Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 80: Judged

3 months later

"Eli Destler," The judge said looking down to his paper and then up at the handsome young man before him. "How do you plead?"

How strange! The boy seemed as if he were but a child, his eyes wide and innocent as animals. He was well dressed, his Mother and sisters looking rather pretty in the row behind him.  

"I'd like to plead guilty your honor." 

A mummer rose up in a great wave amongst the crowd. 

The judge stared at the young man, stupified. "Pardon?" 

"Guilty your honor," Eli said firmly, his eyes fixed forward. 

The judge frowned, "You know what this means young man? What you are admitting to?" 

"Eli!" Clara shouted from behind him, "No!" 

Eli yearned to turn back and see his Mother, to kiss her, to hold and comfort her, but this had to be done. 

Fred made his way up the main aisle past the hundreds of people crowding around the stand. 

"Excuse me," He shouted pushing through, "He pleas self-defense, I'm acting as his lawyer."

"Fred," Eli scolded. 

"No," Fred said seizing Elis' hand, "I won't let you do this to yourself or your family."

"Fred-"

"No."

The judge nodded compassionately, "Let the first witness approach the stand." 

Fred looked to Clara who tried quickly to stop crying. She gathered her skirt and made her way to the stand, trembling at the knees and unable to face Eli in the eyes. 

"Your name?"

"Chloe Clariece." 

"That is your full name."

Clara's eyes went to a darkly masked man in the top of the upper balcony. Silently she prayed, prayed for Eli, prayed for herself. 

In brilliant defiance, she raised her eyes to the man, staring into his very soul and all the evilness that lay there. 

Eli looked down and shook his head.

"Clarice Vicomte Dechangy, Daughter of Chloe Clariece Dechangy and her husband Sir Matthews," Clara stated proudly. 

She closed her eyes as the masked man snarled his lip and disappeared from her sight. 

"Now from the previous appeal I have gathered the basic facts." the judge wisely stated, "May you continue from where we left off before the recess before the young man wished to change his verdict." 

Clara took a deep breath. 

"It began on the third of July. Me and Monsuire Destler had been awaiting the return of a man who had already made an attempt on my life the previous month."

"And your involvement with Mr. Destler?"

Clara darted her eyes to Eli then back to the judge, "Just an old friend sir." 

The judge raised an eyebrow, "May I remind you, young lady, you have already stated you do not know Mr. Destler well at all. You are under oath."

Clara bit her lip, "He was the only man I trusted with my life."

"That's odd," The judge commented, "That you would trust a man you barely knew with your life."

Clara flashed red with indignation as whispers rose amongst the crowd.