"Honourable colleagues, gathered here today, we stand to present indictments against several individuals accused of conspiring to commit the heinous crime of plotting Emperor Basilius' assassination," declared a man, addressing the wide audience infront of him.
Behind him stood an elevated platform, set apart from the ground by a fence, and on it, five individuals were seated. The middle seat was adorned and stood out from the rest, occupied by Nolan - the Emperor himself.
"We possess concrete evidence of their direct involvement in the assassination plot as well as their knowledge of the sinister scheme," the man continued.
One of the judges, seated to the right of the Emperor, spoke up, "Kindly proceed by providing the names of the accused and the charges they face."
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During yesterday's meeting with the military council, the discussions also extended beyond army affairs. Nolan's trusted counselors, particularly the Domestic of the Schools, revealed a clandestine plot devised by certain senators with the sinister aim of assassinating the Emperor — or Nolan.
It came to light that some of the Strategos were approached to join this conspiracy including the Domestic that revealed the plot and the Admiral, but their loyalty to the Emperor made them hesitant to participate.
This followed the revelations of names by the councillors of certain individuals, some directly implicated in the crime, while others with having guilty knowledge of the nefarious scheme.
They also showed evidences during their investigation which included intercepted letters detailing the plot's planning, suspicious meetings between the conspirators, and testimonies from informants who had overheard incriminating conversations among the accused. Additionally, some of the involved senators were found in possession of coded messages discussing the assassination plan, all of these were revealed to Nolan. The cumulative weight of these pieces of evidence pointed towards a well-orchestrated and dangerous plot against Emperor Basilius.
In the next morning, the senate was urgently summoned once more and all were compelled to participate. Indictments were found forthwith, the military council, mainland loyal to the Emperor, bringing accusations against some for actual participation in the crime and against others as having guilty knowledge only. Several were indicted, and among them some who were not in the city during the planning of the plot.
One day was fixed by public proclamation for the trial of all, and judgment was taken against all by default while the Emperor himself would be overlooking the court. That day had finally arrived, approximately 4 days since the Emperor issued his declaration of war against the Julian — edicted to be the the enemy of the state.
"Esteemed members of the court, we are gathered here today to address the grave accusations brought forth by Domestic of the School, Regino Constantinus, Admiral Ambrosius Glycas, Master of the Camp Joannes Acropolita, and their endorsers. The indictments are against those allegedly involved in the assassination plot and those with knowledge of it. Let us proceed with the proceedings," the Consul announced, taking a brief glance at the Emperor, eager to discern the outcome of the trial.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we present the case against Senator Lucius. His name surfaced in one of the intercepted letters, and we have credible witnesses who assert his active involvement in the plot," the prosecutor proclaimed.
Lucius stood to defend himself, firmly stating, "I deny any connection to this assassination plot. I plead not guilty."
Another prosecutor stepped forward, stating, "Your Honors, we also accuse Senator Kominos, who was known to be associated with some of the conspirators. While he may not have participated directly, he possessed guilty knowledge of the plot."
Senator Kominos stood and passionately implored his case, "I admit to knowing some of the conspirators, but I was entirely unaware of their malevolent intentions towards His Majesty. I had no part in this conspiracy."
Many of the present started to engage in whispers and conversations amongst themselves.
The judge intervened, thumping the desk to demand silence, and then declared, "The accused shall be given the opportunity to present their defense. Let them speak."
"Your Honors, I am Palladius Comnenus. I was not even present in the city when this assassination plot was allegedly being devised. I can provide credible witnesses who will attest to my absence during that crucial time," one of the accused declared firmly, maintaining his innocence.
The prosecutor dismissed his statement, countering, "Your absence does not automatically absolve you from any involvement, Senator Palladius. We have compelling evidence that suggests your complicity. Notably, your name appeared consistently in many of the intercepted letters."
Another man unexpectedly voiced his presence in the court, stating firmly, "Your Honors, I earnestly implore you to hear me out. I had no knowledge of any plot against the Emperor. I am innocent."
The judge responded, "We shall thoroughly consider all evidence presented during the trial. Now, let the witnesses be called forth."
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After heated exchanges and debates, the court session came to end. All the accused were found unanimously guilty and none of the judges voted for acquittal fearing their own judgement by the Emperor beside them.
Following the court session, all the accused were condemned, and imperial law dictated that their properties be confiscated. Palladius received the severe sentence of blinding and life imprisonment, while Kominos faced the death penalty. Others faced various punishments that incapacitated them from opposing Nolan any further.
It came to light that some of the individuals had connections to Julian, leading to suspicions that the plot might have been orchestrated by him in the first place.
After the hearings were declared over, Nolan excused himself from the court session and was escorted back to his palace. In his private chambers, two luminous figures appeared - Polybius and Cicero.
Nolan, his voice shaky, asked them, "Are you certain this was the only way?"
Polybius responded, "Yes, my friend. Their lives posed a threat to your own."
Nolan continued, "But, some of them had no involvement in the plot. They were disposed of merely because you thought they could be a threat to me in the future?"
Cicero retorted, "You are no longer an immature brat. To maintain power, you must consolidate it. This was a necessary step to eliminate some of your enemies. Do not sympathize for their deaths, for it was either you or them."
Nolan fell silent, deeply contemplating the events that had transpired. When he first learned of the plot, he devised a plan to hold those involved accountable. However, during the process, Cicero and Polybius suddenly appeared after a long absence, offering their own insights.
Seizing the opportunity, they took it upon themselves to eliminate what they perceived as potential future threats, even fabricating false evidence against some of the men who were not involved in the three days leading up to the court session.
The entire ordeal was an elaborate plot to exploit the revelations made by the Councillors. Nolan, observant during the trial, noticed that even some present councillors were themselves perplexed by names that appeared, names they hadn't accused.
Nolan found himself grappling with conflicting emotions. He was torn between the desire to maintain his power and the burden of knowing that innocent lives had been affected by the plot orchestrated by Cicero and Polybius.
He struggled with the moral implications of the decisions made during the trial. While he understood the need to consolidate power and eliminate potential threats, he couldn't shake off the guilt of being complicit in the destruction of lives, some of whom were innocent.
But, this was a necessity, a necessity that Nolan knew all too well. He realized that while political intrigues may have been interesting to read but they are never intriguing to be part of.
'Forgive me, O' God. I hope I stray not further from humanity the more I spend my time here.'