I know, I know, you have waited even nine months this chapter, but unfortunately this year was full of serious problems and concerns that made me feel bad, but everything is slowly solving and I will learn to live with what can't be solved.
I dedicate this chapter to my girlfriend with whom I shared these distressing months. The only thing that wasn't going bad this year is our relationship that has come out strengthened.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who in spite of the temporary abandonment of this story have continued to read it overcoming the 100,000 visits.
Moreover greetings to those who have asked me hopeful that I continued to write, it's nice to know you care so much this story and as I promised I'm back here. And do not worry, I also have the next two chapters ready, I just have to translate them!
Thanks to my beta reader Floodmaster16
CHAPTER 24: The Council shall meet
Jonathan returned to the hotel lobby in hopes of finding Mavis. He was on the same stairs where he ran into her for the first time, and he stopped to lean on the ledge with a sigh at the memory of their first clash.
The boy then glanced down, realizing that the lower floor was full of monsters and finding her would not be easy.
The human groaned angrily.
He wanted to talk to her before the Council, but there was not much time. He turned back, ready to go down, but suddenly his girlfriend appeared right in front of him, with her arms crossed in front of her and looking at him sullenly.
"M-Mavy! Finally!" He exclaimed in surprise, but she kept her angry expression.
"Why did you disappear without telling me? Around there are a lot of monsters who hate humans. You made me worry." The vampiress rebuked him.
"Sorry, it's just ... that, uhm... your dad dragged me away before I could talk to you" Jonathan said, following Dracula's advice. He hated the fact that he was lying to her, especially when he remembered how it had broken her heart the last time he did it.
"My father? And what did he want that was so urgent?" The girl continued.
"No big deal, he just wanted me to teach him my great orator tricks."
"Great orator tricks, huh?" Mavis said with a smile, "Maybe he wants to learn to prattle like you do to confuse the Counselors!" She continued with a chuckle.
"Hey!" Jonathan exclaimed, looking into the girl's deep blue eyes with fake anger, then smiled and took her hands. Even the vampiress returned the intense look, lost in those green eyes of him, and they both drew each other close until their lips touched and they had wrapped their arms around each, squeezing them both into a tight embrace.
...
"I never thought you'd come too, Circe." Dracula warmly greeted a human-looking woman. She had tanned skin, brown eyes, full red lips, and long wavy black hair, a typical Mediterranean beauty, and wore a long and very light white tunic, which almost looked transparent.
The old vampire was in the lobby, talking to his supporters, "How's your Dream Hotel doing?" He asked to the woman, "Well, it's very small, a few days' absence shouldn't be a problem."
"I couldn't miss such an important event." She said, her voice as sensual as much as her body. "However I'm not worried about my hotel, I can manage reservations and organize my workers' tasks from my cellphone at any time, even from here. Have you come into the digital era, or do you still live in the Paleolithic period?"
The Count frowned. He had always been firm in his way of doing, but seeing the ease with which his old friend managed her hotel over a thousand miles away made him rethink his whole stance. Maybe a renewal would not be such a bad idea.
Immediately after, Circe pointed to something behind Dracula with a nod of her head, who turned to see his daughter and Jonathan kissing.
The vampire's desire to separate them was unstoppable, and because this first thought Drac made a scowl that Jonathan could feel on his back even with his eyes closed, but then the old count calmed down. Despite the jealousy, he was happy for his daughter's and his friend's happiness.
A lot of the other monsters in the lobby had looked up on the couple, too. Many of them smiled with tenderness, while others remained indifferent. Only a small minority seemed scandalized and a couple of goblins muttered some racist comments on mixed couples.
Drac turned towards them with a grim glance that made them go pale.
Unfortunately, the sweet scene was soon interrupted when the granny gremlin's shaky voice echoed through the whole castle, "The Extraordinary Council of the Order of the Dragon is starting. The public can now take a seat."
Hearing this, the monsters ran frantically towards the great room to grab the best seats they could find.
"It's time." Drac said, appearing behind the couple, putting a hand on the shoulders of both, and before they could turn to him the three vanished in a purple mist to find themselves in the boardroom in front of the main stage.
Unlike before, the poor table had been replaced by a high semicircular desk of black ebony wood with bas-reliefs that depicted the glorious battles of dragons, with the central place even more elevated. Even the chairs were not the plain, simple ones provided by the hotel, but made of black ebony wood too and complimented with red quilted high backrests.
"Were they not satisfied with the furniture that I had provided? Minimalist but efficient, suited for these times of crisis." The Count muttered irritated, extremely annoyed at the fact that the dragons would not seat on those simple and poor chairs that he had brought on the stage.
Johnny, Drac, and Mavis took their place at the dock, at the center of the stage. They turned their backs to the public and therefore appeared alone in front of the councilors, who would surely come in no time into view.
On stage, granny gremlin came slowly into view, "Judge Shin Ryu and members of the jury are coming." The old lady said.
The whole room was suddenly silent, as if time had stopped.
The Council members took the stage and, without even giving a single glance towards the three defendants, took their places.
"Does anyone know where Jay Cy is?" Gogira asked with his typical Japanese accent.
They looked around, confirming the fact that no one knew where that hippie was.
"He's probably under the influence of some hallucinogen. Five minutes and we'll start without him." Shin Ryu said.
"But shouldn't the jury have separate benches from the judge?" Jonathan asked, "And why is there no prosecution bench beside us?"
Drac turned to him, "Judge, jury, and prosecution is in the hands of Order of the Dragon members. You thought the judge was impartial? She does not hide how much she dislikes us."
"So, we'll be judged by the same people who are accusing us?" The human asked, worried.
The Count answered with a gloomy sigh.
The boy put his hands through his hair, "This trial is a farce, we have lost from the beginning..." He said, sadly.
The vampire put a hand on Jonny's shoulder, "We will fight until the end." He said, smiling bravely, infusing a bit of that courage in the human's and Mavis' hearts.
"Vlad Dracula III, stand up." Shin Ryu said, solemnly.
Drac obeyed.
"Vlad Dracula III, a hand in front of you and one on your heart. In the name of the Order of the Dragon, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The judge continued.
"I swear." Dracula replied.
"To the charge of voluntary monsterslaughter of Erzsebeth Bathory and Lord Ruthven, how does the defendant plead?" The Dragons' queen continued in a cold voice.
"Both vampires died in a duel against me." The vampire replied without hesitation.
Magical creatures cannot break an oath, so at that moment Dracula could not lie. The only way he had to protect his daughter was to use phrases that could be interpreted ambiguously. Truth be told, those two evil monsters had died while fighting against Dracula, although by Mavis' hand. Unfortunately, he couldn't plead guilty, and he could only hope that this statement was enough for the judge.
The Count's words triggered a surprised "Oooh", and even some applause by the crowd who had attended the trial.
Immediately after, Ryu spoke again, "The Council declares the defendant... acquitted of the voluntary monsterslaughter charge because the crime doesn't exist." She said, beating a blow with a wooden hammer on the desk, "And thank you, for doing what everyone wanted to do but no one had ever had the courage to do." She concluded, off the record.
Jonathan, Mavis and Dracula were speechless for a moment, paralyzed with amazement, while behind them the spectators celebrated the first victory with loud cackles and shouting.
"Not bad, for starters," Mavis said to her father, "Maybe Shin Ryu is not as bad with us vampires like you said."
"You're right Mavy, was not so bad as I feared... It's worse." The Count exclaimed, "She has publicly given immunity to those who killed the two monsters that she hated most, but with their death, now the one at the top of her list is me..."