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"And who will defend the accused?" Cassair continued the farce.
"Me," I said with a sigh of resignation but gaining me a small smile from my lady.
"Very well, Ohlav, what is it you accuse the defendant of?"
"This… creature broke into the chicken stall and slaughtered all of our chickens. The ones lucky enough to escape alive had to be put down because of their injuries. It was a bloodbath," Ohlav thundered in his outrage, painting a picture that made most everyone present shudder, especially the kallinies.
"How exactly did the accused manage to get into the chicken stall?" I queried, forcing my voice to sound curious, even though a small chuckle sat inside my chest, burning to be let out for the ridiculousness of this farce of a trial.
The chicken stalls were by the stables, reachable through a narrow, protected tunnel connecting the main keep with the housing for the livestock. I understood that the places where the humans kept their chickens were called chicken coops, but we housed them inside a converted stable, much larger than any conventional coop, so we kept the name.
When Ohlav didn't answer right away, I sensed an opening and pressed, "Did you or any of your caretakers leave the door to the stall open?" Which was the only explanation for the bloodthirsty creature to have gotten into the stall in the first place.
"We always ensure the door is locked, especially after the… the arrival of their greatest predator," Ohlav defended.
"But is it possible the door was not only unlocked, but open?" I pressed, starting to enjoy my role as defender.
Ohlav remained quiet, and I didn't press any further, because I already made my point. Seeing that, Ohlav took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter if the door was open or closed, he still had no right to come and do what he did."
"Sounds to me like a breakfast invitation," Fiona harrumphed to great laughter from the assembled while Ohlav shot her a glaring warning with his eyes.
"None of us can just enter a room and glutton himself without repercussions, no matter if the door is open or closed," Ohlav stated triumphantly.
"I'll remind you of that next time I catch you tampering with the lock to the spirit storage," Fiona shot back and more laughter broke out.
"Why do you think it was this particular grover anyway? Did you see him?" I raised my voice to be heard over the laughter and it finally died some.
Ohlav opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Who else would have done such a thing?" he finally muttered.
"If the door was open, anybody could have done so."
"Lady Alahna, was your… pet covered in blood and feathers this morning?" Ohlav asked.
"Do not address my lady without asking permission from me first," I thundered.
That seemed to take some steam out of Ohlav's righteous anger, and I almost pitied him. He was in the right and he knew it, but I couldn't stand by and allow him to address Alahna this way.
"Very well, I will ask you then, Warlord. Was the lady's pet covered in blood and—"
I cut him off, "Kar."
A hiss moved through the room and Alahna stared at me with wide eyes as if I had betrayed her. I winked at her.
"That is not proof that he couldn't have entered the stall after the deed was done and gorged himself on the leftovers," I said smugly.
As expected, loud discussions erupted in the great hall. Everybody seemed to have an opinion now and wanted to make it known to the person next to or across from them.
"Quiet, quiet." Cassair stomped the hilt of his sword against the table he sat in front of.
Theentiretribunalwouldhave been funny had I not feared for Furbo's life. I fully understood the consequences of what he did. Under different circumstances, it could have very well meant starvation for all of us, and I was hard-pressed to condone his actions. On the other hand, he was a predator and my pet, and I loved him. I would protect him no matter what.
Before Brogan called me down, I considered running away with Furbo, but that thought had been short-lived. Not only could I have not left Brogan, especially not after what we had shared this morning, but the cold season was reigning outside, and I doubted either Furbo or I would have lasted a day.
I still felt some of the glow from Brogan's unexpected confession of his love for me and our consequent lovemaking but was too tense right then to revel in it.
Brogan winked at me again and his glance conveyed so much love and assurance that everything would be alright, I believed him and dared to breathe a bit more freely.
"Unless you have irrefutable proof that the murderer of the chickens was indeed the accused Furbo, I will end these proceedings," Cassair declared after calling for order.
