[ She'd had her gaze on his hands at first, but as he speaks her eyes drift up to his face. It's a little bit hard to believe that after how meticulously she'd been set up that anyone would defend her – or more that Dimitri of all people would defend her so vehemently. So viciously.

She wonders if it feels the same for him as it does for her, when she lets some small ugliness show. She wonders if he feels the same sort of fear. ]

I'm... grateful, you know.

[ The words tumble out of her mouth without any finesse or overthinking – she forces them out before she can second guess them, because she needs him to know. ]

That– that you spoke up, at the trial. I really didn't know what to do, I was so afraid that they would vote for me and I–

[ Her face flushes and she has to slump forward and hide her painfully red face in her hands. ]

N–nobody has ever... gotten angry... on my behalf.