Chapter Text
Today was the day majority people of Fontaine were anticipating, the day that a well known criminal, Zane Poirot, was finally captured and awaiting trial, after being found at a murder scene of Lady Laurent, with his pistol as the murder weapon. Currently, he is being held in a holding cell at the Opera Epiclese, sitting and waiting for the sentence, the feeling in his body telling him that he'll be convicted. As he sat there in solidarity, a tall figure came to his view, black messy hair, dark suit and jacket with hints of deep crimson, cuffs at his hip and a tired and slightly scarred face, clearly not wanting to be there. Then Zane looked briefly at the figure, as the tall man stood before the cell as he began to speak, cockinesss and arrogance coating his voice.
"Well now, I didn't expect to finally see you behind bars."
The man's eyes met his for a second, the cold blues looking at the captured criminal, as if he was the man's pray.
"Hhmm...you stroll in here, and you even don't introduce yourself? How brash."
Zane said looking up from under his light blue top hat, the deep and bright blue eyes meeting the cold ones, the intencity of their stare could be cut with a knife. The man chuckled, finding that responce amusing, especially from a felon that was caught, jailed, and awaiting trial. The curiosm to him was not missed, but he did decide to introduce himself, since they would spend a long, long time together.
"Hehehe, I guess you're right, honestly I did not think I needed the introduction, but I guess I'll indulge a caged bird like you. I'm Wriothesley, the Warden of the Fortress of Meropide."
That introduction earned an eyeroll from Zane, the fact that he was sitting in one room with The Duke himself made him not eager to keep talking to Wriothesley, at least, not yet anyway. The minutes ticked by the automated clocks ticking away, it started to feel like it was hours. The both of them just being still as the time to begin the trial approached ever so slightly. Among the almost perfect silence, Wriothesley decided to ask the question that bothered him, because this case did not make any sence.
"So...Why did you do it?"
That pulled Zane out of his train of thought, looking up at the Warden.
"What do you mean, Your Grace?"
Simply asking back, prompting Wriothesley to elaborate more on his question. His face turned serious as he asked more precisley.
"What was your motive to kill Lady Laurent, as far as everyone knows...you two have not had many interactions. So, what was it? Blind rage? Or just the thrill to take a life?"
That question made Zane get up from his seat and walk towards Wriothesley, only blocked by the cell's bars. His intense gaze piercing into the Warden's eyes, as if they were hiding many things that cannot be told yet. He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses before saying what he could.
"Your Grace, it is true I had a small scuffle with Lady Laurent, it's true that it was my pistol that shot her....but my hand was never on the trigger. I did not kill Lady Laurent."
At that, Wriothesley was honestly boggled, he didn't know what to think about that. How could Zane be there, his own pistol being the murder weapon and yet claiming that he didn't shoot? That was for him to find out, wether sooner or later. Before he could say anyhting, the Gardes came to take the criminal away, the trial is about to begin. The Gardes unlocked the cell's barred doors and let Zane out, holding him by the arms and leading him away to the defendands stand. There on the stand stood the appointed lawyer, as part of the procedures, because there was no one willing to represent him. The attorney looked at his client, even if he wasn't fond of having these types of clients, he had to make do.
"Are you ready, Mr.Poirot?"
He spoke to Zane, as the Gardes stood by, not wanting the convict to escape easily.
"Does it really matter? We all know how it will play out."
Zane said, his voice laced with bitterness and impatience, clearly he wanted this to be already over. Once it would be over, he'd be in the Fortress of Meropide, deep...deep beneath the waters of Fontaine. He just stood next to his appointed lawyer, the prosecution was on the other side of the theater, looking smug like he knows he's about to win. As Zane looked out at the people seated in the audience, he could feel the hate radiating off them, hate for his actions and his crimes, the whispers grew a bit louder. Then everyone shushed slightly, The Iudex of Fontaine, Cheif of Justice himself, Neuvillette stepped into the judge's place, banging his cane on the floor.
"Order!"
The loud and booming voice rang out through the theater, immediately shushing the audience completley. Then he looked both at the prosecution and the defence, addressing them.
"Is the Defence and the Prosecution ready to begin?"
The prosecution confirmed that they're ready, Zane's attorney looked at him, nervous, but also confirmed that the defence is ready for the trial. Neuvillette simply nodded and declared.
"Since both parties are present and ready, I here by declare the trial of Lady Laurent's Murder is now in session. Now, I ask the prosecution for an opening statement to the case."
Neuvillette gently motioned to the prosecution, the prosecutor smiled in a very cocky way. He cleared his throat, starting the opening statement in a slightly condescending and arrogant way, like this whole case can end here and now.
"What's there more to say Your Honor? This is a pretty straight forward case, the defendant has been seen at the scene of the crime at 10 PM. After half hour, Lady Laurent came into the alleway, the defendant and the victim had a fight at the scene, and then BLAM! The defendant shoots Lady Laurent, The Gardes get notified by the sound of the shot and then Mr. Poirot is caught red handed! Your Honor, I do not believe that this trial should be happening, the defendant was there, his pistol was the murder wepon, and he had and altercation with the victim, he should be already in the Fortress of Meropide! "
The arrogance and cockyness was evident in the prosecutors voice. He was certain that Zane should already be on his way to the Fortress of Meropide, but Neuvillette banged his cane on the floor, keeping the prosecutor in check.
"Thank you for the opening statement, however, please keep your opinions to yourself Mr. Rossa. We are here to find the truth, not throw accusations. Now, let us proceed with the trial."
As the trial progressed, the witness statements, the evidence, the scene, everything pointed at the defendant. It was all perfect...almost too perfect, how the murder took place in that alley, that Mr. Poirot and Lady Laurent had a scuffle in there, and then the gunshot that alarmed the Gardes. It's like it was all perfecty orchestrated to make Zane the murderer. Neuvillette noticed all the signs, but didn't speak about it just yet, instead listening to the witness statements and the prosecution's claims. After they were all done, Neuvillette had to ask the defendant about his side of the story.
"Now that I heard the rather unanimous witness statements, I want to hear from the defendant's side of the story. Then Mr. Poirot, tell to the court what happened that day?"
Neuvillette's voice echoed through the Opera Epiclese, why would he want Zane's statement if there's so much damning evidence? Alas, the defendant came a bit closer to the railing of the balcony he was on, and now he was going to say his side of the story.
"What's there more to say? Yes, I was there at the scene, Yes, I had a small argument with Lady Laurent, and Yes, the pistol does belong to me, but make no mistake...my finger wasn't ever near the trigger. I didn't shoot Lady Laurent."
That statement shocked some of the audience a bit, but most could see the long and thick gloves on his hands, saying that no fingerprints could be left. Although, now that peaked Neuvillette's attention, if the defendant really claimed that he didn't do it, but Lady Laurent got shot by the pistol, that could only mean there was someone else on the scene of the crime.
"So, you're saying that you didn't do it, but yet it was your pistol that was the murder weapon, are you perhaps suggesting that there was a third party involved in this case?"
At that quick assesment of the defendant's statement, Zane got visibly nervous. He stepped back a little, clearly scared to say or elaborate anything.
"N-no...I..I cannot say."
His voice came out almost as a quiet whisper, the disperity and fear now clearly evident. It's like the sheer existence of that third party was enough to make Zane be consumed in fear. From that a nervous tick came out, him fidgeting with the finishing hem of his gloves right near his shoulder. The defendant's breathing quickened, but Neuvillette needed to push futher now.
"Mr. Poirot! Are you trying to conceal the fact that there was a third party on the night of the murder?"
The voice of the Iudex boomed through the opera, making everyone in the audience murmur and whisper between themselves. Zane's attorney looked at him, that was a crutial piece of information, why was Zane so insistant on hiding it? But that didn't matter now, Neuvillette was going to strike iron while it's hot. This new information, paired with the reaction from the defendant was enough to open that door into what really happened. Although, the defendant started to really look scared and sick, like his own life would be in danger if he even let out a word.
"W-what? N-no, I-I'm not! Th-there's no third party! A-alright, I admit it! I killed her! I shot Lady Laurent!"
That confession was rushed, forced out, it was clearly a lie, but what caused the defendant to admit to the crime he just said that he didn't commit? What's his motive for going to that extreme? To accept the harsh sentence and get himself sent to The Fortress of Meropide...for life. He started to become more and more stressed, practically shaking.
"I...I cannot say...or else they-"
The defendant quickly covered his mouth, stopping more from spilling out. That one sentence caught everyone's attention, the attorney, prosecution, the audience and most importantly Neuvillette. Who were these mysterious 'they'? But that started to not matter, as the defendant startred to have a complete panic attack. Before any of them could do or ask anything, Zane got a nosebleed and promptly fainted, that prompted Neuvillette to temporarily stop the trial. The Iudex's cane banging on the floor, trying to shush the audience as it's starting to loudly argue.
"ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT! This trail will go into recess and Mr. Poirot needs to be taken to the medical wing, immediately!"
With the final bang of his cane, the Gardes started to take Zane away to the medicaling wing, while Neuvillette himself left the judge's seat and went to the medical wing to wait. This whole thing was far too suspicious. The Iudex waited patiently, waiting for the green light from the medical staff that the defendant is awake and alright, so that he may question him. After some time, he could come in, he did just that. He saw the defendant in a weakened state, from the quiet and suave looking man, he was reduced to a small and rather fragile man. He sat next to him, ready to ask the question that he was mulling over in his mind.
"Mr. Poirot...if you are feeling better, then I would like to ask you a very important question....Why are you hiding the fact that there was a third party on the scene of the crime?"
Zane looked at Neuvillette, the bright blue eyes meating the stearn eyes of the Iudex. Then he took something from his coat, a journal, then he ripped the last clean page of the book. Then he started to write fast, it looked important and dire, then the note was handed to Neuvillette. It read:
'I cannot say it out loud Monsieur Neuvillette, but the situation forces me into accepting that I was the murderer. So please, I know it's against the truth, but it needs to be done. There's something in the shadows of Fontaine that wants to claim it. I can only talk once I'm in the Fortress of Meropide, they fear that place. I'll tell you everything, and I'll tell you right now that, yes, there was someone else, but if I told you on the trial, everyone would be silenced.'
Neuvillette looked at the note, understanding the gravity of the situation, although it will be hard to do so. Going against the truth and proper justice and getting an innocent man convicted, but he understood that it was for the greater good. He nodded at the defendant, understanding the request. Then he left the defendant be, allowing him to rest after that panic attack. Soon enough it was time to resume the trial, once everyone took their places, Neuvillette had no choice but to convict Zane.
"Due to the amout of damning evidence and witness statements, I sentence Zane Poirot to life in Fortress of Meropide for the murder of Lady Laurent."
Then the Gardes came and started to escort Zane out of the Opera Epiclese, before he went away fully, he sent a small nod towards Neuvillette. The Iudex understood the meaning immediatelly, nodding back. As the convict was escorted out of the opera's inner walls, the people of Fontaine outside were booing, some even charging at the man, but they were stopped by the Gardes. The walk behind the building was slow, deliberate, a small torture that told him that he won't see the surface for a long...long time. As soon as they went down, they were in an elevator, soon Zane started to feel like everything was flashing in front of his eyes. Him getting the paperwork to be registered as a prisoner, taking of his mugshot, and then, he went on the boat with some other inmates, and slowly going into the bowles of the Fortress of Meropide. The trip in the underwater tunnel was calm and quiet...too quiet, no one dared to talk. Before any of them noticed, they were in the Administrative area, some for few months, other some for years, while Zane was there for life. But it was enough to send his plan into motion.