บท 45: Chapter Thirty-Six: The Official Trail Judge of Slaves and Servants.
Tonight, we sit in the Queen's Foyer, awaiting a meeting with a man who works for the vampire kingdom's Courts of Law House. I'm told this is the place where courts of all different kinds are heald.
Next to the building is a Law Maker's House, where laws are created, added, or removed to the kingdom. This place also is where a person would go to apply or search for laws relating to their own court cases, similar to having a lawyer.
Behind the building is a jail, an easy place to store the convicted. According to Perry this is someplace you'd never want to step foot inside, because when you do you'll never come out.
I'm confused, "So you're going to court? But they're coming to you?"
He explains that non-royals will have a scheduled appointment and then be put on trial in front of the judge. In his case, the judge who covers slavery and servants, and organizes those simple trials does not allow royals in the building for their personal trials. Royal business like this should not be public and so to keep privacy, they will come to meet any royal in the front hall of the castle instead.
Perry explains how Dibbley's important public buildings like these ones are at the top of the main street, lined right outside the doors of the Donnan Castle. This makes it easy for us to congregate, and makes information travel to each public building as quickly as possible.
He adds that the town consists of a Royal Guard Department, the Meeting Court Building, Mail Offices, and much more.
Guards will meet and discuss duties and people can go to the Guard Department with any issues. This place keeps all vampires in check by providing as many services you can think of. It also is a space for people to apply to be part of the Protective Service Program and train to be a Guard.
Less royal meetings can be inside the Dibbley Meeting Court, where most higher ranking Guard and kingdom officials have meetings weekly. Other than that, the meetings that include the Royal Donnan Family, high ranked officers and some other officials would be held here at the Donnan Castle.
The Mail Offices sort, check, and send out mail for Royal Peoples, which can travel around the planet to other kingdoms. They also have a seperate branch for non-Royals and non-political vampires.
"So the man who's coming to meet us is a judge who can decide if I want to free you?"
Perry shrugs, "He's going to have to get your statement first before anything else can happen. These types of things can be extremely difficult."
Terrifyingly enough, this man can also control whether those people can be sentanced to death, so I'm not so sure he will be a nice man.
"Why did you suggest meeting in here? Why not the Grand Meeting Foyer across the hall?" Perry questions his aunt.
She smiles, "This is going to be a small meeting, so we don't have to house more than one or two others. A brunch and tea will do just fine, they won't be staying for a dinner."
A knock is at the door interrupts, "The Official Trial Judge for Slaves and Servants has arrived with his personal Royal Guard, may we enter?"
Angelina replies, "Come in!"
She stands, instructing for us to do as well. Once I'm standing, Romi has already opened the door and two men are filing into the room.
When Romi leaves and shuts the door behind her I watch a young-looking man stand against it, then crossing his arms. The older man, who has grey hairs on his head suprises me as he comes to greet us. I've never seen a vampire with grey hair, he's the only aged man I've seen these past few days.
"Greetings, Queen Angelina!" He bows, "Prince Perry." He bows again.
The man looks at me last, "Miss Elenor."
He takes my hand, kissing the top gently.
They told him my name?
He waits for all of us to sit before doing so as well. The man holds a folder made of thick parchment in his hand, those must be the documents.
Instead of starting conversion about why he is here, Queen Angelina is asking what type of tea he takes and if he enjoys the plate of food on the table. They eat fruits and cheeses I've never seen before. They're beautiful looking but I'm not craving any type of food, I'm too worked up about the future to eat.
After eating a slice of cheese that was cut in a triangle the man clears his throat, "It is a pleasure to meet with you once more, Queen Angelina. And I'm quite thrilled to be meeting you, Prince Perry."
The polite man has manners that even I couldn't undergo in learning, but sucking up to us all is the best way to have a meeting I guess. I'd expected a tough or roudy figure who is destructive and ready for an argument, this man is nothing of the sort, the complete opposite I assume. The older man gives me a glimpse of hope that he intends on freeing Perry.
The Queen finally cuts to the chase herself, "Now that we've greeted and had our food shall we discuss the topic of this meeting?"
The man agrees, flipping the yellowed folder wide open. It reveals a good sized stack of papers, and a note clipped to the top of the stack reading:
April 22nd, 1930. The last known document of ownership of Perry Donnan.
The man flips through the pages, pulling out the last piece of paper, "This states you were last bought in 1930, can you attest to that?"
Perry nods, "Yes sir, my owner must have had me for a few years at least."
"And how did you manage to be sold again?"
"My owner died and I was inherited by the closest family member, who also died. I was passed up through generations."
"If we have proof of at least fifty years of ownership up until today, then legally he can be a free vampire. We can search through death documents, and trace them until we find proof of your new ownership. For now, I'm unable to make you a free man until we have proof of ownership."
His words cut me like a knife, making me wonder if he even believes our story. For once, no longer feeling so shy, I speak up, "I can prove he was given to me."
The man turns to me, "Yes?"
"Perry was taken by werewolves, ordered by a cult called the Hunters. They were supposed to hand him over to the Hunters that day, but the wolves gifted him to me instead. We were on Earth, so there will be proof we came back to Elyria. We met two people who were investigating the loss of that wolf pack. They recently came back from their report, and the Elders have become involved."
He doesn't hesitate before responding, "Most likely those wolves are on trial, after being discovered on Earth. I can send away in search of those werewolves."
For once in my life I feel helpful.
The man nods, understanding where I'm going with this- tracking his owners from most recently and as well as from the past could be more efficient. The information I have will speed up the process.
Running feet from out in the hall distract me. I whisper to Perry, "Somethings going on..."
Soon enough there's a pound on the thick door, "Romi, I must speak with you immedietly!"
The urgency makes her rush to open the door, she slips out quickly enough for us to be unable to see the person outside the door.
Only the Queen verbally pays mind to the distraction, "There must be some sort of emergency!"
I ignore the talks in the room, easdropping as the two outside the door whisper to each other.
The man who I assume is some sort of servant or guard tells Romi, "I said I'd come immedietly as it arrived to me. Her heiness Queen Angelina's mail has arrived, pertaining such an important matter..."
They shuffle around what I assume is a letter, containing information about the response to Perry's banishment. Nervousness fills my body, knowing the official statement could be a no.
Romi thanks the man, and he goes off on his merry way. When she enters, I see this dark seriousness plastered across her lips. Her face goes stiff as she hands Queen Angelina a strange looking envelope, "My apologies."
The Queen nods as she sends her assistant off again, leaving the room once more. She stares at the envelope for a long while, "Please excuse me, this is letter is something we've all been anxious for."
She tears off the opening carefully and then pulling out the paper. She's not saying a word but I watch here eyes move left to right as she reads. Afterwards, her eyes lift to Perry and I across from her, half of the parchment covering her face.
"Please tell us it's good news." Perry says.
"The Elders are expecting us to meet them in person."
Perry gasps, but says nothing revealing the shock upon his face. I gaze around not understanding at all what this could mean. Everyone else has that same dark glare upon their faces, stone cold frozen.
With terror I look at Perry as he takes ahold of the paper his aunt read. He doesn't notice me, but just stares at it going wide-eyed.
"They don't say when they're coming." He says.
Queen Angelina finally gathers her words, "The Elder Vampires wouldn't come if it wasn't important to them. If they wanted a trial they'd send people to take you to one. They'd only come if it's worth their time. They're coming here to lift your banishment, Perry!" Tears form in her eyes and a smile lifts her rosy cheeks, "We're going to be alright."
Perry stands, making me think he's going for his aunt but instead he reaches for my hands and pulls me up with him. He looks into my eyes, forgetting about the defeat we've both been feeling today.
He pulls me into him, laughing overjoyed. I smile too, feeling that electricity. The barrier of clothing between us is no match to the strange sence of touch we have for each other. It's like a warm vibration, a magical feeling. It's so surreal but I know it's real.
His hands squeeze my waist, "Thank you for being here for this moment."
I laugh, "I wasn't gonna leave."
We go silent, remembering the deal we made. I will have to leave when this is all over, and to me it sounds like it's coming to an end very quickly.
I hear the man discussing other matters with the Queen, wondering when they started talking. Everything around me stops when Perry give me even the slightest amount of attention.
"It is a pleasure to know you've found potential heirs for the throne! All of Dibbley will be so thrilled! The Royal Family must be so pleased to have Prince Perry and Prince Nenook back after all these years."
The Queen smiles, making me wonder if the two are not just collegues but friends, "Yes, we are. But please, under no circumstances should you tell others of their arrival. We will be making an official statement to the city eventually, but it must stay private for now."
"The future throne will be in safe hands, now. Our uncertain times are over!"
I pull away from Perry, having a dark thought enter my mind. I study his face, his beautiful, chiseled features. I memorize the pattern of his freckes.
Just because he is a heir of the throne, doesn't mean I'll live to see the moment. Queen Angelina doesn't look much older than me, if any, and when she dies one of the twins will get the throne.
Thinking about it, there's almost a guarentee I'll be dead before one of the twins become King of Dibbley, or at least an old woman. For vampires, talking about the future is different than my future.
The Judge speaks up, "As of this current moment, Perry there is nothing I can do until we have proof of your ownership for the past fifty years. This means we will have to schedule a second meeting as soon as I get more information."
Having the man here for only thirty minutes or so, and most of that time was spent eating, I'm not so sure why we had it in the first place. My only thought is to scare me off, but I'm not backing down. I will sign those papers and Perry will be a free man.
After the judge has gone, being unable to take our meeting any further, Perry and I are alone once more as the Queen and Romi discuss preparation for the Elder Vampires to arrive. We decide to retreat back to the Royal Quaters, finding safely in Perry's bedroom.
Being forced into a quick breakfast and straight to our meeting, we had no time to be alone together, even though he came to pick me up at my bedroom door. He got there just before Romi did, who was sent to wake us.
I look at Perry, who sits on the edge of his bed, "I need to tell you something."
Seeing my concern Perry gestures for me to sit with him.
Unsure how to word it, I just mumble, "Your brother followed me to my room last night."
"How'd he do that, he was in my room after you went off to bed?"
I admit, "I was easdropping."
He gets off his bed, zipping to the door with his vampire speed. I watch him lock the door, then come back to join me, "He didn't try to go in did he? You locked the door right?"
"I did. I was fine. He just said something to me through the door."
His face goes cold, "I should have walked you to bed, I'm sorry. This won't happen again."
I know he's feeling guilty, especially after knowing I was scared to sleep alone, "Don't apologize," I fear he will be angry with me. "Something about him is so off putting, I couldn't help myself from easdropping. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."
He turns to look into my eyes, "I don't want you to feel scared..."
His words warm my heart, knowing he has this need to protect me.
"He said he knows who I really am..." I spit out, becoming emotional. "What does that mean?"
"Maybe he easdropped on us?"
I shake my head, "No, I would've heard him. This sounds deeper than that."
Fear that he knows of my strange relationship with the Hunters enters my mind, "I don't think he'd know the Hunters would he?"
Perry shakes his head no, "Not my brother, but this man doesn't sound like him..."
We sit in silence for a long period of time, Perry rubbing his chin in deep thought. What ever this means, I'm coming to conclusion Nenook Donnan is not somebody we can trust.
"So, I'm assuming you didn't hear me come to check on you last night?"
I'm flattered, "Not at all."
"Good, I thought you were sleeping. I didn't want to disturb you, so I just sat by your door."
"How long were you there?"
He looks away, "I didn't keep track, maybe a half hour."
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