Nannade was sitting in a special containment cell again. This one was a bit smaller and a bit colder than the one in Sosken, but otherwise the same. Cold-wrought iron strips lined the walls, inscribed with runes of holding and arcane spells to shield against any attempted attack or breach. She had a table with two chairs, a bed and a bucket. Occasionally, she could feel the building sway in the wind, similar to how it felt under the deck of the Vigilantia. At least it was rare enough to not make her sick. Being suspended above water in an iron chamber did make her nervous, however. She had always hated enclosed and dark spaces. She preferred to sleep among the trees and high up. In this cell she would wait for her trial. Or at least the announcement of the date. So far nobody had come to talk to her, despite it being more than a day that she had arrived in Laeddunn.

She heard steps down the corridor outside. It had to be for her, she was sure to be the only inmate on this level. Many lands and cities liked to pay Laeddunn for security containment of their more difficult criminals, but this seemed to be off-season for heavy-duty crime.

She heard the keys being inserted into her cell’s door and turned one after the other. Several heavy mechanisms unlocked and it opened. It was two of the prison guards accompanied by a Guardian of the Lodge.

“We’re here to escort you to your attorneys, Elissa of Sturreland and Purple Paw of Halonnes.”

Nannade's heart jumped twice in joy. The feeling of home was palpable at last! She was quickly on her feet. No need to keep them waiting. She didn’t even mind the extra guards accompanying her or the chains and wards they put on her.

They led her out of the prison complex and towards city hall. Other people walking on the skyways quickly made way for the heavily guarded prisoner escort. The skyways were wide enough for two carriages, although none ever drove on them. The towers and skyways were shaped elegantly from a bright stone and a metal with a light blue tint, clinging to the stone like flowing net.

She was led inside city hall and there to a small office, also heavily guarded. The door was opened and she saw them, sitting at a desk in conversation. Garetas and Elissa, those two faces she had seen at least one of every day for her entire life in freedom. Nannade didn’t give a rat’s arse about the guards holding her by the shoulder. Within a heartbeat, she broke loose and jumped around Garetas' neck before he could even brace himself. Tears pushed their way out of her eyes, even though she tried hardest to not let them. She just took in the smell of his skin and the feeling of his beard bristling against her cheek.

“Hey there. I missed you too, Fleabag.”

She finally managed to detach herself from him and he took a good look up and down her body.

“You’ve grown, girl.” He gestured up and down her body. She didn’t notice all this time but she had to admit she saw it now that he mentioned it, he seemed a tad smaller. “And the hair too!”

She smiled with still wet eyes. “These aren’t coming off, no matter what you say!” she liked them as they were now, reaching as far as her chin and a bit beyond. She ran her fingers through them, then she turned to Elissa and was hit with a shock. Under her dress, her belly bulged. Just a tiny bit, but definitely.

“WHAT?”

Elissa had to giggle.

“WHO?” she turned to Garetas.

“No, how can you even think that?”

Elissa just hugged her. “We’ll talk about it later. For now, we have more important matters to discuss.”

They took place at the table and Garetas put a big ledger on the table.

“First things first, Nannade.” He struck out for his coming report. “Priscilla, High-Sister Priscilla, died a few dozens of days after you left. We decided to be your defence, since no one else was willing to do it.”

The death of Priscilla hit Nannade hard. She never took the opportunity to properly thank her after being so nasty to her during the first half of the trial.

“We will also have to do with a much smaller jury this time. Not all of the inner circle could make it to Laeddunn.” We suspect that Loganna might have ordered the trial to be held now and outside of Sturreland for the specific purpose of stacking the deck against us, instead of waiting for the year to pass or annulling your banishment. She seems really bent on seeing you dead, Nannade. BUT!” And now Garetas inhaled deeply. “We might have a chance to counter her. You see, I have already called in several Hidden Hands just in case you should be found innocent or not dangerous and thereby let go. Normally, five other Hidden Hands have to oversee the establishing of a new Hand’s call sign and first mark of approval. But I managed to negotiate that these five to be additional advisors. They might be able to sway the inner circle, and also remind the Lodge of our role and importance. They might even get the right to convene with the trusted judges and Loganna as a tribunal.”

Nannadetook a few breaths. It was a little bit to take in. Elissa’s pregnancy and Priscilla’s death were enough for now. She had to free her mind.

“Everything alright?” Elissa put a hand on her shoulder.

Nannade nodded. “Just taking it in one at a time.”

Elissa looked to Garetas gave her a few moments to order the thoughts in her head.

“Now, I told you that you have good chances. But we don’t know if Loganna sees the reports the same way we do. She might be overruled by her highest judges again, but she might not.”

“Can I see the reports?”

“Sure.” Garetas took the ledger and handed it to Nannade.

Endless single pieces of paper, short reports of what happened as well as longer assessments were just shoved into it, in loose chronological order. She Started to sort them, most of them furnished with a date in one corner. She could not find herself in all those statements. There were certain issues that had been glossed over, sugar-coated or outright omitted. How she dealt with Bronislaw, the woman she tortured for three days and nights, her failure to resist the Maiden of Fertility, the fact she now had venomous fangs, and a few more things. Why would Aaka, or Black Surgeon omit these?

Then it dawned on her. The paths she had been set upon; the tasks she had been given. Black Surgeon had trained her, not assessed her. She wasn’t supposed to be tested, Black Surgeon already knew she was no threat, he wanted her to learn how to arrange herself with Ssil and how to better wield her new body. Like a silken thread of conspiracy, it ran throughout her travels and the report as well. Barely visible, but still fatal to those who get tangled up in it. It was all a clever trick to fool Loganna. She would not betray his trick so close to its pointe.

She made sure to keep her composure and hoped the other two hadn’t noticed her contemplation and revelation.

“Okay... I guess this looks good, please tell me, what’s the plan now? What am I in for?”

Elissa averted her eyes. Then Garetas sighed and looked straight at Nannadewith a glare he’d normally only put on when discussing the plan for a mission in all detail and seriousness.

“If Loganna manages to overturn the previous session's verdict, which she will at least try, she might get a guilty verdict with a broad enough margin to have you executed.”

“WHAT?”

“The law of Sturreland is not exactly precise on this, but it is said that execution is only possible if there is at least a two-thirds margin for guilty.”

Nannade felt fear flare up like an icy burn on her heart. “She can’t do that! There is no way the report warrants that!”

“She might try to get that tossed out as well. We don’t know how she intends to do that, but it would fit her blend of nastiness and malignity.”

“You won’t let that happen, right?” She looked to Elissa, who was still silent and turned away.

“We promise, we’ll get you out of the death penalty. But the options don’t look very good.”

“Like what?” Nannade didn’t know whether knowing or not knowing the alternatives was better.

Elissa was the one to speak up. “They say that the Lodge of Sturreland does not believe in prisons, but they still have some choices. You could be bound in some cave, guarded by druids. Like in the story of Borakand the Bear. Or they could bind your soul to a place of power, making you unable to leave the forest, even in death. They could brand your forehead with the mark of the sinner and forbid you from leaving Sturreland. Then there are some other means, like taking your hands, shattering your mind, making you deaf, dumb and blind, or simply leaving you in that containment cell in Sosken until you die.”

“No!” Nannade had to shudder at each of these alternatives. “I won’t be put back in chains, I won’t go back into some dungeon or hole in the rock to be forgotten! I WONT! Teacher,” she turned to Garetas. “Tell me, please tell me you'll get me executed before that happens! I won’t go back there!” Even Ssil writhed in anger as she heard what might be her fate as well; unlike Nannade, her mind would not be able to leave an imprisonment of the soul simply by dying.

Garetas, who had thrown an accusing glare at Elissa, made assuaging gestures. “Those are just the worst cases. And as I said: I got other Hidden Hands involved. We can sway them, we can even demand to put you before our own tribunal, which would however result in your exclusion from my tutelage. And former apprentices of Hidden Hands have a remarkably short lifespan.”

That did not make things better. Not one bit.

“I’d probably take the mission myself to make sure you won’t suffer before your death.”

This was somehow the most uplifting thing that Nannade had heard in this room.

“Another thing that could happen is that they demote you to and Empty Palm. You would get a call sign, but a dishonourable one that marks you as an Empty Palm, you would be barred from getting any marks of approval, casting magic, taking contracts by yourself, taking on apprentices, sitting in any council or tribunal; basically you’d be like you are now. With no right or voice and forever attached to me.They could also simply void your time in Sturreland, forcibly put you under the tutelage of someone else. I have a weird feeling Black Surgeon would want to volunteer for that.”

The best option still sounded horrible. Nannade put her forehead on the desk. “It’s over, isn't it?”

“No. There are still chances. The trusted judges seek to stop Loganna from turning this into a mock trial.”

“Don’t worry.” Elissa put her hands on Nannade’s shoulders. “There are other places more open to what you did. Remember what High-Sister Priscilla said? Just a few generations ago, it was even practiced by the Lodge itself to some extent.”

Nannade was at the end of her resilience. “I can’t deal with this anymore. I am useless here anyway. Just put me back in my cell.” She stood up and turned to the guards. “Put me back in, boys.”

Garetas made one last attempt at cheering her up. “Don’t worry Fleabag, I always come prepared.”

She smiled as much as she could. “Thank you. Both of you. For everything.”

She had a last hug with them, then the guards escorted her back to her cell.