The Second Prophecy (Part 1 of the Dragdani Prophecies) (40 page)

“
I don’t
really know what’s going on, but I know you where at the center of
it,” said Jaroe, as though unsure of what to do next.

Just as he
said this, his two Deputies turned up, shaking at the thought of
having to arrest a Wizard.

Peter, who
now was riddled with guilt, got up slowly. “It’s okay. I’ll go with
you,” he said mournfully, “but I won’t put on
handcuffs.”

The sheriff
nodded. “That’s fine with me,” he said, for truthfully he liked
Peter, and the fact that the boy was a Wizard didn’t deter him at
all. The mayor, Wedret, who just happened to also be the magistrate
in the town, came forward.

“
Well,
what are you waiting for
Jaroe? Arrest it,” he said.

“
It has a
name, if you don’t mind,” Peter insisted.

“
I don’t
particularly care; you see, you’ve upset the natural balance of
this town. In doing so, you’ve caused the death of an innocent
child, and if found guilty, you could face the death penalty,” said
the mayor.

“
You call
those things coming to your town stealing from you and threatening
to tear down your homes and kill your people a natural balance? And
the girl would’ve died either way; at least I tried to stop it,
unlike the rest of you.

“
Euol, I hope
you don’t mind, but we’re going to need your place. The Town Hall
isn’t in the best shape at the moment,” said the mayor, suddenly
shifting his gaze to Peter again. “And that’s something else you’ll
be charged, with destruction of town property.”

“Whatever you need,” said the innkeeper.

Peter didn’t
move a muscle.

“
So what are
you waiting for? There are three of you,” the magistrate said to
the sheriff and his Deputies. “Arrest him already, so we can get
this all over with.”

Peter took
one last look at the little girl. “I already said that you don’t
need to arrest me. I’ll go quietly.”

The young
King was escorted back to the pub that he left only half an hour
before.

Chapter Seventeen

The Ruling

Euol
, as the owner of the
establishment, managed to get close to the accused.

“
Why don’t
you just walk away?” the Wizard asked him.

“
Because in a
way, they’re right,” said Peter. “If I had been a little more
careful, the girl wouldn’t be lying in the dirt out there dying.
Just wait to see what happens.”

Jaroe and his
deputy’s rearranged the tables and chairs. The mayor, also the
judge, sat with the sheriff at the top table.

One of the
deputies sat Peter down at the table in front of theirs. He stood
beside the boy, and another stood at the other side, as though they
were guarding him, which Peter’s friends thought was completely
laughable.

“
Now I would
like to thank all of those who helped us get this all arranged,”
said the mayor. “Though I’m afraid I’ll have to ask all
non-essential personal to leave the building.

“
Doesn’t he
have the right to have someone defending him?” asked
Kireth.

“
True, true,”
said the mayor. “Well, chose your advocate,” he said to
Peter.

“
I would like
to be my own defense, if that’s okay?”

“
I’m afraid
that is not possible. You have to choose someone else to defend
you. It’s the law,” said Jaroe.

“
If you’ll
have no abjections, I would like to defend the boy,” said Jert.
“After all, I did bring him here,” the farmer said
loyally.

“
I do wish
that you hadn’t admitted that to me, my friend, for that makes you
an accomplice to his crimes,” said the mayor. “But I’m sure you had
no idea what he really is, or that he would cause so much trouble,
so I’ll overlook it. But I can’t let you be his
council.”

“
That’s
right,” said Peter. “He didn’t know I lied to him just like I lied
to everyone else in your stupid little town.”

“
So you admit
that you lied to gain the confidence of the good people of this
fair town?” said the Magistrate. “Well, at least that’s a start.
But now we’ll have to find someone to defend you.”

“
I’ll defend
myself,” said the defendant.

“
I’m sorry,
but our laws do not permit that,” said the mayor.

“
The
n I chose Euol,” said Peter,
“if he’s willing.”

“
I don’t have
any problem with that,” said the mayor.

“
Nor I,” said
the sheriff.

“
So are you
willing to defend the boy?” the mayor asked Euol.

“Yes,” replied the Wizard.

“
The
n let’s get on with it,” said
the Magistrate as the room emptied.

“
Wait!” said
Peter. “Where’s the jury?”

“
I am
your judge and your j
ury,” said the mayor
calmly.

“
Can you be
judge and jury?” asked the boy. “I mean, is that
allowed?”

“
I am the
mayor. I run this town; therefore it is up to me. You have to
remember that the child who was fatally wounded was well-loved by
all. You should count yourself lucky that it was not up to them
whether you live or die. I’m sure they wouldn’t be as kind to give
you a trial.” When the door shut, the mayor looked to see that all
had vacated the premises. “Now if you have no further objections,”
he said as he watched Peter and Euol, “then this court is in
session,” said the mayor.

Peter sat there and said nothing more.

The deputy
who shut the door stood guard inside to prevent any escape by the
prisoner while the other guarded the entrance from the outside to
stop anyone from entering the inn without permission. It did not
stop people cueing up outside, trying to get a look in through the
windows. At the front of the window to the left were Jert, Huri,
Kireth, and Braten.

Many
witnesses were called for the prosecution and dismissed; a few were
called for the defense, mostly Wizards and Witches. Then Peter saw
the last witness to be called. He didn’t know which side she was
for, though he thought he had an idea. The woman stepped up to the
witness table. He recognized her immediately. He didn’t know her
name, though the day before she had given him a dirty look, as if
to say she knew there was something different about him. He dreaded
the thought of what this old woman might say and was sure that
whatever it was, it wouldn’t help him in any way. Peter felt his
freedom slipping away. He couldn’t get away, for the guilt of the
death of that little girl was beginning haunt him even
now.

T
he old lady took the oath and
proceeded to tell all that she had seen and how she felt about what
had happened, not to mention her own opinion of what should be
done.

“
You should
be ashamed of yourself,” she said to the mayor. “This boy has done
nothing wrong, and in my opinion, he should not only be set free,
he should also be rewarded for his trouble. To think I voted for
you. Shame on you!”

Peter’s
mouth trailed on the
ground as those words fell from the old lady’s mouth, and he felt
pride surge though him.

When she was
on her way out, she gave Peter wink and said. “Don’t worry, my
lord, you’re not forgotten.”

Peter was
even more surprised by this woman, who he had thought might be his
downfall. And she was not the only one to stand up for him. The
town was almost equally divided.

“
What was
that all about?” asked Peter. “Last time I saw her, she threw me
the dirtiest look.”

“
That is
Heice. She is a Wicca and the first sent here by the Grand Wizard,”
said Euol.

“I would like to get on with it now,” said
the Magistrate.

Euol argued
for over an hour, trying to convince the mayor that his King wasn’t
at fault. “If anybody is to blame here, it’s those idiots who
believed the Ledgites, not this boy. If the people of this town had
any backbone or any sense whatsoever, they would have killed those
things when they first stepped into the town. However, we didn’t,
and yes, I say we because I am as much to blame as anyone, as I too
did nothing. And I’ll tell you this, lord mayor, if anything; we
are indebted to young Drago, for if he hadn’t stepped in when he
did, Kayie would have had a far more gruesome death. At least now
she can be with her family and friends.”

“
I thought
the boy’s name was Dermo?” said the mayor as he looked at Euol and
then the sheriff, who looked just as confused. “So you lied about
that too,” the magistrate said to Peter.

“
Euol, I know
you think you’re right in some way. You have to understand that I
have to set an example. If I let this Wizard or whatever he is go
free, that would be like telling others of his kind that they can
walk all over us. I’m sorry, I can’t let that happen.”

“
You let
those dirty things walk into our home and not only walk all over
us, you practically let them jump up and down and stamp their feet
and their stink into this town and its people. Then you helped them
take and take. Then, when it finally goes too far, you try to
prosecute the only person who was willing to stand up for this
town, and he’s not even from here. WHAT ARE YOU? COMPLETELY STUPID
OR SOMETHING? THE BOY IS INNOCENT! I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT YOU HAVE
THE INTELLIGENCE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT LEAST!” the Wizard yelled at
the mayor.

“
ONE MORE
OUTBURST LIKE THAT AND I’LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE YOU REMOVED
FROM THIS COURT!” shouted the mayor in retaliation.

“
How quickly
you forget that this building belongs to me, and if anybody will be
getting thrown, out it will be you,” said Euol a little
calmer.

“
We will
break for a recess and be back in this room in one hour’s time. And
when I say an hour, I mean an hour. I’m afraid the boy will have to
stay here under the supervision of the sheriff’s good deputies,”
said the Magistrate. “And I suggest that you use this time to calm
yourself down.”

Euol was
about to protest that Peter could have easily escaped custody and
could not really be held, when the boy grabbed his wrist. “It’s
okay, I’ll stay here,” he said.

The Wizard
nodded and left his pub, ranting to himself furiously. “The man’s
an idiot, I don’t know how he ever got to be mayor,” he said to his
friends just before the door closed behind him.

“
Not so
loud. People might hear
you,” said
Kireth.

“
Let them
hear. I don’t care.”

They walked
away down the street to the only other tavern in the town, the Tidy
Brook Inn. As soon as they opened the door, the very thin smell of
tobacco and weed hit them. They weren’t surprised to see that the
place was almost empty. They knew that most of the people were
outside the Huffy Hog waiting for news. They were glad they were
alone and sat in a corner.

The
innkeeper saw them as they entered and left the
bar to see them.

“
Good
afternoon,” he said. “It’s not often I see you lot in
here.”

“
Oh, please.
We were here two weeks ago, Feruy,” said Euol.

“
Well,
if you say so,” said Feruy.
“So what’ll it be?” the innkeeper reached into the large pocket on
his apron and pulled out a piece of parchment and a small thin
black box. He opened the box, and in it was a tiny quill and thin
carton of ink.

“
Nothing for
me, thanks,” said Euol.

“Same,” said Kireth.

“
I’ll have a
juice, please. It doesn’t matter what type,” said Huri.

“
That’s fine.
And you Jert?”

“
I’ll have
the lunch time special and the same drink as Huri,” said the
farmer.

“
How can you
eat at a time like this?” said Kireth.

“
Well,
a birds gotta fly, a fish
has gotta swim, Jert’s gotta eat.”

His plump
wife shook her head in disbelieve. “Jert, I’m hungry, but the
thought of that poor boy in there all on his own sickens me so much
that I couldn’t eat a pick,” said Huri, tears filling her
eyes.

“
Cancel the
lunch, if you don’t mind. Just the drink please,” the farmer said
to the innkeeper.

Feruy crossed the lunch order off of the
small piece of parchment and headed for the bar.

“
So what are
we going to do?” asked Jert.

“I think we break the door down and take him
by force,” said Braten.

Euol smiled.
“I remember when we used to be as eager as that,” he said to Jert,
“but the truth is, we promised we wouldn’t do a thing unless he
says otherwise. And besides, somehow I think that if he wanted to
escape, he wouldn’t need our help. No, he’s feeling guilty, and
there’s also the fact that if he tries to escape, someone else
could get hurt, and that would only make things worse. The only way
is to convince the mayor that he’s innocent.”

“
Yes, and you
did a great job of that didn’t you?” said Kireth
abruptly.