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This takes place right after Violated.
A week had passed after Allies incident. In that
week, she had walked in a daze. Diamond had been very
supportive but he wasnt there until the end and
neither was Tristan. Tristan had been very supportive
as well, never leaving her alone by herself for too
long. He convinced her to press charges against Derek.
She wasnt too sure about pressing charges but letting
him get away with what he done was far worse. She knew
this was a hard decision to make. A decision that had
to be made. She sighed a deep sigh. -OK, I will press
charges. I need to do this for myself.-
-It is about time, honey.- Diamonds voice came into
her head. The magess picked herself off the floor, left
her room and headed for the headmasters office.
Allie knocked on the office door. Come in. called
the headmasters voice. She entered and sat down in a
chair. The headmaster had been looking over paperwork
when she had walked in and now looked up to see who had
entered. Altheia? This is a surprise.
Am I disturbing you headmaster?
No, no. Not at all. What can I do for you?
Well, I been thinking over this incident that has
happened to me. I was wondering......is it too late to
press charges against Derek?
You want to press charges?
Yes sir. I fact I been reading the school policy. In
title V, under Harassment it says the school is
responsible for keeping their students safe from sexual
harassment. No disrespect to you sir, but the school
has failed to do that in my case. She handed him the
document so that he can read for himself. You are
right, Altheia. he sighed, We never had a harassment
charge here before, if you can believe that. I dont
want any more of these incidents to happen in the
future. I suppose you do not have your own lawyer?
She shook her head no. Then I will provide you with
the school lawyer. I wont be easy Altheia.
I know that sir. It was one of the things I thought
over. I am not a quitter. I know it isnt easy.
However, we have the healers documentation of my exam
and I had two witnesses. Derek just has his word.
Dereks family is very wealthy. He is a nobles son.
I know but Justice doesnt discriminate between race,
class, or status. Everyone needs to be represented
equally.
Beautifully said, my dear. Have you ever considered a
career in law?
I dont think I would be very good one sir. I find
lawyers are too corrupt for me. Besides I am not a good
liar.
Yes, well, I wish you luck. May Shanea, goddess of
luck, and Elisa, goddess of justice, smile upon you.
Thank you sir.
I will have the school lawyer contact you as soon as
possible.
Thank you sir. Thank you for all your help. She stood
and walked out of the office. This was only the first
step. There were many more to come.
The next day, the girl heard a knock on her dorm
door. She opened it to find a woman with long blonde
hair, blue eyes and wearing a long blue robe. Are you
Altheia Summers?
Yes.
I am your attorney. May I come in?
Could I see some identification first?
Smart girl. The woman handed her a business card. She
looked at it. Su Yu?
Thats me.
She opened the door further allowing the attorney to
step into the room. She looked around with a bit of
disapproval. A bit small isnt it?
It is a dorm room. What do you expect?
Good point. Lets get down to business. Libby sat in
the desk chair and the girl on the bed. I will need to
know everything that happened. Why dont you start from
what happened on that day.
Well, Derek asked to meet me after classes because he
wanted a truce.
What kind of truce?
Well, we arent exactly friends. He hates me with a
passion.
Continue on.
I met him at the fountain which is where we agreed to
meet. Then he said we were going to his dorm.
Did he have your consent?
No, he took me by the arm and led me there.
Hmmm. Continue, I am just going to be taking some
notes on what you are saying. She took out a parchment
and pen and jotted down some notes. So after you got
to his room, what happened?
He asked me to sit down and offered me a glass of
wine.
Did you take it? How much did you drink?
Yes I did and I had a few sips. I am not big on
drinking.
Did he try to get you to drink it?
Yes. Su scribbled some more notes on her parchment.
Were there any witnesses?
Yes, my unicorn, and Tristan, my friend.
Your boyfriend?
No, just a friend.
When did they show up?
Not until after Derek raped me. I could hear them
breaking down the door.
Lets go back and tell me what happened after Derek
offered you the wine.
He sat down on the couch next to me and kissed me.
Did he have consent to kiss you?
No.
What did you do when he kissed you?
I punched him in the face.
So you did try to defend yourself?
Yes. I hit him more than once.
What happened then?
We fought. I tried to get free but every time I tried
to get away, he would pin me down. Then he threw me on
the bed and pinned me down.
Did you call for help?
Yes, I screamed and I called for my unicorn. We are
telepathic.
What did Derek do when you screamed?
He kissed me to keep me from screaming.
Did you struggle?
Yes I tried. He had me pinned down.
Then what happened?
Then he removed my clothes and proceeded to rape me.
What did your friends do when they finally got there?
Tristan beat Derek up. He lifted him off me and beat
him up. Derek got knock unconscious. Then we went
straight to headmaster Mikeals office but he wasnt
there. We decided to go straight to his house and I
told him what I just told you.
Did you have a healer examine you?
Yes, I went the next day and the healer has the
examination all documented.
What is the name of the healer you saw?
Her name was Minerva. Su scribbled more notes on her
parchment. Anything else?
No, I think that is all.
OK, I will need to talk to your witnesses, the
headmaster, and the healer that examined you. After I
do that, I will contact you of when your court date
is. The lawyer held out her hand for Allie to shake.
She took the lawyers hand and shook it. Thank you for
your help. By the way, what does the blue robe mean?
People who seek justice, wisdom and knowledge wear
them. Goddess of Justice, herself, wore a blue robe. I
am a mage as well. I decided to go into law instead. A
mage can do alot of good in law.
A few days passed before she heard from her lawyer
again. When she got back to her dorm, she found a
envelope under her door. She opened it to find a letter
addressed to her.
Altheia:
Your court date is set for the day after tomorrow at
9am sharp at the city hall in Haven. Please be prompt.
Su Yu.
Allies heart started to pound. Here was the next step
she had to take. Would she be ready?
Court day had come. Allie sat in the court room
with her lawyer waiting for the judge to appear. Derek
sat across from her with his parents lawyer. His
parents sat with him. -How lucky- she thought. She
didnt have parental support.
-What am I? Glue?-
-Of course not, Diamond. They let you in the court
room?-
-Of course. I am a witness. Tristan is here too sitting
in the fourth row with Stephanie. -
She looked around. True to his word, Tristan and
Stephanie were there. There werent many people in the
court room, just the supporters, the defendant, the
prosecution, the lawyers, and the jury. -Must be a
closed trial.-
All rise. The honorable judge Darien Truthspeaker
presiding. The court room rose.
Please be seated. The room sat. Call the first
witness.
Your Honor, I call Altheia Summers to the stand.
Allie stood and walked up to the witness stand. The
bailiff asked, Do you swear to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth by all the gods
above?
I do.
Please be seated. She sat in the chair. Her lawyer
walked up and asked the first question. Could you tell
the court what happened two week ago?
I met with defendant after classes because he said he
wanted to talk.
Did you meet him?
Yes.
What happened next?
We went to his dorm room.
What happened when you reached his room?
He offered me a glass of wine. I sat on the couch. He
sat next to me. Then he kissed me.
Did you fight back?
Yes.
Then what?
He threw me onto the bed and raped me.
Thank you. No further questions, your Honor.
Any questions form the defendant? asked the judge.
Yes your honor. Altheia, you claim he was meeting you
to talk but my client says you showed up at his dorm
uninvited.
That is a lie.
My client goes on to say that you drank three glasses
on wine and started to come onto him.
I repeat that is a lie.
How much wine did you drink?
I didnt even finish my first glass. I had three sips.
I hardly call that drunk.
Objection! called Su Yu. Your honor, I fail to see
how much wine she drank has anything to do with it.
Your honor, I am establishing the fact that she drank
the wine and was so drunk she threw herself at my
client.
I will allow it counselor.
My client goes on to say you kissed him.
No he kissed me.
What were you doing while you claim he raped you.
I kicked and punched him. I was shouting for help
until he held me down.
How did he hold you down?
With his arms and body.
Do you have any witnesses?
Yes I have two.
Why do you think Derek would rape you Miss Summers?
Were you his ex girlfriend?
Hardly. We cant stand each other. He raped me to ruin
me.
Ruin you?
Yes, as in make me feel like less than a person.
No further questions your honor.
You may step down Miss Summers. said the judge.
Call the next witness.
Your honor, the prosecution calls Tristan to the
stand. announced Su Yu. The magess got up and Tristan
took her place.
Now Tristan can you explain the relationship you have
with the prosecution.?
I am her friend.
can you tell us what happened that day.
Well I was on my way back from classes when I saw
Diamond, Allies unicorn running at top speed. I
decided to follow him.
Where was Diamond going?
He went to Dereks dorm.
What happened when you reached the dorm room?
The door was locked. Diamond and I proceeded to knock
it down.
Did you hear any noises coming from the other side?
Yes I heard shouts and banging.
When you finally walked in , what was the situation?
Well Derek was on top of Allie. Both of them were
naked.
What did you do when you saw them?
I picked Derek up and threw him off her. I hit him in
the nose for what he did to Allie.
What did she look like when you entered the room?
She was beat up, naked, and her blouse was ripped.
Thank you. No further questions your honor.
Does the defense care to cross examine?
No, your honor.
Step down please.
We call our next witness Diamond.
Diamond walked up to the stand. Come on your honor. He
is a horse.
I beg your pardon sir. I am not a HORSE. I am a
unicorn.
Honor, I object.
Your honor, he was a witness at the crime. spoke Su
Yu.
I will allow it.
Diamond, what did you see at the scene of the crime?
I saw my mistress lying on her back naked with that
slime on top of her.
Was she drunk at all?
She was most certainly not.
Objection! How would he know that? asked the defense
attorney.
I was there. My mistress was perfectly sober.
Do you have anything further to add?
No, everything else has been said.
No further questions, your honor.
Witness may step down.
Does the prosecution have any further witnesses?
Yes your honor. I like to call Headmaster Mikeal to
the stand.
The headmaster stood up and walked to the stand. After
the swearing in he sat down. Now headmaster, has
anything like this happened before?
No, it has not.
How did Miss Summers look when she came to you?
She looked disheveled. Her clothes torn.
Headmaster, do you recognize copies of these
documents?
She brought the documents over for him to look. Yes,
those are the documents from the healer that examined
Altheia. Alles attorney handed the documents over to
the judge.
No further questions you honor.
The defense attorney stood up. Headmaster, how would
it look to the school if word of this got out?
I suppose it would look bad.
Possibly the school shutting down?
Are you suggesting suing my school?
Not at all, headmaster.
The school has a responsibility to every student to
keep him or her safe.
No further questions your honor. The headmaster
stepped down.
Does the prosecution have any more witnesses?
No your honor.
Dereks attorney stood up. I like to call Derek to the
stand. Derek sauntered up to the stand with a smug
smile on his face.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth, so
help you gods?
I do.
Now Derek you claim Miss Summers threw herself at
you.
She did.
How do you account for her witnesses?
Well, she doesnt like me. She could have told them
what to say.
Why would she threw herself on you?
Perhaps she cant resist my irresistible charm.
Why would she say you raped her?
Maybe because she wishes she was my girlfriend.
Your honor, he is wasting the courts time. replied
Su Yu.
What do you propose counselor.
I propose the truth spell, your honor. It is the only
way to tell who is lying and who is not.
You honor, that is unethical.
No, not if both went under the spell.
Order! Order in the courtroom! The judge slammed down
his gavel. I will allow it. Miss Summers will you come
back up here?
I object your honor. replied Derek.
You have no choice. To refuse means you are as good as
guilty.
Oh fine.
Derek and Allie sat in chairs across from each other.
Su Yu gathered her will and soon there were two white
lights above their heads. It is simple your honor. If
the white light dims or goes out, that is the guilty
party. Altheia, did you meet Derek that day?
Yes. The light grew brighter Allie answered the
question.
Did he rape you?
Yes.
Did you throw yourself at him?
No. The light still did not falter.
Derek, did you have this womans consent?
Yes. The light dimmed.
In what way did you have her consent?
She wanted it. She wanted to have sex with me. The
light above his head dimmed and almost went out.
You are lying Derek.
I am not! The light above his head went completely
out.
Start telling the truth Derek. Did you try to
intoxicate my client so you could rape her?
Derek paused, he answered, Yes..
Did you rape her?
Yes. The light glowed brighter over his head.
You have been lying to the court, havent you Derek?
Yes! I did. I did it! I raped her but she deserved
it! There was a roar of murmurs and whisperings from
the crowd.
Order! bellowed the judge. Young man, no one
deserves to be raped. I sentence you to hard labor in
the work camp for life without parole. Case
dismissed! Su Yu shook Allies hand. You won.
With your help, I did. Thank you.
By the way, said the woman lawyer. I forgot to take
the truth spell off you. Su Yu placed her hand on the
girls forehead.
Thanks. Are you going to take the spell off Derek?
Su Yu thought about it then came to a conclusion.
Nope, I dont think I will. Telling the truth would be
good for him for once. She gave the girl an evil
smile. The girl smiled back in understanding.
The crowd started to file out of the court room. Her
friends were waiting outside.
I am glad that is over. Tristan put his arm around
her shoulders. You can move on with your life Allie.
Yes, but not completely. Justice has been done but the
crime has still been committed.
Avalon Avalon Publication (December 2001) |
