“c1″> 

The
Queen’s dais had been considerably enlarged to accommodate
the whole jury consisting of the Queen, the weapons’ master,
and the captain of the Royal guards. Another three representatives
were recruited among the full time warriors. There also was Akyra
and two other elders, one of the older apprentices. The scouts,
hunters, and different crafts also each had a seat. Two additional
seats were granted to Melosa’s aunt and the young
weapons’ master of the mountain village – twenty
people, all in all.

“c1″> 

On
either side of the dais, a table was set up for prosecution and
defence, facing the dais as well as each other. When silence
settled all around the village square, Ephiny was standing to
Xena’s right, her eyes flickering once and again to her
opponents at the other side, the main part of her attention
concentrated on Queen Melosa and the jury. She was an experienced
lawyer and had rarely lost a case but never before, she had had to
deal with a capital crime and a possible death
sentence.

“c1″> 

“c1″>Xena’s answers to the younger woman’s
questions had never been very forthcoming, not even after she began
to willingly talk with her lawyer. But her profession had made
Ephiny an expert in reading between the lines, so the things Xena
didn’t say taught her a lot about her client. After the
summer solstice, she already was pretty sure what it was that the
tall warrior was hiding behind her
tougher-than-leather-attitude.

“c1″> 

The
battle against Darphus and his men more than confirmed her
suspicions. What she witnessed was more than astonishing: Even in
the midst of the fray, surrounded by Amazons and enemy soldiers
alike Xena’s strokes never strayed. Her sword unerringly
found her goal, and though the blue-eyed woman would have denied
it, she actively avoided harming the Amazons with her weapons.
Sword and chakram always were where they were needed most, and more
than just one or two Amazons, this day owed their lives to her
relentless energy.

“c1″> 

Ephiny
suddenly snapped out of her musings when Queen Melosa finally
lowered the royal mask over her face to officially get started with
the trial.

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>-x-x-x-x-

“c1″> 

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Xena of Amphipolis, you are standing in front of
the jury under the scrutinising eyes of the whole nation to be
judged according to Amazon law. Hear now the charges brought
against you: First. You are accused being directly responsible of
the deliberate breaking of the peace treaty signed between
yourself, the Centaur and the Amazon Nation. You are further
accused of having thus endangered the lives of the Amazons on guard
duty. Third. You are under the accusation of multiple murder by
ruthlessly killing the military and spiritual leaders of the
Northern Amazons ten summers ago. Fourth. The Amazon leaders died
at the funeral ground near the temple, on holy ground. Therefore,
you are also under the charge of repeated sacrilegious behaviour.
Every one of these charges will be dealt with individually. Xena of
Amphipolis, do you understand the charges levelled against
you?"