07.25.2127 - A Girl In Hell
Although the scene around her was a living and breathing canvas of incredible tranquility, Shannon could not even see it through the shroud of fear that clouded her vision.
The trees, flowers and other flora that were so apparently abundant around her hadn’t received more than a passing look from the ten year old. The songbirds, singing to a clear blue sky morning, received not even a smile for their praising of the day. She shivered in the shade provided by the canopy of tree branches above, even though the rising sun promised a very warm day. And beyond the edges of the tailored and trimmed landscaping that decorated the courtyard, was the most elaborate of architecture found in the entire Kingdom. But the sculpted granite columns, huge stain-glassed windows and myriad of artistic elements simply poised in her ignorance.
Shannon would have thought herself in Heaven, if she didn’t already know that she stood at the precipice to Hell. The small girl was atop the tallest structure in Safe-Haven, the Church of Kaine, and awaiting a trial that could end with the execution of her parents. A sentence that would be wrought based on Shannon’s own testimony, as she had been a key witness to the alleged crime.
A small circle of white sand formed a clearing within the grass of the courtyard. Shannon sat upon a featureless bench of black and white marble at its center. The Council of Five sat opposite and above her on tall thrones of the same white and black marble, each of theirs however, were ornately crafted from a single piece of marble, and, along with the appearance of being wrapped in a leafy vine, included a small set of spiral stairs wrapping the column.
On the throne to the far left was Cyric Longbow, leader of the Warden Council and, according to Jena and her other short list of friends at the orphanage, her only hope on the council.
To his left was Mindera Michaels, an old lady who not only controlled the mining guild but was the most ornery of the council members, and therefore no help.
At the center was High Priest Fresenius himself, his throne just a bit taller than the pairs that flanked his left and right. He would be the true judge, jury and executioner on the Council, for it had been told to her that he indeed controlled Safe-Haven.
To the left of the devil sat Mark Jamerson, Master of Commerce and to his left, Shannon’s far right, was Leroy Jenkins. Leroy was a Colonel of the Outer-Rim Defense, and along with Mark, was of no known help to her.
The three Judges of the House Guard of Kaine stood in front of the pillars and were all in their full plate-mail armor uniforms. Shannon had no idea which figure was that of Judge Nathaniel Criss, but she was sure he wasn’t the man at center. The man at the center looked to be at least seven feet tall!