[Fillip]

"I don't know...," Fillip said, "Some of them might have wanted to see her
burn........" For a long time he was silent but finally he said, "I was
traveling back to college in a caravan and got left here when it turned
out that wagon master was a robber (leaving out the fact that he had
refused to pay for his passage because he had squandered the coin his
master had given him).

There was old anger in his tone as he continued, "One day I heard
screaming outside my window, and when I looked out of the hostel I saw
some damned, filthy peasants hauling a trussed up girl down the street.
All the time they kept screaming that she was a witch." He shook his head,
"All I knew was that I wasn't going to stand by and let them torture and
burn some innocent....."

Pride gleamed in his eyes as he said, "I _gave_ them some sorcery!!
Appeared out of a fireball - a nice illusion mind you - and snatched her
right out of their midst!! Then I teleported the hell away......"

A dreamy look of rememberance came to his expression and he said, "And oh,
poor child, she was frightened but oh so pretty...and gratefull...." (He
easily left out the fact it wasn't many days later that he had demanded
"payment" of Denlira - then a girl untouched. And from that day forward he
reminded her that she owed him her life.)

"She was the daughter of a 'cunning man and woman' - who had already been
hauled off for the pyres." Fillip shook his head and said in a righteous
tones, "Probably they got burnt for accidentlly poisoning someone with
their 'snake oil' and Denlira....I later learned to my sorrow ....was a
wanton little thing. And probably egged on one too many farmboys...."

"But I had lost my heart to her....," he sighed in sorrow, "...I think it
was because of the heroic rescue and her being a pretty maid....I would
have forgiven her any indiscretion...."

"Oh, Mr. Mayce, love makes a fool of men," Fillip dropped his head into
his hands, and added, "And I was the greatest fool of them all - and look
she has brought me to!!"

[Perrin]

"Tell me of these 'indiscretions.'    Did you know any of her...
friends?   Was one of them the envoy, or perhaps
one of the men who captured you?"

[Fillip]

The question caught Fillip up short as he tried to envision Denlira's
mythical callers.

He didn't look up but simply shook his head. "No,.....," he said, "She
knew that I _didn't_ want to hear about her men....."

With a shuddering breath he added, "The only name I remember ....its
etched my mind now.....is she mentioned a Netit sniffing around....He had
her upset."

Fillip sat up and said, "I guess he used to 'visit' her several years ago
and tended to be violent."

[Perrin]

"Hmmm.... Netit..."

Perrin thought for a moment, formulating possible avenues of
investigation.   If this were a matter involving the corruption
of a royal official as Perrin suspected, then there could be...no...
WOULD be rather serious complications.   Espescially for
Fillip.   But if Fillip was the object of some attempt to cover up
a corrupt official, then why was he still alive?   Why not kill
him in the ruins?   Perhaps not ALL of his pursures were in
on the affair.   But who?   And what of the Tower Guard itself...
could they be trusted to protect the accused?

"Fillip... Netit was the assistant to the royal envoy, and the envoy
was one of the men who apprehended you.    Did Denlira
mention anything that Netit ever said about his employer?
Any detail at all..."

[Fillip]

Fillip clasped his hands - to keep from rubbing the scabs on his face, and
thought. The fact that only time he had seen, or heard of, Netit was the
night he was cutting the unconcious secretary's throat did not deter the
mage. He cleared his throat and said, "Not by name.....But I think she
said that one night Netit didn't come alone.....Maybe that would have been
the envoy? He was definitely eager to lay _that_ body on me when they
questioned me."

[Perrin]

"I see..."   Perrin had been hoping for more detail, but the
plot was indeed beginning to thicken.

"It appears you have gotten yourself caught up in some
rather nasty royal intrigue.   I have fought this type of
thing before... with varying measures of success.
We can expect fabricated evidence.    Lies.   And
perhaps even further violence.    I MAY be able to
have this case moved to another, safer jurisdiction, but
even then I wouldn't sleep to soundly if I were you."

[Fillip]

"I don't," Fillip said, vehemently (at least one bit of truth), "How can I
with ..." He shrugged in the direction of the door, "With hooded figures
lurking around....?"

[Perrin]

"Now... back to the questions.   The men who apprehended
you... the mage and the thin fellow with the dagger... they
seem to be key players in this.   Finding them could be
a great step toward  reaching the truth.   Could you give me any
further description?"

[Fillip]

"It was dark...," Fillip said, "But I got a glimpse of the man who grabbed
me....tall .....thin..."

He sighed, and said, "I know that's not much of a description, but the
mage .....well he'd stand out.......Round and dressed in a robe so garish
that it hurt to look at....."

Fillip rubbed his forehead as he remembered part of a conversation, and he
nearly smiled in pleasure. ".....Wait..., This might be of use....," he
said, sounding very uncertain and worried, "After they tortured me and had
me blithering on about the secretary and poor Denlira I remember.....That
that 'Envoy' seemed pleased and invited them all to dinner. And I think he
said it was to be at Golden Griffin..."

".....Last night maybe...?" he added, shaking his head, "Its hard to
remember time here. Or tonight....I have no doubt the mage took him up on
it...."

[Perrin]

"A celebration, no doubt."   Perrin made a mental note to take
a look at this 'Golden Griffin.'

"See... we are getting somewhere.    William, are you getting
all this down ?"

"Yes sir."

"Now let's move on to the fire.   Can you name or describe any of your
neighbors who may be able to support your version of the events?"

[Fillip]

"I doubt they'd support much!" Fillip spat out, "Mostly drunks and
whores!!"

Suddenly he realized that he was talking about where he had set up
housekeeping, and said, "....Its been rough for mages...Unless you've a
name or a guild to protect you people still look at you as less than a
worm....And with Denlira......"

Fillip shook himself and said, "I think there was an old man and his woman
to the east of us. Gwat, I think his name was. Heard the woman screeching
for him."

[Perrin]

"William?"

"Got it, sir."

"Well then... I think that's enough for a first session.   Expect
to see a lot of me before the trial, Fillip... there's a lot
of work that needs to be done, and each day will bring
more and more questions.   But rest assured, the truth
will come out."

Perrin stood and tapped his foot impatiently while William
gathered his notes.  When he had done so, he turned
again to Fillip.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Fillip?   Any matters left
unattended?"

[Fillip]

"No," Fillip said, shaking his head, "And thank you...."

He gave Mayce an appropriately wan smile and waited to be led
back to his cell.