Regiphobia

The Trial

Goda was a wreck.

He couldn't bring himself to eat, he couldn't talk to anyone, he couldn't even make himself go outside and get some fresh air. He was curled up in his bed, terrified for what was to come later that day. His anxiety was eating him alive. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before, so he probably wasn't in the right mind for this trial. He stared at the wall, wishing this could all just stop. Wishing he could say no to the trial. Wishing things were different.

There was a knock on his door, then silence. Gabe had told him that would happen when there was only an hour left. He forced himself out of bed. He had to get ready. He didn't have a choice, despite his overwhelming terror. He sat silently for a minute before standing and moving to get ready.

An hour later, there was another knock on Goda's door. He pulled it open, and a guard he was fairly certain he'd seen around was standing there. "Sir, are you ready to go?"

Goda nodded, despite the answer being no. He readjusted his crutches before walking out of the room. He was lead down to the Great Hall, which had been set up for the occasion. He was brought to his seat, right beside Gabe. He glanced around the room. So many people, so many guards, so much fear-

Juan was by one of the doors. He was looking at Goda. They caught each other's eye, and Juan smiled lightly, trying to ease his anxiety. When Goda finally looked away, he felt a little calmer. There was idle chatter in the room. Rumors had been spreading since the day he was admitted to the hospital wing, and now everything was going to be cleared up. Everyone would know. That terrified him. Would he just turn into a pitiful victim in their eyes? He kept his head down.

Gabe glanced at him. He reached his hand over, interlocking their fingers. Goda looked up at him for a moment before putting his head down again. Time seemed to inch by, his worries only growing, spiraling in his head and getting worse and worse until everyone went silent.

One of the doors had opened.

Richard Koetsu looked much less professional than he normally did. His hair was a mess, bags under his dark eyes, paler skin, handcuffs around his wrists. He looked... even more like his son. The resemblance disgusted Goda to his very core. Yet another reason to hate mirrors.

He held Gabe's hand a little tighter as his dad sat at the table beside them. Despite the distance, Goda could feel the daggers in his gaze. He could practically hear the insults Richard would be spitting at him if they were alone. He didn't raise his eyes off the table. Not as he and everyone else stood at the arrival of a judge. Not as they sat down and the lawyers gave their opening statements. Not as they started the trial. Not until he heard the words he had been dreading.

"Prosecution, please call your first witness."

"I call Goda Koetsu to the stand."

Gabe let go of his hand as he stood. The bailiff escorted him to the stand. After he was sworn in, his lawyer started questioning him.

"Would you please state your name for the record?"

"Goda K-Koetsu."

"How are you related to the defendant?"

"He's my father."

"Can you tell us where you were at 11:30 PM on Saturday, April twelfth?"

"I... I was on the second f-floor. That's around the time I ran into my d-dad."

"I see. When you ran into him, did you talk at all?"

"Yeah. He said we needed to t-talk about something and lead me to the Qu-Queen's sitting room."

"Are there security cameras in that room?"

"No."

"I see. When your father brought you to the sitting room, did he then hurt you?"

"...Y-Yeah."

"Is this the first time this has happened?"

Goda stayed silent for a short while. He looked down, then said, "No."

There were a few gasps in the audience. A few whispers. A few eyes trained on him, he could tell.

"Can you tell us when the first time your father hurt you was?"

"I was... I was six. He hit me and th-threw me against the wall," Goda was forcing out the words at this point, trying not to break down.

"Alright. Would you say these attacks were a regular occurrence?"

"Yeah."

"Back to the sitting room. What did your father do when you got inside?"

"He yelled at me and insulted me for not giving him m-money, then... I don't remember anyth-thing until he left the room," Goda admitted. He glanced around the room for a moment, then looked back to the lawyer.

"What is the next thing you remember?"

"An of-fficer unlocked the door and took me to the hosp-pital."

"Is that guard in the room?"

"Yes."

"Can you point them out?"

Goda pointed to Juan. Juan looked at the lawyer for a moment. He knew he'd be called as a witness, what with the lawyer talking to him a few days beforehand. The lawyer nodded, "Do you know the name of this officer?"

"C-Cazado, I think."

Goda could be a good liar. It was a little perturbing to Juan, but he didn't think Goda was lying to him about anything. "Thank you. No further questions," Mr. Jo nodded, going back to sit down.

"You may now cross-examine the witness," the judge nodded to Richard's lawyer, a man Juan had never seen before. He stood, walking up to Goda and letting there be a moment of silence before he started asking questions.

"Goda Koetsu, you stated that there were no security cameras in the Queen's Sitting Room, correct?"

"Yeah, th-there aren't."

"Do you know why that is?"

Goda glanced to Gabe, fear in his eyes. A slight shake of the latter's head told him what to say. He forced down the memories, the pain, the blood, and shook his head, "I d-don't know about that stuff, that's my f-fiancé's choice."

"So not only is there no video evidence of Richard's alleged crime, but it's the king's fault that isn't the case?"

People in the audience looked shocked, but that wasn't where Goda's fearful eyes were.

Gabe's rage wouldn't be apparent to those who didn't know him. His face was blank, but his eyes burned and froze at the same time. It terrified Goda, so much so that he wanted to just get up and walk out.

Moto stood, saying, "Objection, asked and answered."

The judge nodded, "Sustained. Defense, please move on."

The man nodded, though he looked annoyed. "What injuries were inflicted on you?"

"A b-broken leg and a bruised rib."

"How did you come by these injuries?"

"I said I don't remember anyth-thing after-"

"So you claim your father hurt you and yet you can't remember what he did?"

"But I-"

"Tell the truth to the court."

Moto stood again, interrupting his statement, "Objection, argumentative question."

"Sustained. Please pursue a different line of questioning," the judge said.

Richard's lawyer nodded. "I have no further questions." He walked and sat back down, and Goda was escorted back to his seat with a sigh of relief.

"Defense, please call your first witness."