Forgotten Magic

Chapter 34

It wasn't a proper trial. I knew that as soon as I walked in. It was more an odd gathering to tell the public 'the culprit is behind bars for good'.

But that didn't stop anyone from treating it like a trial. Let me explain.

That large-nosed adviser, Nigel or whatever his name was, insisted on announcing in a really loud voice as if the room was filled. Varian was apparently offered a defender. Which he denied.

So as I'm sitting in the front row, trying to get used to the cold shackles around my wrists, I hear this clink, clink, clink sound. Like a bunch of chains being clashed together. And in walks Varian, covered from head to toe in shackles. There's a pair around his wrists that connect to a brace around his neck. And then there's a pair around his ankles. And another around his wrists. Geez...

He's walked up to the front and tied to this thing on the ground.

And then it begins.

"Court is now in session," Nigel announces. "His majesty, King Fredrick presiding. We are gathred here for the trial of Varian Ruddiger Habile of Old Corona," After a pause, he continues. "The accused has been charged with the following. Kidnapping, assault, aiding and abetting, attempted regicide, terrorism, mass brainwashing, conspiracy, sabotage, animal cruelty, vandalism, theft, treason, destruction of property, and parricide. Any questions?"

Silence.

"In that case-"

"Wait." Varian's voice was firm.

"Excuse me?" Nigel asked, as if he couldn't believe the alchemist had just interrupted him of all people. "What was that?"

"I have an objection," the boy says calmly, staring blankly at the royal family. "I didn't kill my father."

"And what do you have to support this claim?" The royal adviser seemed on the brink of busting up. As if Varian was crazy.

"I could hear his heartbeat when I pressed my ear to the amber. I know he's still alive. He's just trapped in suspended animation," the alchemist says calmly, as if he hadn't a care in the world. As if he wasn't on trial for acts agains the kingdom.

After a hushed discussion with the king-where I catch wind of the word 'delusional'-, Nigel announces, "We will have someone investigate your claim. Do you have anything else to say?"

He shook his head.

"Well, in that case, we will move on to the sentence. Varian Habile has been-"

"Wait."

"Again?! What is it?"

"You're moving straight from the charges to the sentence. I thought you were going to-"

"Yeah," I interrupt, standing to my feet. "You haven't given him a chance to argue his case." I immediately get yanked back down to my seat. Of course.

Another hushed discussion.

"Alright then. The king has agreed. Varian Habile, what do you have to say for yourself?"

The alchemist glared at me, almost as if I'd done something wrong by giving him a chance to speak his mind. And then he opens his mouth.

"I don't have much to say, Your Majesty," he begins. "I've done everything you've accused me of. But, I'd like to turn our dear audience's attention to one minor detail. The reason I had to resort to these...oh...how would you put it...drastic measures is because of her." He nods at the princess. "I was let down, ignored by the one you all assume is perfect. I know I'm going down, but I'd like one thing before I do. I want Princess Rapunzel Der Sonne to admit that she made a mistake. I want that shred of humanity from someone you put on a pedestal. I want you to see that the one you adore, the one that you say is perfect, has a dark spot. Just like everyone else in this world."

"I'm afraid," Nigel begins, clearing his throat. I knew he wasn't sorry. "that you cannot ask for that in this trial. Now, I would like to move on to the accused's sentence."

A small part of me wanted to jump up there and defend Varian. Tell the royals that they did as much wrong as he did. But instead, I sit there, stone faced, as Nigel reads aloud his sentence. Because I felt he deserved it.

"Varian Habile of Old Corona has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment."

Two years? Two years? That...no...was that legal? Could the king sentence Varian, a teenager at merely 14, to two years of prison? And then I realized something. The king was the king. The ugly truth was that he could do whatever he wanted. And this was his final decision.

After Varian had been led away, the rest of us started to leave to. I was put back in the room, my shackles unlocked, and the world returned to dull normality again.

I went back to my wondering. I wondered what would happen next. Would I simply live out the rest of my childhood here, then get wished good luck and sent out into the world? Or would they throw me in an orphanage? Or find another family willing to take me in. I doubted that one.

If they did throw me out once I was of legal age, what would I do? Probably return to stealing and crime, I assumed. Or maybe find another small town to settle in. I could always work up the money to get a place.

But thinking about starting anew got boring after a while. So instead I thought about Nickolas's eye. He'd kept the bandages on for about two weeks. Not the same ones. He changed them, obviously. But for a while he covered it up. And then one day, it was just gone. I didn't try to get a closer look. That might just get me beheaded by his sword. Which...trust me, I didn't want at all.

But I noticed he covered it. The area of his face. Not with an eyepatch or whatever else. Just with his hair, as if it'd been nothing. I once remarked how ridiculous it looked. He'd tossed that apple hard at my head because of it. So hard I had a purple bruise on my forehead for over a week.

And when I got tired of wondering what nasty thing must have happened to Nickolas Chance's eye, I wonder about Sugarby. Y'know, the witch. She'd said something that didn't sit quite right with me.

"You're not like them."

What did it mean? I was younger than the rest of them. But that didn't seem right. I had no good story. That didn't seem right either. And combined with the way she'd eyed my pin, I had a bad feeling I'd be seeing her again.

When I'd worn out the subject of Mrs. Sugarby the self proclaimed art teacher, I found myself dwelling on Taylor. Were they okay? I was certain Nickolas never checked on them. So they had no support. I has no idea.

And then my brain settled on Rapunzel. She said she needed to follow the rocks. Had she left already? Or was she still packing for her trip? I didn't know.

All in all, you can tell I had quite a long time to wonder.