A Life Of Love | Percabeth AU ✔

Chapter 37⚫Murderer on the loose⚫

Part III of III: Murderer on the Loose

The Storm shies away

[First and foremost, I do not know the workings of a court and all of this is pure imagination.]

Annabeth's POV:

I tapped my fingers impatiently against the marble railing, waiting for Ares to arrive.

The court was silent, and people were softly filing into their assigned slots. The room was circular with black seats ringing the walls and occupying a few metres ahead. A small wooden counter ran on the back of the seats, acting as a table for any case files or items. We were not allowed to bring any food or electronic device, that meant I had no means to contact Percy, who surprise surprise, was late.

A few seconds later, he strode through the doors, completely dressed in black and white, as per the court rules since justice was black and white. Too bad Ares already had a rope with his name on it waiting in the execution room.

Percy's eyes flew across the room until they landed on me. He softly smiled and waved to me. I smiled and waved back. Then his face grew hard and he jutted his chin up, indicating I take the seats higher in the bleachers. I looked at the seats. They were far up high, only a couple metres from the ceiling, it would be incredibly hard to see anything, or be seen from up there.

I frowned and mouthed, "Why?"

He shook his head, "Just do it." He mouthed back.

I worried my lower lip with my teeth and then sighed. As I completed the excruciating walk up to the seats, and sat down, the humongous black ebony doors flew open and two guards walked in, followed by...

Ares. He was dressed in ragged and scraped clothes, and his usual greasy hair was set back precariously. Even though he was flanked by four guards, and walking in a room full of people who hated him, he was smiling.

My breath hitched and my lips parted. I took a few steps back, eager to put as much distance between me and Ares as possible. Somehow, he caught the movement and his eyes trailed up to meet mine. Although I was filled with uncertainty and fear on the inside, I held my head high. He sneered and turned to face the judge.

The Judge spoke. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I believe you've all taken your slots, so we may begin." She turned her poker gaze on Ares. "Welcome, Mister. Olympus. The trial that will take place will be just and fair as our country demands. We, all the lawgivers present in this court, will try our level best to provide justice to all, may it be punishment or blessing. That is  my promise. Now you must speak yours. Repeat after me."

The guards uncuffed Ares from their hands, only letting his hands be cuffed behind his back, and he climbed up to the podium.

"I vow to speak"

"I vow to speak," Ares repeated in his gruff voice.

"Nothing but the truth,"

"Nothing but the truth,"

"And only the truth." The Judge finished.

"And only the truth." Ares mocked and she struggled to keep a calm expression. "How do you plead?"

Ares stood straighter. "Guilty." He hissed. Gasps and murmurs ran across the room, cutting through the distinguished silence. The lawyers looked confused, they had never been told what to do in this situation. Even I didn't know what to do.

"What game are you playing?" I whispered to myself.

As the lawyers started asking questions, and defending Ares's gang's victims, a spark of silver caught my eye and I blinked the bright spots off. My vision readjusted and I caught both of the guards behind Ares at the podium slipping small...needles out of their gloves. The ground was incredibly far from my slot and I had to squint my eyes to make sense of what was going down there.