So Damselfly relived her adventure, telling how she slipped past Gregorian to access the Garden Gate with a token given to her by Uriel. How in their haste they had mistakenly ended up in the Wintergarden and discovered a village beset by Sprites. Damselfly amazed her listeners by revealing their journey alone into the woods to befriend the monstrous Peritwinkle and free the villagers from the Sprites’ threat. Then she moved on to events at the Magicgarden, explaining the depleting magic reserves and how they only just managed to escape from the gaol. The Matriarch had given them Bakka’s whereabouts when everyone believed the great smith was lost forever and how they discovered him in seclusion amongst the sulphurous islands in the Lavagarden. Damselfly repeated her conversation with Bakka and how he created the skeleton key as a gift for her, rekindling the spark in his old heart.
“So according to your own story, Bakka, the person responsible for creating the Evergarden agreed that there is no possible return from that place,” Luyna interceded.
“Yes, that is true,” Damselfly accepted. “Bakka is an engineer who believes in rules and measurements while some things cannot be seen or accounted for.”
By this point Luyna could no more stop Damselfly’s story than she could hold back the wind, and with a growing crowd of onlookers desperate to hear more, she did not even try, allowing the princess to finish her tale. Damselfly delved into their strange visit to the Dreamgarden and her vision of her uncle whose experience was embossed on the armour of those soldiers sworn to protect her family. She revealed how this shared dream had given her a new direction and hope which they followed all the way to the Shadowgarden. Again, Damselfly exposed the appearance of Sprites far to the east, the civil war between Shades and Scorj, which threatened to destroy both dynasties, along with her search for the stolen bell. Damselfly finished her speech by telling of how she had defeated the leviathan by discerning Delridden’s true identity and finally being caught by Orion whose shadow had been a constant companion on their long journey. When the telling was finished, everyone took a moment to digest what they had heard and few could ignore the power of Damselfly’s words. Despite the unlikely events, there were so many things that could not be explained away as fiction or imagination. Luyna sensed the crowds favour turning away from her and quickly turned to her last chance of success.
“That was a wonderful tale.” She spun a web.
“Can you prove any of these events actually happened?”
“What about the skeleton key and bell?” Damselfly grasped. “Aren’t they proof?”
“The bell does not ring,” Luyna recalled. “The key could have been made by anyone and found anywhere.”
“What about my wings,” the princess pointed out.
Damselfly attempted to fly using her magical wings; unfortunately, the tape had come loose and her humble repairs meant she could only hover a couple of inches before falling back to the ground.
“Is there anyone or anything else that can prove your words are true?” Luyna asked.
“No.” Damselfly admitted defeat.
“Then I rest my case,” Luyna grinned.
All attention now switched to Judge Vale who seemed to be struggling with his dilemma.
“This court can only deal with matters of fact,” the judge ruled. “While many of us were moved by the princess’s story, without evidence to support and validate these events it cannot be taken into account when making a decision. Therefore, I reluctantly find the defendant, Princess Damselfly, guilty.”
Chapter 15
The Loneliest Times
The whole courtroom was rendered silent by Judge Vale’s decision. Damselfly felt like someone had sucked all the oxygen out of her body, and the audience was stunned. Only one person retained their composure and that was Luyna, who was smiling like a cat.
“Considering the number of crimes committed by the defendant and her lack of remorse, we may have been able to agree a lenient sentence. However, even after causing all this chaos and being warned by her father, King Handel, Princess Damselfly once again flouted the rules in an attempt to free a dangerous prisoner. With regret I ask, no, demand that the court apply the harshest sentence available to act as an example to all.”
“You cannot mean…” Judge Vale stumbled.
“I most certainly do,” Luyna instigated.
“What about the king?”
“I have here a signed proclamation giving you full authority to deal with this case, sealed by the king’s own mark.”
The crowd was still trying to comprehend what was happening while Damselfly struggled to accept her father’s disapproval so soon after the shock of being convicted.
“Princess Damselfly…” Judge Vale stammered as he passed judgement. “I sentence you to exile in the Evergarden.”
The courtroom which had been near silent for several minutes now exploded with noise from all parts. Soldiers moved forward as the people in the benches protested. Damselfly could not believe what she was hearing. Surely her father would not allow this injustice to stand and any moment he would appear and put this misunderstanding right. Instead of King Handel she found Tyten standing over her, looking grim. He took hold of her arm and began marching her away. The crowd, who were now in uproar, remained penned in by the royal guard, and Luyna stood victorious at the centre of all this drama. Judge Vale at least had the conscience to look appalled by his own part in this tragedy and would not look at Princess Damselfly as she was taken from sight.
“Please, Tyten, let me speak with my father,” Princess Damselfly pleaded.
The Captain of the Guard remained impenetrable, his grasp on her shoulder firm and impossible to break free from.
“You can’t do this! I was only trying to save my mother,” Damselfly cried.
