Saved From Stoning

Chapter Thirteen: Your Loyalty or Your Life

The doctor briefly looked baffled at this question and Asahi was horrified to discover that Sakura was a candidate for execution by this doctor. The Emperor of Azura glared at Sasuke and his eyes crossed with fury.

"Yes, he did come to me," answered Doctor Benjiro. "I was horrified to hear what he asked me to do. He wanted me to inject some dangerous medicine into his wife, who had betrayed him because she didn't want to be a part of the marriage anymore."

"You liar!!!" shouted Sasuke, rising to his feet.

"Order!! Order!!" screamed Judge Hanzo Tanaka, banging his gavel loudly to silence the courtroom. "Order in the court!! Put that man back in his seat and keep him there!!"

It took a few minutes for the courtroom to fall silent again and once the courtroom calmed down, Doctor Benjiro continued the testimony.

"Sasuke Uchiha told me that I didn't have any choice but to obey his orders," explained Doctor Benjiro. "I've seen the pain that Sakura was in. She didn't want to be a part of that poor excuse of a marriage. In fact, I didn't want to be in Konohagakure anymore serving mad officials."

"And yet, you didn't because you had a sense of loyalty that could not be overpowered," answered Manfred, glaring at Doctor Benjiro. "A loyalty that could not be broken unless you wanted to die because you broke that particular loyalty. It was either your loyalty or your life."

Doctor Benjiro grew more and more uncomfortable with each word that Manfred drove into him. The elderly doctor was growing more and more uncomfortable and wanted it to stop.

"Objection, Your Honor!" cried Phoenix, rising and walking up next to Manfred. "The defendant is not on trial!"

"All of Konohagakure is on trial, Your Honor!" retorted Manfred. "It was placed on trial when its leader was put on trial!"

"Konohagakure is not placed on trial, you idiot!" snapped Phoenix. "How could you assume that an entire town should be placed on trial based on one person? You are assuming that every single person who lives in that town is accused of the same crimes! Well, let me assure you..."

"Order!! Order!!" cried Judge Hanzo Tanaka as the arguing grew louder and louder.

"You don't have to assure me anything!" cried Manfred. "All of Konohagakure is on trial, whether you like it or not! And everyone will walk into this courtroom..."

"Order! Order!!" thundered Judge Hanzo Tanaka, ending the argument. "This tribunal will admonish both councils and it will not tolerate anything of this kind again! We are not here to listen to outbursts of this nature, but to serve justice."

"Your Honor," said Phoenix. "I made an objection."

"The objection is overruled," replied Judge Hanzo Tanaka quietly and then he motioned for Doctor Benjiro to step down from the witness box. "The witness may step down."

The entire courtroom watched as the elderly doctor stepped down, ending the intense drama that had just happened. Several more witnesses came forward, but they were all in low-key manners.

Soon, the trial ended and everyone dispersed for the day. However, Asahi and Honoka had far more important matters to attend to as they saw Princess Barbie walking towards them.

"How is Kazuya, Barbie?" asked Asahi.

"He is fine," answered the Princess of Love. "I think that Kazuya and Sakura are in love with one another, but I'm just worried that there will be consequences if her ex-husband will find out."

"Barbara does have a point, my love," remarked Honoka. "What should we do?"

"We take every necessary precaution into account," said Asahi. "We should have Sasuke Uchiha isolated from the other defendants so as to not plan any kind of retaliation."

The Royal Monarchs nodded in agreement and soon, word came that Sasuke was to be moved later that night.

"Why are you doing this to me?" demanded Sasuke as several guardsmen escorted him down towards another prison cell in the dungeons. "Come! Come! I demand to know why!"

"We have orders to isolate you," the guards said as they led him into his new prison cell. "Nothing more."

Once they arrived at the prison cell, which, unlike the previous prison cells with bars, this one was walled in and only a small peephole was in the door. Sasuke was pushed in and the door was slammed behind him.

"Must you humiliate me more, Emperor Asahi?" Sasuke growled, punching into the wall of his new prison cell. "I swear that you will not get away with this! I swear it! Do you hear me?!"

But no one could hear Sasuke Uchiha but himself.