Another update. Sorry it's taken so long, I've actually been doing work for
a change.
Thanks for the review so far ^-^
Disclaimer: Never have never will
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Gojyo had seen courtrooms in magazines and on television and knew that this definitely wasn't it. He was stood in the middle of the small town square, surrounded by eerily silent crowds who were staring at him with pure venom, the kind of which he hadn't seen since his stepmother. He was still firmly bound, but, as if not wholly convinced of him being helpless, his guards had attached a wide belt to his waist. Gojyo's bound wrists had been strapped to it and two long leashes came out of each side and were held by two of the guards, which kept him rigidly still. The only up side to this was that the wretched straps on his legs had been removed and replaced with simple chains which at least allowed him to feel his feet again.
The black robed man was stood at a lectern with his hood down revealing white hair and a solemn face. The crowds were looking at him with reverence and he was gazing at Gojyo with the now-familiar malevolent look.
"This trial is to hear the crimes of Sha Gojyo." He intoned in a deep commanding voice. "It is the practice of our town to eradicate every half- breed that passes through without hearing. However in the case of this taboo one, we feel our cause is thoroughly justified."
"Is it hell!" yelled Gojyo. "This is fuckin' stupid!"
At his shout the people around him started murmuring. Normally most of the half-breeds they had had killed had been fairly young and had broken instantly without need for trial. They had already known their crimes. This was the first one since the attack on their town who was fully mature and possessed of a ferocious will to live. The robed man noticed the murmurings and couldn't let anything go wrong, he pointed at the struggling half- breed.
"Be silent, forbidden one. Your crimes are so great that the entire town must hear them and judge upon your sentence ..."
"What ... death?!" snapped Gojyo crossly, ignoring the blow to his head. Every time it had happened so far, a small voice in the back of his mind said: Sanzo hits me harder than you ever could. This thought now sent adrenaline running to his veins and he bore the bruise easily.
"Your method of death is what must be decided." Said the black-robed man solemnly, and then paused for silence form the ogling crowd. "Sha Gojyo, you have committed many crimes that we now formally charge you with."
"Oh joy!" Gojyo shouted back, once again ignoring the blow, this time to his shoulders. He had never been so angry.
"The first charge being the imprisonment and wilful corruption of a revered and most honourable Sanzo."
"What!" Gojyo gave a short sarcastic laugh. The very thought of Sanzo needing to be taught how to be a cold, corrupt bastard was hilarious. A savage jerk on the belt that threatened to pop his shoulder silenced him quickly.
"You have intentionally corrupted him. Leading him wilfully in danger and causing him to break his vows. Do you deny this?" the black robed man said. Gojyo noted the crowd stepping away from him, some even clutching at prayer beads in shock. He suddenly realised the people were very religious here; Sanzo and his idiosyncratic approach to his position would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Probably also explained the gung-ho inquisition he was facing now.
"What! That's a bit farfetched." Said Gojyo lucidly. "The damn monk does need any help from me in the corruption stakes I assure you!" he paused, realising again that none of these people had the faintest clue over their journey to the west or the fact that Sanzo was a cold bastard who needed no help in acting like one. This would make it difficult to argue a case, even if he wanted to. The black-robed man continued.
"The forbidden one admits his guilt." He said calmly and Gojyo rolled his eyes theatrically and yanked at his wrists.
"Can't you call the damn monk in as a witness or something? Get him out here!" he snapped ignoring the rough jerk of the belt, which was supposed to silence him.
"We cannot, due to the risks of having your prisoners in close proximity to you, they have been taken away to a safe place. They will be released after the trial and the execution."
Gojyo looked a little relieved at that. At least no harm would come to them. However, that meant that Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai would be released after he was dead. He would die. He wouldn't see Hakkai again. He would be dead. Dead. Gone. Executed. For the first time since this journey had begun, a sense of fear gripped his very soul and he began to panic about dying.
"You can't do this!" he shouted, his voice cracking a little with his fear. The man ignored him and continued talking, his voice becoming more excited. If Gojyo hadn't been panicking, he would quip that the robed man was only doing this to get himself off.
"The second charge is the imprisonment and wilful seduction of one Cho Hakkai."
Gojyo tensed up at the mention of Hakkai. Images of the first night they had spent here where him and Hakkai had found time to make love flashing madly in his head. The phantom Hakkai returned to his mind, this time sprawled on the bed with his regular smile, only this time the smile had contorted into one of sheer seduction that Gojyo had found irresistible at the time. Then, like a flash, the images were killed by the sudden revulsion that they had been found out, that they had been seen.
"How the fuck did you even ..." he started, then paused when he realised what he had said.
"The forbidden one admits it!" the robed man shouted jubilantly over the crowd who were starting to talk louder. "He procured the man for his own vicious purposes, which are unnatural. He has caused a man to remain in the state of sin and for that he will die." The crowd's voices started increase in volume, many of them calling for him to be killed now; even the young children that still clung to their parents were clamouring for his death. The whole scene sickened him.
"But is it a sin if its love?!" screamed Gojyo over the crowds, his voice rising again with terror; his whole body was on a knife edge of fear now. The robed man just stared at him, not saying a word and his eager young assistant who stood next to him suddenly took up the accusing.
"How can it be love if you try and murder them?!" he shouted, the robed man nodded, feeling proud of his apprentice. There were a few gasps from the crowd and Gojyo furiously fought back tears, trying to avoid thinking about the scene in the garden where Hakkai had tried to kill himself.
"I fucking well did not! I wanted help from your people! He needed healing! I needed help!" he said, almost pathetically.
"Well, explain to the court how did he get the stab wound?! There was no- one else in the gardens! He knew of our suspicions and despite our best intentions to protect him, you tried to kill him" snapped the assistant. Gojyo was swept along with this, desperate to prove that he would never, ever harm Hakkai.
"This isn't a court," he murmured. "And he did it to himself." he added, louder this time, hanging his head in sorrow and hiding his stinging eyes. "I tried to stop him. I wanted to help him." He then paused and ran the last phrase the apprentice had said over in his mind. "What do you mean suspicions? More to the point how the fuck did you try and *protect* him?!" he started struggling anew and it took two hard blows to the head to stop him from lunging forwards.
"He was fed a sleeping draught in the wine, nothing more nothing less." Said the robed man slowly.
"He tried to kill himself!" yelled Gojyo. "What the fuck was in that draught?! You hurt him! You fucking bastards!" he jerked in his bonds and struggled furiously. He then received a vicious blow from one of the guards clubs, this time to his back, temporarily winding him and bringing him to his knees.
The robed man started at this. He had known what the side-effects of the draught they had fed to the green-eyed man were, but had not taken them seriously. The suspicions of the one called Hakkai had been the priority: the man had heard others talking and had suspected something was wrong. This had lead to them putting more of the draught in his wine and his food to make him sleep, not really knowing all the side effects. The robed man was worried by this; he didn't want the death of an innocent on his hands, however tainted that innocent may be. He stared back at the quaking half- breed and the sight of the red hair and eyes made him instantly remember his wife's hanging body and the resultant fury killed the merest hint of compassion. He returned to speaking.
"This still doesn't excuse your crimes. Along with these, you are of forbidden birth and lead a licentious life: a life that would indeed be shameful in a non-taboo man, but with your breeding infinitely worse. Therefore, it is our recommendation that you should be put to death."
Gojyo leapt up and lunged forwards, this time ready to summon jaku'jou but the two guards yanked back on the belt and he retched at the pressure.
"Are they okay?" he shouted. "Just tell me if he's okay! You have to!"
"Your hostage was taken care of by our people. He is alive and free of you." Said the guard nearest him who held out the wooden club again and smacked him across the head with it. Gojyo saw stars for a second and then quieted.
"Now be quiet and hear your sentence, forbidden one."
Gojyo sank down onto his knees in exhaustion. He didn't know whether to be happy that Hakkai and the others were okay or start sobbing because he was going to die and never see Hakkai again. The pains running through his body were unimaginable and he loathed himself for what he was. It was a familiar feeling, the feeling of being punished for existing, but his staunch pride would never let him beg for mercy. Yes, he could feel fear and terror but he would never outwardly show it. He could at least die with pride, or if not pride, then he could at least show his annoyance.
"It is our decree that you, Sha Gojyo, will be led from this court and burned before the people until you are dead."
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A/N: Another chapter flies by and writing to the soundtrack form Hellsing is truly inspiring, especially "Shine" (the ending theme) . Thanks for reviewing if you do ^-^
Disclaimer: Never have never will
***************************************
Gojyo had seen courtrooms in magazines and on television and knew that this definitely wasn't it. He was stood in the middle of the small town square, surrounded by eerily silent crowds who were staring at him with pure venom, the kind of which he hadn't seen since his stepmother. He was still firmly bound, but, as if not wholly convinced of him being helpless, his guards had attached a wide belt to his waist. Gojyo's bound wrists had been strapped to it and two long leashes came out of each side and were held by two of the guards, which kept him rigidly still. The only up side to this was that the wretched straps on his legs had been removed and replaced with simple chains which at least allowed him to feel his feet again.
The black robed man was stood at a lectern with his hood down revealing white hair and a solemn face. The crowds were looking at him with reverence and he was gazing at Gojyo with the now-familiar malevolent look.
"This trial is to hear the crimes of Sha Gojyo." He intoned in a deep commanding voice. "It is the practice of our town to eradicate every half- breed that passes through without hearing. However in the case of this taboo one, we feel our cause is thoroughly justified."
"Is it hell!" yelled Gojyo. "This is fuckin' stupid!"
At his shout the people around him started murmuring. Normally most of the half-breeds they had had killed had been fairly young and had broken instantly without need for trial. They had already known their crimes. This was the first one since the attack on their town who was fully mature and possessed of a ferocious will to live. The robed man noticed the murmurings and couldn't let anything go wrong, he pointed at the struggling half- breed.
"Be silent, forbidden one. Your crimes are so great that the entire town must hear them and judge upon your sentence ..."
"What ... death?!" snapped Gojyo crossly, ignoring the blow to his head. Every time it had happened so far, a small voice in the back of his mind said: Sanzo hits me harder than you ever could. This thought now sent adrenaline running to his veins and he bore the bruise easily.
"Your method of death is what must be decided." Said the black-robed man solemnly, and then paused for silence form the ogling crowd. "Sha Gojyo, you have committed many crimes that we now formally charge you with."
"Oh joy!" Gojyo shouted back, once again ignoring the blow, this time to his shoulders. He had never been so angry.
"The first charge being the imprisonment and wilful corruption of a revered and most honourable Sanzo."
"What!" Gojyo gave a short sarcastic laugh. The very thought of Sanzo needing to be taught how to be a cold, corrupt bastard was hilarious. A savage jerk on the belt that threatened to pop his shoulder silenced him quickly.
"You have intentionally corrupted him. Leading him wilfully in danger and causing him to break his vows. Do you deny this?" the black robed man said. Gojyo noted the crowd stepping away from him, some even clutching at prayer beads in shock. He suddenly realised the people were very religious here; Sanzo and his idiosyncratic approach to his position would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Probably also explained the gung-ho inquisition he was facing now.
"What! That's a bit farfetched." Said Gojyo lucidly. "The damn monk does need any help from me in the corruption stakes I assure you!" he paused, realising again that none of these people had the faintest clue over their journey to the west or the fact that Sanzo was a cold bastard who needed no help in acting like one. This would make it difficult to argue a case, even if he wanted to. The black-robed man continued.
"The forbidden one admits his guilt." He said calmly and Gojyo rolled his eyes theatrically and yanked at his wrists.
"Can't you call the damn monk in as a witness or something? Get him out here!" he snapped ignoring the rough jerk of the belt, which was supposed to silence him.
"We cannot, due to the risks of having your prisoners in close proximity to you, they have been taken away to a safe place. They will be released after the trial and the execution."
Gojyo looked a little relieved at that. At least no harm would come to them. However, that meant that Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai would be released after he was dead. He would die. He wouldn't see Hakkai again. He would be dead. Dead. Gone. Executed. For the first time since this journey had begun, a sense of fear gripped his very soul and he began to panic about dying.
"You can't do this!" he shouted, his voice cracking a little with his fear. The man ignored him and continued talking, his voice becoming more excited. If Gojyo hadn't been panicking, he would quip that the robed man was only doing this to get himself off.
"The second charge is the imprisonment and wilful seduction of one Cho Hakkai."
Gojyo tensed up at the mention of Hakkai. Images of the first night they had spent here where him and Hakkai had found time to make love flashing madly in his head. The phantom Hakkai returned to his mind, this time sprawled on the bed with his regular smile, only this time the smile had contorted into one of sheer seduction that Gojyo had found irresistible at the time. Then, like a flash, the images were killed by the sudden revulsion that they had been found out, that they had been seen.
"How the fuck did you even ..." he started, then paused when he realised what he had said.
"The forbidden one admits it!" the robed man shouted jubilantly over the crowd who were starting to talk louder. "He procured the man for his own vicious purposes, which are unnatural. He has caused a man to remain in the state of sin and for that he will die." The crowd's voices started increase in volume, many of them calling for him to be killed now; even the young children that still clung to their parents were clamouring for his death. The whole scene sickened him.
"But is it a sin if its love?!" screamed Gojyo over the crowds, his voice rising again with terror; his whole body was on a knife edge of fear now. The robed man just stared at him, not saying a word and his eager young assistant who stood next to him suddenly took up the accusing.
"How can it be love if you try and murder them?!" he shouted, the robed man nodded, feeling proud of his apprentice. There were a few gasps from the crowd and Gojyo furiously fought back tears, trying to avoid thinking about the scene in the garden where Hakkai had tried to kill himself.
"I fucking well did not! I wanted help from your people! He needed healing! I needed help!" he said, almost pathetically.
"Well, explain to the court how did he get the stab wound?! There was no- one else in the gardens! He knew of our suspicions and despite our best intentions to protect him, you tried to kill him" snapped the assistant. Gojyo was swept along with this, desperate to prove that he would never, ever harm Hakkai.
"This isn't a court," he murmured. "And he did it to himself." he added, louder this time, hanging his head in sorrow and hiding his stinging eyes. "I tried to stop him. I wanted to help him." He then paused and ran the last phrase the apprentice had said over in his mind. "What do you mean suspicions? More to the point how the fuck did you try and *protect* him?!" he started struggling anew and it took two hard blows to the head to stop him from lunging forwards.
"He was fed a sleeping draught in the wine, nothing more nothing less." Said the robed man slowly.
"He tried to kill himself!" yelled Gojyo. "What the fuck was in that draught?! You hurt him! You fucking bastards!" he jerked in his bonds and struggled furiously. He then received a vicious blow from one of the guards clubs, this time to his back, temporarily winding him and bringing him to his knees.
The robed man started at this. He had known what the side-effects of the draught they had fed to the green-eyed man were, but had not taken them seriously. The suspicions of the one called Hakkai had been the priority: the man had heard others talking and had suspected something was wrong. This had lead to them putting more of the draught in his wine and his food to make him sleep, not really knowing all the side effects. The robed man was worried by this; he didn't want the death of an innocent on his hands, however tainted that innocent may be. He stared back at the quaking half- breed and the sight of the red hair and eyes made him instantly remember his wife's hanging body and the resultant fury killed the merest hint of compassion. He returned to speaking.
"This still doesn't excuse your crimes. Along with these, you are of forbidden birth and lead a licentious life: a life that would indeed be shameful in a non-taboo man, but with your breeding infinitely worse. Therefore, it is our recommendation that you should be put to death."
Gojyo leapt up and lunged forwards, this time ready to summon jaku'jou but the two guards yanked back on the belt and he retched at the pressure.
"Are they okay?" he shouted. "Just tell me if he's okay! You have to!"
"Your hostage was taken care of by our people. He is alive and free of you." Said the guard nearest him who held out the wooden club again and smacked him across the head with it. Gojyo saw stars for a second and then quieted.
"Now be quiet and hear your sentence, forbidden one."
Gojyo sank down onto his knees in exhaustion. He didn't know whether to be happy that Hakkai and the others were okay or start sobbing because he was going to die and never see Hakkai again. The pains running through his body were unimaginable and he loathed himself for what he was. It was a familiar feeling, the feeling of being punished for existing, but his staunch pride would never let him beg for mercy. Yes, he could feel fear and terror but he would never outwardly show it. He could at least die with pride, or if not pride, then he could at least show his annoyance.
"It is our decree that you, Sha Gojyo, will be led from this court and burned before the people until you are dead."
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A/N: Another chapter flies by and writing to the soundtrack form Hellsing is truly inspiring, especially "Shine" (the ending theme) . Thanks for reviewing if you do ^-^