Thaddeus's steps echoed in the grand hallway of the Capital Magistrate’s Courthouse. The atmosphere in the courtroom was thick with tension, a palpable mix of curiosity and suspense hanging over the assembled crowd. Every eye was fixed on Thaddeus as he took his seat, his presence reigniting the fervor and speculation around the Bearington heir's mysterious vanishing. The air was charged with expectation as if the very walls of the Capital Magistrate’s Courthouse were leaning in to hear the revelations that might unfold.
Sabrina, taking her place among the spectators, could feel the weight of countless gazes, whispers weaving through the air like threads of a complex tapestry, each one hinting at a different theory or ending to the story they thought they knew. The courtroom, usually a place of order and justice, seemed transformed into an arena where the past was about to confront the present.
Silence emanated as three imposing judges, two Bearmen and one Bearwoman with stern expressions, entered the courtroom and took their places on the elevated judge’s bench. The audience watched as the men sat to the sides, and the Bearwoman took the center chair. The silence was absolute, a collective breath held in anticipation. Only when the center judge gaveled the court into session, did people exhale.
“Baron Brown, due you understand your rights, the charges, and the possible penalty should you be found guilty?” the center judge asked, conveying the gravity of the proceedings.
As the proceedings began, Thaddeus tried to steady his nerves. His journey here had been long and fraught with challenges. The quest to discover the fate of his parents had led him down a path filled with danger and discovery. Rising to his feet, his voice firm, masking his nervousness for resolved, “I do Your Honor.”
An audible murmur went through the courtroom, hearing Thaddeus’ acknowledgment.
“Baron Brown, since you are aware of your rights, we’ll go through this rather quickly. You are here pursuant to the missing Bearington Heirship, which you allegedly claim,” announced a side judge.
As the session commenced, the audience leaned in, captivated by the unfolding drama. The anticipation of the verdict hung heavy in the air. The claim of the Bearington Heirship was a matter that tugged at the very fabric of the Bearkin society, a story of lineage lost and found, of power and responsibility that lay dormant, waiting to be claimed.
“Lord John Bearington are you able to proceed to today?” inquired the center judge.
“Yes, Your Honor,” declared a formidable Bearman with brindle fur and a proud appearance, his arrogant voice cutting through the formal atmosphere like a knife.
After swearing an oath, a side judge asked, “Lord Bearington, has your family had enough time to look over Baron Brown’s answers?”
“We have your honor.”
“And your family’s conclusion.”
“We have concluded Baron Brown to be a fraud,” Lord Bearington said disgustedly.
Audible gasps filled the courtroom. Thaddeus hung his head in sadness. His hopes and dreams were dashed again. He chided himself for getting his hopes hopes. For Thaddeus, it was also deeply personal. The possibility that his mother, whom he believed to be lost within the vastness of Heaven's Gate, could still be alive and part of this tangled narrative added a poignant urgency to the proceedings.
“Baron Brown, do you wish to cross-examine Lord Bearington?”
“No, your honors,” Thaddeus said resigned to his fate.
“Lord Bearington, is there anything you wish to add before returning to your seat?”
“No, your honors,” he sneered happily.
“Very well, we shall move to sentencing—,” the center judge said expeditiously.
“Wait your honors, I believe the defendant is entitled to a defense,” a voice interjected from the crowd.
Hearing the voice, Thaddeus’ ears perked up.
“Stand and identify yourself before the court,” the center judge said angry for being interrupted.
“I am Braxton Bearnhardt, I represent the Bearnhardt Clan. I recognize Thaddeus Bearington-Brown as my kin. His grandmother was Bearnhardt, and I can testify to his hereditary.”
The twist caught everyone off guard, two of the major clans clashed in court. For the Bearnhardt Family to certify Thaddeus’ lineage stood in direct confrontation with the Bearington’s.
“You dare insult the Bearington Clain to my face,” Lord John shouted vehemently.
“Order in the court!” the center judge shouted banging her gavel on the bench. “Lord John, please calm yourself. Braxton Bearnhardt, were you not cast out by your family.”
“If I may approach the bench your honors, I have a writ from the clan patriarch testifying to my reinstatement and certifying Baron Brown's lineage.”
When the judges motioned for him to approach, Brax gave Thaddeus a conspiratorial wink and quick smile. To Thaddeus, Brax’s presence was a comforting support.
As the judges examined the documents. The court burst into conversation and debate. Although the five major clans weren’t cordial, rarely clashed openly, and certainly not in court. The crowd, a mixture of players and prominent citizens, watched with bated breath as the drama unfolded.
After a while judges announced the authenticity of the documents, officially pitting two major rivals against each other. Both Brax and John looked at each other murderously, ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
“Lord Braxton Bearnhardt please present your evidence,” the center judge permitted.
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Drax spoke passionately about Thaddeus’ crafting ability, which he claimed he inherited from his grandmother. Brax’s sophistry left little doubt about Thaddeus' lineage. The implications of Brax’s testimony began to crystallize. If Thaddeus was his relative and related to the Imperial Brown Family, then what of his claim to the Bearington Heirship?
Now the audience began to eye John Bearington suspiciously, casting his claims into doubt. The walls around his testimony began to crumble.
Yet, the trial was far from over, but the truth had a way of emerging in the most unexpected of ways. Thaddeus steeled himself for what was to come, ready to confront the challenges head-on, with the knowledge that the path to truth was often paved with obstacles and that every revelation brought him closer to understanding his place in the world.
The courtroom's atmosphere remained tense as the judges called for a short recess. While the judges debated, Brax walked over to Thaddeus and Sabrina.
“Thanks, Drax, but I hate to know what you gave up helping me,” Thaddues apologized.
“A teacher who doesn’t support their disciple is unworthy. I merely did what I had to, don’t worry about me. Good luck cub,” Brax said patting Thaddeus on the shoulder.
Minutes later, the center judge gaveled the court back into session. “The court thanks Lord Bearington and Bearnhardt testimony. Baron Brown the court recognizes you are the imperial noble registry and Bearnhardt clan registry—”
“Your honors that is preposterous, he is a fraud like the—”
“Lord Bearington interrupted me again and you shall cool off in a cell,” the center judge warned sternly.
“As I was saying, the court recognizes your lineages, but that does not prove you are the missing Bearington heir,” the center judge surmised.
Hearing the court doubt the overwhelming evidence, sent the audience whispering conspiratorially.
“Order in the court! The court has a duty to affirm the truth based on the evidence. When competing evidence is presented, it falls to the duty of the court to bring in an unbiased expert!” a side judge proclaimed.
“The court summons Lord Benjamin Obearon,” declared a side judge.
When the name was announced, the spectators were surprised and gasped. The next witness was a respected elder and a historian. The octogenarian oversaw the kingdom’s archives and was known for his meticulous recordkeeping, especially on noble lineages and heraldic matters. He was also the king’s oldest and most trusted adviser. To summon an expert of his caliber meant the court was in desperate need of clarity.
Thaddeus watched, as the gray and white-furred historian swore to tell the truth. Approaching the stand, he unfurled a bundle of scrolls, books, diagrams, and maps.
The anticipation in the room was palpable as people stood on their feet. This was the ultimate culmination. The historian's testimony would either support Lord John Bearington’s denial or vindicate Lord Braxton Bearnhardt’s claim.
The center judge’s voice cut through the silence, “Please present your findings regarding the lineage of Baron Thaddeus Brown and any connections to the Bearington family.” The historian nodded, unrolling a scroll with the careful precision of one who understood the weight of history held within these documents.
“As per the royal archives and the comprehensive study of the Bearington lineage,” the historian began, his voice steady, “we have found records that mention Lindsey Bearington’s secret elopement David Brown, from which lineage Baron Thaddeus Brown claims descent. It is also widely known the Bearington patriarch is married to a Bearnhardt.”
“Yes, we all know that Elder Obearon, but what to Baron Brown’s claim to the Bearington heirship, is it legitimate?” the center judge pressed.
A murmur ran through the crowd. The audience’s eyes were glued to the elder, unable to look away. Their anticipation hung on the edge, teetering anxiously on bated breaths.
John Bearington's face frowned, as nervous sweat poured down his face. It was one thing to disagree with the Bearnhardt family, but to publicly doubt Elder Obearon was to question the king’s decision-making.
On the other side, Brax remained calm. No matter the elder’s response, he was prepared for the consequences of siding with his discipline.
Unlike the rest of the audience, Thaddeus knew Brax lied on his behalf. He was certain now; he was not the missing Bearington heir. But he wondered if the Bearingtons would allow him to meet the woman who searched for her missing son. If he could, he would promise to help her find her lost cub.
The historian continued, detailing the evidence, including a faded but still legible marriage certificate and birth records that traced back to Thaddeus's ancestors, who bore the Bearington, Bearnhardt, and Brown lineage. When he finished, the historian met the judges’ gaze. “In matters of lineage and heritage, especially within noble families, records such as these are highly secretive. While it does not conclusively prove Baron Brown’s claim without any shadow of doubt, it strongly supports his connection to the Bearington lineage, warranting further investigation and consideration.”
Like a bomb, the courtroom exploded into whispers and heated discussions. The revelation from Elder Obearon had shifted the ground beneath the courtroom's feet. The once clear-cut case against Thaddeus was now mired in complexity and intrigue.
The judges, previously stern and seemingly decided, now showed signs of contemplation, their eyes flickering between the documents presented by Elder Obearon, Lord Bearnhardt, and Lord Bearington. Three of the five major clans had weighed in on this case, one against, one for, and the last undecided.
The air was thick with anticipation as the courtroom waited for the judges to deliberate on this new piece of evidence.
Lord John Bearington, his earlier confidence now replaced with a scowl, stared at Elder Obearon and Brax, his discomfort palpable. The courtroom’s atmosphere was tense as if the very reputation of the Bearington Clan was being questioned.
With a nod towards Thaddeus, Brax seemed to convey a silent message of solidarity. Thaddeus, for his part, felt a complex mix of gratitude and uncertainty. His gaze briefly met Sabrina's in the crowd, finding a flicker of hope in her eyes.
The center judge, after a moment of hushed conversation with her colleagues, cleared her throat, signaling for silence. “Given the evidence presented by Elder Obearon and Lord Bearnhardt,” she began, her voice steady but charged with the weight of her words, “this court finds…it necessary to postpone the sentencing of Baron Thaddeus Brown. Further investigation into the legitimacy of his claim to the Bearington Heirship is warranted."
The courtroom erupted into a cacophony of reactions. Some expressed outrage, while others celebrated, but all were united in their shock at the turn of events.
Lord John Bearington stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "This is preposterous!" he exclaimed, but the judge's stern gaze quickly silenced him.
“Order will be maintained,” the center judge asserted firmly. “This case is far from concluded, and justice will be served upon its rightful completion.”
As the crowd stood up to disperse…banging noise erupted outside. Everyone’s attention turned the door in fright, had the war began sooner than expected.
Braxton with weapons drawn approached Thaddeus and Sabrina, ready to shield them at a moment’s notice.
‘Bang,’ the noise grew louder.
‘BANG,’ the noise grew even louder.
Bearkin faced the door, weapons at the ready. Only John Bearington’s were focused on Thaddeus. This distraction would serve as the perfect cover to kill the bastard.
‘BANG!’ came again, this time sending the courtroom doors flying off the latches. The explosion sent dust and debris scattering throughout the courthouse, obscuring everyone’s vision.
When the dust settled, everyone saw the guards outside the courtroom collapsed, wounded and unconscious in the hallway.
Standing in the doorway was a manic woman, with strong mana radiating encircling her. Her aura sent shivers down the spine of spectators. The cold courtroom began to bloom with toxic plants and poisonous vines. The court of justice quickly became a battleground of death.
The judges, caught off-guard by this dramatic turn of events, called for the guards, but their efforts were stymied by the petrified crowd.
A voice trembling in rage demanded, “Where is my son?”