Caden slouched against a stone pillar, gazing absently at the clouds that floated by not twenty metres from where they stood, "Why are we here?"
"I'm calling a Iudicium -a judgement on Gideon." The words had barely left Leo's mouth when Elders began to orb in, having been called in 'silently' to all the non-Elders present.
"What is the meaning of this, Leo?" asked one, a middle-aged man by the name of Hansson, murmurs of consenting questions backing up the single question by many of the golden-clad magical beings
"I'm sure he has good reason, Hansson." Said Gideon, a genial expression not betraying any feeling of fear or trepidation that he might have been feeling.
"But he is no longer an Elder, he has no right." Intoned a dark-skinned woman with large brown eyes, barely over her twenties.
Piper span to face Leo, "What?"
"I was going to get to that, before, before -Later?
"Later."
Leo nodded solemnly, locking onto her eyes with his own for second longer than normal before returning to the equally serious (in an entirely different way) situation at hand.
"I am calling a Iudicium on an Elder, and I want to see that it is done."
"What is your accusation?"
"Do you have any evidence?"
"I ask first that the Charmed ones be allowed to block all orbing?"
"Permission granted."
The three witches took their cue, watched closely by all, especially one young Wyatt and Caden, who had never heard the spell before.
"Gideon has been planning and has attempted to have my son murdered on numerous occasions. And I ask that, as is procedure, that his thoughts be scoured to present not only my evidence, but to incriminate someone we all trusted with his own actions."
No further words were exchanged between the higher beings. As one they turned to face Gideon after a significant hesitation.
"What happens now?"
"We wait."
"Oh. How long for?"
"I don't know."
Piper held a sleeping Wyatt in her arms as she too dozed, sitting as comfortably as possible on the steps and resting her aching back against one side of a stone pillar. On the other side Chris and Caden lent against each other, fast asleep.
Paige watched on with Phoebe and Leo, occasionally swapping to check and see if the Elders had moved at all. Even an inch. But they hadn't. Gideon was locked behind a wall of golden robes, and had been since five minutes into the silence. Now, well over an hour later, she felt her eyelids getting heavier, but she forced them open again anyway.
"So you're not an Elder anymore?" Phoebe asked quietly, when the silence was starting to get oppressive.
"No," he replied gently, tearing his eyes away from Piper reluctantly, "I'm just your average Whitelighter again, and I'm only yours this time. No other charges."
"Impressive."
"I'm not taking any chances, Phoebe. I am not going to be that man in Chris' memories."
Phoebe nodded and said no more, letting the silence have its way once more, until an Elder coughed and they everybody woke up.
"We have reached a decision."
"And?" Piper said impatiently, tapping a foot.
"Gideon is guilty."
Leo strode over to the doomed Elder, staring him down and barely listening to the sentence he wanted.
"His body will be incinerated, and his soul recycled."
There was fear in his mentor's eyes. Fear and surprise. He'd not expected to be discovered, especially before he'd succeeded.
"Sigmund will suffer the same punishment for the involvement on his part."
And when the moment came, Leo could find nothing to say to the man. So he span on his heel, nodded to his previous peers, and rejoined his family.
"We are sorry."
Piper took her husbands hand, shaking her head, "We know."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Author's Note: deary dearie me! i COMPLETELY forgot that i hadn't uploaded the rest of the chapters! D'oh! OK, here is 25, 26 will be up in a couple of days i reckon and so on and so on :) review? pleeease?
Review Thank You's:
Nubilina : thanks :D
iloveleo : it depends on your point of view ;) from wyatt's point of view, witchcraft is out in the open and he is free to use his powers however he chooses :)
