[back at the courthouse]

[Arno Everett/Allenel]

" . . . and in sum, Your Honor, the state respectfully submits
that the evidence," the prosecutor waved one hand in the direction of
Brion Hillrover, who had spent much of the afternoon on the stand,
testifying about the various witness statements he had taken, "is
sufficient to bind the defendant over for trial. Though the Crown
acknowledges counsel's zealous advocacy on behalf of his client," and at
that, Arno Everett's eyes drifted towards the defense table without
actually looking at the men seated there, "we believe that his motion to
dismiss can be denied immediately."

It took a moment for Allenel to realize that Arno Everett had
stopped speaking. The prosecutor had conducted the hearing in a constant,
careful manner, his voice neither rising nor falling, simply a quiet,
persistent questioning. Enough to make Allenel nearly doze off at one
point, though he had managed to snap himself awake. "Thank you," he
finally said, and turned his gaze towards Perrin Mayce. "Frankly, Mr.
Mayce, I don't see any reason to grant your motion. The Crown has
sufficient evidence to reach the jury, and I'm inclined to deny your
motion. Unless you have additional issues to raise, perhaps we should
retire to chambers and discuss the manner of jury selection?"

[Jeremina Inleay]

Jeremina Inleay, Sargaent Mercer's assistant on the Menagrem case, looked
up from the notes she had been taking. Inleay, looked to be of solid
peasant stock, with a large boned frame and a full, oval face, but her
brown eyes were alert and her sandy brown hair cropped short; she was
originally from a family of farmers, who had lived on the outskirts of
Bleckner for generations, but she had chosen not to live a docile life of
farm wife, and instead had served for four years on the Bleckner Watch.

She had come to Montfort several months ago; a decision judged to be
insane by both family and other Watch members, but Jeremina had seen a
greater potential for advancement in the newer Tower Guard.

[Fillip]

Fillip could taste blood (he had bitten his tongue through the whole
damning recitation) and his hands ached (for the table hid his clenched
hands). ~Vermin. Crawling, squealing rodents! How _dare_ such _filth_ even
_speak_ of me,~ he thought; the only consolation he had was imagining what
a fireball would do to the slums and his ex-neighbors.

But for all of righteous indignation he couldn't help but tense when he
saw the Bailiff signal the guards towards the defense's table. However,
the guards laid no hand upon him - but waited behind the table until the
court was dismissed. A shiver ran through Fillip at the realization that
he would be soon back in his cell - alone - and that soon Denlira would
come again.

[Perrin Mayce]

If it were possible for a man to make every single move with a bombastic
flourish, then that man would be Perrin Mayce. When the judge stopped
speaking, Perrin leapt from his chair.

"Your Honor!" he said. His voice was just one notch down from a shout...
just barely within the limits of respect.

"Your honor, I realize the court... and indeed, the entire city... would
like to speed this process along, but let's not sacrifice justice at the
altar of expediency. Even a cursory examination of the statements raises
MANY questions. For example... there are people involved who have
MYSTERIOUSLY vanished... one of them is quite obviously a mage. A mage
who MAY have altered evicence to cast guilt on the accused. Your Honor,
until these men are found and their TRUE statements taken, enough doubt
exists to warrant the release of my client under an appropriate bond."

[Allenel]

"First," Allenel broke in, raising one hand, "as you are aware,
these issues go to the weight of the evidence at trial on the merits. The
ultimate weight will be determined by the jury. At this stage of the
proceedings, however, the Crown has established sufficient grounds for
proceeding to trial. At that time, the Defendant will be given ample
opportunity to raise these questions before the jury." He paused a moment
to give Arno Everett a chance to make his own statement, but the
prosecutor simply nodded in agreement. "Would you care to respond to the
Defendant's motion for bail?" Allenel prompted.

Arno Everett nodded again. During Mayce's speech, the small, tidy
man had stood silent, contemplating the polished tips of his leather
shoes. As he spoke, his stance remained the same, hands clasped behind
his back, heels together. Only his eyes rose, to rest somewhere between
the table where the defendant sat, and the bench. "Your Honor, the Crown
strenuously objects to any bond for the Defendant's release pending trial.

He stands accused of the most vile crime of murder, and the attack upon a
representative of His Majesty himself. These crimes carry the most
extreme punishment. A man with no ties to this community, with nothing to
gain and everything to lose by remaining for trial, presents the greatest
risk for flight."

For a moment, Allenel simply stared at Everett, almost stunned
that the man had not simply invoked the Crown's prerogative to have Fillip
locked away immediately, without argument. -Enough rope to hang
ourselves,- he thought. Bleckner would be tolerant of Montfort's freedom
to establish its own procedures. But Bleckner would be watching. "Bond is
denied."

[Brion]

After the long hours of testimony Brion was grateful for the opportunity
to stand, and had gratefully resumed his proper place as bailiff. He
studied the courtroom (a warrior's habits never quite dying) with calm
blue eyes, which took in much but rested on no one in particular. However,
over the coarse of the afternoon, his gaze had passed over Menagrem often
enough - enough to watch his reactions during the testimony; he had seen
that during some of the more damning statements the boy would lose
momentary control and flickers of hatred or contempt would reveal
themselves. The boy didn't realize how lucky he was - that he should be
swallowing some of that contempt; amongst the mountain clans, and more
than a few other places as well, he would have already been swinging from
a gallow's tree.

Of course, Brion mused, "luck" was a relative thing; even if Menagrem went
free he was still in Montfort, and in his this strange place the spirits
had their own way of exacting vengance.

[Perrin]

"Bond Denied," repeated Perrin. "Bond. Denied. Very well."

Perrin nodded and sat down. He leaned over to speak with his client.

"I was expecting this. You ARE on trial for murder after all. But don't
worry. I shall see that you are treated well."

[Fillip]

Though he managed to look relatively calm there was a tightening of his
jaw, and he stiffly nodded in acknowledgement of Perrin's word. Beneath
the table his hands were grasped so tightly he had lost all feeling in his
fingers.

[Tower Guard]

The guards stood silently waiting for the court to be dismissed. No
expression crossed their faces at the denial of the accused's bail.

[Allenel/Archie Chisholm]

In the back of the courtroom, Archie Chisholm could be seen, bent
over his notepad, scribbling furiously into his notebook. "If the guard
would take the Defendant and return him to his cell," Allenel prompted,
lifting his gavel. "We will retire to chambers to discuss jury
selection--"

"Your Honor, if you would--!" Archie interrupted, standing up.
He paused a moment, as if wondering what he had been about to say, then
looked around as if searching for something. After a moment or more of
that, he shrugged, and looked back at the bench. "If I could be heard?"
After waiting for Allenel's nod, Archie stepped into the aisle and through
the small gate separating the spectators' section from the front of the
courtroom. "Your Honor, as you surely realize, this matter is of the
utmost concern to the public. An attack on His Majesty's envoy, the
murder of one of Montfort's own citizens -- the first public trial
conducted under the city's Royal Charter. The means of selecting a jury
to hear these charges, likewise, is a matter of great interest to the
public. I respectfully move that the proceedings be held in open court."

Allenel blinked and considered the portly, ginger-haired
publisher, and then turned his gaze towards Arno Everett. The prosecutor
made have had a half-smile as he spoke. "Your Honor, perhaps defense
counsel would care to be heard on this matter first?" There had been
rumors spreading already of Perrin Mayce's first encounter with Archibald
Chisholm.

[Perrin]

Perrin looked back at Archibald with no small amount of disgust.
However, there were merits in allowing the proceedings to remain open.

His promise to Fillip's father was to keep the matter as quiet as
possible, but that could be at the expense of Fillip's life. The real
killers... which most certainly were associated either with the Tower
Guard or with the office of the envoy... would gain much from secrecy.
Perrin could use the press to flush them out of hiding.... to make them
show themselves. He had done it before, and he knew that corruption could
not withstand the light of day. Yes... despite his promise and his
disdain for the reporter, the proceedings must remain open.

Perrin cleared his throat.

"Ahem... The defense is not averse to the opening of the proceedings to
the public. As long as order is kept and my client's safety is assured."

He cast another glance back at Archibald, and even managed a
genuine-seeming smile.

*Let them figure THAT one out...* he thought.