Chapter 138: The Court Case
"Yes, Doctor Athena... go on. What do you have to tell us?" Elder Timothy asked, his voice a mix of authority and curiosity, granting Athena the opportunity to speak.
As she obliged and stood up, a pin-drop silence enveloped the large hall, the air thick with anticipation as the congregation wondered what the benevolent doctor had to say.
"First of all, thank you, Elder Timothy, for giving me this privilege to speak..." Athena began, her shoulders high, spine straight, and nose tilted upward, exuding a confidence that shimmered brightly, overshadowing the trembling nerves that threatened to bubble to the surface. The last time she had stood in this hall, she was scorned, jeered at, and ultimately pushed away, a painful memory she carried with her.
"I want to make a plea, actually. Six years ago, during a similar court case, I found myself isolated at the witness stand, while the plaintiff stood among the congregation, silent and untouched until the case was concluded. I wouldn’t want that today."
"So, you want him to take the witness box too?" Elder Timothy asked, weaving his fingers together on the raised platform, his tone measured.
"Not at all. I would prefer that extra seats be brought and arranged before us. Then, we can all take those seats—defendants and plaintiff alike. Also, I plead that he proceed with his evidences first, considering he is the one who initiated this case. I’d like to hear his viewpoints first and understand why he has taken this route before I present mine..."
Alfonso leaned forward to speak, but Timothy raised a hand in his face, silencing him and causing annoyance to flash across Alfonso’s features.
"Okay, Doctor Athena. Request granted." A thin smile appeared on Elder Timothy’s lips, causing Ewan’s furrows to deepen.
Did Athena somehow persuade Elder Timothy to tilt the scales in her favor? He wondered, aware of the whispers swirling around him.