Chapter 12: Conviction
Edmund felt a lump in his throat. There was only one other person known to have accompanied Susan the night of her attack: Cedany.
In a trice, Peter bolted for the door, using all his strength to push it open, leaving it swinging in the wake of his exit. Edmund followed closely in pursuit, leaving only Susan and Lucy in the room. Peter was already out of view, and Edmund half-ran, half-walked to the end of the hallway until the back of a blonde head was visible. "Peter – Peter, wait!"
But Peter only sped up when he heard his voice.
"Peter, wait – Peter, please –" Edmund placed himself in front of his older brother, preventing him to continue. "Peter, I know what it looks like, but please, I implore you to see sense."
"I see sense," Peter said. "I've seen all the evidence I need. Now, if you'll excuse me –"
"Peter!" Edmund said, slamming both his hands into Peter's broad chest.
Peter took a step back, mortified. "Have you lost your mind?"
"No, but if you don't just listen to me I might as well!" Edmund said, drawing his hands back. He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, as if that would somehow make everything go away. "A fair trial. Just a fair trial, that's all I ask, and if it provides all the proof you need, then so be it. Just at least grant her a fair trial."
Peter stared daggers at him for a second; the blue in his eyes were no longer warm, but an icy, cold alternative. "Tomorrow morning. Don't be late," he finally spat rather than said, and stalked past Edmund out of view.
o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o
The next few hours were a monochromatic blur. Susan's revelation had caused such a stir that rumors were already circling Cair by morning; the attacker had an acquaintance, no doubt one who aided them in the murder of Titus as well.
And based on Susan's only company that evening, there was only one person left to convict.
Cedany.
And now Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter sat on their thrones before the trembling girl and before the entire court, and Edmund hated himself for it. He knew Cedany couldn't have done such a thing. He had no evidence to support his claim and no alibi to save her life but he just knew it.
Susan, who sat with the finest posture, lifted her chin and spoke. "You have no reason to be afraid, City. This is not a sentence. It is only a conviction."
Peter leveled his posture with Susan's. "We have evidence that suggests you lead or aided the attacker on the night of Queen Susan the Gentle's attack. What have you to say on these claims?"
Cedany burst into sobs, and Edmund's heart sank. Through broken words, she said, "Oh, it's not true, any of it! Please your majesty, I know you have every right to believe I attacked my Queen based on evidence, but consider a basis on morality!"
Peter's expression broke a little bit
"Permission to speak," Edmund interjected to Peter. Peter gave him a curt nod, and Edmund arose frorm his throne and glided to stand a few feet from Cedany. "I have reason to believe the defendant is not guilty." At that, the court murmured, until Oreius ordered silence, allowing Edmund to continue. "I might not have witnessed the attack, but I witnessed the direct aftermath, and as you may recall, no concealed weapon was found. Or does anyone actually believe it could take a fraction of a second to stab somebody half to death and then get rid of all evidence?"
Peter lifted an eyebrow, and looked to Susan, who looked impressed and possibly happy at Cedany's testimony. But when Peter spoke, Edmund's heart sank once again. "But it would take a fraction of a second to stab somebody half to death and just disappear completely?"
"So it may seem," Edmund shrugged. "We're talking about a murderer here. This is planned. It's step-by-step. Practiced. Played out. Meant to have been quick."
The crowd murmured again and the beads of sweat slipping from Cedany's hair started to cease.
"That could be possible," Peter considered.
"I think we should let Cedany speak," Lucy intervened, leaning in close as if she couldn't hear Cedany. "If any reason at all, why would she want to kill Susan?"
"N-no reason, milady," Cedany said. "M-my Queen has been the best to me, feeding me and clothing me – my parents would be so proud to know I serve such a humble, honest Queen. Or served, anyway," she finished, glancing at Peter.
Lucy listened and nodded at every word and then turned to Peter. "It might not do for now, Peter, but I can't seem to come across any reason why. Any at all," she whispered, and then leaned over to look at Susan for support.
"Neither can I," Susan whispered back. "It might not be by fact – or logic," she admitted grudgingly, "but I do agree with Lucy. And Edmund."
Peter nodded in both directions, and then looked to were Cedany and Edmund stood. "Your testimony proves trustworthy, but for the time being I'm afraid we can't take any chances. You will return to your compartments, with a guard at the front, and shall be removed when we reach a final verdict." And before he said his final words, Edmund saw a flash of genuine sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry."
As the guards escorted Cedany gently away, the court's murmuring grew to an extreme, and Oreius, by the request of Susan, ordered the throng of people to exit the room quietly. Edmund kept his eyes on Peter, who had stood up to remove his crown and rub his head. Susan and Lucy remained in their seats, both with a hand to their faces, distresses if not tired.
"You think I just spoke out to a group of onlookers for fun?" Edmund blurted out, as soon as they were the only people left in the room. "Just to take the micky out of you?"
Peter turned, his eyes tired, his expression weary. "Something you'd like to say, Ed?"
"Oh, just a few," Edmund continued, his fists balling. "You really think a tiny maidservant barely old enough to even serve could be behind a planned regicide?"
Peter opened his mouth, clearly speechless. Lucy sank to her seat, and Susan proclaimed, "Edmund, Peter, that's enough. We're all tired. We'll decide the verdict tomorrow."
"We'll decide it now," Edmund continued. "Whoever's messing with all of us is going to wait until tomorrow."
"These are dangerous times, in case you haven't noticed," Peter said, his voice – and the color in his face – rising. "Too dangerous, in fact, perhaps even a 'tiny maidservant' could be a threat. Don't think I'm going to find her not guilty just because she batted her eyelashes at you."
"Stop it!" Lucy screeched, and stood between the two brothers, who were now dangerously close, acting as a human shield. "Edmund…Peter…stop it. Now."
Once the two had calmed down, Lucy smoothed over her dress and placed her hands on her hips. "You've no idea what's happening, do you? This is what they want. To divide us. Destroy what we have." She turned to Edmund. "Remember what you said, Ed? Practiced? Played out?"
She turned around to look at Susan, who had also risen from her throne, flowery crown in hand, cheeks brick-red. Edmund took a step back and inaudibly sniffed into his sleeve. Peter raked a hand across his hair.
Lucy took a deep breath. "You were right."
Again, thank you so much for your reviews. As of now, there's so much angst around Peter and Edmund, and it will be explored in later chapters.
Also, I have been quite unlucky in finding a Beta, still. So if anybody knows any active Betas I would really appreciate it.
xx Izzy
