Child of Freedom
Chapter 13- The Trial
I stood in front of a mirror and looked at my reflection with disgust. I was wearing a sky-blue dress. It belonged to the late sister of the Monsieur. He had insisted that I wear it for the trial. He said that it wouldn't do for me to be wearing a bloody dress for the trial.
My hair was now quite long, and it was braided and then twisted into an elaborate bun at the top of my head. The Monsieur's maid had done it up for me.
I followed the Monsieur into a carriage and sat down. I had polished the slippers that Erik had given me to a shine, and they twinkled in the early morning light.
The monsieur spoke briefly to me then. "You can call me Henri instead of Monsieur. It will make things a little easier when it comes time for you to testify on Erik's behalf," he said. I nodded in response.
We reached the court building in record time. I stepped out and saw a large crowd gathered around the building. Evidentially, a whole lot of people where wanting to see how the trial would turn out.
A guard came from the crowd and led M. Henri and myself into the building. People shoved and pushed their way forward, and I nearly lost track of the guard.
When we reached the court, we were seated just behind the defendant's box. Henri bent forward to speak to the lawyer he had hired for Erik. Something about the way he was always willing to help bothered me. But perhaps that was just me being suspicious.
As soon as everyone was seated, the bailiff brought Erik in. I gasped. Erik wasn't wearing his mask! I didn't have a problem with that myself, but Erik was sensitive about his deformity.
Erik saw me and suddenly smiled broadly. He seemed relieved. I suppose that he had thought I was injured because I had screamed right before Pierre had stabbed him. I smiled back and discreetly waved. Erik sat down right in front of me. He turned around and leaned forward to say something. I leaned in to listen.
"No matter what happens today, I will find a way to make things right," he said. On an impulse, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"Everything will work out," I whispered. "You'll see."
Then the bailiff called for everyone to rise for the Judge. The Judge's name was Bailey, and he looked very tough. After the initial proceedings, I heard a name called to the stand that I thought I would never hear.
"I call Christine DaaƩ to the stand," the prosecution called out.
Christine came from the other side of the room. She looked at Erik with contempt and hatred. But she was also afraid. I glared at her vehemently until she took the stand and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The prosecution came up to the stand and asked, "Do you now this man?" He pointed to Erik.
"Yes," she said, without looking in the direction to which the prosecution pointed.
"How?" The prosecution asked.
"He kidnapped me," she replied. A murmur went through the crowd. The Judge banged his gavel on the desk.
"Please tell us, in detail, the happenings that surrounded your kidnapping," the prosecution said when the murmur had died down.
Christine then related everything that had happened to her and Raoul. She put as much detail into it as she could, I could tell. I could also tell that some of the things she said weren't true. For example, she said that she had hated Erik from the very beginning. She also said that she had told him that and had not for one moment let him believe that she cared for him.
My whole being was urging me to go up there and smack her, but I controlled myself. I didn't want to ruin Erik's chances of being rescued.
The defense asked a few question, none of which sounded as though they would do any good. Then I was called to the stand. I came up and put my hand on the Bible. When I had sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I sat down.
"Miss Lawrence," The defense asked me. "Do you agree with what Ms. DaaƩ said?"
"No," I replied.
"You were there, weren't you?" The defense attorney continued.
"Yes, I was," I said.
"Could you tell us your version of what happened?" The defense requested.
"Of course," I replied, and I began to tell them exactly what happened. Okay, so not exactly. I didn't see the whole thing, but I read the book, so I knew what had happened. I added exactly how I knew what had happened, but I didn't think it mattered much. After all, the truth is the truth.
As well as telling the defense attorney what happened, I also informed him how Erik had turned over a new leaf, and was no longer a bad person.
When I was finished giving my testimony, I left the stand. On my way back to my seat, I saw Christine glaring at me fiercely. I narrowed my eyes at her and glared back.
The Erik was called to the stand and he gave his testimony. After that, the trial got boring. I waited patiently for the questioning to be over. When the time finally came, Erik was taken into a back room for a while.
The jury went out to discuss their verdict, and the rest of the people in the courtroom waited.
It was hours before the jury finally returned. One of them stood up. "We, the jury," he began. "Find the defendant, Erik, to be guilty of murder, and kidnapping. The sentence is imprisonment for ten years." I gasped, and the tears started to come. "And all the money will be returned to the Paris Opera owners. If there is anyone who is willing to pay a seven-thousand franc fine for the defendant to be immediately put out on parole, he or she should do so now."
I immediately turned to Henri, but he was already standing. "I will pay the fine," he said. A murmur went through the crowd. My heart was hammering in my chest, and I was so scared that I hardly dared to breath.
"Do you have the money now?" The Judge asked. He obviously wanted Erik to go to prison, but the law is the law.
"Yes, I do, Your Honor," M. Henri said, and he pulled from his pocket a whole wad of cash. I gaped at it.
I turned a little in my seat and saw Christine sitting beside Raoul. She had her face in her hands and I could hear her sobbing quietly. At least something was done to punish that girl for what she did.
Henri came up and handed the Judge the money. He whispered something to the Judge, and the Judge nodded. The Judge then gave the order for the bailiff to release Erik.
I was overjoyed. I was so happy that, as soon as Erik's hands were free, I jumped into his arms. He caught me, and I kissed him full on the mouth. I was sure that Christine would be gaping in amazement, and the thought made me smile.
Then I noticed that no one in the room was cheering. Oh, sure there was a polite clapping, but no one was cheering.
Then, from the back of the room, I heard a small voice say, "Go Erik! YAY!" A little girl, no more than four or five, came running up to the front. I stared at her. I had no idea who she was.
"Do I get to bring my tea set now?" She asked, looking up at Erik eagerly. Erik laughed out loud at her antics.
"Only if your mother says you can," he replied. I looked at him and he returned my look with one that said he'd explain later.
"Yippee!" She cried, and ran back down the center to the back where her parents were obviously waiting.
A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter. It's a bit of a filler, but I hope that's okay. Sophie is so cute!
