Chapitre Dix

Le Procès

Lucien

Every officer who had been present that day at the ballet testified against Leon. Each spoke of finding him trying to escape, how he'd been covered in blood. Lucien had half a mind to have them all killed for speaking against Leon. However, not one of them spoke dishonestly, and it would not be prudent to have police officers poisoned for merely doing their jobs.

"Blood on his hands, blood on his shirt, it was everywhere, your honor," said the final officer.

"Did he confess to you what he'd done?" asked the judge, looking over the officers' report from that night.

"He did not," said the policeman, "He said he was chasing after the real killer."

"Did your fellow officers find anyone else suspicious that night?"

"No, your honor." The policeman shifted in his chair. "We blocked every known exit from the theatre and saw no one suspicious that night."

Lucien restrained his laughter. Really? No one suspicious? What did a professional assassin look like? Did they dress in all black and cover themselves with knives? No, as Fitzroy was so fond of saying, an assassin has no uniform.

"Is that the last of the witnesses who will speak against Lord Leon?" the judge asked. The courtroom met his query with silence. "So be it. Are there any witnesses who would speak on the accused's behalf?"

"I would speak on his behalf," rang a voice from the audience. Lucien watched on as a strong young man stood amongst the benches. Magnus? What did Magnus have to say about all of this?

Magnus approached the witness stand. Briefly, he exchanged smiles with Leon.

The judge leaned in toward him. "State your name, monsieur."

"Lord Magnus of House Forbin."

The judge tugged on the curls of his mustache. "Your father is Marquis Maxemilien Forbin?"

"Yes, he is,"

"I see. Were you at the theatre on the night of the murder?"

"I was not, your honor," said Magnus. The audience murmured, confused questions whispered back and forth.

The judge rolled his eyes. "If you were not present what evidence could you possibly have to offer?"

Magnus cleared his throat and said, "I have known Leon... sorry, the accused, for seven years now. We have played sports together, chased after women together... I know him better than I know my own brother."

The judge rubbed both his temples with his fingers. "So, you mean to act as a character witness?"

"I do," said Magnus, looking up at Leon. "My friend is nothing but honest. Even those times as boys when we got into trouble, he would never lie to avoid the switch." Lucien smiled at the sound of this. It was true, Leon had been honest to a fault all his life. Perhaps his reputation for honesty would help earn his freedom.

"Seeing as you are his friend," the judge said, "your assessment of his character will not amount to much."

Magnus lowered his eyes. "That's all I have, your honor."

"You already said you were not at the theatre the night of the murder," said the judge. "What do you know of that night?"

Magnus shrugged. "Only that Leon... sorry, the accused, was to meet Lady Corina there. His father was hoping to arrange a marriage between the two. Leon wasn't too happy about the idea."

"He wasn't?" the judge said, leaning forward.

Lucien covered his face with his hands. Stupid boy! Did he not realize how suspicious that sounded?

"Well, no," said Magnus, looking confused. "He didn't like the idea of an arranged marriage." His eyes widened, as if he just now realized what his words implied. "But... he'd never... I mean... He told me he intended to do his duty nonetheless. He'd never harm a lady! Never! He's a gentleman through and through!" Magnus stammered for a few moments.

"Thank you, monsieur," said the judge, waving his hand to dismiss him. "I think I've heard enough."

"He's not a killer!" Magnus insisted.

"Yes, thank you, monsieur," the judge said again, reaching for his gavel. "You may step down."

Magnus climbed down from the witness stand, hanging his head in shame. "Oh, yes. Thank you, your honor."

Soldiers! Lucien thought. So honorable, so good. It never occurs to them to lie, or to omit certain truths.

"Is there anyone else who would like to speak on behalf of the accused?" asked the judge.

Lucien turned his eyes to Fitzroy to signal him. Fitzroy, in turn, nudged the young man with unkempt hair sitting next to him. The disheveled man stood and said, "I would like to speak."

The young man took the witness stand. Leon looked on in confusion. He even looked back to his father for an explanation. Lucien didn't dare give Leon a knowing look, lest the judge see it and realize that he was behind this testimony.

"State your name, monsieur," said the judge.

"Artois, your grace."

"Your honor," the judge corrected him. "Were you at the theatre on the night of the murder?"

"I was," said Artois.

"What were you doing there?" asked the judge.

Artois took a deep breath, looked down and said, "I murdered Lady Corina of House Armand."

The gallery erupted in shock.

"You?" Duke Jehan cried out from the audience. He stood from his seat, fists clenched in rage. His wife pulled on his sleeve, trying to get him to sit down again.

The whole audience was in an uproar at this startling news. Lucien watched in amusement as arguments sprung up among everyone in attendance.

"Order!" the judge shouted, banging his gavel. "Silence! All of you!" With one final, loud crack of the gavel the courtroom went quiet. The judge turned back to Artois. "Please continue."

"As I said," Artois began, "I slipped into the theatre, crept up behind Lady Corina, and stabbed her."

"Why would you do such a thing?" the judge asked as the officers got up to either block the doors or be ready to arrest the witness once his confession was finished.

"I was hired to do so," said Artois, looking down. "There was a man in a mask. I never saw his face. But he offered me a fortune to slay Lady Corina at the theatre."

One of the officers called out, "Why confess this now?"

The judge glared at the police officer, and the officer gave a silent apology, looking down at his boots.

"I couldn't live with the guilt anymore." Artois bit his lip, as if fighting back tears. Lucien shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The young gangster's acting left much to be desired. He could only pray that the judge would not see through it. As it was, members of the audience were already exchanging skeptical glances. "I couldn't let an innocent man hang for what I've done."

"But you could slaughter an adolescent girl." The judge sat back in his chair and twirled his long beard around one finger. "You had no conscience when you murdered a young maiden in cold blood, why would you suddenly have a conscience when another man was about to face the noose for your crime?"

"I... I don't know." Artois scratched his head. "Maybe... maybe Lyr placed a heaviness on my heart and..."

"A heaviness he didn't place when you were about to kill Lady Corina?" the judge asked, skeptically.

"I... Um... Well..." Artois stammered for a few moments and wrung his hands together. Stifled laughter crept through the audience. The more they laughed the more Artois turned red. His hands were shaking now. He'd been caught in a lie, and he knew it.

"Are you aware..." the judge tilted his head to one side, "That a false confession is obstruction of justice? You can be punished for attempting to obstruct justice. A few years in prison."

No! Lucien cursed inwardly. When he and Fitzroy had worked out their deal with Artois they had threatened to reveal the truth of his involvement in the plot against the Empress. The threat they dangled over his head for his cooperation was a fate worse than death; torture at the hands of the Empress' agents. Now the judge was dangling before his eyes an opportunity to face a minor sentence he might easily have met as a gang member.

Artois scratched his chin. "I was not aware..."

He could confess to being coerced, or claim that he was bribed. Then anything brought against him would just look like retaliation because he failed to play along.

"Ouch!" Beatrice whispered as she yanked her hand away from Lucien's and rubbed it.

Had he been holding her hand? He hadn't even noticed. And he'd gripped it too tightly. "Sorry," Lucien whispered back.

"But I am telling the truth!" Artois banged his fist on the counter in front of him. "I cannot live with this guilt any longer! I've killed far too many people, and it needs to stop!"

Lucien and Beatrice both let out sighs of relief. He was either very wise or a damned fool; neither mattered as long as he stuck to the plan.

Artois continued. "Perhaps Lyr will have mercy upon my soul if I confess my sins. Yes, that's it. It wasn't remorse that changed my mind, it was fear." Artois pointed to Leon, "To let this man suffer for my crimes? I can't handle it! When you kill someone you leave their memory intact. People remember them fondly, they love them, often more than they did when they were alive. But when you destroy someone's reputation before letting them die you do far worse." Artois turned back to the judge. "I'm guilty, your honor. I swear it! I deserve the rope for what I've done!"

The audience murmured again, but instantly silenced as the judge reached for his gavel. He groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. "In that case, here is my ruling. Lord Leon, you are hereby absolved of all suspicions against you. You may go free. Monsieur Artois, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May Lyr have mercy on your soul." The judge banged his gavel. Police officers immediately rose to their feet, both to arrest Artois and to unshackle Leon.

Lucien smiled to himself, satisfied at the outcome.

Why had Artois decided to confess to the murder instead of admitting that he'd been coerced?

Was it loyalty to his fellow gang members? Yes, that would make sense. Even if they no longer had the power to bring charges against him they could still reveal what his fellows had been up to.

Or perhaps he truly did feel guilty about all the lives he'd taken and wanted a chance at redemption. Yes, according to the Church, giving his life for a stranger was an almost sure way to earn his salvation.

As Lucien turned away from Artois, though, he saw what was much more likely to be the real reason for his confession. Jehan stared at the prisoner with look of rage so terrible it made Lucien shiver. No wonder Artois was eager to face the gallows. Better that than whatever vengeance Jehan might have thought up.

Leon, with his hands free, approached Lucien and Beatrice with a relieved smile on his face. Lucien pulled Leon into a tight hug and held the back of his head, as he had when his son was only a baby. It seemed only yesterday that he and his sister were born. Now he was a grown man, one whom Lucien had almost lost. The most terrifying day of his life was over, and his son was returned to him.

As they embraced, Leon whispered in his ear, "Father, there's something we need to discuss as soon as possible."