“Mommy, Daddy, time to wake up!” Aidan opened his eyes to find his daughter jumping onto the bed with them. His internal sun-sense told him the sun was just setting. He sat up and yawned. Flame Song opened her eyes and blinked sleepily.

Corinne came to the open door saying, “Good morning, or evening rather. The sun was setting and Spark wanted to wake you up. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” said Flame Song.

“We’ve had a busy day. I napped a bit myself, and just a little while ago someone from the watch house stopped by. They want you both to testify at Branson’s trial. It’s being held early tomorrow morning. I told them I wasn’t sure if you could come or not, with the trial being held during the day.”

“Sure, we’ll be there,” said Aidan. “I can certainly put up with a little daylight in order to see him get what he deserves.”

“I’ve been rather curious about that,” said Corinne. “It was my impression that sunlight is fatal to vampires, but you don’t seem to mind it.”

“You’re right, sunlight and vampires don’t mix one bit, though the sun isn’t necessarily instantly fatal. I've been given to understand that the older you are, the more damage it will do to you.” said Aidan. “Luckily enough, however, I have this.” He tapped the medallion around his neck. “It’s a very good sun protection spell. I’m completely immune to the effects of sunlight while wearing it.”

“Ah,” said Corinne. “Well, I’ll let them know you’ll be at the trial then.”

The sun had hardly peeked over the horizon when Flame Song and Aidan set out that morning. They wanted to do some shopping before the trial. Fortunately they were able to find a few shops open that early. Aidan got himself a pair of trousers that actually fit him, grumbling at how hard it was to find them in his size. He managed to turn up a shirt tailored for aerian wings as well. It was plain brown rather than the blue he favored, but he didn’t have time to be picky. Dressed and combed, they set off for the courthouse where the trial would be held. Corinne and her daughter Ariana came along too, as did Littlespark.

Aretha’s judicial system was fairly simple. As the person being tried was a cleric, the local head of one of the larger clerical orders was the judge. There was no jury, but anyone in attendance could offer an opinion. All parties concerned would tell their stories, then time was allowed for questions, and at last the judge would give his decision. A blanket truth spell was continually in place over the whole room, so no one could speak a lie during the trial. Aidan winced as he entered the room. The truth spell had been cast by a cleric, and so it was distinctly uncomfortable for him. Flame squeezed his hand reassuringly and he smiled back at her. They seated themselves on the front row. Branson, also on the front and flanked by a pair of watchmen, glared at them.

Once everyone was present, the judge asked Aidan to begin by telling what he was accusing Branson of. Aidan told the story, in brief. The judge asked a few questions, mostly designed to make certain that Branson had indeed intended to kill Aidan and not merely injure or inconvenience him.

Flame was questioned next, and her story was no different. Littlepsark piped up at one point. The judge had asked if Flame knew of any reason for the attack. "That man doesn't like my daddy, is why," she said. "He's very mean. And I was scared, he shouldn't have hurt Daddy like that!" A chuckle ran around the room.

Corinne spoke as well, her story agreeing with what had already been said.

Then it was Branson's turn. He had fumed silently through the proceedings, now he eagerly took the chance to tell his side. "This trial is a mockery! There is no crime in killing an undead monster. That he lives is the crime!"

"You admit to attempting to murder Mr. Rhiannon then?" asked the judge.

"It's not murder to send a vampire, a son of Hell, back to the grave where he belongs. He is evil. We can all see proof of it! The sign of goodness burns him! What more evidence is needed?"

"What do you mean by saying we can all see proof of it?"

"His hand! Look at it."

The judge turned to Aidan. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

Aidan sighed. "Yes sir. When we first met he accidentally ran into me, and his symbol burned my hand." He held his hand out, palm up, the reddish scar still plainly visible.

"I see."

"There! Do you admit that he is evil?"

The judge gave Branson a quelling look. "I am not the one who needs to admit anything. You, on the other hand, have admitted to attempted murder."

Branson was nearly incoherent with frustrated rage. "Removing the undead from this world is not murder!"

"But you did intend to kill him?"

"Yes! Of course!"

"Very well." The judge looked around the room. "Mr. Alder's assertions are in line with previous cases I have seen. Generally it is, indeed, not considered murder to kill the undead, members of the uncivilized races, or non-sentients. I am, to be honest, not quite certain what the correct course of action here is. Mr. Rhiannon... you have, to my knowledge, never harmed anyone in this community. But it is a fact that you are undead."

Aidan sighed. "I don't think I'm evil. I've served for years in the Queen's Own. Tara herself gave me the amulet that protects me from sunlight. I don't think she's given to consorting with evil beings.”

“But that is not proof, Mr. Rhiannon,” said the judge. His tone was not unkind, but his stern face made it clear that he wouldn't be easily swayed. “Even were it true that you were in the Queen's Own, which you also cannot prove, that does not mean you couldn't have turned to evil since then.”

With another sigh Aidan nodded. “If I can prove that I'm not an evil creature, would that change your decision?"

"I'm not sure such matters of morality can be proved."

"Perhaps not, but I'd like to try, sir."

"Very well."