Chapter 9 - Z
The guard took me into the court chambers to stand in the middle of a round stone room. The judge stood above and before me in a small, square stone box, Jiral to his right and an empty podium to his left for witnesses.
"Zael, you have been summoned here to be tried for the kidnapping of the Lady Calista," he said. His voice was deeper than I thought it was going to be.
"I did not kidnap –"
"She was with you on a stolen Gurak ship. Do you deny it?"
I looked down. "No." The crowd gasped.
"See! I told you it was true!" Jiral was enjoying this far too much.
I looked at the judge. "We saved her from the Gurak king! He is the one who kidnapped her!"
"Silence! You shall only speak when asked a direct question." I was silenced? What? If this was a fair trial then I would be listened to. I guess that man was right when he said that our social standing had already determined the case.
I hung my head again. "Were you with the Lady Calista during the attack?"
"Yes."
"Your honour, if I may, I saw this mercen'ry with Calista before the attack." Of course you did, Jiral. Of course you did. And mercenary? Really? That's probably your reasoning behind this. Or I am just cooler that you are. That would explain a lot.
The judge looked shocked. "Is this true?" The audience matched his concern. There were whispers.
"Yes, sir. We are close friends." I was being kind of honest. I mean, everyone thought I had a thing for her, but in truth I just thought that she was a dreamer which actually intrigued me. Friends is all I wanted to be.
The whispers turned to shouts and shouts turned to cuss words and throwing shit at me. The judge called for order but only a few of them actually listened.
"How do we know that your intentions were honest? Perhaps you only wished to sweep the Lady away from me just before our day of wed." Jiral, Shut the fuck up. I hate you.
"Because I-," Well shit. I couldn't tell them about Yurick. I would get him into trouble and that wouldn't be okay. Apparently it isn't right to 'lay with another man' here, but just a few countries away, where we first mentioned our love, it's perfectly natural.
"Go on." The Judge was awaiting an answer I could not give. I stayed silent.
"I suppose that if he won't respond to you then we'll have to use other means," Jiral waved his hand at the guard behind me. I turned just in time to see the whip crash down on my back. I winced. I would have caught it and beat the hell out of all of them if my hands weren't bound. Another crack caused me to slam my eyes shut and hunch over. The next sent me to the floor. A few more sent my mind into the past…
"Get up! You are such a wimp! Get up! You wanted to fight."
Their feet rammed into my sides and stomach. My face was bloody and my arms bruised. All I wanted was to be left alone. Didn't people understand that?
"Leave him alone!" Dagran! My friend had come! He pulled one of the kids back and pulled his sword on the other three. "I said leave him alone."
They backed off and ran after their leader. Dagran helped me to my feet. "Thank you, friend." I held my side in agony.
"What did I say about getting yourself into trouble?" He draped my arm around his neck and half carried me to the tavern.
"But those kids were stealing bread from a little girl. It was wrong. I had to stop them."
"Great job at that. We should save up for another sword. I have 50 coins. Twice that and we can get you a decent one. Now walk faster so we can get going." I smiled. We had only met just 4 months ago. He was the first person to talk to me since I lost my mum.
"Thank you, Dagran."
"Send him back." I was grabbed by the shoulders and forced back to the dungeon, where I was 'put in my place', meaning violently thrown to the floor. Luckily my hands were un-cuffed so I caught myself just before I collapsed to the floor. I was exhausted and in pain. I vaguely remember Yurick and Syrenne kneeling over me…
