Chapter Seven: Trial

There's a thing about Narnian trials: you can't really prepare for them. You don't know what questions will be asked. All you can do is face the music, or the judge. Luckily, for me, the judge was Ed, so no worries there, but it was a jury trial, so lots of worries there.

On the day of the trial, all you can do is show up.

So that's what I did.

Cair Paravel's courtroom is large, imposing, and rather intimidating.

The people of Cair Paravel's courtroom are large, imposing, and rather intimidating.

Well, except Edmund, but Edmund is Edmund, and he has his own way of keeping people in line. I've seen him silence and cow a murderer with three quiet words.

I walked into the room, and it instantly became an uproar. I kept my eyes on Ed, who sent me a small smile.

"If you would all be quiet, we might just get something done," he said softly. Silence fell. "Thank you. The prosecution reads as follows: At three forty-five on the eighth of Heat Moon, on Seasday last, General Alexa Ride, the Lioness, Knight of Narnia, ect, ect, attacked and wounded Prince Arshist, Prince Thilon, and Prince Rishat, sons of the Tisroc. The jury calls Alexa Ride to the stand."

I stood and walked forward, ignoring the people around me. I made eye contact with Ed, and then each of the jurors in turn: I knew none of them.

I sat in the high-backed chair and waited.

A Calormene juror leaned forward and began the interrogation. "Miss Ride, is it true that you attacked three of the sons of the Tisroc (may he live forever)?"

I looked him in the face. "That depends on your point of view."

"I'm not sure I quite understand."

"From the perspective of the three princes, yes, I did attack them. From my perspective it was self-defense."

"Self-defense?" Another juror leaned forward, a civilian from Archenland, Peridan. I knew his face from training. "How?"

"I was about to leave the training courts on Seasday last when the princes blocked my path. I tried to get around them but they wouldn't move. Not only that, but they tried to stop me from doing my job, protecting the Kings."

"How can you do that anyway with that leg of yours?" It was a Calormene, again.

I looked him in the face. "My leg is proof that I do my job," I said softly, daring him to argue in my head, reminding him of Peter. The jurors murmured amongst themselves. I debated asking if we could have lunch, but dismissed the idea as a bit informal. Hey, what can I say? I was hungry.

The jurors nodded for a moment, and then one rose. "Thank you, Miss Ride. That is all. Your Honor?" he addressed Edmund.

"Yes?"

"The jury would like to ask permission to go and discuss the verdict." Edmund blinked once, and then nodded.

"Very well."

The jurors filed out. I looked up at Ed. "That was short." He nodded, brow furrowed, thinking hard.

"Very short," he murmured. "Unusually short. Well, all we have left to do is wait."

"Lunch?" I asked hopefully.

"It's ten in the morning!"

"So?" He sighed, hiding a smile, shaking his head.

"Why does Peter put up with you?"

"I have no idea."

Hours passed. Okay, not really. More like one hour, but still, I've never been very patient. Ever.

I was on my 593rd time of counting the amount of pillars in the room (31.5. One of them is a bit shaky looking.), when they came back. Seven looked satisfied, four indifferent, and only one truly upset. The head juror came up and whispered something in Ed's ear. He nodded, and the juror went and sat down.

I waited, though from the look of carefully controlled anger on Ed's face, I already knew the verdict.

"The jury has decided. Alexa Ride is guilty as charged, and will be stripped of all military titles and her status as a knight. She is banished from Narnia permanently." He looked at me. "You have one week to leave. Court adjourned."

It was a matter of minutes before it was just Ed and I. I bit my lip, trying not to cry. I'd known that this was how it would end: they were princes, and they could hurt those people. The jurors had been scared, and I didn't blame them.

Peter, Becca, Susan, and Lucy walked in. Susan and Lucy saw Ed and me. They ran to me and hugged me. Becca was watching Edmund, and he nodded silently. I saw her fists clench, then she broke. Whirling, she slammed her knuckles against the wall, letting out a yell. Peter just stood there, watching me. Su and Lu went to Ed, and they hugged him too. Peter looked down and away, swiping at his eyes. I stood, feeling my own eyes prick with tears, and ran to him. He grabbed me and held me close, really crying now, in that silent way of his. We stood there for a long, long time, until both of us stopped crying.