After Prospero publicly accusing Lorenzo “the Waterlily” Diite of murdering Monte, a trial is necessary to learn the facts of the matter. Given that the accusation was presented at the Queen’s gathering it would usually be judged by the Queen. However due to her being too unwell to attend the trial, precedent is instead found for it being adjudicated by the Queen’s spouse, alongside a jury of Lorenzo’s peers.

For those without an axe to grind, it would be highly enjoyable drama. Both Prospero and the Waterlily give scintillating speeches, each word and gesture chosen for maximum effect. Unfortunately for the Waterlily, many of the jury do have an axe to grind, having seen Prospero’s play about the Waterlily, and thus being uninclined to give his words equal weight.

Just as it looks like there will be no way for the Waterlily to avoid a harsh sentence, Alessandra Diite steps forward. She explains that, whilst the Waterlily was being too loyal to say so, he was acting entirely under her orders, which he was legally obliged to follow. That being so, any and all culpability for Monte’s death rests ultimately with her.

After withdrawing to deliberate, Arianna and the jury return to pronounce sentence. Their judgement is Alessandra being sentenced to exile, and the Waterlily being pardoned. Many people who have gained their opinion of the Waterlily from Prospero’s plays are angry at this resolution. The Waterlily thus leaves for Vitorra with Alessandra to lay low for a while. After some time, and Prospero leaving with the fleet, people come around to the idea that Monte was a regicidal traitor, thus perhaps killing him was not so bad. With this softening of public opinion, the Waterlily returns to Esharia.