8 Seven

there was a soft knock at the door, waking Raya from her nap. she sat up as a maid peeked in with a shy smile, "hello princess, I was told to wake you, you wanted to be at the trial correct?" she asked softly. Raya smiled sleepily and nodded as she clambered out of bed, "yes thank you tell my father I'll be down shortly" she replied with a smile as she grabbed a brush off the table and brushed her long silver-like hair. She looked at herself in the mirror, everything was happening so fast for her she still couldn't believe that this wasn't a dream, that her father was a king, that not only was she a princess of this strange world but she was supposed to save it all.

She shook the thoughts from her head and sighed as the placed the brush down and flipped her silver hair over her shoulder. Slipping on some flats she walked out of her room closing the door behind her. Drake was standing outside her door waiting for her and turned to face Raya.

"my lady I'm here to escort you to the court," he said his cold stare looking down at her. Raya jumped slightly not noticing drake there by her door, she looked up at him and nodded. "alright" Raya said softly and started to follow drake as he headed down the long candlelit corridors. She looked up at him in wonder and walked a tad bit faster so she could walk next to him. She sighed running her fingers threw her long silky silver hair.

"sir drake?, may I ask you a question?" she asked softly as she looked up at him she wanted to wait for his permission before speaking. Drake just gave her a slight nod, Raya smiled softly. "if my father is a powerful king with magical abilities, then why don't I have powers?" she asked softly. Drake raised a brow and smirked for the first time, as he continued to walk and turned down another corridor.

it's not that you don't have any princess" he said his voice rough but somehow gentle. "it's the fact your powers have not yet unlocked themselves." He said with a confident tone. Raya just looked up at him raising a delicate brow and tried to wrap her mind around it. Lowering her eyes as she walked she began to wonder if what he said was true. If it was, what were her abilities? How could she unlock them? How would she be able to use them once they were unlocked? So many questions ran threw her mind but were pulled from her thoughts as drake placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him stopping in her tracks and looked around realizing she almost walked into a large wooden door. She laughed embarrassed and looked up at drake as he opened the door for her.

Raya looked into the room and felt her heart drop seeing all the people in the courtroom, he father sat in a throne on the other side of the large round room, people sat on bench-like seats made of what looked like marble. In the center of the room where a circular platform where the prisoner stood. Her heart seemed to break for the wolfman named Charles. She looked to her father who stood to his feet as he saw her standing in the doorway. He motioned to the smaller throne that sat next to his, for her to sit. She gave him a nod as she walked forward keeping her eyes on her father as she past Charles and walked up to the empty throne next to her father's. She smiled softly to her father before turning and sat down on the throne.

Raya stayed silent as she let her eyes land on Charles, her heart went out to him for in his eyes fear was plain as the moon in a night sky. She wished there was something she could do to help, but she had to stay silent. She knew she was invited here to find out what this man or beast did. Charles stood there his furry head lowered as a dog who was badly abused, his wrists and ankles in shackles. The room grew quiet as king Miros stood to his feet and raised his hand and created a fist to silence the room. The king held great power and the way he held himself just demanded respect.

"now that we are all here this trial may now start," he said as he sat down and motioned to drake to step forward. Drake held himself like he always did in a cocky manner that made Raya only want to slap that smug look off his face. He stepped forward and opened what looked to be a scroll and cleared his throat, and turned to face Charles.

"Charles wolf, you have been charged with first-degree murder of your daughter ruby wolf, you may speak your case, and the king will pass his judgment," he said closing the scroll and smirked before turning to the king and Raya and bowed before turning to walk back to his spot by the far wall and stood there and leaned on the stone wall just slightly. Charles didn't remove his gaze from the floor he opened his muzzle as if to talk but closed it again. Raya could tell he was trying to find the words and or his voice.

"I didn't kill my daughter," he said his voice like a whimper as one could tell the beast was trying to hold back tears. "I was out hunting when I heard a scream come from my cabin" he paused and shook his head as tears flooded his eyes. Raya stood to her feet wishing to comfort him but felt a hand grab her wrist. Her head snapped around to see her father gripping her wrist with a stern look.

"sit down Raya," he said sternly as a father would to their child, Raya gave him a glare and yanked her hand away and walked up to Charles. "Raya what are you doing?" king Miros asked sternly standing to his feet. Raya turned and faced her father, anger in her eyes.

"can't you see that this is causing him pain?" she asked clenching her fists as she could feel her anger building up inside her. Charles shocked by the princess's reaction looked up to look at her. The king grew irritated and walked up to her.

"What makes you think he isn't lying to make us think he is innocent? This man.." he paused and fixed his words "beast, is a monster and has to be dealt with!" he said sternly to Raya who only shook her head.

"no father he isn't a monster he is a father, just because he isn't like you doesn't make him a monster, I know he speaks the truth father," she said sternly.