"All may stand!" Councilman Yuri's voice calls out to the courtroom as everyone present stood.

The Council looked upon the defendant, notarized as Paul al Theodore for record keeping as he stood tall with his counsel behind him.

"Paul al Theodore, you stand accused today for the murder of Theta al Anton, how do you, plea?" Councilman Asimov asked Paul.

Without hesitation, Paul stated, "I am innocent, councilman."

Councilman Theas called for the first session to begin and from there Paul and his counsel spent hours pleading his case to the four council members as spectators watched from their marble seats.

"Paul al Theodore, did you know Theta al Anton?" Prosecutor Jon walked, his red and silver robe swayed as he paced around the courtroom.

Shaking his head, Paul stated, "I don't know anyone here, sir."

From there, it was questions structured to wear Paul down, trying to get him to confess to the murder he didn't commit.

The prosecutor making a spectacle of everything wasn't helping.

Once he sat down with his council, Paul exhaled sharply, but Talib and Loran were quick to keep his spirits high.

With them, Talib especially, on Paul's council, the prosecutor is scared.

Didn't expect someone like Paul to scrounge up people to fight for his innocence.

"But he's stubborn," Paul frowns as he saw the prosecutor pace around the courtroom as the Council spoke to themselves in hushed whispers.

Patting him on the back, Talib encouraged Paul to remain strong, the prosecutor will use any chance to wear him down.

"Thank you, Talib," Paul thanked him for everything.

His pink eyes moving around the court room, Loran winced when he saw his son among the spectators watching the case unfold, before internally reminding himself that he had given his oath to Paul, though he wondered how his son was taking to the sight of his father being part of Paul's council.

"Bring out Othello al Romanov!" Councilman Yuri calls out as robed men walked Othello through the aisles towards the marbled seat where she sat as the prosecutor came towards him.

He calmly asks Othello, "Do you know why you are here today, child?"

Slowly nodding, Othello exhaled, "I do."

Prosecutor Jon then asks, "Do you see Theta's murderer here, today?"

Watching him, Paul spots Othello becoming uncomfortable before forcing himself to say, "I do."

Gesturing, the prosecutor had Othello point the murderer out and he did.

Othello took a few seconds longer to point at Paul, he didn't even look at him, either.

"When do I question him?" Paul whispers to Loran and Tabil.

Keeping their mouths hidden, the men told him how it would be better if they question Othello, not Paul.

It was already stacked against Paul, the prosecutor would find any way to make it more apparent, but with the men doing the cross examination of the witness, the prosecutor couldn't make things worse.

"Councilors, have you decided?" Councilman Asimov calls out to the men.

Standing up, Talib calls out that he will be the one to cross examine Othello.

The Council wasn't over the fact that Talib would willingly lend his hand to Paul's counsel but knew that they had no choice but to oblige his choices as he stood up to walk towards the sitting Othello.

"I must ask you, child, do you know this man?" Talib asks him.

Subtly fidgeting in his spot, Othello answers, "Y-yes."

Eying him with his amber eyes, Talib questioned Othello by asking, "How do you know this man?"

Squirming in his spot, Othello dodged Talib's amber eyes as he attempted to answer his inquiry.

"I… saw him…" Othello's voice wavered.

His amber eyes focused on Othello, Talib questioned him further, and he knew from Othello's body language that he wasn't telling him the whole truth.

"Are you aware that lying under oath can lead to consequences, child?" Talib warns Othello shortly before Prosecutor Jon shouts that he's intimidating the witness.

Backing off, Talib held his arms behind his back as he continued the back and forth with Othello with different sets of questions and when Prosecutor Jon reminded him that his time was almost up, Talib brought up the details of Theta's death.

His time of death would mean Paul could not have killed Othello.

"He could've killed him right after the dinner party!" Prosecutor Jon shouts.

Turning his body to face him, Talib questioned him with, "You're telling me that my ward could have the foresight to locate the forbidden corridor and lay in wait for the deceased?"

Still challenging him, the prosecutor pointed out that there was no witness present that could tell otherwise.

There are gasps when someone calls out, "I stand as a witness!"

Turning their heads, Paul and his council see Memphis standing tall as he insisted that he be sworn in as a witness for Paul.

Brought to the front of the courtroom, Memphis followed tradition as he was sworn in, and when Othello was led away from his spot, Memphis took his place, and there the prosecutor leapt at the chance because of his father being on Paul's council, however, Memphis refuses to allow him the chance.

"I have taken my oaths, prosecutor, have you?" Memphis challenged him before demanding to be asked the questions.

Paul could see the rising anger in Prosecutor Jon as he began to ask Memphis everything under the sun.

Diligently, Memphis answered them, and gave a detailed account on how he fetched his father from the library.

"My father would never house a murderer, ergo, the child could have not thoughtlessly killed Theta, a child that he did not know until this time," Memphis rested in his spot as he stated that because of the timing and the fact Paul would need to sneak around Gallifrey, he could not have killed Theta.

Raising a finger, the prosecutor then tried saying that even if it were true, the missing Taylor would prove Paul's downfall, but Memphis wasn't inclined to give the prosecutor any fuel for his defense.

"You're going to tell me that a child and his mate came here, well-aware of our laws, to cause great strife, for what reasons I'm sure you're coming up with in your mind? Prosecutor, surely you could do better than that," Memphis gave a knowing look at him.

There was anger in those eyes as the prosecutor grits his teeth trying his best to find some way of blaming Paul and Taylor for the murder, but Memphis refused every avenue for that to happen, concluding that while he was initially biased against Paul, he deserved a fair trial, not a hit piece.

"If our king was alive, he would be very much displeased with you," Memphis stood up from his spot.

Sitting back, Loran was amazed at the sight of his son willingly taking a stand to support Paul.

Paul pats him on the back before Talib took his spot next to the men.

"I suspect Othello knows more than he lets on, but he pointed the finger at you," Talib concludes as he turned his head towards the men.

Wincing, Loran questioned why Othello would risk exile for lying, before Talib muses that it's possible he knows the killer, but can't bring himself to say it.

"What would be more frightening than exile?" Paul asks Talib what would drive Othello to lie in open court.

Scratching his bearded face, Talib wondered that himself, before saying that there was fear in his eyes when he tried asking questions regarding finding Theta's body.

"Why would someone kill Theta?" Paul questions the motives killing him and the men shrug as they said they wouldn't know the answer.

If they could get Othello to tell them what he saw, maybe they can get somewhere.

"He won't say it because of the prosecutor, man's pigheaded, he'll try to say Othello's evading because he's scared of retaliation from Paul," Loran spats.

While deep in thought, Talib ponders before saying that Othello can be brought around, though the prosecutor would hate him.

"What do you mean?" Paul grew curious.

Talib told him, "Watch and learn, child."