck out her chin in defiance, practically daring him to sentence her.

He looked down at his list and silently read off her name.

Elle Piper

Elle Piper. Lord Gershom had told Evan about this one. Guardswoman Rebakah Cooper's daughter by the Corus Rouge, Rosto the Piper. Elle was the youngest of their three children, and the elder two were boys who'd decided to follow in their mother's footsteps and join the Provost's Guard.

Apparently Elle hadn't made the same decision.

Evan raised his head. The famed Dog, Beka Cooper, sat in the second row, her back ramrod straight. Her braid, unlike her daughter's, didn't have a single hair out of place. Her unreal silver-blue eyes were tight with anger-at him or at her daughter, Evan couldn't tell.

One of her sons sat a couple of rows back, noticeable because of his light brown hair, the same shade as hers. His younger brother sat with his Senior Dogs, as he was still a trainee, but Evan knew they were related. Their dark eyes and wide mouths were almost identical, as were their current expressions-glaring eyes and tight-lipped, unsmiling mouths.

One of the Dogs stood up and began reporting on Elle's criminal offense, but Evan kept watching those three. Her brothers were obviously embarrassed and ashamed, but Beka was harder to read. She seemed both worried for and ashamed of her beautiful daughter.

Evan wondered where Elle's father was. And then, just as the report ended, he saw him. Rosto the Piper stood at the back of the crowd outside the courtroom, but he was still a foreboding sight. Pale blond hair framed his dark eyes, which were focused with complete seriousness on Evan.

Evan gulped. He was sure the Piper knew his daughter had done wrong, but he also didn't want his throat cut in the middle of the night. He'd heard tell of things the King of the Thieves did to those who harmed his family, thought getting into the Provost's House where Evan was staying would hardly be a smart-or easy-thing to do.

Evan swallowed and looked up. "The stolen property was returned?" he asked. Someone nodded. Evan shuffled his papers. "I should hope Mistress Piper has learned her lesson regarding stealing. As she is young, I shall let her off-" his eyes met Elle's in a steely glare "-this time."

Disclaimer: not mine, etc. etc.

A/N: Ta-da! Chapter 3! Sorry for the cliffy but they're ever so fun to write. And Evan makes an appearance at last-but not how we remember him! Tell me what you think of the new him. Updates will be more frequent now 'cause the play I was in is over, just for your information. Please review and tell me what you think or if you find any grammar issues or typos, let me know. Enjoy and review! -rowena