The hall was still echoing with Daniel's final words when a chair scraped sharply against the stone floor. Heads turned as a young woman rose from the defense bench. Lora, the housekeeper's second daughter.
She gripped the edge of the table for a moment, gathering herself, then stepped forward. Her hands trembled, but her voice rang out with a strength that surprised many.
"Your Honors. Everyone in this hall." Her eyes swept over the room, stopping briefly on the Prime Minister, then Daniel. "I am not just here as a trained lawyer or as a subject of his highness but also as a daughter."
A murmur rose in the chamber. A few of the younger servants lowered their eyes, unwilling to meet her gaze.
"My father is many things, strict, demanding, sometimes even harsh. But a poisoner? A traitor? No." Her voice cracked slightly, but she pressed on.
