The Characterisation of Annabelle le Roux

Chapter Twenty-Five: Goes pretty much as you would expect

Annabelle stood in front of the court. The rows of benches were long. No concession was made to softness. They were made from hard wood, a clear sign that the original builders wanted to make a society that lasted, and that the word of justice was final.

The Lowly Lady Leda sat in the front of the courthouse. Scribes on both sides of her. She lifted her hand every time she said something that she wanted to be recorded. And if she didn't want a record of it - she would place her hand down palm open. If she really didn't it to be recorded she would clench her fist.

At this point if the scribes didn't immediately drop their pens in a dramatic fashion, the guards would come and make an example of them. Three scribes were employed so that in the event that their versions differed, it was possible to work out which was the wrong one. The versions never differed.

Annabelle stood before the court. She had never looked thinner. There were dark patches underneath her eyes. Her usually curly hair was straight and oily. There was nothing vibrant about her.

"Annabelle" said the Lowly Lady Leda holding her hand up "Let's start at the very beginning, who are you and where do you come from?"

"My name is Annabelle le Roux" the lowly lady's hand was still up "I was born twenty-three years ago on this island. I have never been anywhere else"

"How did you get drawn into a life of crime?" asked the Lowly Lady. The Lowly Lady immediately clenched her fist before Annabelle had the chance to answer.

"I am not involved in a life of crime" Annabelle said calmly. "Nor have I ever been"

The Lowly Lady Leda peered through her glasses at the sheet of paper in front of her. She started to speak with her hand in the air. "Surely I am not mistaken. I thought that it was you that lead the attack on shell beach. That is what the charge sheet says"

"It was me" said Annabelle and the only sound that could be heard was that of the sound of the scribes pens against the paper.

"Annabelle Le Roux admitted to attacking government forces unprovoked" said the Lowly Lady clearly.

"It was not a crime" Annabelle said to the sight of the Lowly Lady clenching her fist.

"You will only speak when spoken to" responded the Lowly Lady. "We will only be able to get to the bottom of things if we investigate them in an orderly fashion"

The Lowly Lady picked her hand up.

"When did you become involved in a life of crime? Annabelle Le Roux? Were either of your parents involved in criminal activities?"

"My parents were both born on this island and neither of them were involved in criminal activities - at least to the best of my knowledge." Annabelle added.

"Did they encourage you in anti-Mamlish sentiment" asked the Lowly Lady.

"No, but the Mamlish encouraged me in anti-Mamlish sentiment" said Annabelle, but the Lowly Ladies hand was already clenched.

"We have a record here that says that your mother was sent to debtor's camp. How did your father feel about that?"

"He hated it" spat Annabelle.

"And he always said that your mother should have been more thrifty" said the Lowly Lady almost with an edge of understanding in her voice.

"No, he never said that, he would complain that we were not allowed to get rid of her shoes because we had nowhere to put them. Mother always hated those shoes too, but the quota would come in and we were required to buy them, no matter how we felt about it."