Ok, confession time. I actually completed the chapter 2 days ago, and meant to post this yesterday. Blame new-years for the delay. There was nothing specific, I just got distracted enough that I forgot. (And here I was so proud of the fact that I got a chapter done ahead of schedule again like I always used to before. Well, there goes that one.)

 

Well, anyway, happy new year.

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Aerien’s POV

 

‘There is one more thing Aerien.’ Mother called out to me as everyone was dispersing to carry out the actions she had just called for. ‘The magus Eirlathion has been re-charged for the crime of incitement.’

 

What!? She is rushing the process!? Why would she do a thing like that!? ‘Mother, is now really the time for something like that? A war is being fought below us, or so I am told, and now the committees of the court are even having to investigate what is going on with the dryads. I should think at the least something like this that acts as a distraction and takes away resources. I should think at least the full trial should be delayed.’

‘I see.’ I responded. So, it is to maintain order as well as morale. It does make sense, morale has a way of acting as a multiplier to the efficiency at which all members of the living machine works. I can see exactly where her reasoning is on this subject.

 

So, all she wanted really was a fair ruling from the beginning. I can’t believe I ever suspected her of trying to force my hand into a guilty verdict. Well, maybe that was what she might have wanted at the start under the old system, but it seems like she will be happy either way now. The only thing she’s pressuring me into is to run the proceedings fairly, despite the obvious bias I am going to have. This also explains why it is she was so absolutely insistent I be the one to preside over this despite that bias and despite every objection of the other members of the court. She was weighing so many threads against one another. So many rivaling opinions and emotions she had to settle and manage. 

 

This… this is what it means to be a ruler. It is to make the move that addresses all of these concerns while still being able to direct the machine toward the ultimate end-goal of whatever needs to happen at the time. This… is the world I have just been brought into.

 

 

No matter what she said, this simply did not taste right. A rushed trial increases the likelihood of a miscarriage of justice. This is why trials always take a long time to go to the floor on Earth. All the evidence must be gathered, and full disclosure to the defense must be made in order for proper defense arguments to be made. This allowance that mother has made satisfies the second criteria, but certainly not the first. Evidence that could make or break a case or the defense may go undiscovered until long after the trial is over.

 

She said she wants a fair verdict, and I believe it. That removes one concern I had, but replaces it with another. Now it is clear she really doesn’t care what the outcome of this trial is. The only thing she cares about is what it means politically, and whether or not the outcome is proper is a distant second to her. Politics. That is all this is really about. And I she has already proven to me she refuses to budge on the subject of what is best for the politics of the situation back when I repeatedly insisted upon recusing myself as judge. I don’t even need to get into another back-and-forth with her on the subject of the timing of this whole thing, I already know what the outcome is going to be.

 

Well, that leaves two options for me. One is to simply lock myself away and refuse to appear as judge. That may get the short-term result I want. According to what she just told me, I really am essential in making this all play out correctly. She needs me for this, and the trial simply cannot proceed without me. No replacement judge she could appoint would satisfy the dryad end of the equation. It would absolutely work. However, in the long-term, I will have burned all of the trust and good-will the queen and all the members of the court have for me. I will be unable to do anything or make anything happen here if I were to take that action.

 

I would get disowned for certain. I suppose that would rid me of the princess title, but I do not believe it would rid me of the shackles associated with it. She made it plenty clear, she intends to keep me and my power no matter what. The position of princess simply allows me more freedom and respect within this gilded cage. All around, this is just a bad option.

 

Well then, I guess that leaves me with the second option, simply relying on the appeals process or otherwise delaying the sentencing portion of the trial. That will only be if Eirlathion is ruled guilty though.

 

-

 

Steven’s POV

 

“Aaah! Amada! Parma i' coiasira il- naa! E' sina yamen' eller naa y' edan!”

 

While deeply immersed in the documents and notes of the case, thankfully taken down quite dutifully by the justice committee, Steven was so engaged that he was oblivious to his surroundings. This is why, when his little “friend” in his cage began saying something loudly, Steven was completely confused as to what might have gotten him riled up and only spared him a brief glance.

 

“Mankoi amin bother amin il- uma sinta. Gurtha lle Lotesse manka ro nae y' goth.” The imp said in a tone that almost sounded exasperated.

 

“Hmm? What’s got you all excited there all of a sudden?” Steven asked.

 

“He is saying your awareness of your surroundings is bad, and you would be dead right now if I was an enemy.”

 

Steven nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard this English-speaking male voice from inside the room, and quickly turned his head to see the alien man who had been assisting him with all his stuff so far.

 

“Oh my heart!” Steven gasps. “Don’t they have a custom of knocking in this world!”

 

“In human nations, yes. Fairies however are used to being able to sense one another and do not need to knock, and elves can feel when the green word is being used to open a nearby wall so they similarly have no need of the custom.”

 

“Aaah! Kanta risa! Tyela sina amada tyara ten' amin re'na sinome lle naa, maquet amin. Ri' nyara ho ro naa intye um- ta!”

 

Whatever his imp friend just said, he managed to catch that the alien man’s eyebrows twitched in apparent annoyance at part of it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to ask what was just said, but decided to just go on with their current topic.

 

“Uhh… well… I am not an elf and I can’t sense this energy either, so do you think you could give me a little bit of consideration here?”

 

“Ar' en' rant ho lammen naa n'ataya au'. Ilya en' i' coiasira ta naa ve' sina! Ndengina amin ve' lle naa intye a', ta naa coiasira!”

 

The alien man turns to look at the imp and sighs, then shakes his head and addresses the imp. “Yassen ho amin oquenia sina ie' y' n'ataya coiasira. Amin naa sinome oqueni- y' nat' tanya naa.” He says with a rather piercing expression.

 

“Tereva tereva, san’ quena mani lle merna.” The imp huffed and then sat on the floor of the cage with his arms crossed over his folded legs like he was pouting.

 

“What is he saying anyway?” Steven asked, his curiosity was finally peaked as the alien man, Sagel, was talking to the imp now in his own language.

 

“He is just annoyed about how you haven’t killed him yet, actually. I have something more important to discuss at the moment though, so that matter can wait. The reason I am here is because I have just heard from Aerien that Eirlathion’s arraignment has been moved up to this afternoon, and his trial to tomorrow.”

 

“Ahh! You have GOT to be kidding me!” Steven yelled. “Ahh! I do NOT have the time or resources for this! Are YOU allowed to represent Eirlathion? The arraignment should not be all that crucial a point, or difficult to argue, the entire point of the arraignment is to make sure he is going to be there for the actual trial. All you gotta do is argue that there is no way for him to run away from here so there’s no need to lock him up in that cell since it’s unnecessary.”

 

“That would present a slight challenge given my personal association with the princess, but I am certain I can find someone to fill that role for you.”

 

“Thank you, that helps a lot.”

 

“On the subject, how is the defense strategy coming along?”

 

“It is not too bad. As I mentioned before, the role of the defense is not only to offer a good explanation to the defendant’s actions, but also to predict any argument the prosecution may bring and to be certain the picture I paint of my client’s actions and mind-set is well suited to explain anything they might accuse him of. I have a strategy in mind, but I just need to keep pouring over these witness statements to make sure there are no hidden surprises in here the prosecution may be able to spring.”

 

“Well, this may make you happy then. The queen has made a concession to compensate for the accelerated time-table. The prosecution is no longer allowed to interview witnesses without you present.”

 

“Well!” Steven responded. “That would have been a nice situation to have earlier, but I am not sure how much good it would do me at this stage. They have already gathered enough evidence they think they can push the case again after all. Well, at least I will not be surprised by any last minute evidence this way, I guess that security of mind alone is pretty valuable to me right now.”

 

“Well then, I will begin working on finding your replacement for the arraignment trial.” The alien man said, and then left out the closest thing this place had to a “door” as the wall opened up for him once again.

 

-

 

Sagel’s POV

 

‘I was wondering what it was the familiar of the princess wished to discuss with me, I did not imagine it would be something so absurd!’ A large dragon said, addressing what appeared to be nothing more than a humming bird hovering before his massive muzzle.

 

‘Indeed, I do realize how absurd this request is. However, given the situation, I believe that you are the best possible candidate to fill this role. Her majesty appointed the princess to be the judge due to her connection to the dryad of Cundo. With her in this role, it will hopefully mitigate any anger the dryad may feel should a guilty verdict be reached. However, there is currently no similar assurance to the court that will make it easier for them to accept an innocent verdict. But, if the duke who leads the justice committee were to fill this temporary representative role, the members of the court would see a possible innocent verdict as being more palatable should it come about. It would represent the impartiality of the justice committee if you yourself, Lord Faranti, were to argue the case. It has no bearing on the ultimate outcome of the trial, but it will do a great deal for the image of legitimacy the trial will hold.’

 

‘So this is the tempering that her majesty’s agents receive from spending time in the human lands, you have become as devious as the queen herself in these matters. You DO realize though, if I were to fill this role, Gailben would be under an obligation to push for the opposite to the absolute furthest extent of his abilities, do you not?’

 

‘That should be fine. The crucial point to push is merely that there is no risk of Eirlathion escaping before the trial. I would say that regardless of how strongly Gailben pushes, it ought to be impossible for him to come up with a way that would even make his flight a remote possibility.’

 

‘You have the ability to carry him, do you not? I am quite aware you have been aiding his defensive efforts quite extensively.’

 

‘To suggest such a thing would be to impugn the honor of not only the princess, but also the queen. I am an agent of both of them, and I would not be able to undertake such an action without their word.’

 

‘But that would be a possibility, regardless of how remote.’ The dragon responds. ‘Very well then, you have made a good point. I will act to lend legitimacy to the defense as you have requested. I believe this would be for the best for the sake of the trial’s proceeding.’

 

 

 

 

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I just realized as I was writing that end card there, I forgot to name this act. Well, I really didn't know the exact point this act would end on when I started it, so that wound up being the title.

 

Also, I don't know what it is about my subconscious, but it just wound up throwing a solution in my lap for the next act for a problem I have actually been stressing over for THE ENTIRETY of this act. As soon as I started on it the solution presented itself almost immediately, and now things are really back on track for the goals I wanted to hit. (It's good, because this whole trial thing has been dragging a little for my tastes as well, and it was starting to go in directions that were throwing off the ending I wanted to achieve when I started this arc.)

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"Well at least it's tomorrow."

                                     -meowingLexi

 

"I have a feeling that the trial won't end quietly, and not just because one faction or another is guaranteed to be upset about the results."

                                     -Vorquel

 

"Aery will proby pull a ruling more funky than a random crazed 9th circuit judge."

                                     -Roy