Falling (repeatedly)

39- Confrontation

After five minutes, the door is unlocked and opened again.

Guards.

Espresso gets up, letting the guards take him to wherever they're going.

They go outside, and Espresso closes his eyes. "Of course they'd do something so flashy and painfully bright! How can other cookies stand to look at this?!"

There aren't too many cookies actually there, but of course Canelé wants everyone to see her 'fair judgement blessed by the Divine' so there are magical screens in other areas.

Espresso's eyes finally adjust to the obnoxious light, so he opens them.

He sees Madeleine, who's standing near his mother. Madeleine is looking at the clock tower, when he sighs a little. "I wish I could read the time."

Espresso glares at Canelé, but she doesn't care. She steps forward and gives an emotional speech about how Espresso is a horrible person for kidnapping her 'dear son, the Knight Commander of the Republic' while he was asleep.

When she's done, she turns to Espresso. "Do you want to attempt to get out of this?"

"I did not kidnap him. You-"

"How dare you deny it! Madeleine, you know what truly happened. Could you tell him?"

Madeleine walks over, standing next to her. "Tell him what?"

"He kidnapped you, and he's denying it."

Espresso yells "You threw me off of a balcony! Madeleine took me to a healer! My clothes are still ruined because of it!!"

She glares at him. "You were seen carrying him. How could you do so while injured?"

"That was after the healer. He was tired."

Madeleine's mother scoffs "That is one of the worst lies I have ever heard."

She turns back to Madeleine. "You can tell us the truth, Madeleine."

She reaches to move his hair out of his face, but he grabs her wrist. "Do not touch my hair."

She yanks her hand back. "What did Espresso do to you? You never behaved this way before!"

Madeleine pushes her hand away before letting go. "A lot can change when time passes. I never wanted to see you again, and you appear to be the same. Perhaps worse."

All the cookies are either silent or whispering.

Canelé asks "What on Earthbread are you talking about?"

Madeleine stares at her, then gestures to Espresso. "You invited him as a guest, and all you've done is make his stay horrible! He was right about the Divine being disgusted at your actions!"

She takes a step back, gasping. "What has that coffee cookie done to you?!"

"To me? He is nice to me."

"Did he tell you to say that?"

"No, Canelé, I have the ability to think."