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[Angelique]

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Auris waited patiently at his mother's desk for her to come out of the bedchamber of the young guest they were caring for in the manor while she healed. He listened for the soft approach of her footsteps before he spoke. "Mother it was so exciting. I was nervous at first, then I knew I could do it, but by the end it was taking drawing out so long I got grouchy and tired. I did a good job though, I know I did. I will not be nervous next time."

Angelique smiled warmly on her raven haired son. "Tell me all of it Son. Your father had already agreed to plead guilty to Agrivated Assault and Conspiracy to Commit Murder for the Sanctus fellow's injury in the bombing, and to the kidnapping and assault of Molly's child years ago. I remember when he cut off her finger and sent it to Molly. So long ago, I wonder what has happened to that girl by now." Auris laughs under his hood, "Her mother probably ate her by now, hungry from letting her husband last a while." Magincia's Patrona giggles at her son, "Perhaps, but we are getting off the subject of you. How did you go from his pleading guilty of all that to his coming home innocent?"

Taking a deep breath the young teen goes into his tale. "Well it was like this Mama. The elves thought they would get tricksty, just like they do, you know, and they changed the agreement. First they changed it from Poshe in Sanctus to Molly that father supposedly agreed to. Then when we finally got that straightened out they changed the agreed punishment from Papa stating that he wouldn't harm them in Malas to anywhere. That prosecutor seemed to think he had universal jurisdiction over all the realm" He pauses to chuckle. "That is when they first started losing ground and I started feeling confident. We declined the agreement altogether and pled no contest to all but the charges of assault against Molly and Mister Molly. The prosecutor called several witnesses and droned on for hours on who they were and what they did and asked each one about four times what the bomber wore until he got an answer he liked. As if anyone couldn't go get a robe made to look like any government if they wanted to bad enough. He objected lots, and I objected when he got so repetitive. If I made a point with a witness he wanted it stricken from the record, which was really great for me because it only emphasized that I had made a good point."

"I learned a lot about trial proceedings and I learned some strategy too. I kept my questioning short so I just made my points and let them stand out. Finally after over four hours I got to put on my defense, but there wasn't hardly anyone left in the courtroom by then. I put Father on the stand and let him tell his side of things. Then the prosecutor hounded him for a good while on that book he wrote. On redirect I was able to make the point that the book was written after the bombings and influenced by it not the other way around. Papa did say he recruited the bomber but he didn't give his name, he is so smart, and they never asked it either. Said he recruited him for the bravery and sacrifice he shown in his battle for humanity. I let Father do the closing statement, I had got him in as co-council at the beginning of the trial so he could speak for himself freely at the end. The judge decided there wasn't any proof that Papa was guilty of any of the charge so he dropped all the charges levied against him to inciting a crime and harboring a known criminal. He ordered that Father sign a statement that he would not harm innocents in Sosaria, and pay restitution for the damages determined by his involvement in the crime before he was released."

"I am very proud of you Son, you did well for your first time. Perhaps you have your father's talent for such things. Tell me how much was the restitution?" Auris could hardly contain himself, "Mama they were so damn tired after that drawn out trial they couldn't figure it out. I mean it would be hard to agree on a figure of what his part was. It would have to be a small percentage of the actual damage. But they never even tried to wrap their little elven brains around it. They let him go with out paying! I don't even think he pay now since the judge ordered he had to pay before they released him. I think they forfeight that. They never asked for us to surrender the bomber or even to name him. And I liked the wording of "never harming innocents" I couldn't have written that better myself. Papa would never harm an innocent person. Glad they didn't say elf."

As the proud boy rises and starts to leave the room he turns back to Angelique, "Mama? Could we have a party to celebrate when Papa and Athlon get back from pixie hunting tonight?"