The grand hall smelled of incense and fear.
Nobles huddled in corners. Servants lined the walls, eyes lowered. Victor had once described the palace as the beating heart of the continent. Today, it felt like a mausoleum.
At the end of the hall, King Alphonse Visconte waited. He stood unarmed, flanked by a small cluster of loyalists, most of whom were pale and trembling. Beside him stood his cousin, Luca Sozzini, still seething with rage over the conquest of his territories.
Victor approached until only three paces separated them.
"King Alphonse," he said evenly. "By my decree and for the sake of restoring peace, you are taken into custody pending trial."
Alphonse lifted his chin. His voice was steady, but his eyes were rimmed with exhaustion."So my city falls without a blade drawn," he said. "Fitting, perhaps. Roma surrenders, but does she forgive?"
"It is not forgiveness you face," Victor replied. "It is accountability. Your inability to manage your subordinates has caused damage beyond repair."
Luca stepped forward sharply. "This is an outrage! You have no right to…"
Victor raised a hand. His soldiers levelled their muskets in perfect unison. Luca froze mid-stride.
"You are to be taken as well, Luca Sozzini," Victor said. "Your involvement in the conflict will be examined at trial."
Alphonse placed a hand on Luca's shoulder, urging silence. Then he addressed Victor directly. "No bloodshed today," he said. "If arresting us spares Roma, then I go willingly."
Victor gave a small nod, one of respect, not triumph. "You have chosen wisely. I will not allow harm to come to you before your trial."
Two officers stepped forward with iron-bound manacles, more symbolic than necessary but required by law. Alphonse did not resist as they were clasped around his wrists. Luca stiffened but complied under his cousin's steady gaze.
The nobles watched in breathless disbelief. For the first time in centuries, the ruler of Visconte was no longer master of Roma.
Victor turned and began the slow walk back through the grand hall, Alphonse and Luca escorted behind him under heavy guard. Soldiers lined the corridors, presenting arms as the prisoners passed, a gesture of strict ritual, neither mockery nor honour, but the solemnity of state action. They were escorted to the palace dungeons were they joined Cardinal Bellori.
With the arrest of Alphonse and Luca, Victor and his soldiers went to work preparing for a trial. The trial would take place in two and a half months. During that time, there was a lot needed to be done.
The Pope and his cardinals were escorted from Florenzia to Roma. They were under heavy guard and were shackled at the wrist and ankle. There was no chance for them to escape on their own.
While they were escorted, Victor began forming a jury and a panel of judges. He would take the role as leading judge with Count Valentine, the future Grand Duke Polo, assisting him. A special judge had arrived for this trial a week before it began.
The man who would join the judges' panel would be Cardinal Pompallier. He had received a message after Florenzia had fallen to come to the continent,t as his service would be needed. Pompallier complied and was quick to catch a ship to Zandar.
Cardinal Pompallier was now the senior-most papal official. With his peers and leader facing trial, he had to take over the cleregy temparily to ensure that chaos did not ensue. His presence in Roma provided a calming effect to the devout followers who were unsettled.
The trial would be held in the Visconte Palace in the grand hall. A jury of nobles and key figures was put together in a panel to help as the deciders of this trial. Victor did not want to be percieved as manipulating the trial, hence why a jury was formed.
When it had been ten weeks since Roma was captured, everyone descended upon Roma to see what would happen to the people who started this civil war. There were many who believed death was the only option for them. Some pleaded to pardon the church officials, while other screamed to reinstate Alphonse as ruler.
With everyone so divided, unrest had reached an all-time high. Riots were slowly starting to break out, forcing Victor's soldiers to get involved and settle the disputes. Victor had assigned Marshal Davout to oversee the security of the city with his entire corps.
All of Victor's military on Zandar had gathered at Roma, with General Valerius and Field Marshal Wellesley serving on the jury. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were camped outside the city, enjoying the downtime from battle.
When the church bells rang to signal midday, the defendants were marched into the courtroom. In the front of the line was Alphonse, followed by Luca Sozzini, then Pope Constatine, and finally the five cardinals loyal to the Pope.
They were sitting down on two benches on the left side of the judges' panel. Across from them sat the jury. An audience of commanders, lesser nobles, reputable merchants and trusted city elders packed themselves in the grand hall to bear witness as to what was about to happen.
With everyone in attendance, Victor arose from his seat and addressed the room. "Ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here today to dispense justice to those that had plunged this continent into civil war."
He took a brief pause to collect his thoughts before continuing. "This war had claimed the lives of valiant soldiers, innocent civilians and hard-working people. The damage to this continent has reopened the old wounds of the Visconte Civil War. Lives were ruined, a city was destroyed, and before you are the people responsible for it."
The audience remained silent, focusing upon Victor's every word. "For the next couple of days, these eight men will be tried for their various crimes against this continent. Each of these men will plead their case and answer any questions we might have for them. Then a jury of randomly selected individuals will decide their fates."
With that the Roma trials began.