The one-use portal device was surprisingly easy to activate. An ovular hole spread out in front of Tianna revealing a brightly lit forest, and a path leading to an imposing stone building. As Tianna stepped closer to the building she locked eyes with a cat. They stared at each other awkwardly for a few moments before the cat yawned, stretched, and streaked off inside the building.
“What was that?” Tianna muttered to herself. She carefully approached the building again, looking for an entrance. She found the entrance a little to the left set into an arch shaped indent in the stone wall. The door was open revealing a courtyard filled with cats of every kind. A few of them glanced over at her as she approached, but the majority ignored her completely.
A woman in a similar uniform to what Ruena had been wearing back in Belleas approached. “We do have a guest,” she noted, “Welcome to the base of the Alodan Warriors. Are you here to take the entrance test or… did you come here for the trial?”
“The trial is being held here?” Tianna asked, then realized that the trial could refer to any trial, “I am looking for a dragon named Jerath.”
“That’s the one, but you can’t visit him right now,” the woman explained.
“Is there any way for me to attend the trial. I am Tianna, the person he was falsely accused of kidnapping,” Tianna pressed.
The woman seemed interested. “Well, this is an unexpected surprise. I will let you inside but I can’t promise anything. This trial is more than it seems on the surface.”
Tianna frowned slightly at the ominous words, but followed the woman inside. The inside of the base was simple, but rather than looking like a cold war fortress it had a more relaxed atmosphere. As they walked through the halls Tianna noticed even more cats as well as groups of women in uniform chatting happily with each other. It was not what she had expected from the base of group calling themselves warriors.
“This will do,” the woman muttered, breaking the silence. She opened the door to what appeared to be some sort of sitting room. There were couches and a couple little tables decorated with flowers. “I will announce your presence to Ruena. In the meantime, stay here. If you go wandering about without permission you might be mistaken for an intruder.”
“An intruder?” Tianna asked, “Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
“This place may seem laid back, but don’t let that fool you. We take security very seriously,” The woman replied with a smirk, “Goodbye, little princess.”
With that, Tianna was left alone. She gingerly sat on one of the couches and started to wonder if she had made the right move. Should she have asked Densooth for more help before leaving? Was it really going to be that easy to appear at Jerath’s trial if it truly had become that big of a deal?
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Her thinking was interrupted when a sleek gray cat jumped onto her lap and settled down as if it was only natural.
“Why are there so many cats here?” Tianna wondered aloud as she stroked it gently.
“They make excellent spies,” a familiar voice answered. Ruena herself was standing in the doorway, “It’s not as if it is some big secret. Most people know, but it is very difficult to tell trained spy cats from ordinary pets.”
“Oh,” Tianna replied, awkwardly stopping mid pet.
“I hear you came here for Jerath’s trial,” Ruena continued, “Before you demand to get involved I should give you more details. First of all, I already knew you were Tarina. It really was an excellent disguise, but I would recognize Soral’s work anywhere. It was fairly easy to figure out who he might be disguising after that, and so long as I pretended to know nothing I did not have to report anything to the Black Wolf.”
“Then how did he find out where I was? Was it that Anonymous Watcher, or does he have some kind of wolf secret spy network?” Tianna asked.
“Wolves, huh? I can’t really imagine them as spies, myself, but it might be possible. That isn’t what happened, though. When of the Belleas employees saw you and thought they could get whatever they wanted from the Black Wolf should they turn you in. Unfortunately for them, they told me after they contacted some professionals so I ratted them out to the Toll family.”
“So that is how the Toll family found out,” Tianna realized.
Ruena made a light scoffing sound. “Oh I am sure they would have found out either way. They don’t take likely to betrayal and always seem to know when an oath is broken. At any rate things started to get complicated after you showed up in the palace. Velcorna Alodan accused Jerath of sending you off to the palace so he could finish his duty and stop having to babysit. She likely used her poisonous tongue to spin other lies to convince the Saorsa.”
“Velcorna?!” Tianna broke in, “Isn’t she the head of the council? The one in the palace?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Ruena answered, “If you have met her you must understand what a cruel woman she is. I couldn’t watch them put a likely innocent dragon away for life on her word alone so I interfered. I am honestly surprised they allowed me to, seeing as the Saorsa has marked me as an enemy. Soral had something to do with it, I am sure.”
“Then I need to help defend him,” Tianna told her.
“No. I appreciate your help, but having the victim openly come to his defense will seem suspicious. Besides, Jerath is a prince. The Saorsa does not have the power to lock him up. The only ones who can punish foreign royals are the Queen, and her advisor, Densooth.”
“Then why is there a trial?” Tianna asked.
“Because the council has been trying to take that power for themselves. Velcorna likely saw this as an opportunity to get the Saorsa’s support for it,” Ruena explained, “However, if the council is given that power it won’t just be some one time deal. That is why Densooth is appearing at this trial in person.”
“Shouldn’t I go as well since I am the heir to the Queen?” Tianna asked.
“Unacknowledged heir,” Ruena corrected, “You musn’t forget that you are still the victim here. Not to mention, as far as the council knows you are still locked in the palace. It is too dangerous for you to attend the trial.”
“Then did I escape for nothing?” Tianna demanded, “Isn’t there anything I can do to help Jerath?”
Ruena studied her for a moment. “I never said that you could do nothing,” she pointed out, “I only recommended not attending the trial. Currently the details of your kidnapping are unknown. If you can provide a detailed statement I may be able to use it to prove Jerath’s innocence.”
Tianna relaxed a little. “Really? Thank goodness. Oh, Densooth told me it would be a good idea to stress that the Black Wolf ordered this kidnapping.”
“He did?’ Ruena asked, “Interesting. That also makes things a bit easier. If this was ordered by the Black Wolf than whoever he tasked with your kidnapping would bear his mark.”
“Densooth said something about that,” Tianna confirmed, “Thank you for your help.”
“No, thank you for yours,” Ruena replied with a confident smile, “I will do anything to win over that woman. Stay here in my base for now. I will keep you updated on the progress of the trial.”