7 Sentenced
The sea of clouds soon parted, the gems rapidly expelling air quenched the closer we got to the ground. A city came into view, its center a peak in a field of houses varying in sizes and shapes, encircled by a wall, all directions having an entrance. Inside the walls laid towers, each tapered from the base, an array of white intertwining arteries pulling from the ground laid beneath the sphere of a gemmed tip, emanating a dark green glow reminiscent of my own mana. We descended the city at its center on a mansion, disembarking at a courtyard.
We were greeted by guards not maids, three of them, all being shorter than I was. They were all in the same getup. It was a single breasted jacket with the length of a trench coat, a dress shirt underneath, dress pants and the shoes to go with it, all white, a Celtic shield shaped like a ripple plastered on their sleeves and chests. It was an arrest without the cuffs. I was escorted across the courtyard walking along the white brick that cut the grass into four, the statue of a woman reaching towards the sky with her breasts and nether regions obscured by flowing water. We came to a large black marble door lined with gold that opened as we approched.
The room we entered is what I expected. It had stairs in its center leading up to podium, encircling the podium was a continuous desk, four people were sitting around the desk on one side and twenty three on the other. The desk was separated by the walk way leading to the podium.
"Get up there. Now!" One of the guards said, shoving me towards the podium.
As I walked towards the podium I could feel their gazes caress me, I was uncomfortable. I stepped up onto the podium blinded by the gigantic ring light that illuminated the podium, only the small table in front of me visible, the spectators but barely visible. There was silence, the one that came before the storm.
"Ahem, Today on Marz the first of Jes 1007 of the new era, we are gathered here to try the case of Chaménos Psychí Francis. The second count of the High Francis state. On one count of first degree or rather premeditated murder. Will the prosecutor please present his case." The feminine voice echoed from the right side of the room from one of the four, I couldn't tell which one it was.
"Just yesterday a member of our royal family was stolen from us, and by whom you may ask, well no other than the man standing before you. We have gathered key information from multiple witnesses that place this man, Chaménos Psychí at the scene of the crime. What is his motive you may ask, well isn't that obvious. He killed the First count of the Francis household after gaining her trust and getting her to adopt him so he could assume control of the house. No doubt he was a peasant who used to scrounge around and envy us nobles... and then and there he came up with his plan. He would infiltrate and assume control of one of the houses and live the life he always wanted, the life he watched others live. So I implore you, heads of state, give the first count the justice she deserves and put this mongrel down. Thank you, that is all." Again the voice echoed from the right, the figures obscured in darkness, though this time it was a man.
Soon chatter broke out on the left side of the room. I could over hear them, and they weren't subtle.
"Well he did it for us. The least we can do is quickly put the poor thing out of his misery." and another "A filthy low life like this is the reason I missed my trip to the Burning Dunes, I say kill him, he was at the scene of the crime what more do we need."
"Will the defense now make their case..." They waited a minute as if to mock me. "I guess it is time to make a decision. Will each head of state now cast their..."
"Wait!..." A feminine voice crept in from the doors. As I turned around I saw her. A dirty blonde with green eyes, she looked tired, she was slouched over her briefcase in hand, no doubt she ran. "The defense... will like to make their case." She struggled to catch breath.
She walked all the way onto the podium breathing heavily the entire way. She soon rested her briefcase on the small table and took out a small stack of papers. She looked me in the eyes then she looked at the shadowy figures.
"Despite any assumptions that have been made, my client, Chaménos Psychí Francis! Second count of house Francis is in fact innocent. Whilst yes their are witnesses who have placed him at the scene of the crime, it has not been said that he was seen walking towards the scene of the crime beforehand but after the explosion had occurred. Not to mention the viscount and multiple state guards testifying that he did not have any of the treasure form the Francis' vault. So I ask you, why go through the trouble of setting up a bomb, just to walk to the scene of the crime, and why destroy the doors into the vault, just to not take anything. And why, despite being in the vault with treasures missing did he not have any on his person. Its rather simple isn't it. He in fact didn't kill the first count, and he did not steal any of the treasures. This is in truth a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is all, thank you." She took a deep breath and returned the papers to her briefcase.
"I assume the heads of state have come to a decision." She spoke once more and with distain in her voice.
Soon the blinding lights dimmed and the shadowy figures came into view. On the right were two women, one with brown hair sporting brown eyes and the other with white hair and blue eyes. There were two males, a blonde with blue eyes and a white-haired man with blue eyes, he was in a white robe, the insignia of the guards largely on display on the front, dark blue in color. He seemed to be the most important one in the room as everyone else had on dragon vests and dress clothes. Those on the right, my lawyer's vest and a few on the left were in purple, whilst mine and a majority on the left were in red.
Holographic screens would soon pop up above the podium, in a cube shape. The number being zero at first then dipping to negative twelve before going back up to negative one. They were voting and it seemed that I had lost. Then he spoke.
"I'll vote for the young man to live I think." He never spoke again, he just looked at the number as it went up to one and with the white haired girl he would walk out of the room from the exit that was behind the desks.
"Ahem. On the charge of premeditated murder, the defendant is deemed, by vote of majority... not guilty." The one who had been speaking all this time was the woman with brown hair and she sounded angry.
Soon everyone left the room leaving me and my lawyer. I had no choice but to say something, she had just saved my life after all.
"Thank you." I looked down on her she seemed stiff.
"Thank God I made it here in time, they were really trying to get your head you know, holding back evidence until the last minute, having the trial the day after and notifying me only an hour before the trial good thing I was already here." She let out a deep sigh.
"May I ask your name?" I raised my hand to shake hers.
"Oh, silly me the names Rose Theia." She shook my hand and smiled at me, before picking up her briefcase.
"You don't think I did it? You're awfully friendly." I watched her stop in her tracks.
"Oh, I know you didn't." She began to walk once more descending the stairs.
"What does that mean?" I was confused, she knew something.
"Why did you even help me?" I questioned her further.
"Its my job as the Francis' house lawyer, nothing personal." She was on the final stretch and about to leave, when I realized my situation.
"So what do I do now, I've never been here before and I don't know how to get home. And what do I do after this." I followed her as she walked.
"Oh right. Well... I'll take care of it, come with me." I followed her across the familiar courtyard having no other choice, soon we went onto another jet. It soon took off.
"Are you taking me home?" I asked sitting across from her watching her drink wine.
"No... not necessarily, the plan was for you to become a pupil of Cecelia wasn't it? But since there are more impor... But since that's not possible well I'm going to enroll you into a school so that you'll get the necessary training you need to survive and do what you want and make her proud."
"And how soon will that be?" I shuffled forward in my seat.
"In one week, the new year just started, today actually and school will resume in no time as usual."
"In that time I'll let father teach you the basics of magic and the like, that way when you take the test you won't be riding on your name alone to get in." She had been taking large gulps of wine between her words and was now refilling her glass.
"How does that sound?" She said tossing the wine to and fro in her glass.
"Sounds good I guess, but will one week be enough, for a novice like me."
"You'll manage... and didn't she give you an S.T.P." She looked at me sipping from her glass.
"Well yes but..."
"And didn't you get perfect memory?" Her eyes came together as if doubtful.
"Yes I did."
"So what is there to worry about. In the years before this all that has been taught has been mostly theoretical, like ninety percent, and even though the children get training in their own family's. Schools veer away from the practical to avoid problems. Well until you get to the right age that is. While yes you will be outmatched in magical and physical ability it doesn't mean you have to be at a disadvantage. With enough information in that head of yours, you'll be like a super computer if you use it right. So don't worry the main thing you'll be focusing on will be the theoretical stuff to get in and once that's done, you can polish up on everything else. Its the first year of college after all."
"Okay I guess? Do I even have a choice?" I didn't want to go to school but I accepted my fate. I had no one else to teach me after all.
"No, no you do not, I won't allow her name to be sullied, you should take pride in it, you may not know now but soon you will find out why." She looked at me with a strong gaze it was different that time she was serious.
"I'll do it, though it was not like I had a choice." I leant back in the chair and peered through the window as we skated across the clouds.
It was on that day Monday January 1st 1002 in that world did I swear that I'd hate Mondays forever.
Though I couldn't just leave the chief out of the loop.
"Can you contact the chief for me I'd hate to leave him hanging."
"Oh right, that's probably a good idea." She ravaged through her pockets and pulled out the usual clear glass lined by iron.
It was the equivalent to a phone.
As she tapped away the familiar ring soon ensued before he answered.
"Hello, how did it go... is he..." He sounded concerned.
"Let's not jump to conclusions now Mark the boy's fine. I'm calling to tell you I'm going to enroll him in Valkyrie University. Any objections ? " She proceeded to sip her wine.
"Uhhh... no I think it's best for the boy to have sometime to be a normal teen-ager before he has to take up all this responsibility, plus it's best he isn't here right now, don't send him back before the term starts, just keep him there and deal with everything, I'll have this mess mopped up before you know it, but until then keep him . "
"That's all. I'll come visit sometime ok." She had a small smile.
"Ok. And boy... if you're listening... go out there and make her proud. Send waves across the country in her name, and make all those filthy! nobles never forget the house of Francis, you'll be the center of attention anyway so make the most of it... You got that." He sounded proud and confident, though a little sad.
"Yes sir!" The emotions he was trying to relay got to me and I knew now I couldn't make a fool out of myself and I couldn't bring shame to her name.
She soon hang up, but drunk she eventually fell asleep. I couldn't, I sat there leant back peering through the windows, looking at the new chance I now had and I wasn't going to waste it.
