She was met outside of Moncada’s office by her appointed bodyguards, then led upstairs to her suite. She could barely suppress a small chuckle as the men took up positions on each side of her door. Surely, they weren’t crazy enough to think that she couldn’t escape if she really wanted to. She stepped into the sitting room of her opulent quarters and nodded with satisfaction as she looked around. This may well be her last night of existence, but she was still nobility, and Moncada made sure to provide her with all of the amenities befitting her station.
Alexis walked into the bedchamber and closed the door, then sat down on the bed and slipped into another meditative trance. More than anything, she wanted the Voice to either confirm or deny the path she had chosen to take with this trial. However, as it was earlier, her inner pleas were met with silence. She stayed in her trance for hours, waiting and hoping, but she was finally forced to give up as dawn stained the horizon.
The next night, Alexis entered the grand ballroom of the estate with her back straight and her head held high. The room was filled with rows of chairs, and at the front, the stage usually reserved for musical groups contained a row of seven chairs behind a long table, each of them filled with those who would be her judges. She recognized most of them by their faces, but knew only a few by name. She didn’t turn her head to look at the crowd that had gathered in the room, but she did notice that off to the side sat Archbishop Faddei of Austria, the one that had promoted her to Bishop so many years ago.
She stopped in the center of the cleared space in front of the platform and looked up at those before her. Her eyes and face were unreadable as she kept a tight grip on her emotions. Any slip up now could be fatal. Always the epitome of etiquette, she dipped a respectful curtsey to the panel and remained silent, for the accused in a blood court does not speak unless spoken to.
Archbishop Moncada opened a file in front of him and glanced over the papers contained within. He waited a few moments to create suspense then folded his hands on top of the file and looked at Alexis.
"Contessa Alexis Dread, childer of Lord Blackthorin Dread, a petition has been brought before us with accusations that you have failed at various duties and that you are no longer worthy of being Lasombra. What say you to these charges?"
Out of all the times she had attended these tribunals, she had only seen one other time when the accused was granted the right to face the judges, but she knew the expected response.
"The charges are false, Your Excellency."
The Archbishop nodded and continued, "You have been charged with failing to lead the pack, Res Divina Nigrum, the simplest of tasks for one of your abilities. What say you?"
Again, Alexis responded with the expected answer, "The charge is false, Your Excellency."
"Explain."
She chose her words very carefully as she took the first step down the road which she hoped would let her walk from this room at the end of the night.
"I was set up to fail by my sire and his former concubine. They subverted the pack members and pitted them against me. Lord Dread admitted to me after the pack was disbanded that it was impossible for me to lead them successfully under such circumstances."
She watched emotionlessly as the judges made notes of her explanation.
Moncada looked down at the file, frowning slightly as he took a pen and crossed items off of his list, items which were apparently too trivial for him to bring up. After a few minutes, he stopped and looked down at Alexis.
"You have also been accused of failing to perform the duties of an Archbishop and therefore, you were stripped of your title. What say you?"
This was the part of the trial that she knew would decide her fate. She mentally steeled herself as she made her reply.
"The charge is false, Your Excellency."
"Explain."
She allowed a bit of anger to creep into her voice as she recited the speech she had memorized as her answer to this charge.
"In a fit of insanity, the Cardinal stripped all title holding Sabbat in the area of Meridian of their titles. Immediately afterward, he disappeared so that none could challenge his decision. As a result, the city was retaken by the Camarilla, and our sect members there have been left in total disarray and confusion without proper leadership."
She noticed the stunned expressions on the faces of the judges as they conversed in whispers up on the stage. Behind her, she could hear the crowd mumbling to each other in disbelief at her pronouncement. However, Moncada remained calm. His only outward sign of surprise was a raised eyebrow as he spoke.
"That Cardinal is your sire, Alexis. You would betray him?"
Alexis nodded, "Former Cardinal. He forfeited his title when he vanished. I caught a glimpse of him in the arms of a known Camarilla woman as I was leaving to come here. It is my opinion that he has betrayed not only me, but our entire Clan and Sect." She paused for a moment then continued, "I feel that he has followed the same path as the traitor, Giangaleazzo." She added the last statement as a well-rehearsed afterthought, knowing Moncada’s towering fury at Giangaleazzo for his treason.
She could barely suppress a grin as her statement had its desired effect. Moncada’s hands clenched into fists and he frowned darkly. He spoke with the other judges, and in a matter of minutes, a verdict was reached.
"Contessa Alexis Dread, in light of these revelations, it is our judgement that these allegations are false. You are free to go."
She nodded and started to turn to leave, but then she paused and turned back, "If I may ask, who brought the petition against me?"
Moncada glanced over to Archbishop Faddei, and his look told her all she needed to know. She frowned at the one she had once called ally and her eyes flashed angrily. Suddenly, she heard a long silent, yet familiar, voice in the back of her mind.
"Do it. Kill him. Do it."
Alexis didn’t even think, she just reacted. Before Faddei could make a move, she had taken the scarab brooch from her gown. She squeezed the head of the scarab and two wing-shaped blades shot out from the sides, then snapped together to form one semi-circular blade. In an instant, she crossed the few feet that seperated her from her enemy, and the blade was slammed into his chest, piercing his heart. She growled and jammed the blade in harder, then twisted it.
Faddei’s eyes widened as the poison on the blade spread throughout his body. Alexis used shadow tendrils to hold him in place as his unlife ended. She released him and pulled the blade from his chest, causing him to collapse onto the floor in a heap. She carefully cleaned the small dagger off on his shirt, then let go of the scarab’s head. The blades shot back into place and she pinned the brooch back onto her gown as she turned and faced Moncada. "He will no longer waste this court’s precious time, Your Excellency."
The Archbishop nodded approvingly and smiled, "Would you like the right of Amaranth on that one?"
Alexis shook her head, "No, thank you. The sting of the scarab is poison. However, I would take his title since he will be unable to perform his duties."
A couple of the judges laughed out loud while the rest simply smiled and grinned. Moncada controlled his laughter enough to answer her.
"Spoken like a true Lasombra. Yes, you may have his title, a title which should never have been taken from you in the first place."
"My thanks, Your Excellency. Now, I must take my leave and plan my return to the United States." She nodded to each of the judges, then turned and made her way back to her suite, her mind racing with plots and intrigues… now with the help of her Inner Voice.