7. The Elders
1135 Words
I had to stand in the cage. I didn't think that whoever those Elders were, they did not want to see me sitting or leaning. The spikes all over the cage's bars pointing inside, toward me, from every direction gave me that hint. Even the floor was covered with them, so I had to carefully position my feet.
More people were filling the room and sitting down on the benches. I could feel their eyes going from me to Mr. Jules, and I heard their low whispers. When they looked at him, there was definitely fear and jealousy in their eyes. When they looked at me, I only saw distaste in their faces.
There was a smaller podium on the side of the room. The man behind it must have been a clerk. He stood up and announced.
"The Elders - the keepers and the guardians of the sacred book of blood are entering. All rise."
Every person stood up and bowed their heads. After that, the whole room became deadly quiet.
The men in red tunics entered through the three doors behind each of the main podiums. I expected someone ancient to walk into the room, but that was not the case. They moved with grace, like leopards on the prowl. There was nothing old about them. However, it was clear who they were from the respect or fear oozing from everyone in the room. Their faces had no wrinkles. They looked even more dangerous and vicious than Mr. Jules, even though I didn't think it was possible.
I saw Mr. Jules looking at me, and as he instructed, I stopped glaring and put my head down. I promised myself I had to get out of this, but it was not the right time to show my defiance.
"You can be seated now," the clerk declared.
"We are gathered here to punish the werewolf for the crime Article number five - of not submitting herself to the master from birth, Article number seven - not having a mark, Article number eight - not living under a master's command." I could not see, with my head down, who was speaking, but I assumed it was one of the Elders.
There were several gasps in the room as they had never heard such atrocities.
I thought they would be talking about the dead men in the woods. Am I not the first offender today? I didn't see any possible other "criminals" here. Also, the words "mark" and "master" clearly rang the bell, and my neck was still very sore.
It was clear that they were talking about me, as there didn't seem to be any other "criminals" in the room. Why did they call me werewolf? I remembered the chained wolf from my dreams or delusions. Am I actually a werewolf? That must still be some kind of mistake. The world I discovered was utterly insane, but am I really part of this?
They kept talking, but my mind started to wander more and more, reliving the last few days, trying to put it all together. The smells and feelings that I experienced. The supernatural ability that I witnessed. Am I really a werewolf? How could I have lived my whole life without this knowledge? Did my parents know? These questions keep sizzling my brain.
Why am I on trial by these people? Is it my fault for being just me, for not being their slave from birth?
I focused on the words coming out from the Elders.
"Let's proceed with the voting." The third voice announced.
They must have raised their hands. I could not look up, but the pause was very brief.
"Unanimous! Guilty as charged." The same voice announced.
"As per Nosferatu law, punishment for Article number five is death, punishment for article seven is death, punishment for article eight is death," announced the second voice.
I could hear whispers of approval coming from every inch of the courtroom.
Well, that pretty much settles it, ran through my head. I could not say anything or scream even if I wanted. The cage around me got even tighter.
There was no lawyer or even space for anyone to defend me. I could not believe what I had just heard. I had to grab the cage to hold one as my head started to spin.
"If anyone wants to add anything to the case, that is their only chance before we proceed to the execution," added the third voice.
"I have an offer for the council." I heard Mr. Jules.
I tried to look from the corner of my eye and noticed that Mr. Jules was speaking, and Doctor Arthur was sitting next to him.
"I would like to purchase the life of this criminal," Mr. Jules continued.
I heard the gasps again.
"This is a very unusual offer," one of the Elders' voices replied. "We know you do nothing without reason, while you also follow our law explicitly. Generally, it's possible to purchase a pet's life that was set to death by trial. Even though everyone's business is their own in Agora, you have to understand the risk of sparing the life of the werewolf who roamed the world without serving their master. The message it would send to the rest of the werewolves would not be without consequences. You are allowed to speak now to voice your case."
"I have test results, and a hundred percent match of her bloodline came from the "Gray" pack that belongs to me. I also had the Alpha influence her. She had submitted immediately as the bloodline would enforce. I will also eagerly reveal why I want to keep her alive. Finding her outside of Agora, living her life undetected, could only mean that there was a breach years ago, when she was able to leave the pack with someone's help completely undetected. We never heard anyone escaping this island in hundreds of years. I want to keep her alive to find out everything about the traitors or any other werewolves roaming the world free that should never be." he finished his speech.
There was a slight pause. Then the room filled up with whispers again.
"We heard your case. We will let you have her at your own discretion. If the vote goes in your favor, you can buy her life for the standard price of the pet committed to death. Let the vote begin." Replied another Elder. I had to pick, so I briefly raised my eyes. I saw the hands rise and fall. My heart was trembling inside my body.
"Unanimous! She belongs to you as she should have been from the day of her birth!" The voice announced.
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