(16) - P.T.T. (Post Trial Trauma!)

Griffonclaw awoke to the sounds of anvils and hammers...

...but he was not in Ironforge.

Last night he had sat in judgement of Keruptis SaDiablo as a special magistrate, appointed by the Strormwind crown and confirmed by King Magni; many considered him the perfect candidate, given his long and acrimonious history with warlocks in general and Keruptis in particular.

It had been implied by both authorities that he would insure a conviction, for the good of the Alliance... and then Griffonclaw noted that Bishop Delavey was one of the people who had suggested him for the temporary magistracy.

Griffonclaw had wondered why - Bishop Delavey and himself had a long an acrimonious history almost the equal of his own with Keruptis... and then he saw it - the elegantly subtle trap.

Convict Keruptis using Griffonclaw, and remove another power that rivaled his from the chessboard upon which the Alliance played. Watch the common folk - who hated and distrusted Warlocks - cheer the verdict.

Watch the Warlocks protest that this was not justice, but a witch hunt.

Then castigate and condemn the verdict after the fact, blaming Griffonclaw for a "travesty of justice" and let him take the blame from the Warlock community.

Check and mate.

Griffonclaw had accepted the position, however, and spent much of the day prior to the trial meditating and praying. He would be as impartial as he could, and would give Keruptis every opportunity to request a replacement magistrate.

Keruptis had refused. The trial had proceeded, with a number of irregularities - including a witness assassination, that Keruptis all but admitted to... He was at his arrogant best throughout the trial, implying that he'd bought the jury, that the witnesses against him were framing him - and would suffer for it, calling witnesses sacrifices, een admitting - but then recanting, saying he'd mis-spoken - to foul necromancy. He played the audience beautifully, and the trial became more travesty than justice.

And so Griffonclaw did the only thing he could do, under the circumstances - he declared a mistrial. Keruptis was remanded to the Vault for safer-keeping - there had been reports that he had turned the Stockadews into his own personal chamber of horrors in the week he'd been incarcerated - and Griffonclaw had gone to drown his sorrows, drinking mead and ale for the first time since being released from his Paladin vows in Stormwind. His writ as magistrate ended when, with an escort of ERA and Nick from E Puribus Unum, the guardsmen of the Vault had accepted Keruptis back into custody.

And thus - his head the next morning. The Light could heal many things, but was less than effective with hangovers...

In any case... someone was knocking on his door.

He dragged himself off his pallet of bear pelts, and answered the doot.

"Message from the Palace for Griffonclaw"

Just what he had been expecting. Censure for the way he'd conducted - or at least concluded - the trial.

Instead, he read:

"By Joint Command of King Magni of Ironforge and the Crown of Stormwind,

We hereby inform you that the criminal Keruptis SaDiablo has escaped fromt he Vault, and fled our joint custody; his guilt on all charges is thereby confirmed.

We thank you for your service as special magistrate, and inform you that your service in that regard is no longer required.

Signed

*For the Alliance, some clerk's name, and the usual runic scrawl of his sworn monarch*

Griffonclaw pondered.

Given Joras' actions at the trial on Keruptis' behalf, he was not sure at all that the ERA would do aught; his faith in its leadership after last night was profound - but Rorey had indicated that she was investigating, and he trusted her.

Catrionae was under the protection of the Knights of the Way, which was as Griffonclaw had planned - her farewell note to him had broken his heart, and he had read it quietly, tears streaming down his face. However, he could not protect her by himself, and as far as he was concerned the ERA was compromised. The Hammers of Magni had chosen, with the exception of Father Barri, to not involve themselves, and Cat had left them in any case. She had so much more potential than what she would have chosen, to be Griffonclaw's leman... so much intelligence and ability that would be wasted if he had let her tie her fate to his... after his engagement had been broken, he had refocused his efforts on his duties, and Catrionae had taken that as indifference. At the same time, he had accepted Bricklethumb's offer to assure her safety, and that one of his Mages wanted to train and refine her raw power.

She was special. She deserved more than Griffonclaw could give - more training, more protection, and more attention than a Paladin constantly at-risk could give her. She needed to grow, and grow independant of him; perhaps then, if she didn't hate him, they might...

Griffonclaw shook his head, clearing it. The future with Keruptis at large was... uncertain, and confirmed that he had made the right choice; he would be hard-pressed to protect himself, let alone Catrionae.

He remembered an old Kaldorei curse:

"May you live in interesting times! May you come to the attention of high government officials! May your wife and mistress become best friends!"

Well... two out of three weren't bad...