The Vengeful Vigilante #Wattys2016

FIFTEEN

The Trial

Christopher

"Dear citizens of Gatringdon, thank you for your time as we finally bring justice to one of the most formidable villains this kingdom has seen. The Black Knight will no longer haunt our streets!"

The crowd erupts in applause, and I grin. This has all come together so well, he will finally be sentenced to never see the inside if this castle again. He sits silently, expressionless, probably realizing the greatness of the weight of his defeat.

"Before we get started, we will take a vote. Shall we let him embarrass himself and try to plead innocent first, or shall we smite him with guilt as we show how much he has done first, and then see how he swims out of that?"

"SMITE HIM FIRST! SMITE HIM FIRST! SMITE HIM FIRST!" the crowd chants.

"Well, I don't think it will get any clearer than that, so if those who have decided to share their information with us please rise and stand beside me. I will also testify."

Abella and the king join me, and the official I asked to do the questioning steps forward.

"Abella, would you mind telling us what you know first?" he asks.

Abella

"Of course, anything to put The Black Knight away for good," I say as I glare at Andrew. He looks at me with an expressionless face, and I continue," There was a prince that disappeared five years ago, and he was my betrothed. He was accused of treason, which I never thought was in his capacity. After the night of his disappearance, I never saw him again. Five years later, I was at the market, and I saw a man that looked just like the prince, whose name was Andrew. I thought for a second everything was normal, and that it was just him and I once again. As I got to know this man, I found that I was wrong. I have seen his lair, and how many bloody weapons he has, and how many weapon he has at the ready. This man openly admitted to me that he was The Black Knight. It was then that I realized the man I once loved really did die all those years ago," as I finish, I fake a few tears, but in reality, I could really care less. I just want him gone.

"Thank you, Abella-."

"Wait, I'm not finished. The other thing I realized when he revealed his identity was that I have seen him in action. One night, the king was outside, in the pouring rain, talking to someone. Once the meeting was over, I looked outside, and saw the Knight flying off the rooftops. I hope the king can shed some light on this, but it seems to me like the Knight has been threatening our king."

The villagers gasp, and the questionnaire says, "Thank you Abella, your information has been very insightful. You may return to your seat. Would King Jasper please come to the stand?"

King Jasper

"Please enlighten us with your information," the official says.

"The Black Knight has been around for a long time, and I am relieved that he is in custody now. The first time I heard of the Black Knight, he was in my throne room telling me to execute my son Christopher, or he would start to tear the city apart. I sentenced this man for treason, and he was chased into the Great unknown, never to be seen again, or so we thought. This man returned to this city a few weeks ago, and his first crime was attempting to end my life. He fired an arrow through my window under the darkness of night. He then had the audacity to intrude onto castle property and treat me as if I am unintelligent, questioning me and threatening me as he did. There is no doubt that this man is indeed a killer, and a threat to the well-being of this kingdom."

Gwendolyn

As I run to collect the last piece of evidence, I can hear the booms of condemning false testimonies and a roaring crowd. I just hope that our evidence is enough to counteract it. I enter the king's bedroom, and see the arrow that was shot through his window. He failed to mention the fact that it carried a message. I grab it and the message, put it in my bag, and scurry to the trial.