//------------------------------// // Well They're Not Wrong // Story: Rarity Gets Enslaved // by MagicS //------------------------------// It had been a while since I felt this relaxed. Tired, to be sure, from all the work that had to be done and all the running around the castle in preparation but I still felt good. Things were proceeding smoothly, everyone was happy and Duke Terluff was working with Duke Tulepule to get authorization for the big fashion show. Everything was coming up Rarity lately! And of course even though the fashion show was a facade that doesn’t mean I’m not going to seriously make dresses for it. In fact I need to be even more serious about this! It doesn’t matter what the King is like or how long the show will go on, I have an opportunity to display my designs to an entire kingdom here! You bet that I’m going to work extra hard to make the best clothes I’ve made in my life. I’ll make a beautiful dress especially for Getrude, Soleil, Cinder and Spine, so the trolls can see a wide variety of styles and forms. I’ll make more dresses for trolls to model, suits for the men as well, this will be the grandest fashion show I’ve ever put on! I was currently sitting in Duke Terluff’s office waiting for him to come in and jotting down some ideas and sketches on my notepad in the meantime. The thought of getting to make a full ensemble for each of my friends here was making me positively ecstatic! Especially since I don’t often get the chance to make clothes for anything other than ponies. Besides all the dresses and suits for trolls I’ve made here lately that is. “This is going to be fabulous.” I started speaking out loud to myself. “I almost don’t want to start the revolution just so the show can go off without a hitch.” Incidentally I also kind of sort of hoped that Duke Terluff didn’t get the show scheduled for the first day so I could enjoy at least a little bit of this Grand Festival before everything goes crazy. I mean after what I had heard of it it was a pretty exciting thing to look forward to. What was a troll play like anyways? I had never seen one, the nobles here only commissioned dresses, took me to parties or in that one unfortunate case down to the fights. So getting to enjoy a little something different but equally extravagant and cultural had a lot of appeal to it. Right as I was thinking my completely unselfish thoughts I heard the front door open up and Duke Terluff begin to plod his way down the hallway to the office. As he slammed open the door in a somewhat over-exuberant gesture I greeted him with a happy smile and questioning tilt of my head. “Welcome back, things go well with Tulepule?” I asked. He smiled. “Quite so. Not only is the fashion show assuredly going to happen with the two of us pushing for it but he even came over to our side happily enough when I told him of the real plan.” I squeed and clapped my hooves together. “Good! He never seemed like a bad person or anything, just a little ignorant. I’m glad he’ll be on our side when the revolution begins.” “He hardly cares as much as you might hope.” Duke Terluff snorted. “When I told him what was going to happen he just shrugged and said that as long as he could still throw parties whenever he wanted he didn’t care what happened.” I had to roll my eyes at that. “Well it’s better than nothing I suppose. We don’t know what time the fashion show will be held yet?” “Not yet. A lot of things for the Grand Festival are still being decided on. Once the schedule and number of events has gotten more solid we’ll get notice of when you can put it on.” He answered. Good to know. Now that Duke Terluff was back and we had discussed all that it was just about time for me to get back to my office. There was going to be a lot of work to do now. Gertrude isn’t going to be happy to hear it but I’m going to have to have us all work twice as hard to make sure everything is good and ready for the show. Since now the fashion show is certain to go on though I can use it as an excuse to not take any more new dress orders from nobles. I’m sure they’ll understand. As I got out of my chair there was a knock on the door. Again? I hope it isn’t a nothing dreadful job from Termyne or the High Priest. Duke Terluff groaned in annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I swear, as if I wasn’t busy enough with my regular work, and now all this other planning, of course someone knocks on my door who is doubtlessly going to pile more work upon me.” I giggled at his complaining as the two of us left his office and headed for the front door. “Might as well see who it is, it could always be good news for once you know?” I said, giving him a smirk. “Feh.” He grunted as we made it to the front door and the Duke pulled it open. “Who is-” His words, and any of mine that might have been on my mind, died in our throats. Standing there in front of us was Berten and behind him was a squad of guards dressed fully in their plate armor. The Duke and I looked on at the party in front of us for a second. Surprised, scared, and confused. Finally Duke Terluff regained his composure and looked Berten straight in the eye. “Berten? What business do you have here?” The white-streaked troll glanced down at me for a second before glancing back up at Duke Terluff. Slowly his mouth opened up in an evil, sadistic smile. “Duke Terluff. You’re under arrest on suspicion of abolitionism.” Needless to say this was a very bad thing. I sped through the hallways of the castle towards my office, foregoing any sense of class or sophistication as I ran like I was in a race. By the time I opened up the door and stumbled my way inside my breathing was ragged and my mane in disarray. But for once my personal appearance was not important. “Rarity? What’s wrong?” Daylight Gleam asked from her position seated at my large desk as she knitted patterns on a dress. The dear had gotten absolutely wonderful when it came to fine details like that. Oh but that’s not important right now either. “We… have… a… problem!” I gasped out between breaths. “What is it?” Gertrude glided over and supported me, guiding me over to a chair. The rest were all watching me with worried looks on their faces. I caught my breath and held a hoof up to my head, it was painstaking to even have to deal with this. “Duke Terluff has been arrested. They made up some charges about him wanting to free the slaves in the castle.” My friends all shared a look with each other. “But… he is trying to free the slaves.” Gertrude said. “Yes but they don’t know that!” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “Someone is clearly trying to frame and take down Duke Terluff for whatever reason. I mean if they actually knew what was going on or had proof of it I think the both of us would already be done away with.” “So you think an enemy of the Duke’s just made something up to try and get him arrested with?” Daylight asked. “Exactly! That brutish troll who did the arresting certainly wanted to take me as well but he knows the influence I wield at the moment so he didn’t want to take the both of us under false charges.” I huffed in anger at the thought of Berten. “If he had any excuse or had gotten wind of what we were planning he would have gladly arrested me as well. But he didn’t, only Duke Terluff was the target.” “You know you keep calling them false charges but they’re not really false.” Cinder said while picking at her ear. I glared at her. “In the first place it’s the principle of the matter, darling. Secondly we have to help him anyways! Not only is he instrumental to what we’re doing but he’s a close friend.” “This could also be problematic if other troll nobles on our side hear about it.” Daylight Gleam said. “They might get worried that the jig is up so to speak and might try to throw Terluff under the carriage. I wouldn’t put it past some of them to come forth and say that Terluff and you came to them speaking about rebellion and freeing the slaves.” “I certainly hope not… but if they were afraid that Duke Terluff might rat them out to try and save his own skin… oh dear, this could make everything unfold if we don’t take care of it.” I said. The silence in my little office was deafening. I didn’t even know what to do now. Who of the trolls could I go talk to that I really trusted and could actually help with this? None. The closest was Tulepule or one of the other minor nobles we had brought into our fold like Earl Tsalim but I couldn’t count on either of them for this. Not for certain at least. We had been working so hard, the fashion show was going to happen and everything should’ve gone right as it should have but now it feels like it’s all been snatched away from us. And why? Because some other troll has a personal vendetta against Duke Terluff? If only I could find out who’s really behind all of this. For the moment all I could hope for is that the undeniable lack of evidence for Duke Terluff’s supposed abolitionist leanings would be enough to get him off the hook. But a cynical part of me thought that the troll’s justice system was likely not so fair. As the six of us silently mulled things over there was a knock on the door to my office. You know I’m getting a little sick of random knocks and trolls dropping in unexpectedly. “Come in?” I said a little bit hesitantly as I wasn’t sure if things were about to get worse or not. The others crowded around me, looking to see who might be popping in and probably just as worried that perhaps someone was coming for me now. The door opened up and in walked a troll I was unfamiliar with. He wore glasses and a simple gray suit and had a rather detached aura about him. After looking between us all and blinking a few times he spoke up. “Lady Rarity?” I stepped forward. “Yes, that’s me. What is it?” He did not seem like he was here for a dress. “Ah, yes.” He walked towards me. “I come on behalf of Mrs. Terluff. She had just heard of her husband’s incarceration and sent for you, she wishes you to join her where he is being held.” My eyebrows shot up. “Of course! Yes! Please, lead the way, I wish to see the both of them.” “Excellent, right this way please.” He turned and began to head out the door. Before I left to follow him I turned back to my friends. “I’m sorry to ask this of you but please just keep working on the clothes for the fashion show, we can’t waste any time on it. And if any more trolls come in here asking for a new dress just refuse them and tell them all work is being put towards a special event at the Grand Festival.” “You got it, Rarity.” Gertrude saluted, an action mimicked by Soleil. I gave each one of them a bit of a sad smile before leaving the office. “Thank you, dearies.” Possibly due to his status as a duke the place Duke Terluff was being held was less of a dungeon and more of a one-room apartment. It was slightly cramped with me, him and his wife inside it but we would have to make do. At the moment I was standing in the corner of the room and watched as Duke Terluff reassured his wife that everything would be alright. I’m not sure how much either of them believed that but it was sweet that he wanted to assuage her worries. After a few minutes he gave her a kiss on the cheek and politely pushed her towards the door, telling her he had important business to discuss with me. She gave me a nod as she stepped out, ever mindful of her position. Something which actually annoyed me a little bit but one problem at a time please. As soon as she left Duke Terluff turned to me with a sigh. “So obviously this is quite bad for the both of us.” I grimaced. “I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humor over it at least.” I walked up and put a reassuring hoof on his arm. “On the plus side this is clearly a farce, if anyone actually knew what was going on the both of us would… well, probably be in a far worse situation. Someone just spread some lies hoping to get you convicted of whatever the crime is.” “Unfortunately it’s not going to be difficult for the arbitrators to decide me as guilty.” Duke Terluff sadly looked down at me. “Just the suspicion of holding pro-abolition sentiments can ruin me or get me imprisoned for life. And even if there’s no real evidence of me doing anything there’s one thing that Berten and whoever started this in the first place can use against me.” “And what is that?” I asked curiously. “You.” Duke Terluff replied simply, a great sigh emanating from his entire body. “They can just show everyone how well I’ve treated you. And your friends. And with that easily convince others that I hold sympathetic views towards the slaves.” He was certainly right about that. I may be a detriment to him in this situation. It wasn’t difficult to show how well I’ve been treated by Duke Terluff, or how he had graciously helped out my friends as well. Not to mention that even though no one knew what it was for we had all been making suspicious movements throughout the castle lately to get things ready for the Grand Festival. These arbitrators may not be able to find proof that he was actually going to do anything but convicting him of suspicion of abolitionism seems like it would actually be very easy. Now if this place was fair and just, merely suspicion of it wouldn’t be as huge a deal. But again something tells me the trolls don’t have the kindest justice system. “At least we both know that this is the work of some other party.” I said, trying to think of something positive. “Perhaps we can figure out just who it is that sent Berten after you? He didn’t do it on his own did he?” “Certainly not. I have a few enemies I can think of, and Berten wouldn’t do anything on his own.” Duke Terluff replied. “There’s definitely someone who first told Berten to do this. I’m not sure if he knows the truth and is just playing along or honestly thinks I’m guilty though. He probably doesn’t care either way.” “Are there any enemies you can think of that would benefit from you going down, or that have an association with Berten?” I asked him. Duke Terluff folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, thinking deeply. Now I wished I knew more about all the other nobles here instead of just having the cursory knowledge that I did. And even among the nobles I knew I hadn’t heard anything about a grudge against Duke Terluff. Even the ones I didn’t like or get along with just seemed like your average jerk who was rude to slaves rather than ones that had a personal grudge or anything. “There are a few that I can think of.” Duke Terluff’s voice suddenly broke through my thoughts. He rubbed his chin while he spoke. “One that fits the bill more than others is another Duke who I’ve never gotten along with, Duke Tylark. We do much the same work and he’d love it if I was disgraced or worse to make himself look better. In fact he’s probably been jealous of me lately because of you and all the extra prestige I’ve gotten because of you. The two of us have been very popular in the castle ever since Tulepule’s party as you know.” I nodded along as he told me, taking it all in. And Tylark? I feel like I had heard that name before somewhere. “We’ll know for certain it’s him if he shows up at my hearing later.” Duke Terluff continued. “He’d have no reason to otherwise unless he was the one who planned this whole thing.” “Hearing?” I asked. “Yes, tomorrow I’ll have a hearing with the arbitrators, Berten, and anyone else of importance to ascertain my guilt. And since these are nothing more than rumors it’ll probably just be “witnesses” or whatever worm Berten has dug up to say that I’m trying to free the slaves.” “And you think Duke Tylark will show up to that?” “Yes. He’ll want to watch and make sure I go down in flames from the audience.” Duke Terluff turned to me. “You should also show up to the hearing and watch him, honestly the hearing is just going to be a circus and we have just as much of an opportunity there to turn things around on him. If we can convince the arbitrators that these rumors of me being pro-abolition were started by a jealous rival it’s going to be Duke Tylark who suddenly finds himself in trouble.” Sounded like a good enough idea to me. “So how do we find out that it was him who started the rumors?” Duke Terluff grinned. “We don’t. Like I said this is going to be a circus, a show. Neither side is going to have any real evidence so we just have to be more persuasive and charismatic than the ones attacking us. And Tylark is going to want to keep his participation a secret so he won’t be able to directly fight back at first without exposing himself. Berten is going to have to be the one to convince the arbitrators of my guilt, and nobody likes him.” What a surprise that is to hear. “So for now we simply go to your hearing tomorrow and try to pin the blame on Tylark or whoever the odd one out is there?” “Yes. We’re lucky that on such short notice they won’t have found or called for any of the nobles we’ve been talking with about our plans.” Duke Terluff said. “When we get to the hearing I’ll categorically deny everything and you can back me up.” I can’t say our plan was very thought out or a particularly great one but it was all we had at the moment. “Alright, what now?” I asked, wondering if there was anything more. “Nothing until tomorrow.” Duke Terluff shrugged. “I think you should get some rest, go back to your office and tomorrow once the hearing comes about we’ll send for you again. Don’t bring any of your friends though, it wouldn’t look good for me if so many slaves I’m friendly with showed up.” He grinned as he said that. “Well you’re probably right about that.” I winked. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope everything goes well.” I couldn’t help but feel a little morose about everything that had happened. “Don’t worry.” Duke Terluff reassured me, looking into my eyes with his beady yet confident ones. “We’ve come this far and a silly farce like this is hardly enough to stop me. I like getting my way as you should know well by now.” I did indeed. Following our conversation I retreated back to the office, where instead of getting any rest I proceeded to make clothes until I simply collapsed from exhaustion. I liked throwing myself into my work to take my mind off things. The others were a little concerned but I told them everything would be fine and we made a lot of progress on the clothes that we’d be featuring in the fashion show. The fashion show that was most certainly going on. I’d make sure of it today. And just as Terluff said, the following morning another errand boy came to bring me to the hearing. While we walked to it I mulled some things over in my head, anything I could do to help, evidence I might have, something that I could say. But it didn’t amount to much. Like he had said we were just going to be putting on a farce of our own in the end it seems. But that name. Tylark, Tylark. I know I’ve heard that name before but I can’t quite place where. If only I had a face to go with it I’m sure I’d remember. A duke that also was associated with Berten whose name was Tylark… it was nagging at the back of my mind. “Has Duke Terluff said anything to you? Is the hearing already starting or is there still some time?” I decided to ask my guide. He seemed surprised that I was talking to him but he answered all the same. “He asked me to gather you because it will be starting soon, an hour at most, the arbitrators and Berten are all ready.” “Thank you.” I told him. Hm, we wouldn’t get much time to prepare before things actually started. I had no idea where exactly this hearing would be held but apparently it was going to be in a place large enough for an audience to attend. It must be somewhat of a public thing if that was allowed in the first place. It didn’t take much more of walking through the castle’s corridors before one more turn brought us to a wide hallway with a single set of double-doors at the end. No guards at these doors unlike many of the others in the castle, instead they were already open and I could see a fairly large crowd mulling about inside the room. “In there.” My guide told me as he came to a stop. “I am not attending myself but Duke Terluff and his wife are already inside.” With a bow (I still love being bowed to despite being a slave) he left. I walked through the open doors into a fairly large and circular room. The ceiling was a glass dome very high up from the floor, like the room where my office was the glass it was made out of must’ve been soundproof because the torrent of rain pounding on it was completely silent. There were four different sections of benches making up one half of the room while the other half was an open space with a large raised desk at the back that had several trolls sitting behind it and two guards flanking it. I spied Berten standing by a table in the open half of the room, adjacent to another table where Duke Terluff sat behind. Quickly I began trotting my way over to him, looking around to see if his wife was seated anywhere. A number of trolls took note of me, some I recognized and some I did not. There were quite a few in here who I was sure would be friendly if not outright sympathetic to me and Duke Terluff. I saw a couple who I had made dresses for and were certainly ones who would not want to see me or Duke Terluff punished. Something else I noticed was that there were hardly enough trolls in here to fill up the benches, this was an important event but with how fast everything happened and how unadvertised it was most probably either couldn’t come on such short notice or didn’t even know it was happening. And as I was making my way to Duke Terluff something caught my eye. Or rather someone. A rather large someone. “Duke Tylark, now I remember.” I said under my breath so no one else could hear. The very large troll I had first met while catering that first party, where I had also initially met Berten and Terluff, and then again at the private soiree Duke Tulepule took me to where I was formally introduced to him. He sat in the front row of one of the sections of benches with an amused look on his face. Quite eager of him. As I recall he did not seem to care much for me when I officially met him while with Tulepule, obviously not a fan of slaves. And someone who apparently must have been quite jealous of the waves Duke Terluff and I were making. His happy appearance here more or less proved he was the one behind all this. To think that he supposedly not just heard about what had happened to his rival but also had the time and opportunity to come here and watch. I couldn’t wait to turn the tables on him and cast those very actions of his in a suspicious light. I didn’t speak to him or even act like I had seen him as I walked on by to Duke Terluff. “Good morning.” I greeted my friend. “I take it you’ve noticed who’s gotten themselves a front row seat?” “Oh yes.” He said. “I think we both know for sure what’s going on here now.” “Indeed. So the arbitrators are the ones up there?” I glanced towards the raised desk. “Yes, in a moment Berten will present his suspicions to them and I will defend myself. Fortunately or unfortunately that’s really all there is to it.” He shrugged and sat back in his chair. “Also despite your popularity I recommend not speaking out of turn here. If you have something you think we can say or do come and whisper it to me first.” I nodded along but there wasn’t anything I had come up with yet. Unfortunately it would be so easy for Berten and Tylark to make Terluff look suspicious, we had to convince the others that Duke Terluff had no love for the slaves and that Tylark just made this all up to take him down. How could I help? I really had to think of something. First of all I sat down in an empty chair next to Duke Terluff, organizing my thoughts. There wasn’t much time for that though as the crowd in the room began to quiet down and take their seats while Berten strode to stand right in front of the arbitrators. “Arbitrators.” He said, voice loud enough to carry to at least the first row of benches in the room. “I come here to state that Duke Terluff is a traitorous abolitionist, his actions and behavior lately could only be construed as such.” He gave the two of us a smug grin as he finished. Vile troll. “To me it’s clear after seeing how Duke Terluff treats his personal slave and her friends that he is far too sympathetic to them, he has given them too much freedom and even gives them free reign of the castle to go about any such business even if it is unrelated to his work.” So he did know that we had been running all throughout the castle but he didn’t know exactly why. “He even goes to the stadiums down below to have suspicious talks with the fighters and workers down there. Obviously something is afoot. Duke Terluff is an abolitionist, at the very least he is far too kind to the slaves. Something that can not and should not be tolerated.” He finished up, clasping his hands behind his back. All in all it was very flimsy but I would not be surprised to learn if trolls had been found guilty of worse things for less here. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see Duke Tylark grinning on the bench, looking like he was struggling to hold back laughter. Well I’ll give you plenty to laugh about soon. “Duke Terluff’s actions are suspicious indeed.” A sharp voice cut through my thoughts and I looked to see the troll sitting behind the center of the desk speaking, he was elderly looking with a gray tint to his fur. Must be the head arbitrator. “Duke Terluff, do you have anything to say for yourself?” My friend stood up and placed his hands on the table in defiance, first giving a threatening glare to Berten before looking towards the head arbitrator. “This is nothing but a series of lies and made up rumors to make me look bad. I have no such sympathies. Arbitrators, I am being unjustly attacked without any evidence purely to bring me down.” He confidently said to the whole room. “So you say.” Berten spoke. “But even now you bring that slave of yours you have so elevated here?” He pointed straight at me and as much as I wanted to fiercely glare back at him I knew that would look bad at the moment. “She is my personal assistant, no more and no less. Many nobles have slaves working for them in the same way she does for me.” Duke Terluff responded to his accusation. “Again, so you say.” Berten countered. “But how many trolls treat their slaves so well, how many allow them to do what you have allowed her to? Given them so much? Shown them so much kindness? That pony there alone is proof enough of your impropriety.” To my and Duke Terluff’s dismay the arbitrators seemed to be seriously considering what Berten was saying. “None of that means anything.” Duke Terluff angrily said to him. “As many of the others in this very room can tell you, my slave has done a great deal of work for me. I repaid her with favor but there was nothing else to it than that. She made a dress for my wife and I allowed her to make dresses for others as well, partly out of gratitude and admittedly partly out of my own selfish desire to have something that gave me power and influence over others. But that is no crime. And any farcical idea of me being an abolitionist or having a friendlier relationship with her and any other slaves is pure fantasy.” There was some murmuring among the arbitrators and trolls in the audience but Berten didn’t miss a beat. “Fantasy you say? Well I say that even the chance of corruption like yours should be stamped out.” He smiled cruelly at me and Duke Terluff. “You are, despite all of your denying, clearly sympathetic to the slaves. No chances should be taken with such a thing.” He glanced at the arbitrators sitting behind their desk. “Should it?” Oh dear, this wasn’t going as well as I thought it would. We need to turn this around on Duke Tylark soon. But how? If Duke Terluff just suddenly started accusing Tylark they’d think he’s just wildly trying to change the subject and save his own skin. What do I do? Berten was using me against Terluff, and all of the arbitrators seemed to be convinced that the duke treated me in a far more favorable way than was appropriate. I needed to convince them that this wasn’t the case. And I think I know how. “You’re all being rather presumptuous about things aren’t you?” I said as I hopped out of my chair and walked to the middle of the room, standing before Berten and the desk. I could only imagine what Duke Terluff’s face looked like right now but it brought me no small measure of satisfaction to see how surprised Berten was. Oh he did not expect this at all. The murmuring and hushed conversations of the trolls in the audience grew louder at my actions and the arbitrators as well looked aghast and seemed a moment away from cutting me off. So better not give them the chance. “I think I would know better than anyone how Duke Terluff feels, forced to be at his side as I am.” I said with no small amount of vindictiveness. “And I can not sit here and listen to you say that this troll is sympathetic or kind to me at all.” I shot back a slightly angry and fearful look at the Duke that I was sure the trolls watching would see. “From the day he first brought me into his service it has been nothing but work, that “gratitude” he showed me by giving me an office and letting me make clothes was nothing but to further his own ends. There are no kind words from him, no true appreciation. He belittles and insults me whenever he pleases and is always certain to remind me of the position I am in.” I faced the arbitrators now. “I simply couldn’t bear to hear one make such bald-faced lies about Duke Terluff, he is a selfish slave-driver who works me to exhaustion, even now I and the other slaves he had come to assist me are being forced to make an endless parade of dresses. There are many who could tell you this.” For a second I let myself look out over the audience, meeting some of their eyes with a sad expression on my face. “Any sympathy I tried to get out of Duke Terluff was rebuffed, he cares nothing for slaves like me. Less than any of you do.” With a stamp of my hoof I tightly shut my eyes and stuck my nose in the air, fake tears welling up at the corners of my eyes. There was silence for a moment, and another. Finally it was broken by Duke Terluff himself. “As you can see it from my slave herself, there is no such friendliness between us. Any slave I treat in a supposedly “good” way is just a means to an end for me.” Duke Terluff sat down with his arms crossed over his chest, satisfied and proud. A few of the arbitrators were speaking between each other when Berten finally reacted in anger to the show I and Duke Terluff had just put on. “No! Do not believe this silliness!” He wildly waved his arms around, upset at the changing atmosphere of the hearing. “She’s clearly lying! Of course they would both lie to save their skins, think of all she has to lose by Duke Terluff being imprisoned or executed!” He certainly had the right of things but I had one more plan. “I am not lying, Duke Terluff sees slaves as nothing more than tools at best.” I said, walking away from Berten and the desk and back over to my master. “You want proof of his vileness? Well, am I not being out of order? Have I not just insulted him and spoke out of turn here? Doing things no slave should do?” Berten looked at me with angry concern, wondering what I was getting at. Others were also confused, but Duke Terluff looked at me with a blank and almost shocked expression, his mouth half open. “It seems I should be disciplined for my transgressions. And as my master, he should be the one to do it, should he not?” I stood beside Duke Terluff, stiff, unmoving. Eyes facing forward and my face a perfect expressionless mask. In the next instant I both felt and heard a loud crack as the back of Duke Terluff’s powerful hand struck me across the face. I was sent reeling on the ground, in pain, desperately clutching at my face as real tears this time leaked from my eyes. Hissing and shaking in agony I stood up on trembling hooves and obediently walked back over to his side. No longer sitting in a chair but instead on the cold floor next to him. Things were up to Duke Terluff now, I would no longer be speaking. “As you can now plainly see-” To his credit as an actor his voice did not waver at all after hitting me. “There is no sympathy here.” The Duke stared down Berten before casting his eyes across the audience. “This has been nothing more than a setup by a jealous enemy of mine to attempt to discredit me.” With an accusing finger he pointed and shouted at the large Duke Tylark in the front row, who had been sitting with his mouth wide open in surprise ever since I had been hit. “Duke Tylark! It’s obvious he’s the one who is trying to take me down by spreading false rumors and telling Berten I support abolitionism!” Duke Tylark was blindsided, not expecting this sudden reversal at all. “W-What are you talking about!” He sat up out of his seat while his eyes darted about nervously. “You’re the only one who not only has to gain from this but also personally knows Berten and could feed him these lies. And here you are so conveniently to watch it all unfold.” Duke Terluff smugly grinned at him before turning to Berten. “Well Berten? Was it not Duke Tylark who first came to you with these “rumors” about me? Arbitrators, I think it’s truly Duke Tylark who has much to answer for.” “No!” The large Duke shouted. “This is preposterous! I-” “So that’s how it was!” Duke Tylark was suddenly cut off by Berten. “To think you would come to me with such blatant lies about Duke Terluff all in the hopes of ruining his life for your own benefit!” Duke Tylark stared in shock at Berten and I couldn’t help but grin. It was just how Duke Terluff and I thought things would go, now Berten was throwing Tylark under the carriage once he saw that things were going in a bad direction. He was going to try to come off as an innocent patsy and blame the whole thing on Duke Tylark. “That’s not-” The sweaty and practically hyperventilating Tylark was cutoff again by Berten. “Quiet! Look at how you’re acting, you’re clearly guilty! Anything you say now will just make things worse for you.” He snapped his fingers and the guards by the raised desk went to stand by him. “Arrest Duke Tylark and imprison him in the dungeon, his hearing will come later.” The two guards now went to Tylark and grabbed him by the arms, practically having to drag him out of the room as his whole body hung slack, he looked close to passing out from terror. As everyone else in the room watched on he tried to proclaim his innocence and plead for Berten to stop this. “This isn’t right! I didn’t do anything, Berten! P-Please, this is wrong! Terluff is a traitor!” The other trolls watched him with a mixture of disappointment and embarrassment. Meanwhile I and I’m sure Duke Terluff as well took a small amount of amusement from the fact that he was absolutely right. But now that that was done with I rubbed my painfully throbbing cheek, it was most certainly going to be bruised and I would have to get some makeup to conceal it. At least Duke Terluff knew what I wanted him to do. I suppose that’s “friendship” for you. Wincing in pain I barely saw out the corner of my eye Berten giving the both of us a nasty look as he followed Tylark out the door. Well too bad for him. “I’m sorry.” It was just a whisper but I still heard it plainly from Duke Terluff. Obviously he couldn’t do or say anything more at the moment in the middle of the room with the arbitrators still right there. “It’s okay you know?” I whispered back. “It was my idea and after all I’m the one who’s responsible for getting you caught up in all of this.” He nodded slightly in acknowledgment “When we get back to my home you should rest some more, I’ll get you some ice.” I couldn’t help but giggle slightly under my breath. “Rest? Please. We’re both still busy.”