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// 33 - Let Justice be Done// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Toril fixed his gaze on Flint. "Would the defendant give us his version of the events of the day this transpired? Be aware, your words are being watched for the truth. Lying in this place is itself a grave crime." He steepled his fingers. "In case you thought death was the worse it could get, we pride ourselves on being far more clever than that. Let guilt or innocence be proven."

The rest of the room dimmed, bringing focus more tightly on Flint as he stood up. "Well, alright. We were thrown in jail because our entrants into the arena match weren't cooperating."

Toril stroked his wide chin. "Oh, interesting. Were they harming people? Bringing dangerous monsters would be an actionable crime."

"Uh, no, yer, uh, honor?"

"Very good."

"Yeah, so, they didn't want to fight each other. Both sides were ponies, so once one side won, they wanted to call it even and  not kill each other."

Toril leaned forward in his seat. "Is that so? Hardly cause for imprisonment, but do go on."

"Objection!" Light focused down around Elizabeth as she rose. "We're not here to discuss the legalities of father's last actions."

"On the contrary." Tori smiled darkly. "We're here to discern the truth, the whole of it. Without knowing the situations surrounding this tragic event, we cannot make an educated decision. Did you resist arrest?"

"Uh, no sir. We were dragged off to his Lordship's manor and put away."

"Did you... break free?"

"No, sir."

"Then how did you come to the right circumstance where you could kill?"

Flint rolled a hand. "Our ponies came for us. They broke us free."

"Loyal beasts, are they not." He smiled. "For sake of the record, I presume we are not speaking of actual small horses, but rather the fey creatures known as ponies, are we not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did they or did they not belong to you at the time of your arrest?"

Bristling with irritation, Elizabeth pounded the rail before her. "Immaterial! They are intelligent creatures and acted of their own will."

Toril lifted his hands. "Did you or did you not enter these beasts, intelligent or not, into this contest?"

"We did, sir."

Toril brought his hands together slowly. "Did the Lord not accept them as yours?"

"He did, sir."

"Who was to receive the prize money, should they prove victorious?"

"We were, sir."

"Not the ponies?" He raised a brow. "That certainly sounds like a master/slave relationship, however cordial. Let the record show, at the time of the match, the ponies were the property of Flint and, pardon me, who was the name of this other individual you keep referring to?"

"Paul, sir." Flint looked a little lost, unsure where the questioning was going.

"Yes, Paul." Toril leaned back. "It is the law of the County of Stormbringer that beasts may be owned, regardless of intelligence. A law your own father penned into being." His eyes focused on Elizabeth with the last sentence. "Or am I mistaken?" His tone implied he had no real doubts.

She slowly sank to her seat. "You are not."

Toril nodded. "Very well, let us proceed. Your pony companions set you free, and you methodically hunted down the lord and slew him, is that not right?"

"No!" Flint stood up straight. "Not like that... We were trying to get away, and he got into a fight with the ponies, threatenin' them and fightin' a retreating battle ah sorts. I got a crossbow off of one of his knocked out men. I'm a fair shot by trade, yer honor, so I followed after. Maud had him held down when I arrived at the roof, and I took the shot, ending him."

Toril raised a brow lightly. "I see. Was she holding him for you? That's a very well trained beast."

"No, gods above, no... She was horrified, yer honor. She wanted ta take him alive, show mercy."

"I think we need to speak to this 'Maud'. Maud, stand up and stand witness to the crime." He made a wave in their general direction, and a light shone down on Maud, though her friends could see her clearly, to others it was an indeterminate quadrupedal shape.

Maud rose to her hooves with a nod. "I'm here."

"My, what an exotic beast. You look like quite the interesting breed of pony. Let's put that aside. Tell the court how it happened."

Maud glanced to the others. "We were trying to escape, as Flint said. The owner of the manor was very upset at our presence and tried to kill us, or at least buy us. He made an attempt to buy me to his side. I didn't want to kill him. I won in the fight he started, and promised him safety. Flint made a lie of that promise with his crossbow. It hit him in the neck. He died instantly."

Toril tapped his fingers together. "Well, that certainly exonerates your pony friends of violent wrong-doing. A duel with a peaceful ending is not illegal in any country I'm aware of. There is the little manner of trespassing, but we're not here for that. Do you or do you not disagree that you were Paul and Flint's property at the time?"

Maud tilted her head slightly. "We owed them for what they did, and thought it would help. I would be lying if I said it was entirely out of kindness."

"Pragmatism makes for interesting bedfellows. Let that be entered on the record. Now, I'd like to paint a countering picture." He clapped his hands together. "His Lordship, while legally entitled, made no formal request for his commoner's horses. Even a quick 'I'm taking these' would have sufficed, but I presume no such words were uttered?"

Flint shook his head. "No, sir."

"He imprisoned a man guilty of no particular crime, a man he stole from, and represented a very clear and immediate threat to this man, with superior training, arms, and reinforcements."

Elizabeth gripped the rail in front of her tightly, knuckles bulging through her gloves. "Who is still guilty of murder."

"Oh, most definitely. He has admitted it, and is clearly not being forced to do so." Toril nodded at Flint. "But there are certain... extenuating circumstances. This was not the act of a mugger, assassin, or random malcontent. This was a desperate man, fighting for survival."

"Damn wizards!" Elizabeth bounded to her feet. "You would have an admitted killer set loose on the countryside?"

"We do all the time." Toril raised a brow lightly. "We call them soldiers. Now, the way I see it, Flint can't claim that particular protection, but I think a summary hanging is far too harsh a punishment. I would hear his character, among the community. Let's begin with his friend, also a witness." The light over Maud flickered away, shrouding her entirely from the sight of others before one snapped over Paul. "Rise, and tell us the measure of this man. Speak true, or be known as a liar and be punished for it."

Paul scrambled up to his feet. "H-here, sir! Flint's the best darn hunter we done got in the entire village! He always works so hard for everyone, chasing off wild animals and such, and keeping our livestock safe. He's good at what he does, and he never did complain about it, even when I asked him to come wit' me to go chasin' after mah dreams, and we found the ponies, sir."

"Hardly the description of a man born of foul intentions." Toril looked to Elizabeth. "What say you?"

Elizabeth let out a slow breath. "It is true that my father may have made some... dubious decisions, but he was the Lord of the land, and killing him isn't something to be forgiven because the man involved is otherwise nice."

"There is worth to this man not yet delved into. A new witness!" The light over Paul flicked off.

Paul sank back to his seat. "Did I do it right?" His words didn't seem to carry when not being 'called', and only his friends heard him.

Tree smiled gently. "You said your true feelings. It's all we can ask. Hopefully it'll work out."

The light descended on a new figure, shrouded in anonymity. "Yes, I encountered the accused and several companions of his. They lent aid without being so much as asked, doing battle with a... rogue creation of mine. I won't deny, if it wasn't for them, I might have been in quite the predicament. One of their number was gravely wounded in the battle, but they proved victorious at my benefit."

Toril nodded even as the light faded. "A man can only be truly responsible for his own actions, but, seeing as he has accepted the duty of being in charge of these ponies, let us speak of their behavior." The light came down on Tree Hugger. "Rise and speak of your activities in our fair city during the siege." Noticing her confused expression, he rolled a hand slowly. "Did you or did you not run into a druid of some skill?"

"Oh, yeah, totally. He was far out." Tree nodded with a little smile.

"Speak his name, for the record."

She tapped her chin. "Harold, for sure."

"Harold, one of the greater druids of the area, instrumental to the tenuous peace we now enjoy."

She blinked. "I..." The light flicked out, she was no longer addressed.

Toril looked to Elizabeth. "For a  common murderer, he seems to keep interesting company."

"None of this changes the facts of the matter. What would you have me do?" She slapped a hand down on the rail, leaning towards Toril. "You think these outside facts excuse him?"

Toril turned to regard Flint. "Answer this, do you love your country?"

"W-what, sir? I mean, of course, sir. I like mah town, and the people in it."

"Are you willing to die for it?"

Elizabeth raised a brow high. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting you shouldn't throw away valuable assets. If you had the choice between dangling from a tree, and bending knee to Elizabeth, which would you pick, Flint. Know that your words are binding here."

"I..." He glanced between Elizabeth and over the crowd of faceless witnesses. "Are you a better man than your father?"

"That's a slight on his name!" She threw a hand aside. "Despite that... Yes. I will try to undo some of his... less progressive decisions, and help our people."

"Then I will." Flint put a fist over his chest and bowed. "If I can make up fer what I did done in serving the people I love, then that ain't so bad."

Toril spread his fingers in a fan. "Do you accept his oath, and his sentence, Elizabeth Stormbringer?"

Elizabeth stepped from the prosecution stand, lost to sight a moment before she appeared, marching towards Flint. She lashed out with lightning speed, backhanding him. To his credit, he staggered but didn't fall, though the sound of the impact echoed in the room. "That's for my father. I'll make you work for that. You'll sweat, and work, and bleed. You'll never forget what you did, but you'll do good for those people you claim to love."

Toril brought his fingers together and made a little gentle clapping sound. "Case adjourned. The defendant is guilty, sentence to be carried out by Elizabeth Stormbringer in a period of life's servitude to the crown and her personally."