Wait? I have something to actually say in the author's note? Yes, I do. First, while quite a lot of the content of the trial comes from me, who has no proper knowledge of law (either medieval or current), I did look up some things in my medieval reference book. Second, there is a line about money being paid to the family of the murder victim to keep them quiet, that is an actual thing! Third, the word Virago means 'aggressive woman.' Fourth, according to 'vintageisthenewold' (a website) blood makes steel rust very quickly. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had fun writing it! Only two more to go! Do you guys have any ides for new year's resolutions?

-owl

Ziva dressed for the day in a serious looking, no nonsense, dark gray dress. She put her hair up in a simple bun, and forewent any sort of makeup. Her new sword from Tony was at her waist. It was time for the trial of Letholdus, the peasant who had been accused of murder by Jodocus, Letholdus' neighbor.

It had been decided that the throne room would be used for the trial. And, while there was no obvious difference to it, there were additional guards. When Ziva arrived, Tony was already sitting on his throne.

"Good morning, Ziva," he said, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "Do you want to lead, or am I going to?"

"Either is fine with me. How many witnesses did we find?"

Tony shrugged. "There's three or four people, which isn't a lot, but they seem to have good information."

Ziva nodded. "That does not sound too bad, then. What time is the trial starting? And where is Letholdus?"

Just as she finished speaking, Letholdus was marched into the room, his arms chained together. His clothing was covered in hay, which made sense, as that was what was covering the ground in the dungeons. It would be a while yet before the trial would be starting, though.

Ziva sat on her throne, her posture as perfect as she could make it. Next to her, Tony was doing the exact opposite. He had let himself sprawl on his throne, giving an air of indifference to the whole situation. The trial was due to start exactly when the bell tower finished tolling the twelve bells for noon. Townspeople were crowded into the room, all eager to see the verdict with their own eyes.

"The trial of the peasant Letholdus killing the wife and newborn son of the peasant Jodocus will now begin." Ziva's voice rang through the room, silencing anyone who had still been talking. Ziva turned to look at Letholdus. "How do you plead?"

"I didn't kill nobody," Letholdus said, spitting on the ground in front of Ziva's feet. "He's lying!"

Ziva gave him a level stare, giving nothing away. After a minute of letting him get more nervous from her silence she turned away from him and towards the small groups of witnesses. "I first call Jodocus to testify."

Jodocus walked forward, to the front of the room, bowing to Ziva and Tony. "Your Majesties, thank you for hearing my plea for help. My wife gave birth to our first child on Christmas eve, late that night.

"We went to sleep, her in the birthing room and I in the other. I was woken by a scream of terror, and the cry of the babe, before all was silent. I ran to find both of them, covered in blood, lying where they had slept. I saw a man sneaking out the window, and recognized him as Letholdus, wearing his gray-green cloak."

Ziva turned to look at Letholdus, and his expression gave nothing away. "And where were you, at that time, Letholdus?" she asked.

"The tavern."

She sighed. "There are four taverns in the town. And all four of their bar keepers are surly here. So I ask them to come forward."

Three men emerged from the mass of townspeople, one from the smaller group of witnesses. They all smelled strongly of alcohol and smoke. "Did any of you serve this man the night of Christmas eve?"

All four shook their heads.

"Nay," the first said, shaking his head. "I had closed early to celebrate with my wife and children."

The second also shook his head. "I have no family, so I kept my tavern open the whole night long. Many people were there, but Letholdus, one of my regulars, was not."

"My brother, Letholdus," started the third. "I do not wish to help incriminate him, but I daren't lie to my sovereign. Until today I had not seen him since St. Martin's day. My tavern was also closed on Christmas eve."

Then everyone in the room turned to the final of the four bar keepers. He shook his head. "My tavern is the closest to the site of the murder, and I only saw a man in a gray-green cloak running down an alley with a bloody dagger in his clasp. I have it here with me today." The man then pulled a blood-crusted knife that was beginning to rust.

Ziva reached out and took the knife. She turned it over in her hands a few times, letting the light from the windows and the candles shine off of the places not covered in blood or rust. Then she turned to Letholdus. "Is there anything you would like to change about your statement? I do not think there is much that you can say to avoid a guilty verdict, as your story was clearly disproven."

"The baby deserved it. The whole family did. She was supposed to be my wife before she married Jodocus. That should have been my son. I wasn't going to kill her, though, but she saw me. I had too."

"Most people buy the silence of the family from which they killed." Ziva stated. "Why have you not tried to do the same?"

Letholdus scoffed, spitting once again at Ziva's feet. "Jodocus would never have accepted my money! Now give me a damn verdict, Queen Virago!"

The room was plunged into silence. A deadly silence as Ziva's eyes narrowed. A throne scraped on the floor as the occupant stood up roughly. It wasn't Ziva, though. She was still in shock, no one had even said something like that to her face, and certainly not in the middle of a trial, much less by the defendant.

The throne that had been shoved backwards was Tony's. Because, for as much as he had been giving off the impression of indifference to the whole trial, he had been paying very close attention.

In the time Ziva had been musing to herself, Tony had crossed the short distance and was now face to face with Letholdus. He brought his mouth to the man's ear, and words were hissed at the man.

Tony returned to his throne and sat down, now giving off the same presence as Ziva. "The crown finds the peasant Letholdus guilty of the murder of the peasant Jodocus' wife and newborn son. He will spend a night in the dungeons before being hung in the town square at noon."

The crowd cheered as they began filing out. The last to be taken from the room was Letholdus. Tony beckoned the two guards holding the man to bring him towards himself and Ziva.

"Tonight or tomorrow morning a priest will give you your last rites," Tony said. Then, as Letholdus was marched away he beckoned a servant towards him and Ziva. "I need you to go to a priest and request last rites. For either tonight or tomorrow morning."

The servant nodded and left the king and queen alone in the room. Boeth Tony and Ziva breathed sighs of relief.

"I could see why Sir Torres would not want to have to deal with that trial," Ziva commented.

Tony nodded in agreement. "That's for sure. And, please, Ziva, know that I did not step in because I thought you couldn't handle him, but because nobody needed to see you strike him down before a verdict was given."

"I was not going to do anything to him."

Tony raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you sure about that? You were thinking pretty hard about something, there."

She glared at him. "No, I was honestly surprised that anyone would have the guts to call me a name like that to my face."

Tony nodded. "I think that caught us all by surprise."