"Everypony be silent before the judge."
The hustle and bustle of the Canterlot Royal Court fell silent as the porter announced the arrival of Judge Haystack. In the east wing stood a jury of twelve ponies from across Equestria, gathered at random. In the west, the public gallery contained members of the paparazzi, notepads in-hoof and assorted ponies of the public who had pushed their way in to hear the final day of proceedings.
On a plinth overseeing the court was the intimidating figure of Judge Haystack, an elderly black stallion with cold blue eyes, dressed in a red gown and a traditional white curled judges wig. A monocle held to his left eye aided him in reading the pile of documents before him. Well respected by the ponyfolk of Equestria, this was a case only he could preside over.
Behind him Princess Celestia sat on a throne with two Royal Equestrian Guards at her side. The princess was in full regal attire but as flawless as it was, she looked troubled and tired. Her stomach was covered with dressing - rumour in the press was that after the incident the Princess had lost parts of her digestive system and now had to carry a bag into which her effluence flowed.
Judge Haystack cleared his throat.
"We are here on the final day of proceedings to make a decision on a most troubling case. Noble jurors, many of you have served the court before but I must make this clear to you - cast from your minds anything you have read in the media. Base your decision only on the evidence presented to you here in the royal court."
A unicorn porter cast a spell and lifted a sheet of paper from the top of the judge's documents. Judge Haystack continued to orate.
"As with all cases of treason, there is the potential of a capital sentance. The jurors must consider their verdict well. Today, we will summarise before re-calling the main witness. Before lunch I will dismiss the jury and by sundown this evening I expect a decision. Porter, bring forth the accused."
The porter mare opened a discrete door embedded in the aged wooden panelling which decorated the court. Escorted by a single Equestrian Guard, Twilight Sparkle shuffled in, her front hoofes chained together with another chain leading to the thick neck of the guard. Twilight looked a shell of her former self. Her right eye was swollen and puffy, her mane unkempt and many small wounds covered her body. Twilight's time in the dungeons had been torrid. The guards were most displeased with the crime she was accused and had done many unspeakable things to her before she appeared in court.
The guard pulled Twilight from the door to a small platform, visible to all in the court room.
The gathered reporters scribed notes - their cameras confiscated before entering the court. Judge Haystack banged his hoof against his wooden table twice to gain the attention of the court.
"Twilight Sparkle, you stand accused of treason. It has been put to you that on the 2nd day of the summer solstice you did attempt to poison Her Majesty, Princess Celestia. Has your plea changed overnight, Ms. Sparkle? Do you plead guilty or not guilty?"
Twilight's eyes welled with tears as she looked up at the Princess. Princess Celestia looked close to tears too and could not meet Twilight's gaze. The Princess' stomach twinged, still damaged and likely never to recover despite her immortality - immortals realize that some wounds won't heal over time.
"Not guilty, I would.. never.."
"Thank you Ms. Sparkle, that will do."
The judge's papers were shuffled again by the unicorn assistant.
"Then, for the court, I shall summarise before we introduce our key witness to refresh the jury. On the second day of the summer solstice, our princess was struck down by a very serious illness almost seconds after drinking from her bedside water pitcher. It is only by the grace of her doctors that the princess survived. You, Ms. Sparkle, were seen entering the princess' quarters while she dried herself from a bath just minutes before she fell ill. Despite the timely intervention of the Princess' doctors, many operations have had to be performed. I shall not go into details but many of the consequences of poisoning our Princess has experienced have been painful and traumatic."
The papers shuffled again and the judge squinted, squishing his elderly eyebrow down onto the monocle. Princess Celestia shyed away as a few journalists looked up at her and scribbled into their note books.
"As the princess' protege, the guards naturally allowed you to enter but as you left the palace and the guards having heard the princess' cries soon after, you were seized and in your possession was exhibit five, shown yesterday - a small vial. Alchemists proved this to contain traces of concentrated ragwort, a substance toxic to ponyfolk."
Twilight shook her head resiliently as the judge continued.
"Furthermore, a week earlier it was well known in the palace that Princess Celestia and yourself had, and I quote the words of a Royal Guard, 'a furious argument seemingly over the abuse of magic'. In your statement you told us how yourself and the Princess had made amends soon after. You told us how yourself and the Princess had a history of playing practical jokes on each other - you told us that what you put into the Princess' water was a concoction you made which would..."
The judge raised his eyebrow and his monocle fell out, hanging on its golden chain against his robe.
"Make her extremely flatulent."
There was not a giggle or a cough in the court, the seriousness of the case was understood by all present. In the public gallery, Twilight's dejected friends watched. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash sat together, Pinkie's hair straight, eyes tearful as she rested her head on Dash's shoulder. Fluttershy and Rarity both dressed up but looked far from festive as they heard the evidence against their dear friend. Even Applejack had dressed formally, the Apple family holding a small gathering before the court session in support of Twilight.
"But as is widely reported, the concoction left our princess close to death. Porter, please summon the main witness against the defendant, Ms. Trixie."
The reporters scribbled as the door swung open and in walked a blue unicorn mare wearing just a delicate purple scarf around her neck. Trixie stepped up to the witness stand and shook her silver mane.
"Ms. Trixie, you understand why you are here and before taking the stand you did swear on oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Is this so?"
Twilight's friends glared at Trixie as she nodded and addressed the judge.
"Absolutely your honour."
"And you are Trixie, of no fixed abode, your profession, entertainer. Is this the case?"
"Yes your honour."
"Then tell us what you saw on the night in question, please describe again to the jury what you saw."
Trixie adjusted her scarf and looked at Twilight with disdain.
"My lord, I was travelling from a show in Stalliongrad and passed through the Everfree Forest on my way to a return show in Ponyville. It was here that I saw the filly Twilight Sparkle. She was clearly angry, mumbling to herself in a patch of ragwort about fifty yards from the path I walked."
Trixie took a deep breath.
"I thought, why on earth is that pony in a patch of ragwort? It is poisonous! At first I thought she might... harm herself and I thought, 'Trixie, that is your good friend Twilight, you must help her!'. Twilight and I go WAY back, we both fought off the Ursa Minor that attacked Ponyville. I could NEVER let such a friend hurt herself."
Twilight shook her head and her friends snarled at Trixie, knowing that her version of events was certainly not the case.
"Twilight had not seen me but as I approached I heard what she was saying... 'kill, hurt, murder!' I am not a brave pony and I'm ashamed to say... I ran. I ran for fear that she would hurt me!"
Crocodile tears welled in Trixie's eyes.
"Its only.. when... when I heard about what happened to the princess... I... oh Princess..."
The porter magick'd a tissue to Trixie as she burst into tears. Judge Haystack banged his hoof again.
"That will be enough, thank you Ms. Trixie."
Trixie blew her nose and walked out of the court room. Checking through security she was given back her wand, hat and some bits and bobs. She sniffed and blew her nose again and as she stepped out of Canterlot Court she threw the tissue on the floor and smiled.
"Those stupid city ponies, so easy to manipulate!"
How dare they heckle her. How dare they ruin her show!
"I just wanted to be loved, to be cheered... those horrid six ponies... I heard Ponyville was the place to make friends but... they were so nasty!"
Trixie grumbled and adjusted her mane. She hadn't wanted the Princess to get hurt but she had been so, so angry.
She had bided her time and waited for the Ursa Minor incident to be forgotten. She had seen Twilight picking harmless ingredients in the Everfree Forest and stealthily followed her home. When Twilight had gone to hang out with her friends, she emptied the bottle and put in some ragwort.
She knew somepony would get ill, maybe even die. Hopefully that stupid marshmallow pony with all the looks and the blue hair, or the coward one who likes the bunnies. But Princess Celestia? She really didn't expect that.
"Good gosh I screwed up so bad... still, the plan worked. That bitch will regret the day she embarrassed the Great and Powerful Trixie! Friends, pah. I could have been the best friend those small-time ponies ever had!"
Back in the court room, Judge Haystack concluded the mornings proceedings.
"We shall adjourn for lunch. After lunch we shall have a statement from Princess Celestia before allowing the jury to retire and make their final decision. Court will resume in one hour from now."
The judge banged his hoof on the table and the reporters in the public gallery quickly pushed their way out of the courtroom in order to avoid the queues in the court cafeteria. Only five ponies remained, the friends of Twilight Sparkle, once the most trusted and loved protegé of the Princess.
Twilight Sparkle sighed and looked up at her friends as she was led back to her cell for her lunch of cabbage soup. Rainbow Dash gave a tearful smile and mouthed words to Twilight. The others smiled as best as they could, so many sad and empty nights since Twilight had been arrested.
"We love you Twi, we believe you..."