The Prince's Bodyguard

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Because this chapter is short and of small importance, also because I feel like it and I just started my master's degree, I'm giving you this chapter and the next. Enjoy.

Chapter 14 (Arrested in a Foreign Land)

They reached the courtroom in very little time, and Trina was shocked to find a sight she did not expect. Of course Sikowitz was there to meet her, able to guide her and Raymond into the room. Tori was brought in by guards, facing Lanton, who was now wearing two eye patches. "What is going-" She started to demand information, but Raymond put a finger to his lips.

"Say nothing, milady." It seemed clear what was going on, but Trina wanted to know why. An assassination attempt was issued, and for some reason, it appeared her sister was responsible. There was no possible way they could be responsible. Her sister wasn't a killer, and her friends weren't dumb enough to try and take out a high powered ruler. "It would appear to me your friend are being accused of attempting to assassinate my father."

"I gathered that," she growled, "And it's my sister's friends, but they're not here" Tori turned her head, opening her mouth in a wide smile when her eyes fell onto Trina. Someone nudged her and she flinched, falling into position. "Shit." Trina tensed, fearing the worst and unable to protect her sibling. "Raymond, do not let him execute my sister."

"He won't." Raymond had a serious expression on his face and gave a valiant nod. "Not while I'm here, I won't allow it. If anything, my father understands she is your sister."

"The sister of a royal bodyguard isn't exactly high on the 'national crisis if something happened' list, Ray." Raymond hummed and furrowed his brow.

"I heard that one of the performers was your sister, but not which one." He pointed to Tori. "The way she looked at you like she was happy to see you, that must be her." Trina answered him only with a nod and turned her eyes towards the Chancellor. She tensed, listening to the chancellor's people accuse her of trying to assassinate her. "I see, you value her a great deal."

"Of course I do." She hated being unable to come to Tori's defense, but she didn't want to blow her cover or Jason's. Granted everyone in the room currently was already aware of her position. She leaned into Sikowitz, whispering to him. "Tell me what happened."

"Well." Sikowitz raised his body with his feet, bouncing as his hands folded over his belt. "Tori was dancing with her friends, and her shoe was loose. A size too big. It flew off and hit the Chancellor in the eye."

"Why was my sister wearing a shoe too large?"

"One of her friends was helping with costume design and gave her the pair of shoes. I asked, and it was Cat. She said she didn't know and that it was a simple mistake. I know Cat's a little bit off and all, but this is a new level of simpleton."

"Right. Okay." She took a deep breath, holding it for a long period. When she heard Lanton shout without reason that Tori was guilty, she felt an urge to lunge forward and protect her sibling, but stood down. "Would it matter if I said anything right now? Do you know? I mean he knows I'm Jason's bodyguard."

"I think that would be ill-advised right now." Tori was trembling, her eyes moving anxiously towards Trina. Her lower lip quivered and tears began filling her eyes. Trina wanted to embrace her sister and felt her heart sinking as she watched a tear roll away from Tori's eye. "He understands the connection to you, so he's not going to execute her...right away..."

"What?!"

"I mean, he's just going to put her in prison."

"She doesn't belong in prison."

"I know, I know. I'm going to try and work something out." Sikowitz rubbed is hair vigorously, muttering to himself. "Maybe my sister can issue an edict or something. Though Pamela wouldn't likely see a point in aiding my students. She's not one to mingle in affairs and matters like this."

Without being able to say anything, Trina watched her sister being guided away. Under her breath she whispered a promise to get Tori out somehow. Raymond turned to her, looking into her eyes. "Milady, I promise I'm going to try and find a way. I will talk to my father, see if he can see reason."

Trina glowered and scowled. "You're talking about a man that executed his wife in front of his own son without a single thought, right?" Raymond sighed and lowered his hands. "I fail to see the rationality."

"I know. Trust me. I will think of something. Some way to free your sister before anything happens to her."

"I can't fathom her being stuck in a prison full of criminals, Ray. If anything happens to her, I'm won't be happy."

Raymond chuckled and started to smirk. "Yes. The last thing we should want to do is suffer your wrath. I am sure not even the toughest military agent could stand that."

"No time for flattery, Ray. Get my sister out."

To her surprise, Tori's friends entered the room in a hurry. Trina studied them suspiciously, raising her eyebrows. "What are you doing here?" Raymond stepped back, so as to avoid letting them see her near any members of royalty. Granted, they didn't realize he was related to the Chancellor; he certainly didn't dress like it.

"We're here to try and get Tori out," Andre replied. He was the one, if there was one, that Trina thought was the closest to giving a shit about Tori. Granted, she knew about his lecherous ways and didn't care for him. "All of us."

Jade shrugged. "Yeah well, at least they're-" Beck nudged her, quickly telling her not to say anything to stir up trouble. Trina crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes as Andre stepped forward, moving casually and looking at the Chancellor.

"Chancellor, sir, Tori didn't mean for her shoe to fly off and hit you." It was a valiant attempt, and Trina was glad to see it. Perhaps there was an amount of concern for her, but they were going to have to try harder. "It was an accident." The Chancellor groaned and shook his head.

Trina heard Robbie speak up and looked to see him studying an Octopus in the room. "Hey, what's this?" Robbie asked. She shook her head, praying he wouldn't do anything stupid. The boy moved to the aquarium as Lanton's bodyguard informed Robbie of the octopus's connection to a prince of another country.

The group turned away from him and focused on the Chancellor, with Andre leading the pleas for Tori's release. After a while, Lanton started to agree to her release, which shocked her. For a minute, she was almost ready to embrace the crew.

A loud noise echoed in the office, followed by the crackling of electricity. Trina flinched and all eyes turned to Robbie, who was staring at a clock that had fallen into the aquarium. "Robbie!" Cat shrieked. "What in the hell did you do?!" Robbie swallowed and looked over.

"It was an accident."

"Idiot!"

The bodyguard rushed over and grabbed the limp octopus, muttering as Lanton rose. "She's dead," he announced, "The octopus is dead." Trina cupped her hand over her eyes and began cursing as a large clamoring erupted in the room.

Andre started to ask about Tori, earning a swift glare from Trina. "Forget it," Lanton wept. "You're all under arrest! Guards!" Sikowitz slipped out of the room and Trina stepped away as guards came in to surround them. As the friends were guided out, a guard tried to grab Trina by the wrist.

"Wait!" Raymond called out. The guard stopped, holding her in place until the friends were out. "That is the royal bodyguard of Prince Jason. She is not under arrest, do not attempt to take her." Lanton gasped aloud, his hand shaking before his mouth.

"My son is right! We would risk insult to the Prince of Vanderkova if we arrest her. Leave her at once." The guard released her and she swept her arm back with a loud huff.

"Thank you sir."

It would have been okay with her to be in the prison with them, that way she could protect her sister; but she could do more from the outside. While she still wanted to investigate Black Star, she needed to hurry and get her sister taken care of before anything else.

Raymond followed her out of the office. "What will you do, Trina?" She stopped and swept her hands through her hair.

"I'm not sure. Sikowitz is going to try and talk to the Queen about requesting a release, but he didn't seem confident that she would get involved in this." It seemed so small that she'd almost think it were frivolous and not worth her time. "I'm going to try talking to Jason, but I'm not sure if we can manage to get a pardon for Tori's friends. If anything, he can maybe talk Lanton into releasing my sister, but we'll see."

"Yes. I'll try thinking of something as well."

"Can you pardon them?"

"I cannot. Only my father can offer pardons to anyone. Whoever is ruling would have to pardon a Yerbanian criminal." She groaned and turned away upon seeing the guilt and sorrow flash in Raymond's eyes.

"All this over a goddamn shoe?" She put her hands to her hips and narrowed her eyes. "What kind of ruler is your father? No offense."

"None taken. I am not particularly fond of my father, if I am entirely honest."

This was something she'd gathered in their conversation. As surprising as it was, she wasn't too concerned about it. "Just find a way to get my sister out of prison, Raymond. Her stupid friends too." She flung her hair back and heard him chuckle.

"I thought you did not care for the friends?"

"I don't, but they tried to have her released. That earns them just a little bit of favor in my eyes."

An hour later Trina was at the prison. It wasn't very clean and almost resembled a zoo with trapped animals. Grasping the outside bars, she watched as Andre and Beck scrambled away from some bench-nearly being hit by rocks other inmates were throwing.

Elsewhere, Tori was talking to Cat while Jade was dusting off her prison uniform. Cat was acting chipper and excited as though she didn't realize where she was. It was peculiar, but Trina chalked it up at the girl's ditzy behavior.

Seeing her, Tori approached the fence quickly. "Trina!" Her name left Tori's lips in a rushed breath, and the girl wrapped her fingers around Trina's hands, which were clinging to the bars. "God I'm glad to see you."

"Are you okay? What's going on in there?"

"Well. Cat apparently just joined a prison gang." She raised an eyebrow and looked over to Cat. "Don't ask. What's going on with you? Jade was wondering why you weren't being arrested too after everything."

"That's complicated."

"I figure, but still..."

She caught a glimpse of Robbie and did a double take, noticing that he was on the women's side of the prison. "What's Robbie doing on your side?"

"I'm not sure. Someone told the guards he was a girl, and Cat's been staying with him most all the time." Tori chuckled softly. "She's got a thing for him, you know." Trina sighed and Tori gave her hands a gentle squeeze, smiling sadly. "I love you big sis."

"I love you too. Try and relax, Tori, I'm going to find a way to get you out of here." It wasn't going to be easy, but it was possible. Tori pressed her forehead against the bars and her body started to sink.

"I want to go home. I want to go home with you and to daddy and to mommy. I hate it here, everything is just wrong."

"Don't worry baby sis, I'm going to take care of everything. I promise you." Tori flicked her eyes into Trina's and sniffled.

"I know you will. I believe in you." Tori closed her eyes and started to tremble. Trina pressed her forehead against the bar, feeling the warmth of what little skin from her sister's forehead she could feel. "I'm scared Trina. I'm really, really scared."

"You won't be here long, I promise. I'm going to find a way to get you out." She had Prince Raymond working on it, Sikowitz was working on a plan, and even Jason would be notified to give aid in whatever way he could think. "Stay strong, Tori."

"How? How can I? You're out there."

"I'm not always going to physically be with you, but all you have to do is think of me and I'll be right there in your heart. Okay?" Tori nodded slowly, releasing a single sob. "You can be strong. You have to be."

"I've never been in jail. I'm not tough like Jade, and I'm not clueless like Cat."

"Yeah." Trina chuckled once and kissed Tori's forehead. "Something tells me Jade's putting on a good front. I doubt she's been in jail either." She may feel like Jade belongs in prison, but that was a different story altogether.

"Trina? Do you still think my friends are bad for me?"

"I don't know. You'll have to decide that for yourself, don't look for approval from anyone else." Tori took a deep breath and pulled her head away. The girl wiped her eyes and looked over her shoulder. "I mean, I don't like them much. You know that. I don't like Jade one bit. You know that too. But there may be hope for them down the line."

"Why? Why say that?"

"Because." Trina started to smile. "They tried to help get you out of this piss hole." Tori laughed once and turned sideways, leaning her shoulder against the bars. "It was Robbie's stupid mistake that landed them here to begin with. They almost had you out, then they had to go and kill the Chancellor's octopus."

"I heard about that."

"Yeah, well, just hang in there. You will be okay."

What are your thoughts here? How are things going to work out? I will say this, the brazen escape attempt in the show may or may not work. Will it? You know me, stickler for realism, and that would just make the crew fugitives and able to be extradited back to prison.