Vylara had a robust legal system. The Plantesa court had five judges and only dealt in matters that concerned the entire kingdom. Usually these judges resided in the capital but because of the elf only rule, Urianthe had to be used as the middle ground. So the judges had to travel there.
Inside a Bark Serpent, sat five ancient elves. The judges.
"Are we actually holding a court for a talking slime?" an old man with a long grey beard said, whose skin was bark and whose hair was made of moss.
"It is a matter of principle, Lyren." A beautiful elf lady with silver hair replied, her age showing not in wrinkles but in the deep, untroubled calm of her ancient eyes.
Lyren scoffed, "Of course you would say that Sylva. Always siding with the lesser beings."
"Sylva is right Lyren, Yggdrasil has shown me a vision," another one said, a short old lady with wrinkles.
"Visions now? Did the great tree also tell you what to have for breakfast? Or did it finally show you your graveyard Alais?" the only young male of the group, a dark elf with an arrogant smirk said.
Then the fifth judge, a little girl who looked like she could be ten, said, "Orrian, silence."
Her childish voice held an ancient authority that made the other judges stiffen. Her face had the marking of Yggdrasil. She was a royal descendant, tasked by the World Tree itself to be the fifth judge of Plantesa.
"Alais, your vision," the little girl asked. Her gaze was focused on the snowy mountains in the distance. Not on the other judges.
Alais closed her wrinkly eyes and she tried to remember, "Yggdrasil showed me a vision of a slime."
She paused and Orrian snapped, "That's it?"
The rest of the judges also seemed unimpressed. The little girl looked at Alais, and suddenly the older elf's breath hitched.
"Speak," the little girl said.
Alais gulped, "It showed me the slime's death. Yggdrasil felt sorrow."
A hush filled the Bark Serpent.
The young dark elf's smug expression faltered.
"Are you saying we have to grant this slime asylum regardless of its actions?" Lyren asked, not at Alais but at the little girl.
Seeing as the Bark Serpent had stopped and they had arrived, the little girl stood up.
"Yggdrasil chooses those who can enter Vylara..." she paused, "The Plantesa Court chooses those who can stay."
The little girl's glove, made from the leaves of Yggdrasil itself, glowed a majestic green and the door opened. And Yggdrasil's root created a staircase for her. She hopped down without saying a word.
Lyren sighed. The others followed after her without any further arguments.
--- 30 minutes before the court starts.
An elf came into their house with a variety of clothes and even healing/soothing plants. She tendered to Jeanne's wound while showing her, her dressing options. It was mostly gloves that were mandatory to be worn for her court appearance.
Jeanne was excited to wear them. After all she wasn't happy with her decision to break her priestess gloves; she felt naked and innapropiate.
Picking up a yellow leaf glove, she slipped it on. The fabric felt as though the leaves were breathing, cool against her skin. Aria on the other hand was refusing to wear gloves.
Her lawyer was pleading her to wear at least something. Not wearing gloves was a big disrespect. But the ghost hybrid did not care.
"I will never wear those cages on my hands again," she said. And she pointed at Jeanne. "You can blame it on everything she stands for."
Aria didn't elaborate but Jack knew.
Jeanne was in the middle of buttoning a high-collared tunic when she heard that. A wryly smile appeared on her face. Even after she had done everything to save Jack, Aria was still treating her as if she was her enemy.
Jeanne knew what she could do to improve their relationship but she did not want to give up that part of her. Even after everything. Her identity as a priestess was a fortress she had built prayer by prayer over a lifetime.
"Hey I like this one," Jack said.
He was ignoring their feud and staring at a pair of dark gloves, made from what looked like dried night-petal herb leather. Ms Snuffles picked it up and brought it to him.
Jack gave her a few good head scratches.
"Aren't you just a little cutie."
His two companion traded glances with each other. They were both determining if it was worth it to ask where he got that thing. Ultimately they decided not to.
Growing a tentacle, Jack put on the gloves.
But his lawyer shook her head, "You can't wear those Mr Der Quiver. Slimes have no hands. The judges will see that as mockery." Leena tried to reason, taking the glove away from him.
"Come on I want to look my best to impress the judges."
Jeanne, Aria and Leena exchanged another look.
The elf dresser took a leaf and turned it into a bow tie and placed it on Jack. "This should suffice."
The little slime now had a green bow tie on him.
He hopped over to the mirror, and checked himself out. "Okay this works." He gave a smug look.
Not too long after, the bailiff came, an elf with stern, sharp features. His movements were efficient, crisp.
"Your presence is requested by the Plantesa Court."
Naturally Jack hopped to the bailiff but he was stopped by a cage. An elven one, beautifully crafted from living wood, it seemed to open and close with a soft rustle.
"Really again?" Jack grumbled, but the bailiff simply picked up the cage with a practiced, dispassionate grip and carried him.
They walked all the way to a tree in the middle of Urianthe, it was a massive tree shaped like a trident that housed the three courts of Vylara. In the middle was Plantesa Court.
Jack was carried in like a pet on its way to the vet. Jeanne and Aria were escorted behind him, their own wooden cuffs glowing faintly. A giant courtroom greeted them, elves were seated all around them, in seats grown from the branches.
At the front, five ancient-looking elves sat upon thrones of intertwined roots and living wood.
The group was brought over to their designated table which was next to Leena. Jack's cage was placed on it.
"The honorable Plantesa Court is now in session," the little girl's childish voice echoed through the large chamber, a sound that cut through the whispered murmurs.