Chapter Twenty-Five:
Seto looked up as the door opened. He was not the least bit surprised to see Katsuya strolling in. Randall glanced between them, awaiting orders from Seto. It was morning on the nineteenth, and Seto was due at the Magistrates Court in a couple hours, where Mr. Andrews would make his case against remand and attempt to have Seto out on bail. Katsuya would be escorting to the Court as constable on a high profile case. Seto wondered was that day's papers had to say.
"Well, Kaiba," Katsuya said. "Been treated well? No complaints?"
Seto glared at him and said nothing. Katsuya shrugged, then turned to Randall. "Solicitor?"
"Assistant, yes. You can't question Master Kaiba without-"
"Without his counsel, I know. I have no interest in questioning him. I know all I need to know." He didn't so much as glance at Seto as he said it. "More questions are going to come from the magistrates at this point. No, I'm only here to make sure Mr. Kaiba is ready for transport. Should get started. London traffic and all."
Randall nodded, looking questioningly at Seto. Seto started forward, passing Katsuya with a hard stare. The constable only looked back, without expression. He was good. Seto had underestimated how good.
"Perhaps you should have been an actor, Katsuya," he said.
Nothing.
The carriage ride to the Magistrates Court was uneventful, but long. Traffic was always bad in London, but today it seemed worse than ever. Seto didn't doubt that there were many people out, wanting to get a look at their King's accused murderer. He was only glad that remand hearings were private.
At Court, Seto was settled with Andrews, Collins, and Randall all with him at the defendant's table. At the prosecution table, representing The Crown, was King's Counsel Sir John Maule, two of his assistants, and Yuugi. Presiding was Magistrate Miller, who had always been assigned to oversee the case against McDonnell and which now was the case against Seto.
Seto was not too terribly surprised to see Yuugi. As cousin to Atemu, second in line to the throne, his powers were limited, but his influence strong. And for the first time, Seto officially heard Yuugi's full title. The court reader identified him as His Royal Highness, Prince Yuugi of Wales, Duke of Cambridge.
So he was a prince. But as only a cousin to the crown, despite his royal title, he would never take the throne unless Atemu died without an heir.
What exactly was the reason for Yuugi's desperation to be King? With Parliament existing, the Monarchy of Britain didn't enjoy absolute power the way they had in years past. And if he had remained on good terms with his cousin, Yuugi would have no reason to fear losing the position he was born into and therefore all the comforts of his dukedom.
Seto supposed he could fear being deprived of his dukedom by Atemu, considering their animosity, which had apparently started when they were young, before Yuugi was old enough to really consider the ramifications of it. And considering Atemu's personality, Seto had no doubt that he held a grudge. Attempting to ingratiate himself, if Yuugi had tried it, might have failed. And considering Yuugi's personality, he might have considered an attempt beneath him. So, he had every reason to fear being removed.
Or he was simply crazy.
The remand hearing was formulaic. Yuugi said exactly nothing the entire time, while the King's Counsel insisted that, as suspect of two murders, one a baroness, and suspect of an attempted murder of the King himself, Seto was dangerous and should be remanded without bail until the end of the trial. The King's Counsel suggested remand at Charleston House, in easy reach of the Court and under supervision of Scotland Yard. Seto's counsel insisted on Seto's innocence and that Seto, as a Peer and Earl Kaiba of Essex, the only surviving adult of his line, could not be expected to remain in remand and should be released on his own recognizance to continue to oversee his affairs and that of his younger brother's.
It was while Magistrate Miller was considering both statements that the doors to the courts opened. The Lord Chamberlain announced the presence of King Atemu.
Everyone stood, shocked gasps and murmurs running through the few people allowed in court. Atemu walked through the doors and up the aisle without pausing to look at anyone. Magistrate Miller started to come down from his judge box, but Atemu waved at him to stay. He mounted the steps himself and spoke quietly to Magistrate Miller. The magistrate nodded without saying anything and then turned to the court.
"Earl Kaiba of Essex is remanded to his estate, on house arrest, until the trial commences Twenty-Fifth February." He banged his gavel.
Without saying anything further or looking at Seto, Atemu descended the box and left the Court. Seto looked at Yuugi, but there was no expression on his face and he didn't seem to be paying attention to Seto. The King's Counsel was talking to him, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to that, either. He was simply staring into space.
"Well, Master Kaiba," Mr. Andrews said. "Apparently bail is out of the question."
He seemed nonplussed for the first time Seto had ever seen. Seto, too, was confused. Remanding him on house arrest had clearly been Atemu's request. But why?
With little choice, Seto returned immediately to his estate. To his further surprise, all of his household staff was gone. In its place were members of the royal palace staff.
"His Highness has reassigned us," the new butler said after bowing to Seto. "Your own household staff is on leave. You can request them back, if you like."
Atemu's power didn't fall this far. But he had his reasons and Seto decided not to question them until and unless he could ask Atemu himself. So he accepted and had his new messenger send a message to Mokuba to let him know of the developments.
A far less welcome addition to his household was an officer name Simmons. He was assigned to ensure Seto didn't try to break house arrest and was apparently Katsuya's third in command, under Brown. Despite that, he was cheerful, respectful, and even apologetic to Seto. As he had been assigned by the magistrate, Seto had no choice but to accept him.
Early the next day, Seto had a message from Mokuba. He wanted to come home. Considering the bloody path trailing this whole affair, Seto immediately denied him. Mokuba accepted, but demanded Seto tell him the minute anything changed, that he would be coming to the trial whether Seto liked it or not, and ended by asking Seto tell their displaced staff that their leave would be paid. As one of them might be a traitor, Seto was less than enthused about that, but promised. By that time, it was late, and the messenger was exhausted.
On Sunday, the Twenty-First, Katsuya arrived from London. Seto found this out when he looked up from his desk at the sound of footsteps and found Katsuya smirking at him and holding a letter opener in his hand. He held it out.
"On personal loan from Scotland Yard, since your own is unavailable."
Seto jerked to his feet. Katsuya's smirk faded, but not entirely, as he watched Seto intently for his next move. Knowing that Katsuya was goading him into losing his temper, Seto steadied himself.
"What can I do for you, Constable?" he asked, coming around the desk.
Katsuya slipped the letter opener into his pocket. "It wouldn't be unhelpful if you'd answer a few more questions. We're still investigating, after all."
Seto glared at him. "It seems I've answered enough. My solicitor is also not present."
Katsuya shrugged. "If you feel the need to hide behind a solicitor-"
Seto shoved him up against the wall. It was stupid, but his temper had reached its breaking point. What game was Katsuya playing, acting as if there was any question what had happened, when he'd already entrapped Seto almost beyond a shadow of a doubt?
Katsuya grunted at the impact, then looked up with a smile. Seto expected handcuffs to appear, but Katsuya merely stood there.
"What hell do you want?" Seto demanded softly. "You know bloody well I had nothing to do with anything. But you've got your little game in the final round, so what the fuck are you playing at now?"
"Atemu isn't convinced," Katsuya said. "Miller is the one whose opinion matters most, of course, his ruling is law, but he'll listen to whatever Atemu wants." He reached into another pocket and pulled out a letter. Voice now angry, he said, "And he requests your presence. I'm escorting. Seeing as how you're the most wanted criminal in all of Britain right now."
"I'm on house arrest," Seto said suspiciously, finally moving back from Katsuya and not taking the letter. Was this a trick? He didn't know if Atemu could ask him to go anywhere on house arrest, and if he couldn't, and Seto went, Katsuya could arrest him for that, too. Then he'd probably end up in gaol, probably at Surrey itself. Had Yuugi forged the letter? He shouldn't have access to Atemu's royal signet ring, but Yuugi was cunning enough to orchestrate all of this while seeming having nothing to do with it at all.
Katsuya rolled his eyes. He turned the letter over so that Seto could see it bore the Magistrate seal.
"As I said, Miller will listen to whatever Atemu wants." His voice was poisonous. "Orders to escort you to the palace."
Seto was still mistrustful. He'd just assaulted Katsuya. The constable had every right to arrest him. Unless he was sure doing so, where there had been no witnesses to corroborate the assault, might make Atemu even more sure Katsuya was setting Seto up.
So they went.
By the time they arrived at the palace through the falling snow, it was supper time. Seto found himself escorted into the dining hall. This was not the one used during public events, but was instead a private dining hall of the royal family. Atemu was sitting at the center of one side of the table. Yuugi was sitting on his left, but with one place between them. He glanced up as Seto was shown in, but said nothing. His face was expressionless.
"Seto. Sit."
Atemu gestured across from himself at the only other place setting. It was actually directly across from the empty space between himself and Yuugi. Seto slowly sat down. Once he had, Atemu sighed. He'd put on a tiny amount of weight since the day in the throne room, but he was still thin and pale. And looking distinctly unhappy. There was nothing said while the servants served all three of them portions of roast, mash, potted shrimp, sage derby, and marrowfat peas.
"Well, Seto," Atemu said at last. "The frame-up has become quite impressive."
Seto said nothing. He looked quickly at Yuugi, but the prince was sipping from his goblet and didn't even look across the table. Seto looked back at Atemu, who also wasn't looking at either of them.
"Are you surprised I still consider it a frame-up?" he asked the air.
"Yes," Seto said truthfully. "What reason do you have to think so?"
"I've asked around about you." Atemu paused to take a bite of roast. "Of all the adjectives used to describe you, stupid is not one of them."
"Thank you?"
Atemu ignored him. "And murdering McDonnell with your own, engraved letter opener, when he couldn't tie you to the murder of Lady Helen and was set to swing for it alone, is the very height of stupidity."
Nothing from Yuugi. He didn't even seem to be listening, but Seto would bet his life on it that he was.
"So, what reason would you have? And more than that, he was murdered in gaol. One wonders how you would even be able to access him." Atemu took another bite. "What say you, Yuugi?"
Seto looked at Yuugi again. The prince looked bored as he said, "I say that the right amount of gold might buy a few minutes of looking the other way from the warden or any prison guards. But the letter opener would have been a very poor choice, to be sure. And Kaiba is not stupid."
"Yes, I suppose the warden might indeed be considerate enough to excuse himself, for the right price," Atemu agreed. "Or to do the deed himself, if the price was very right. But that letter opener. Why, it is almost as if whoever killed McDonnell wanted there to be no question Seto did it."
Seto was shocked. He had been so sure that the letter opener would have sealed his fate. And while it might have to everyone else, instead it had served to make Atemu sure of Seto's innocence.
More silence from Yuugi. He was idly eating his supper as if he had not a care in the world, matching Atemu's own calm indifference. Side by side, they could almost be twins.
"Yuugi?" Atemu asked.
"I suppose such a sloppy move might have been in the grip of panic, if McDonnell had something else to say," Yuugi said with a sigh. "But, more likely, it was intended to make us all think Kaiba did it."
"A frame-up," Atemu said.
"Perhaps. Or a guilty party attempting to make it seem like a frame-up."
"Ah, now there's an angle."
Seto wanted to shout at them both. Their lazy back and forth was agonizing. And yet he was sure Atemu was baiting Yuugi, just as Katsuya baited Seto.
"You're not eating," Atemu said to Seto.
"Guilty conscience?" Yuugi asked.
Atemu didn't look at his cousin.
"Your Higness…es," Seto said. "I don't-"
"Yuugi, if it is a frame-up, wouldn't Seto make the perfect scapegoat?" Atemu asked. "A new mate of mine, there at all times, yet new enough that I know so little about him, really."
"Yes, perfect," Yuugi said. He sipped his wine. "What motive would he have?"
"Unless he is simply mad," Atemu said musingly. "Or someone else's tool."
Yuugi said nothing.
"And yet, how would we ever prove that?" Atemu asked. "I suppose I could ask. But what would he fear more? Me? Or the killer?"
Yuugi snorted. "Dear cousin, you would be far more intimidating than any killer."
"Especially since the victim was my closest friend." Now Atemu's voice was arctic. "I should be very unkind to whomever was responsible for that. As I'm sure Seto knows."
He looked across the table.
"So. Let us see which of us is scarier, Seto? Are you in any way responsible for any of this?"
"No, of course not."
"Hardly an incontestable response," Yuugi said dryly.
"You're right. But I think we've made some progress here. Yuugi. Would you be so kind as to continue to entertain Seto, while I see to an important matter?"
"I should be delighted," Yuugi said, without the slightest hint of sincerity.
Atemu stood. Yuugi and Seto both stood as well, seeing him out. Then Yuugi settled himself back down and resumed eating as if nothing had happened. Seto remained standing, staring at him, at a loss. He had only thought Katsuya kept his cool. Atemu had all but called Yuugi a killer by saying, "Which of us." Surely Yuugi had picked up on that insinuation?
"Kaiba, is the meal not to your liking?" Yuugi asked sweetly. "You haven't touched a bite."
Seto slowly sat down. There were still servants and guards in the room, but he lowered his voice to a murmur and said, "A constable would have access to a prisoner in gaol."
Yuugi didn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, he smiled politely, as if Seto had said something insipid and he was merely trying to humor him.
Seto at last tucked into his supper. He didn't know what Atemu's point of bringing him here was, but it was clear he was not going to be swayed on Seto's guilt. The letter opener had cemented his opinion, which was very lucky for Seto indeed.
tbc...