Chapter 29

The Trial

The crowd rose as the judge, clad all in red, entered the courtroom and took a seat. Joseba was all business, and didn't wait for the crowd to take their seats before reading the charges.

"Aselid, wizard of Port-a-Lucine, you are charged with the high crimes of Demonology, Necromancy, Murder, and Corrupting a member of the church of Ezra.", Joseba began, his voice calm, almost indifferent to what he had just read.

Marinae nearly bit her tongue to keep from shouting a protest at the ridiculous charges.

"This court will determine your guilt or innocence based on the testimony and evidence presented and the guidance of Our Lady the Guardian. Warden Domingo, you may begin.", Joseba continued.

The crowd quieted down as Ronaldo rose to his feet. He was nervous, but inspired as he reached for the magic book.

"Aselid.", Ronaldo began, holding up the leather bound tome. "Within this book are spells and rituals of such vileness that to begin to describe them would make the very ears of those in this courtroom burn. This is black magic at its most sinister, an evil tome for raising the walking dead, summoning demons, and opening doors to the realms of damnation."

The crowd in the courtroom began to whisper to each other. Ronaldo played up the book even more.

"With this book, a powerful magician, such as yourself, could bring forth an army of vile entities, a Legion of Death, who would want nothing more than the destruction of every living creature on the face of the earth.", the young priest said, filling with righteous indignation and holding the book up so that all could see it. "With this book you could turn men into blood-sucking vampires, you could swell the numbers of werewolves who feed on human flesh and who plot our doom only a few miles to the south, and you could plunge the world into eternal darkness and chaos."

The crowd inside the courtroom tittered anxiously.

"IDIOT!!", Marinae screamed at the young lawyer in her head. "One such as Aselid is the best choice to have such a book, for he would never use it!"

Marinae wished that she had a bottomless bag to capture the manure that would surely fill the courtroom by the time Ronaldo was done, but instead of lashing out Marinae sat and simmered. Weamar and David mulled around with the crowd outside, listening in intently without letting on that they were. The crowd around them was buzzing and it was hard for them to hear what was going on in the courtroom. The crowd didn't seem at all interested in the trial, only what they knew would come after.

"Objection your honor.", Frelnikov spoke up. "This is a difference between what my client could do and what he would do, and I can…"

"Overruled.", Joseba said quickly, cutting Frelnikov off. "The danger he poses to the world is very relevant. Those who dabble in the black arts are known to give way to the evil desires of those they wish to summon and control. Ronaldo you may continue."

"Thank you, your honor.", Ronaldo replied. Then he turned back to Aselid. "This book came into your possession by a most interesting means. It was found in a buried chapel between Sturben and Levkarest by a group of individuals who we believe were acting on your behalf. They were stopped from their evil designs by our noble captain of the White Knights of Ezra, Petrov Nichola. The church later retrieved the book, but before it could be safely stored away, out of the hands of those who would wish evil upon the world, it disappeared."

Ronaldo paused for dramatic effect. "The book found its way into your hands, Aselid. Did it not?", Ronaldo asked accusingly.

"Yes, but I…", Aselid began as the crowd gasped. But Ronaldo did not allow Aselid to continue.

Marinae itched to plant a shiny dagger in Ronaldo's skull to see if it would sprout.

"Your defense will come later.", Ronaldo said sharply. "This group which I discussed before, of which Eliza Duval and Petrov Nichola were a part when they found the book, were involved in a number of incidents with, shall we say, interesting circumstances: an age-old gargoyle suddenly coming to life and murdering three young anchorites; the late Guy Olisson being hunted by a werewolf and then supposedly committing suicide in an incident where we believe witchcraft was involved; and the corruption of Eliza Duval, a faithful and pure anchorite, beloved by many, who now lives in sin with another woman."

The murmuring in the crowd grew rather loud and Joseba had to rap his gavel on his desk a few times to bring order. Eliza struggled to remain calm while she awaited her turn to speak. So little time had passed since the events Ronaldo spoke of and already the church was attempting to revise history.

"And then there is the matter of the five gems.", Ronaldo said, holding aloft a dark colored gem.

Aselid winced when he saw the lawyer holding the gem in public. He knew that they weren't safe from those who wanted them, not even in a room full of White Knights.

"According to the book, someone with all five gems and knowledge of the proper spells, spells contained in this tome, could open a gate and allow the most hideous creature the world has every known to enter our realm.", Ronaldo said slowly, capturing the attention of everyone in the crowd. "The name of this creature is one which all rational men and women fear, that name is Rastinon."

A loud gasp went through the crowd.

"Rastinon.", Ronaldo said loudly. "Who ages ago brought death and destruction on a scale the likes of which had never been seen before or since." Ronaldo paused and let the shock waves pass through the crowd. "And Aselid, the church has learned that an old friend of yours, Ethan Reid, had gathered all five gems and brought them to you."

"Objection.", Frelnikov called out. "The prosecution is making unsubstantiated assertions."

"Overruled.", Joseba replied. "The prosecution may make as many assertions as it likes and you may refute them when it is your turn."

"Do you have some rope?", Marinae whispered to Eliza.

Eliza glanced at Marinae quizzically.

"You may need to tie me down if this keeps up.", Marinae added.

"That makes two of us.", Eliza whispered back. "Then they'd charge me with corrupting you."

Lynn leaned over and held Eliza's hand. She was sitting with one leg bent and the other straight like she often did. It looked sexy, but it also hid what she had hidden under her long black dress well.

"Be strong.", Lynn whispered. Eliza nodded.

Ronaldo looked a little annoyed at Frelnikov's interruption but quickly regained his accusatory tone.

"Aselid.", the prosecuting attorney continued. "It is the prosecution's contention that the group that descended into chapel, particularly the witch who read from the book and seduced Eliza, and your friend Ethan, a man who witnesses say was more dead than alive, were acting on your orders to recover the book and the gems so that you could summon Rastinon, bind him with black magic, and use his powers to suit your own nefarious purposes."

Once more the crowd erupted in loud murmuring and Joseba had to call them to order.

"Witch?", Lynn whispered. The color went out of her face.

Eliza squeezed Lynn's hand and whispered back, "Be strong."

Lynn nodded, but she knew that she'd picked the wrong day to wear black.

"I would like to call my first witness.", Ronaldo announced. "Petrov Nichola."

Marinae wished that she'd learned a truth spell instead of focusing on making coins pop out of people's ears.

Frelnikov turned and whispered to Marinae. "Aselid told me that you can read people's minds.", he said. "I'd like you to do that and tell me, discreetly, if the witnesses are lying."

Marinae nodded, fractionally to avoid any suspicions. Marinae cast her spell and focused on Petrov's mind.


Weamar broke away from the crowd and walked down the alleyway between the courthouse and the jail. He didn't see anyone around the back so he stood and waited there for a few minutes wondering what he could do to help. Then he noticed that he could more easily make out the voices inside the courtroom. He took a few steps towards the front and leaned back against the wall so that he could hear the testimony clearly. David took note and made his way to the other side of the courthouse to do the same, choosing to split up to avoid suspicion.


There was more murmuring as the stone-faced man walked calmly to the witness stand and took a seat. Ronaldo stood up and approached the young man.

"Petrov. Tell us of your trip to the buried chapel and what happened within.", Ronaldo said and nodded.

"There were five of us, Eliza, Weamar, Marinae, Lynn, and I.", Petrov said, looking across the courtroom at the three women sitting behind Frelnikov.

"Are these people in the courtroom?", Ronaldo asked.

"Yes.", Petrov replied. "All except Weamar." A loud gasp moved through the courtroom as the White Knight pointed at Marinae, Eliza, and Lynn.

"I see. Continue.", Ronaldo said.

"We were traveling down the road from Sturben to Levkarest and we fell through a hole in the ground. The rain had weakened the earth over an underground cave.", Petrov began.

"Or maybe witchcraft had weakened the earth?", Ronaldo asked. "How many have traveled that road in the rain?"

Petrov nodded. "Perhaps it was witchcraft. Many have traveled that road.", he answered. "We couldn't get back out and so we had to find another exit. We went down a tunnel and found a door. Lynn…"

"The witch?", Ronaldo interrupted, glancing ever so slightly at Frelnikov, hoping to make him raise another objection. "The woman sitting here dressed all in black?", he added, looking directly at the defense attorney.

Frelnikov didn't bite, but the crowd began to whisper and point fingers. Lynn had never been called a witch before, but she knew what was going to happen to her if enough people believed it.

"That is what I believe she is.", Petrov answered. "She had a ring which opened the door. She lead us to the chapel, through a hidden doorway, down a staircase which led deep into the earth, and into a pitch black room where we found the book."

"And what were you doing during all this?", Ronaldo asked.

"Trying to get her to stop. She wouldn't listen to our pleas. She walked through the darkness as if she knew the way. As if she'd been there before.", Petrov replied. "She went to the book and began to read from it. Then she summoned up a demon which nearly killed Eliza. By the grace of Ezra we were able to stop her and defeat it."

Marinae sensed the hint of a lie when Petrov talked about trying to get Lynn to stop. He was telling himself that he should have said something, but that he just followed along, too scared to do anything else. Marinae locked eyes with Petrov and simply stared at him, but Petrov's gaze was made of stone.

"He lies.", Marinae whispered.

"About?", Frelnikov whispered back.

"About getting Lynn to stop. About her conjuring a beast that injured Eliza.", she said, trying to keep her voice down. "He's misstating everything that happened!"

Frelnikov made a note of that and nodded.

"I understand that you did not take action against her then. Why not?", Ronaldo asked.

"Her friends were protecting her, and she acted innocently. An act which put me off my guard as well, but now I am wary of such treachery.", Petrov said sternly. "But I would have stopped them if they had tried to remove the book. I think that they knew that and so they made no such attempt."

The crowd grew more uncomfortable and several people cast glances at Lynn. Marinae sensed that Petrov was trying his best to cover up the fact that he was very scared and wasn't thinking about anything but getting out of the buried chapel alive.

"He wanted only to escape.", Marinae whispered to Frelnikov who nodded once again and made another note.

"And what of Lynn's relationship with the then anchorite Eliza?", Ronaldo asked.

"Eliza loved the church. She was an upstanding anchorite and always acted virtuously. She would never knowingly sin. It was against her nature.", Petrov said emotionlessly and truthfully. "Which is why I am convinced that Lynn cast a spell on her and seduced her. Lynn played on Eliza's sympathies. She pretended to be sad, hurt, and vulnerable. She drew Eliza into her web of deceit and corrupted her soul."

More murmurs came from the crowd.

"Thank you, Petrov.", Ronaldo said kindly. "You may step down."

"They've threatened him, I'd say.", Marinae whispered to Eliza. "They have something to use as leverage to force him to say what they want."

Eliza clenched her jaw, and watched Petrov. She whispered to Marinae, "I don't know."

Marinae didn't know either, she just felt that the whole trial seemed orchestrated. She glanced over at Tshaya and saw that she was watching the trial intently but with a bored expression on her face. Then Marinae saw Tshaya suddenly bristle and the hairs on her arms stood on end.

"What is it?", Marinae whispered in elvish.

Tshaya glanced behind Marinae, trying not to make it look like she was looking in that direction. Then she whispered back, trying to remember the words, "Dae faer."

"Mán.", Tshaya added, remembering the word.

Marinae puts several twos together with several more and came up with some fours she didn't like.

Then Marinae saw the young Vistani bristle again. "Tád.", she added, looking over her left shoulder.

"Can you see them?", Marinae asked.

Tshaya shook her head. "They're inside.", she whispered.

Marinae saw Lynn and Eliza glancing at her. She quickly translated for them. "Shadow-spirits.", Marinae whispered.

Lynn's eyes went wide.

"Two of them.", Marinae added.

"Two?", Eliza whispered back.

Marinae wanted to know who the spirits were and why they were in the courtroom but she had more important things to attend to.

"The next matter involves the gargoyle statue and I am afraid that there are no reliable witnesses to this event.", Ronaldo said, casting an accusing glance at Lynn. "We know not who imbued the statue with black magic, or why it killed three young women, but we do know that we found it in the main hall of the Great Cathedral with its head cut off and the group mentioned previously, minus Petrov, standing around it. We believe that the statue was collecting and sacrificing virgins, that act being a vital part of the binding spell Aselid intended to cast and we believe that the gargoyle intended to do the same to Eliza. But the witch, Lynn, had her own intentions regarding the girl and so she had the gargoyle put to death."

Frelnikov wanted to say something but held back.

"Then there is the matter of Guy Olisson.", Ronaldo continued. "I call Glenn Mervick to the stand."

A man in his thirties, with several scars from previous battles on his face and arms, stood up from the crowd and made his way to the witness stand. Marinae had seen him before, as had Eliza and Lynn.

"Glenn. You were there when Guy excommunicated Eliza from the church of Ezra.", Ronaldo said as the man took a seat. "Could you describe for us what happened?"

The man nodded. "It was going just fine. No problems. Then we get to the last part, where Eliza was going to get branded, and she goes crazy.", he said pointing at Lynn. "She pulls her sword out and threatens to kill Guy. I mean, we weren't going to kill Eliza or anything."

"For the record, branding is the lightest punishment for Eliza's particular transgression.", Ronaldo pointed out. "And then what happened."

"Well what could Guy do?", Glenn replied. "So he let her go, but before the witch left I saw her whisper something into Guy's ear. The next thing I know he puts a gun in his mouth and, boom!"

Marinae felt that Glenn was stretching the truth a little, but that he wasn't lying.

"We should burn the witch too!", someone in the crowd shouted. He got a chorus of support.

Eliza's heart pounded in her chest at the shouting of the crowd. The thought of anything happening to Lynn filled her with dread. Joseba pounded his gavel on the table and shouted for order. Quickly the crowd settled down.

"Thank you, Glenn.", Ronaldo said as he glanced at Lynn. "You may step down."

"Lastly there is the matter of the five gems.", Ronaldo said. "We know that Eliza, Lynn, Marinae, and Weamar went to Aselid's home and from there they went to a small island and into a tomb. We sent some people to investigate the tomb and there was plenty of evidence to support that a summoning took place there. Most notably there was a wall with five small holes in it for gems, five holes at the points of a pentagram."

Another collective murmur went through the crowd.

"Again we have no witnesses but since Rastinon is not in our world we can only assume that the spell to summon him failed. Perhaps because the church was in possession of the book at that time.", Ronaldo said smartly. "We believe that Aselid, shall we say, 'acquired' the book in the hopes of learning how to complete the summoning. We do know that Marinae became his apprentice afterward and that Lynn and Eliza chose to live not far away from Aselid."

Ronaldo walked around before the judge, as if delivering a grand performance. "We believe that Eliza is being kept, mentally enslaved to the witch Lynn, as the final virgin sacrifice to be performed a time when Aselid can complete his spell and bring Rastinon forth.", he said dramatically. "Aselid is the mastermind behind all these horrendous acts. He seeks power like all those who dabble in the black arts. And he must be stopped."

The crowd was deathly quiet. Ronaldo saw the fear in the eyes of many in the audience and felt as if he had already won.

"For now, the prosecution rests.", Ronaldo said as he took a seat.

"Sometimes Aselid misplaces his glasses.", Marinae whispered to the others with a sly grin. "Some evil wizard."

All eyes turned towards Frelnikov as Joseba told him that he may present his case.

"If it pleases the court I would like to call Aselid as my first witness.", Frelnikov said, getting only a slight nod from Joseba in return.

Frelnikov no longer looked worried as he stood and walked towards Aselid. Like a true professional he spoke as if his case was never in any doubt and was most assuredly the truth.

"I'd like to continue with Ronaldo's first question, more of a statement really since he didn't let you answer, that with the book in your possession you would be able to bring forth all manner of evil into the world. Is that correct?", the defense attorney began.

"Indeed it is.", Aselid replied to a few gasps from the crowd. "But we are all able to bring evil into the world. We can all betray, steal, even murder others, but a man is not judged by what he could do, but by what he does."

"You and I both know of your record of service to the alliance, but perhaps we need to refresh the court's memory.", Frelnikov said. "You fought with the armies of the alliance against Drakov on five different occasions. On two of those occasions you were defending Richemulot, even though your home country of Dementlieu was not under attack. Could you tell the court what you did during those campaigns?"

The crowd lit up as the campaigns were mentioned. Few in Richemulot found anyone more evil than Drakov and they loved their war heroes.

"Certainly.", Aselid replied, and switched into story-teller mode. "On the first occasion, Pont-a-Museau was under siege if I recall correctly. We arrived to find that beautiful city surrounded by Drakov's Falcons. It was only a matter of time before the city would fall and although the Borcan army was on its way, it was going to arrive too late. It was then that Ethan came up with a wonderful idea and Serena and I made it happen, using our magic to create a great illusion. And so, while Drakov's war machines broke holes in Richemulot's walls and brought its towers to the ground, all that his army saw were sneering Richemuloise soldiers standing atop a seemingly impregnable fortress. By the time the Borcan army arrived and chased Drakov back to Falkovnia, the walls of Pont-a-Museau lay in ruin, but not a single Falcon had set foot inside that city."

Frelnikov waited to let Aselid's last phrase sink in. The crowd murmured again, more positively. "Excuse me, Serena?", the defense attorney asked.

"Serena Raye.", Aselid said with a heavy sigh. "A beloved Ezran priestess who is now no longer with us. She is buried at the Great Cathedral, and I can think of no better place for her. She loved Ezra."

Frelnikov smiled let that sink in too. "And the second attack on Richemulot?", he asked.

"Your honor this is all ancient history.", Ronaldo objected. "This happened decades ago and much has changed since then."

"Sustained.", Joseba said flatly. "Frelnikov, please keep your questions more relevant."

Marinae frowned sharply and Frelnikov was equally displeased. Nonetheless he continued.

"Aselid. How dangerous is the book to which Ronaldo is referring?", Frelnikov asked.

"The book itself is not dangerous, but it can be used to open doors which should stay shut.", Aselid replied. "What worries me greatly is to see the book displayed so openly. Those who wish to obtain it would stop at nothing to…"

"We are protected by scores of White Knights, including Petrov himself.", Ronaldo interrupted sharply. "And the Order of Seekers has other defenses in place. I assure you that the book is quite safe and the church does not appreciate your aspersions."

Frelnikov hesitated before asking the next series of questions. "If the book found its way into the hands of someone who would use it for ill purposes, would they be able to, how was it put, 'plunge the world into darkness and chaos'?", he asked, glancing back at Ronaldo.

"If they were powerful enough, and there are more than a few in this world who are.", Aselid replied.

"Even someone in the church?", Frelnikov asked, cringing inside at the outburst he was expecting.

"Objection! The church is not on trial here.", Ronaldo erupted.

"This court would like the remind the defense attorney that such a line of questioning will only result in a quick end to the trial.", Joseba said pointedly, giving Frelnikov a hard stare.

Frelnikov brushed the objection aside, knowing that he'd made his point. He didn't want to defame the church, only to show that Joseba and Aselid were thinking along the same lines as to how to deal with the gems.

"Aselid, why did you want the book?", Frelnikov asked.

"With the book and, certain artifacts...", Aselid said carefully. "Someone could open a door that would allow Rastinon into this world. I tried to stop this from happening by separating and hiding the artifacts, but those who want Rastinon's return are very resourceful. Two old and dear friends of mine paid a very high price trying to stop them. After that I knew that the only way to close that door forever was to find a way to destroy the artifacts, and the book contained the secrets I needed to know to do so."

"So you were trying to prevent Rastinon's return, not summon him?", Frelnikov asked, summing things up for the audience.

"Precisely.", Aselid replied.

Ronaldo frowned but couldn't think of a good objection to raise.

"And Ethan was not acting on your orders to retrieve the artifacts?", Frelnikov asked.

"Ethan was, I believe, corrupted by the dark forces.", Aselid said sadly. "We were in Barovia many years ago and encountered Baron Strahd Von Zarovich. Strahd became enchanted with Serena. He thought that she was his long lost beloved and he tried to take her with him. We fought to save her but tragically we could not. In the battle Ethan lost part of his soul."

The crowd gasped at the mention of Strahd's name. They'd heard many tales about him, all of them bad.

"He was lucky that he did not lose it all, but it left him half a man.", Aselid continued the tale. The audience was spellbound by the wizard's kindly voice and storytelling ability and was following along intently. "I tried to help him but restoring souls was not something that I specialize in. He sought out others who could help him but no one seemed able to do anything. He became desperate. I do not know how it happened, but I believe that he gave in to the dark forces that desired Rastinon's return. They offered him his soul back in exchange for the artifacts. He did as they asked but all he found was oblivion."

"He almost succeeded in bringing Rastinon back?", Frelnikov asked.

"Almost.", Aselid answered. "But we were able to stop him in time. We followed Ethan to the island and into the tomb where he was performing the ancient rite. He completed the spell and opened the door. Rastinon came through."

The crowd gasped and murmured.

"Fortunately Rastinon was very weak, but even in that state it took our combined efforts to send him back.", Aselid continued.

"So you're heroes.", Frelnikov said for the benefit of the crowd. "Saving us all from the forces of evil once more."

"We did what anyone would under the circumstances.", Aselid replied humbly.

"Then what did you do?", Frelnikov asked, making the crowd wait.

"We separated the artifacts once more and I obtained the book so that I could learn how to destroy them and close the door forever.", Aselid replied.

Ronaldo squirmed in his seat but said nothing. He could feel the tide of the trial beginning to turn against him.

"Now, of Lynn. She was able to read from the book. How?", Frelnikov asked.

"There are two rings which connect the wearers very closely. The rings allow the wearers to share many things through the connection.", Aselid explained. "Rastinon was wearing one when he was banished. The other was cut off the finger of his bride centuries ago. Somehow that ring found its way onto Lynn's hand. Through the ring Rastinon could influence the poor girl. He couldn't control her, but he could give her nightmares, urge her to go where he wanted her to go, that sort of thing. He led her to the buried temple and, through the ring, helped her to read from the book. Luckily, she was stopped before she could complete the incantation."

"Does she still have the ring?", Frelnikov asked another leading question.

"She does indeed, but the other ring was taken from Rastinon during the struggle in the tomb.", Aselid replied. "I believe that Eliza now wears it. She and Lynn are quite close."

"And Rastinon, now without the ring, has been denied another way to influence things in this world.", Frelnikov added as Aselid nodded in agreement.

The crowd had lost most of its anger. Now they sat calmly and listened. Frelnikov allowed himself the hint of a grin.

"Lastly there is the matter of the statue and the virgins. Were you in any way involved in that?", Frelnikov asked.

"I only know what I've heard from Marinae, and I am glad that they were able to stop that menace.", Aselid said with a smile.

"Your witness.", Frelnikov said to Ronaldo without even looking at him.

Lynn felt a sense of relief. The truth had come out. Tshaya once again looked around, bored. She could still feel the spirits, but they weren't doing anything. Then she pondered her fortunes and wondered how she would play her part.

Determined to bring the trial back to his favor, Ronaldo leapt to his feet and began questioning Aselid.

"Yes, about the statue and the three virgins.", Ronaldo began. "Are you familiar with the binding spell in the book.", he said, holding up the evil book once more so that everyone could see it.

"I read over it briefly.", Aselid explained. "But since it didn't help me to destroy the artifacts I didn't pay much attention to it."

"You do know that a total of four virgins must be sacrificed in its casting, and that three virgins had been killed in the Great Cathedral at the same time that your agents were there?", Ronaldo asked.

"You could be the fourth.", Marinae thought at the young lawyer.

Aselid thought for a moment. "I believe that they need to be sacrificed within minutes of the demon's arrival for the spell to work.", Aselid said.

Ronaldo gritted his teeth. If that was true then there was no way that the murdered Ezrans could have been used for a binding spell. He didn't want to think about how much that weakened his case. So he quickly changed the subject and hoped that Joseba couldn't make the connection.

"Of the ring and the witch.", Ronaldo said suddenly. "You said that Rastinon could control her through the ring."

"Control? No.", Aselid replied. "Influence, yes."

"Semantics!", Ronaldo cried out, almost in desperation. "Tell me, if Ethan could be influenced by Rastinon, and his soul corrupted, could not the innocent girl be turned into a witch just as easily?"

Ronaldo pointed at Lynn and raised his voice. "Could she not be Rastinon's new agent?", he said, almost shouting.

"I wouldn't think...", Aselid began but Ronaldo cut him off.

"Through the ring she was under Rastinon's power for days, weeks, months even!", Ronaldo exclaimed. "She has corrupted a faithful Anchorite. And you didn't think to question her allegiance?"

"She helped us defeat Rastinon.", Aselid explained. "It seemed..."

Ronaldo cut him off again, smelling blood. "It seemed, yes, it seemed all perfectly innocent.", Ronaldo shouted, trying to drum up outrage in the crowd. "Wherever she goes, death and corruption follows. Innocent? Are you incompetent? Or is it something more sinister?"

Frelnikov waited out the storm, hoping that Ronaldo would paint himself into a corner. Marinae forced herself to stay calm. She could barely stand to see such an imbecile badgering her teacher.

"Your story sounds wonderful, and I wonder how long you practiced delivering it.", Ronaldo said firmly and smartly. "But it is just that, a story, and you have yet to refute our witnesses."

"You honor if I may.", Frelnikov piped up, seizing on the moment.

Joseba waited a moment for Ronaldo to say anything more. But he didn't, and Joseba nodded to Frelnikov.

"I would like to call Petrov Nichola to the stand.", Frelnikov said.

Once again the stone-faced White Knight took a seat in the witness' chair.

"Just a few questions, Petrov.", Frelnikov said, glancing at Marinae.

"While you were following Lynn into the buried chapel, what was it that you did again?", Frelnikov asked.

Petrov glanced at him. His face was emotionless, but Marinae could feel a hint of nervousness, as if he'd been caught.

"Trying to get her to stop. She wouldn't listen. She just kept going.", Petrov replied.

"How did you try to stop her?", Frelnikov asked.

Frelnikov waited patiently. He knew the risk that he was taking. He knew how popular Petrov was in Mortingy. But he also knew how devastating it would be to have him recant his testimony. Marinae seemed to be thinking the same thing and wondered if she could call in the fact that Petrov owed her his life to force him into honesty.

"Objection your honor!", Ronaldo cried out. "This is badgering the witness, and a noble one at that."

"Sustained.", Joseba said, surprising no one.

Frelnikov sighed and wondered what to say next. Tshaya had no such reservations.

"Noble! Noble!", Tshaya shouted, rising to her feet. "This 'noble' man killed everyone in my kumpania."

Joseba pounded his gavel as the crowd gasped in shock.

"I wish to testify against Petrov!", Tshaya shouted.

"Order! Order!", Joseba shouted. "Young lady if you do not come to order I will have you escorted out of the courtroom and put in irons."

Ronaldo smiled as he saw the defense's case starting to fall apart, then something unexpected happened.

"I will answer her accusations.", Petrov said, causing silence to ripple through the courtroom.

All eyes turned towards Petrov.

Petrov breathed deeply. "Many Vistani have been crossing the border with Borca, and Invidia, committing crimes and escaping justice.", he explained. "I led a group into Barovia to apprehend several Vistani clans."

"With us were some Invidians, one of whom could track the Vistani, and with their help we found many clans.", Petrov continued. "We read the charges against them and offered them safe passage to trial. Ezra would have granted them protection and a fair trial, but they would always refuse.", he explained. "Without our protection they were at the mercy of the Invidians, who are not noble men when it comes to dealing with Vistani."

Tshaya gritted her teeth as a few in the crowd nodded.

"To answer your accusation. Neither I, nor any of my men, hurt or killed any Vistani.", Petrov said.

The crowd seemed to be completely on Petrov's side.

"No, instead you stood there, watching, as your mercenaries tortured and killed innocent women and children.", Tshaya hissed.

"If they were innocent, they had nothing to fear from justice.", Petrov said coldly. "They were killed by their own crimes, and your Raunie's stubbornness."

Murmurs of agreement went through the crowd. Petrov stood up and began to leave the witness' chair. Angry and desperate, Tshaya remembered the fortune.

"Who do you serve?", Tshaya said out of the blue. "The church or the rich merchants?"

"Excuse me?", Petrov asked.

"You only hunt Vistani because they are...", Tshaya stalled trying to find the words that Rikard had used. "...a financial drain. We are not evil. We do not threaten your church."

Petrov shook his head. Joseba pounded his gavel once more and asked Tshaya to take her seat.

"Who is your mistress? Ezra, or the Lady Boritsi?", Tshaya shouted out, putting the clues together for the first time.

"I have pledged my soul to Ezra.", Petrov said, his stone face revealing nothing.

Joseba pounded his gavel again and the two Knights from the back of the courtroom made their way towards the front. Tshaya frowned and sat back down. Silently she cursed Madame Raise. She felt betrayed that two of her fortunes turned out to be wrong and began to wonder about the others.