Katera

Chapter 4: Jessie's Trial

"What? Lock her up? Decide her fate? You're not going to kill her are you?" Maria asked in worry for her friend as she was being taken away.

"I don't know yet, only time will tell. I am not a ruthless ruler Maria, but I don't show favoritism either. If I did, that would mean I'm unfair and unjust." Prince Adari responded

"You locked her in prison for trespassing. How's that fair?" Maria asked

"If you go into another country illegally, and you were found out, would you not get arrested and locked up in jail?"

"Well, when you put it that way."

"Understand that the rules and laws here are much stricter than you are use to. You should stay awhile and have a look around the city. I could even be your escort."

"No, I don't think so."

"I understand, you don't trust me."

"Well, you are a vampire." Maria said hesitantly

"You should understand that not all vampires are as brutal and merciless as that book you brought here describes."

"Still. I don't know you and I don't feel comfortable walking around this city with some strange vampire."

"Alright then. Good luck on your walk back home." with that being said Prince Adari began to walk away.

Maria looked around to see her back home until she realised that she didn't know where she was in Katera nor how to get back home. "Wait!" Maria shouted stopping Prince Adari in his tracks.

"Maybe a short escort would hurt. True I don't trust you, but I also don't know how to get out of here." Maria said with some refrainment "And for whatever reason, I feel somewhat safer with you escorting me rather than wandering around aimlessly in a city full of vampires."

"Alright then, allow me to be your escort." Prince Adari said as he began to lead her around the City of Katera.

As they were walking through Katera Maria noticed there was nobody else around. "Prince Adari, where is everyone else?" she asked

"Most likely out hunting in the woods. Why you ask?" Prince Adari responded

"Just curious." Maria said with a yawn

"Getting tired, are we?" Prince Adari asked

"Yeah, but it's no big deal." Maria said as she sat down on a bench for a short break. Without knowing it Maria dozed off to sleep.

Prince Adari saw Maria asleep and with grin on his face he picked her up bridal style and carried her to a cabin. He placed her in the bed that was there the left the building locking the door behind him.

When morning came around, Maria finally woke she looked at her phone to see what time it was, and it was 7:45 am. "Oh, no. I'm gonna be late for work." she sad in a panicking tone. When Maria look at her surroundings she realised that she as not at home in her room but still in Katera. She over to the door only to find out that it was locked from the outside. "Hey! This is so not fair." Maria pulled out her phone to text for some help only to have her phone die right before she hit send. "Seriously, could this get any worse?" Maria gave up on the door, then went over to one of windows to see if she get it open. Fortunately, the window wasn't nailed shut and opened with ease.

Maria then escaped out the window, and wondered around Katera until she found her way out. She managed to get home then to work, but she arrived at work 90 minutes late.Her boss was angry with her, but it didn't last long due it being first time being late.After work Maria went home and crashed in bed.

Soon a week had passed and Maria returned to Katera to oversee Jessie's trial. When she got there Prince Adari, Hukai, Tassu and many others had gathered in the throne room to watch Jessie's trial. Maria went into the throne room too, but due to the commotion that was going on she was unnoticed.

The trial began with Suri bring Jessie into the throne room. When that was done the room became silent.

"Both of you, state your name." Prince Adari said firmly

"My name is Jessie Varcia." Jessie responded nervously

"My name is Hukai Pakottaa." Hukai said in confidence

"Alright Hukai, go ahead and state your case."

"When I found this girl, Jessie, trespassing in our city I nicely asked her to leave, but she refused. After her refusal, I attempted to escort her out of the city, but she still refused to comply, then she broke my grasp and attacked me, without reason. I then put her in an armlock as an attempt to get some compliance."

"Okay, now Jessie, state your take on what happened."

"Well, I came into this to find out what my friend, Maria was doing here. Only to be rudely stopped by this guy while he accuses me of trespassing and tries to force me to leave with letting explain why here in the first place and I did refuse. He then grabbed me and tried to drag me out of the city. So got myself out of his grasp and I punched him."

"Finally, Tassu, as witness of the event. What is your take on what happened."

"Honestly, your majesty Hukai's claim is what I perceived to happen. He did everything as he was suppose to. As I saw, what Jessie was doing was just trying to defy him and prevent him from doing his job."

"Okay, Jessie did you or did you not trespass or enter this city without valid consent?" Prince Adari questioned

"You already know the answer to that." Jessie said in a snooty tone

"Just answer the question."

"Well, according to you and probably everyone else here, yes."

"Did you or did you not attack Hukai for no coherent reason?"

"I suppose so. But it's not like he wasn't asking for it."

"With all these thing being said I have come to my conclusion." Prince Adari began to say. "I hereby declare Jessie Varcia as guilty, and shall be executed. Your executioner shall be Hukai Pakottaa." Prince Adari declared

"Looks like your mine now." Hukai said as he took her outside to 'execute' her. Hukai then took her behind a building.

"So what you gonna do? Inject me with poison or some other toxic liquid." Jessie asked

"Of course not, where's the fun in that?" Hukai said as he began bare his fangs.

"You're a vampire?" Jessie asked as she was overcome with fear.

Instead of answering, Hukai pierced his fangs into Jessie's neck until her body was completely drained of blood. Afterwards, Hukai carried Jessie's body to outskirts of Katera where there was a 6 foot pit. He threw her body in and lit torch and use it to burn her corpse.