Accused

"You can't be serious."

Zalina growled.

"Sir Spenser, they couldn't possibly..."

The Princess began, but was cut off by the senior guard.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this, Highness ...but I must take them into custody."

She fell silent, more from shock than her shier nature.

"Merely having this in their possession is proof enough that they are involved, so I must..."

He waved at the small collection of gold and jewelled items that lay at his feat.

"Then take me - I was the only one who held the bag, not Mai."

Lygawa announced, leaving Mai turned about as events happened so quickly about her, but that seemed to be acceptable to the tall brown-haired man.

"Very well then."

As Lygawa surrendered without a fuss, the six guards formed up, and escorted her away.

Wait...?

Mai wobbled as she didn't know if she needed to follow after the dragon that had taken the arrest rather than her, but her path was blocked by the senior guardsman.

"I need to ask if you will be representing that one?"

The tall man asked Mai, getting right in her still totally shocked way.

"Representing... what?"

With Mai hindered, Alice sent the still fiercely angry Zalina after Lygawa, who went without delay.

"As there is dispute; there will be a court - held to determine the guilty and their punishment too."

Mai's anger at the situation finally came through.

"Yes! I will!"

She said with determination.

"Then please follow me..."

While Lygawa had been carted off, presumably to the 'dungeons', Mai had been taken somewhere nearby, a small windowless room, now she sat quietly fuming and waiting to see what was to come.

I don't understand how this came about... Lygawa wouldn't have, and I certainly didn't do it, and Nullawhy hasn't been alone since we've gotten here - it has to be a frame job, but then why us... and why now?

Nullawhy was out, looking for someone else who could aid their cause, while Mai was thankful Ryoniya wasn't about, or otherwise there would have been a much bigger, bloodier, mess.

A skinny man in a dark-blue suit walked in, carrying a couple of books, which he carefully set on the plain table before Mai.

"Miss Misaki, I'm here to help. The moment I heard, I had to drop everything."

The dark-grey haired man with the thin beard said, looking quite honest.

"And you are?"

"Rafael Clover, I'm an advisor. It would be nice to meet you, in other circumstances..."

The names sounded slightly familiar, but Mai was far too angry to dwell on it at the moment.

"What's going to happen to Lygawa?"

"We'll have a session, in front of his Majesty, tomorrow..."

Mai dialled back her anger, since he genuinely seemed here to help.

"So where is she now?"

She asked this person, since the others she had seen hadn't been either willing or able to tell till then.

"In the castle dungeons, underground."

"I want to see her."

She stood up.

"Yes that's being arranged."

Good... about time...

"But... I still am waiting for my request to come back..."

Mai slid back to the chair with disappointment, over fury and annoyance.

She mulled in those feelings for a little, while the greyed man stayed and shuffled through some papers he'd also brought with him.

"So... Mr Clover, what are you here for?"

"I will be helping you came up with a strategy and the legal know how to help your... friend."

He finally sat down at the table with Mai and continued to explain.

"I'm somewhat of a legal expert here, so I'll be teaching you the process that will come tomorrow, since you agreed to represent Miss Lygawa already, does that sound alright?"

He smiled kindly.

"Yeah..."

While she continued to wait to see her, in the meanwhile, Mai did want to know what they had planned for the selfless silver dragon, and her role in it all too.

"So what is this 'session' you spoke of?"

He pondered for a few seconds before he came up with an explanation.

"It's a argument of sorts, in a special room where Lygawa's innocence will be challenged, where each side will present witnesses and evidence to persuade the ruling man that their side is correct."

"So a criminal court?"

"Yes, a court?"

He seemed mystified that she knew of such things.

All those courtroom dramas I used to watch on the TV might just come in handy now...

"Can you please give me a run-through of how this court works, briefly, please."

Mai asked the advisor, who nodded and began for her, in fairly good detail.

Going down into the lowest level, they found the quiet dungeons, quite dark and depressing, like one would expect, where no natural light reached.

Taken along one of the many narrow passages, by a quiet prison-guard, they heard Lygawa before they saw her.

"Mai - ah!"

Mai heard the night-blind dragon bump into her holding bars, as they got closer.

"Lygawa..."

"Mai..."

The dragon-girl reached out, taking the others offered hands.

"...please know I didn't do it, honestly!"

She pushed her face into the biggest gap between the thick bars that held her in the dark cell.

"I already know that."

"Then can I be let out?"

She said hopefully.

"Sorry, not yet. I have to prove that you didn't, sorry."

The silvery girl hadn't lost her hope or belief.

"I know you can do that, yes, you can do anything!"

Mai's shadow passed from her unhappy face, as the light source behind her moved, and Mai could see evidence that she'd been crying.

I can't stand it...

Mai looked around, and settled her eyes on the escorting guard.

"That torch...."

She put her hand out for it, and received it, before promptly turning and handed it in through the gap to Lygawa.

"Put that in there somewhere."

Lygawa looked about, found a crack between two stones beside her and slammed the wooden torches end into it, wedging it solidly there.

Mai turned back to the surprised guard again.

"It's so dark here, fetch us another light."

He wandered off, letting Mai speak without an unknown listener.

"Is that better for you?"

"Uh-ha, much."

"Are they treating you well?"

"Apart from the dark... it's been fine..."

She didn't lie very well.

"I've not seen another - since they locked this door..."

Knowing Lygawa's might, the solid looking door stood no chance against her if she really wanted out.

"I promise you won't be in there long..."

"I can make sure of that."

Another different male voice echoed up the passageway.

"What do you want Phil...?"

Rafael asked the new arrival in the dark.

"A confession would be quaint."

The suspicious man lingered in the dark corridor, not leaving Mai with enough light to get a proper look at him, but she sensed that she already didn't like this person.

Who's this jerk... I'm getting a feeling that he's... quite shady...

"Just tell us that you did it and it'll all be over..."

He called out louder to the one in the dingy but now illuminated cell.

"I'm not saying anything like that."

Lygawa shot back.

"Shame, as I have a witness, you had the stolen items, and now you won't cooperate - I'll look to have you taken by the sword!"

Mai could make out that he smiled, with malice, and received nothing by angry glares back.

"The crime hardly needs -"

"Stealing the King's own treasures - not worth a harsh punishment, who are you kidding here...?"

The still partly hidden guy interrupted Rafael, who went quiet from his words.

"See you all tomorrow..."

He turned and walked away, casually further back into the darkness with a little backhand wave.

"Who was that?"

Mai asked quietly to Clover.

"Phil Arrnet - he'll be the one opposing you..."

"Are they going to stab me with swords tomorrow?"

Lygawa mumbled with some dread.

"No, I won't let them!"

Mai affirmed, doing her best to give a little cheer to the mopping silver dragon.