26
With the capital successfully defended and the peasant army in tatters, fleeing back to the countryside, Lord Quenari and Lady Damial arrived with their entourage at the palace to claim their prize. Aniol informed the king that Quenari had promised to support the north flank of the rebel army. Reports from the field revealed that the lord had instead ripped apart that flank. Quenari’s forces were composed of the remnants from the last war, in hiding for the past months and intermingled with the rest of the rebel army in the first fight for the capital. Tayron suspected, though, that the lord had also received support from other sources, and sent Anni to search for evidence to that effect. The knight had also checked to see that the servant had been sent another vial of the mind control potion, and supplied him with the second dose of the antidote and another, equally important, potion as well. Everything was in place when a message came to Terilon, in reply to a message he sent to his father that had requested the elder Jaksen’s presence.
Worry all over his face, Terilon announced to his bodyguards, Anni, and Havelin, “my father can’t come. He’s taken sick. The doctors say it doesn’t seem serious, but they can’t be certain what it is. They say it might just be moods weighting him. I couldn’t tell him what was happening, of course, on the chance that it would be intercepted. Maybe that would have made him feel better.”
“Nothing to be done about that,” Tayron said, not intending to be harsh, but having no patience at the moment for a loss of focus. “It would have been nice to have him here, but he’s not an essential part of the plan. Wait till after it’s all over to worry about him. We need everybody focused.”
Terilon nodded. It was nothing he needed to be reminded of. The fanfare for the city’s savior outside was reminder enough that they had pressing business to attend to. Tayron had insisted on full honors for Quenari’s arrival, in the hope that it would lull the doomed lord into a false sense of security. Once in the audience chamber, Quenari’s fate would be sealed, but at any point before that, he could foil the plan simply by turning away and going underground again, concocting whatever new plots he could devise.
But the grand reception outside set just the right tone. It was not outrageous or suspicious. As far as the participants were aware, it was completely in earnest. The only people who knew it was a sham had nothing to do with it. So Lord Quenari entered the palace for the first time since he had fled with Lord Damial, beaming at every symbol in the home of power. He wore dress armor, completely untouched by the ravages of war. The breastplate was painstakingly etched in gold, and he no doubt thought that it should join the rest of the pieces in the palace museum, commemorating all the vital moments in the history of the kingdom. Lady Damial beside him was resplendent in a flowing gray dress, slim and silky, decorated sparingly with exotic red flowers. She looked fit for a marriage, though onlookers made the mistake of thinking it was for Quenari, the way the two stared at each other sensuously. Close behind the two key figures, looming large, and only avoiding attracting more attention because of his drab clothes, was the knight Karitan. The towering, bulky figure was bedecked in weapons, so that simply getting close to him was likely to cause injury. While his two masters walked exalted, he remained wary.
The message was sent through the halls that the king demanded all court nobles to attend him in the audience chamber, and the conspirators made a show of composure as they exited the Jaksen quarters. Havelin and Anni stayed, not having been invited by the king. There was only a slight possibility their presence would raise the suspicions of Quenari, but no chances could be taken. Planning for everything that could possibly go wrong, Tayron also left his sword beside the door of one of the side entrances into the audience chamber instead of in the main disarming room. If asked, he couldn’t have said why, but it was too late to doubt his instincts.
The nobles filed into the chamber, then the king, and finally Quenari’s entourage. Two thrones equal in ostentation to those of the lords were placed on the carpet in front of the council stage, where visitors would normally stand. Lord Quenari and Lady Damial filled them without being prompted, though the lady was beginning to look uneasy. From his vantage point among the other bodyguards in the corner, Tayron could see that she was beginning to show strain, no doubt trying to tap into the king’s mind. Thankfully, she didn’t look panicky yet, which meant that she’d wait for the water. Tayron also gave a glance to the now disarmed but still gigantic Karitan, who stared menacingly back.
Once the room was settled, the king gathered himself up to begin the proceedings. With the court about to be just as surprised as Quenari and Damial, he had to provide a smooth transition. Men and women of power, when disoriented, tend to reach for that power as a first resort. If there existed any sense that the king had dealt unjustly with Quenari – an understandable sentiment given the king’s recent behavior and the potent image of the exiled lord’s triumphant return as savior – then resentment, if not more revolt, would follow. The case against Quenari would have to be made quickly and cleanly, but the trick had to be revealed first. Tayron had been insistent on that. Even as he started to speak, the king tried to work through how he’d manage it all with a mind only partly free.
“Lord Quenari, thank you for coming so quickly after your victory. You have certainly been embraced by the populous of the city, and this court hopes that you may be embraced again by your peers.”
Quenari, who was not imperceptive, caught a hint in the words but dismissed it. He replied with a smile “that is my hope as well.”
“And the lovely lady. If all goes smoothly, we will be able to announce a new union before this court.”
“Why not make the announcement now, highness? Why this hesitation?” Lady Damial asked anxiously.
Clearing his throat, the king said, “The king apologizes for this, but you were, only recently, fugitives. Propriety requires that the court should hear why you will be allowed to rejoin us. Also, Lord Jaksen has informed me that he has an accusation to make, and the agreement made in exchange for your services on the battlefield stipulated that you could not commit another act of treason. Lord Jaksen claims you have.”
“But he cannot have known about the agreement, so how can he make this claim.”
“Which is why your king has apologized to you ahead of time, though, of course, Lord Jaksen no doubt has ears throughout the palace who could have informed him of our arrangement. Nevertheless, it is best if Jaksen’s claims are heard here. This land has suffered enough, without charges of treason ripping it apart again. The court will settle this here, and then we can proceed.”
Quenari was on the edge of his seat. “This is highly irregular, sire. To honor me and my men as saviors then accuse us of treason. It is the most unusual treatment I have ever heard of.”
“How often must apologies be given, Lord Quenari? The sooner this is done with . . .” the king cleared his throat again, signaling for his water. Lady Damial relaxed visibly, but was still tense. The king took his glass, and then said to the servant, “please bring the Lord and Lady water as well. We’ll make a toast to the valiant defense of the capital and to the possibility of lasting peace through reconciliation and new unions.” Quenari relaxed a measure after hearing that sentiment, and accepted the water from the man he had bought. The servant’s confident look soothed both his worries and the lady’s. Tayron looked on, impressed and shocked by the betrayer’s acting abilities.
“A toast, then. Let the purity of the water symbolize the cleansed land in a way wine could not.” The king held up his glass.
“A toast,” Quenari said, taking a healthy gulp out of his glass. Lady Damial took a sip, while the king drained his. The lady’s brows came together in moderate concentration and Terilon held his breath. It all came in a second. The lady’s glass fell to the carpet, her eyes turned horrified to the servant, who remained smiling, and she rose from her seat. She slowly backed away, moving toward the main chamber doors, eyes moving back and forth between the king and the servant. Her mouth was open in a voiceless scream, and the entire room noted her state with concern.
Quenari caught on quickly. “Karitan, the lady has obviously been poisoned. We will not stand for this treatment. We leave now.”
The king stood and boomed, “you cannot leave without my permission.”
Quenari was on his feet, and swept toward the lady with an indignant flourish, showing clearly that he had been forced into this rude act. The giant Karitan went forward with quick strides. When the door guards barred the way, he slammed them aside and forced the doors open.
Tayron didn’t see that or what followed. The moment Quenari had beckoned to Karitan, he bolted out the side door unnoticed, even by the knights and guards nearby. Retrieving his sword at a run, he sprinted through the halls, heading to cut them all off at the exit of the disarming room. Behind him, he heard the steps of Yunas, who had left a sword close to his. Bathis would remain with Terilon, on the chance that, as a last resort, Quenari ordered a few of his thugs back into the chamber to attack the lord councilor and the king.
From the sounds of struggle as they approached, Tayron deduced that the fight had moved to the center of the disarming room. Slowing to a walk as he neared the doorway that Quenari, Lady Damial, and their men were trying to reach, Tayron assessed the situation. Six of Quenari’s men, including Karitan, had retrieved their weapons. The remaining two had fallen to the four door guards that had rushed into the room. Two of Quenari’s armed men warded off those in the chamber, preventing them from reaching their weapons and covering Quenari’s escape. Karitan and the other three each battled one of the guards, who were all severely wounded, though only two looked ready to fall.
Tayron saw that one of the two guards seriously wounded was fighting Karitan, and rushed to relieve him. The moment Tayron crossed swords with Karitan, the guard fell to the floor, panting and bleeding. Yunas made the same appraisal when he arrived, and took over for the other distressed guard. Tayron paid no attention, though, straining under the tempered strength of Karitan bearing down on their crossed swords. The towering figure was badly scared – evidence of his involvement in the thick of every battle. Karitan stood a head taller than Tayron, but he used a two-handed sharp sword like Tayron’s, not a bashing broadsword. It was easy to forget that Karitan was a knight, with full training, and did not need to resort to raw muscle to overcome his opponent. At least the swords were the same length.
Karitan broke off first to catch Tayron off balance and thrust. The trickster knight dodged to the right just in time, as his enemy’s sword threatened to plunge through his neck. Unfortunately, Karitan maintained a firm stance after the thrust, so Tayron couldn’t take advantage of the miss. The two combatants each took a few steps back, circling each other fully two sword lengths away from each other.
“No Bathis?” Karitan sneered. “Thought we’d have a full reunion.”
“You join with Quenari because he said he supported the common people?” Tayron asked, waiting for an opening to attack.
“I joined ‘cause he asked me to. Personally. Just like Jaksen asked you. Though Jaksen probably fed you a load of breka dung, Quenari’s never been anything but honest to me.”
“But he’s lost now, so why still fight for him?”
“You trying to get out of fighting me, Tayron?”
Karitan lunged and slashed. His blade clanged across Tayron’s armor, but didn’t harm the knight. They both backed off again, circling.
Slightly out of breath, Tayron answered, “yes, as a matter of fact.”
“What?”
“Yes. Is there anything I can say that’ll get me out of fighting you?”
Karitan seemed to seriously think over it for a moment, then said, “not a thing.” He once again closed the gap, this time juggling his sword back and forth between hands before swiping with it in his right hand. Without enough time to judge which side the attack was coming from, Tayron just moved away from Karitan, receiving a cut on the left shoulder through some weak links in his armor. It wasn’t serious, but the stinging reminded him that he had to take the offensive against the giant knight, or worse would come.
He went low, sliding and using his legs to knock Karitan off his feet, keeping his sword over his head to counter any downward stroke by the other knight. Karitan’s legs shook, forcing the massive knight to take a step back, but that left Tayron just enough time to get to his feet, giving him no advantage.
“Cute,” Karitan said as he firmed up his stance, “but I’m rock, Tayron. Try that again, and you’ll only get crushed.”
Tayron was getting worried. Karitan had clearly refined his battle skills since they left the academy, while he himself had been more focused on other matters, practicing only right before and during battles. He hated to do it, but this was no time to hesitate or hold back. Moving himself to a place where he could see Lord Quenari, and Karitan’s back was facing the lord, Tayron stood his ground for a moment. Then, feigning sudden surprise, he let his guard down with a wide grin.
With his sword pointing down, and Karitan in wary disbelief, Tayron said, “now what are you going to do, without a lord to protect?”
“What?” Karitan registered what Tayron said, then without thinking, turned to see if Quenari had really fallen. It was a foolish move that only the trickster god could have induced Karitan to make. Tayron took immediate advantage, bringing his sword back up and plunging it through the giant’s right shoulder, lacking enough time to try a swipe at the neck. The trickster knight’s sword was always kept superbly sharp, and it managed to cleave through Karitan’s inferior armor with the desperate force Tayron put behind it.
“Damn you!” Karitan growled. Blood flowed out of the wound, but the giant knight had plenty of fight left in him. His shoulder was in serious pain, though, leaving him at a disadvantage. Tayron knew that any strike would now have to come from Karitan’s left, since his right shoulder would not be able to withstand the shock.
Naturally, Karitan guessed what his opponent was thinking, and prepared a gambit. He wasn’t certain it was necessary – he still had a size advantage and Tayron would not trick him again. But, though he wasn’t showing it, he was rapidly growing fatigued. The guard he had fought before was no pushover, and Tayron entered the fight fresh, with his full agility. While Karitan was more agile than anyone who saw him would think, he could not expect to match Tayron if he grew any slower. So, it was time to finish the fight. At least Tayron would not expect the end move so soon.
Karitan kept his sword at his center as he moved to strike, then feinted left, and struck from his right against Tayron’s left, his sword once again aiming to sever his enemy’s head. Tayron brought his sword to counter just in time, but not in any surprise, except perhaps at the way Karitan had underestimated him. The shock as the two swords banged together caused Karitan to cringe from the pain in his shoulder, and he took two steps back, disengaging. The blood was flowing fast now, and he was no longer in any state to fight.
Almost ashamed that trickery had caused the fall of the stalwart warrior, Tayron said with full formality, “yield, or I will kill you.”
“I have never yielded,” Karitan rumbled.
“It’s as good a time for it as any, unless you think this is a battle you can win. I can hear a dozen armed men coming to end this escape. Took them long enough. There’s no sense in resisting now.”
Quenari overheard the words exchanged between Tayron and Karitan. With the sharp calculations that had carried him this far, he ordered, “stand down. All my men, stop fighting. Drop your weapons and we’ll return to the chamber. This isn’t over.”
Karitan looked at Tayron infuriated, robbed of an honorable death. Telling Yunas, “see that he gets the attention of the medi-mages,” Tayron went back into the chamber after Quenari, leaving his sword with the rest this time. He took his place among the other bodyguards, ready for the fulfillment of his plan. Havelin entered shortly after, unbidden, clearly realizing that the fight was over and his presence would not cause trouble. Tayron was glad for the high mage’s arrival, lest Lady Damial, now fully composed, used some of her psychic powers.
Quenari made a show of his disgusted look at the grand chairs that had been placed for himself and Lady Damial, and remained standing. The lady had regained her dignity, but did not look anxious to speak. Quenari addressed the court, saying, “it seems that, far from being an honored guest, I am a captive. I heard of the king’s ill judgment concerning the peasant rebellion while I was in exile, and I wonder whether he is sound of mind in this, or whether he will needlessly scorn reconciliation, and destroy the peace he spoke eloquently of before it is wrought. I have led one too many rebellions against this king, so I prefer this time to assume there is some reason behind this chaos. You, my fellow nobles, may decide otherwise, since you have been here to witness his actions in the past months. I, for my part, am weary of all of this, and seek only peace. I fear it might be denied to me by the pretensions of a young lord who has not yet had the run of the court, and is trying to prove himself worthy to wear his father’s armor.”
The king was in full control of himself now, but decided not to make the maneuvers himself. “Lord Jaksen, present your case.”
Terilon stood and faced Quenari, but didn’t descend from the platform. He, too, refused to dignify Quenari’s words with a direct response, instead choosing to state the case without prologue. “For the past months, Lord Quenari has aided and supplied the peasant rebellion, urging it to strike the capital. His plan was to betray the rebellion at the last moment, to come back here as a savior of the city. His plan succeeded.” Quenari scoffed, but found himself curiously unable to launch an all-out rebuttal. Terilon continued, “but if the king had been in his right mind during these months, the rebellion would have been crushed before it gained serious momentum. So, Lord Quenari contrived to have the king drugged with a mind control potion through his water. This potion allowed Lady Damial, who is an exceptionally powerful and well-concealed rogue mage, to control the king’s mind and prevent him from acting. They also wished to inflame the court’s opinion against the king. I bring my first witness – the king’s own water servant, Ralin.”
Ralin stepped up, returning Lady Damial’s sneer with a blank look. He was nervous and apprehensive, but otherwise enjoyed this thoroughly. He told his story just as he had for Anni, this time including his agreement to work for Lord Jaksen, and his administering of the antidote to the king. Before he could finish, Quenari attempted to say that the only true about Ralin’s words was his collusion with Lord Jaksen, but instead he felt a pang in his stomach and a lump in his throat. He finally managed to say, “what is this?”
“We took the liberty of putting a truth potion in your water, Lord Quenari,” Terilon said without any indication that he enjoyed his enemy’s discomfort. “And Lady Damial’s, though she only sipped hers. You see, whenever you are about to lie, your body produces a nervous reaction. This potion reacts with that to cause you moderate pain whenever you try to be less than truthful.”
“So who is drugging whom here?” Lord Quenari said. “How can I defend myself if my mind is addled by this potion?”
“You can defend yourself with the truth.”
“How can we be sure that you have been honest about the effects of this potion? Even if it really is only a truth potion, I note that you have not taken it, and are not constrained. You may lie fantastically, but I must be careful how I defend myself, or I will be subjected to crippling pains. If this is a court hearing, I believe the justice of this court has severely diminished since I was among its number.”
Once again ignoring Quenari’s objections, Terilon went on. “I call my second witness, The False Adenor, whose true name is Aniol.”
The courtiers grew louder in their murmurings on hearing this announcement, and seeing the pretender led into the chamber by two guards. He was allowed his dignity, and approached the king without any chains or sign that he was a prisoner. Before he could tell his story, Quenari attempted to question whether he was actually the False Adenor, but was silenced by the potion. While this suggested to most of the court that Lord Quenari knew without a doubt that the man before them was, in fact, the pretender, those who wondered about the king and the ways Terilon might be pulling the strings had their own voices. One of them, Lord Haradr, asked Quenari’s question for him. If anything, Haradr was merely affronted by the fact that he had been informed about none of this, and that alone made it suspicious to him. “Permission to speak, high king?”
“Permission granted, Lord Haradr.”
“How are we to know that this is the False Adenor? It seems a godsend that he should be so conveniently delivered to us when the battle outside has only just ended.”
Terilon nodded. “Yunas, tell them how you caught Aniol.” Yunas stepped forward and explained about the photograph and Aniol’s encampment. “And Aniol,” Terilon said before any more objections could be raised, “tell us your story from the start, so the court can understand the situation and Lord Quenari’s involvement.”
Aniol testified to the astonishment of the court, explaining his motives in great detail, with emotions showing plainly on his face. The court was all too jaded to take the story at face value, or to trust in emotion, but Aniol himself had all the bearing of a heroic figure. Without the ability to inspire, he would not have been able to lead so many to believe in him.
Once Aniol finished speaking, Quenari said, “but, assuming that he is who he says he is, the man is a traitor by his own admission. He is clearly trying to save himself from justice by cooperating with Lord Jaksen. Is this a man that can be believed?”
“He is testifying against another man who was a traitor, and who only today showed any sign that he had mended his ways,” Terilon retorted. “This court should not forget that, since the king ascended the throne, Lord Quenari has ever been an enemy of this court. The sudden reversal of the past day cannot erase that. Aniol came here as a captive. How is it that Quenari comes here in triumph?”
“By the agreement made with the king before the battle.”
“But, as Ralin testified, you sent him a note to drug the king again for this meeting. In fact, you had expected when the king drank his water that you would once again have control over his mind. That is why Lady Damial ran out in dismay, because she had tried to tap into the king’s mind, and found it barred against her.”
“You have no proof. You have only the words of two men who actually claim to be traitors themselves. I do not know how traitors can be believed. I accept the fact that I once opposed the king, but my opposition had been in support of a man with equal claim to the throne. The elder Lord Jaksen could just as easily have been in the same position I was if Lord Damial had become king.”
The king leaned forward, as if confiding a secret to the court. “Your king has evidence of his own to present, and he is no traitor, if only because his judgment was taken from him instead of lost. There is no question that the king’s mind has been in a daze for a long time now, and has only been cleared by the antidote presented by Lord Jaksen through the servant Ralin. There is no question that the irrational actions taken by the king have directly benefited you, Lord Quenari, and you, Lady Damial. The simple fact is that royal marriage is not to be trifled with, and a king would have to be out of his mind to marry into a disfavored family thoroughly defeated in a bid for the throne that has no male heir. Unions are best made for political reasons between nations. A marriage to the royal family of Rath’rainol, for instance, might win some border concessions and end the constant war. This is submitted to the court for consideration. Your king would sooner negotiate with the rebels than sacrifice the future of the nation in an ill-considered agreement.”
“This is a very convenient argument for you, high king,” Quenari said sarcastically, “but any man might see the fault in an agreement previously made. That does not make the agreement void. It may be our tradition that the king makes no mistakes, but that is clearly not the reality.”
Once again, the king bit back a response. Quenari was trying to lead them into a debate about procedure, his only refuge left with all the evidence standing so starkly against him. Terilon took over, saying, “there is one more piece of evidence left to present. Guards, call in Prest’l. Once called Draedon, this man was accused of selling military equipment to Rath’rainol, though he lost his nobility because he failed to continue the services that he had been given title for. He has a few words to say concerning Lord Quenari.”
Prest’l entered the chamber richly dressed, but with a meek attitude that showed he hadn’t forgotten the disgrace he had faced in this hall. Of course, he was about to face worse, but at least this time it was by his choice. He was at least happy to see Lord Quenari pale at the sight of him. “High king and noble courtiers, I come here to confess to a crime which I was charged with almost a year ago. I had dealings with Rath’rainol. In fact, after I last left the court, I continued my dealings, because Lord Quenari insisted I do so, assuring me that soon he’d put Lord Damial on the throne, and he would make sure Damial would turn a blind eye to such things. I was not so eager to continue after losing my nobility, but Lord Quenari had been the one to introduce me to his contacts in Rath’rainol, and he wanted to continue to foster those links through me. He was doing them a favor by getting them the newest technology, and hoped they would help him in return. When the civil war started, he sent me to ask them for a partial repayment, and I had to smuggle arms and men from them to him. He promised them that if he won, they would get the entire peninsula as a concession. When that failed, he sent me to convince them that his peasant rebellion would work to the same end. Since they had already invested in him, and since the plan was an excellent one, they agreed to initially arm the peasant army, if Quenari promised to maneuver that army to take over some weapons factories and repay them with the captured goods. He sent the last of this repayment to me just yesterday, but I haven’t passed any of it on to Rath’rainol for the past month. The court may examine all the weapons Lord Quenari planned to send to the enemy. It is gathered in a warehouse in Orina, to be shipped down the river, past the blockade against Rath’rainol.”
“Another person that actually claims to be a traitor,” Quenari snarled.
“You seem to inspire traitorous acts in those around you, Quenari,” Terilon said evenly.
“Enough, Lord Jaksen,” the kind said before Quenari could answer. “If there is no other evidence?”
“There’s none.”
“Lord Quenari, is there anything you would like to say in your own defense?”
“Only that this is a farce of justice.”
“You have insulted your king readily in front of this court. Your lack of propriety itself shows contempt for this court in a way no other evidence needs to. It is up to your peers to decide whether your words were only inspired by the heat of the moment, or whether they are part of a general malaise that also led you to betray this court, even on this very day. As for the truth potion, we know well that you are able to defend yourself with an army of lies, Quenari. So can Lord Jaksen, if his case was the one being heard, as could any lord. It is politics to bend the truth in your favor. We can’t afford politics today. Now your king asks you directly, did you aid the peasant rebellion?”
“I refuse to answer.”
“Did you betray the nation by trading weapons with Rath’rainol through Prest’l?”
“I will not answer.”
“Did you have your king drugged so that Lady Damial could control his mind?”
“Again, I refuse to answer. And let me make clear, that my refusal to answer is in no way an acceptance of guilt.”
“The court is hereby instructed that a refusal to answer in this case is not admission of guilt. However, Lord Quenari was given the truth potion for a reason. The court should keep that in mind as well.”
“Highness,” said Lord Haradr, “how can we be certain that it is, in fact, truth potion, and not something more disturbing as Lord Quenari had suggested?”
“Sire,” Terilon said, “the mage Havelin, who prepared the potion, would be willing to testify to that effect, and his word should be enough for this court. He is renowned for his honesty and integrity, even in the face of retaliation.”
“Are you satisfied by that, Lord Haradr?” the king asked.
No one in the court had yet forgotten how Havelin had stood alone against the king on the biomagery when none of the court nobles had managed the stomach to do so. “Satisfied, my lord.”
“Is there anything more you have to say, Lord Quenari?”
“When my own king testifies against we, what is there to say?”
“And as you say, and as you have been well aware, the king cannot render judgment in this case because he himself is involved. Lord Jaksen is limited by the same constraint, for the same reason. It is left to the courtiers and the council who, by my sanction, may render judgment. The vote of a lord will count for three, while the vote of a noble councilor will count for two, and the vote of courtiers in attendance will count for one. The prosecution of a lord of such stature requires three-quarters of the vote. The court is reminded that this case does not concern Lord Quenari’s involvement in the civil war with Lord Damial, but rather whether he continued to be a traitor against the king after that war’s end, and specifically within the past week. Consider whether the agreement between the two of us should be upheld, or whether it should be considered void. Be aware that any decision will set the precedent for all time to come.”
The nobles huddled into discussion groups and, as they finally came to a decision, they came individually to the court scribe to have their votes recorded. After a while of this, there were only ten people present who had not cast their vote, so the scribe bid them to make a decision or be silent. All ten voted, and the court was again seated. Quenari and Damial had both taken their seats in front of the king long before, unable to remain standing for the entire length of the court’s deliberations.
Once the court was back in order, the king ordered, “let the vote be tallied and announced.”
“Sire,” the scribe said, “the vote is as follows: with the value of each vote taken into consideration, it is one hundred and twenty-six against Lord Quenari, twenty-nine in his favor. This vote is well above the three-fourths margin your highness set in place, so Lord Quenari had been judged guilty of committing acts that rendered the agreement between your highness and him void.”
“And those acts, Lord Quenari, constitute treason,” the king finalized. “So with the agreement void, I am now free to pass sentence on you.”
“If you dare, my army will destroy this city. They have standing orders that, if anything should happen to me, they will march in, and you do not have the forces to stop them.”
“Forces, no. Force fields, yes,” the king said humorlessly. “We planned for your willingness to destroy what you cannot take, so we’ve placed mages all around your army which was, very unwisely, all gathered in a wonderfully convenient field outside the city. While, of course, if a full army marched against such a shield at once, it could not hold them. But average soldiers will likely not be aware of this, and when a few of them receive a mild electric shock when attempting to touch the field, the rest will be unwilling to approach it. And there will be no communication from this court to the field, as the palace doors will be closed to all for the rest of the day while your forces are encouraged to disperse. A gap allowing one person at a time to pass through will be placed in the force field, but they will have to drop their weapons within the force field before coming out. If anyone attempts to disobey, they will die. This ends here. From now on, only the king’s army roams this land.
“Before we deal with the matter of another army that has caused trouble throughout this country, the king will pass sentence on Lord Quenari. Lady Damial, as a rogue mage, you will be handed to the detention facility south of here, as according to established law. Also according to mage law, you will be prohibited from becoming a true mage, and thus being freed from detention, for an appropriate time based on your use of your magic while a rogue. Considering the use you put your abilities to, it will be the king’s recommendation that you remain in detention for life, without possibility of becoming a lawful mage. Lord Quenari, your treasonous activities merit death, being the only crime for which we employ that punishment. However, considering the need for a peace and reconciliation, the king’s judgment is as follows.
“You are hereby stripped of all titles of nobility,” he decided, the lights flickering slightly in response, “and your lands will be returned to the court for redistribution. Your monetary wealth and investments will be divided equally between those families who lost their loved ones in this peasant war, including the rebels themselves. You will be sent to a front line unit on the Rath’rainol border, where you will serve as a foot soldier until we have peace with that nation. In the case of peace, you will be allowed to make a living by working in any factory that will be rebuilt after having been raided by the peasants in this war. All of this hinges upon reports of good behavior. If this court hears of misbehavior, you will be imprisoned for the rest of your days among murderers and thieves. In all cases, your family will become wards to this court and will be supported equally by those who receive your old lands. That is the judgment of the king.”
The former Lord Quenari and Lady Damial were both led out of the chamber, with the sentences to be carried out as soon as the palace doors opened the next day. The court, however, waited eagerly to see how the king would deal with the three other professed traitors in the chamber. The words that followed, however inane, would certainly be recorded in the histories as ‘The Trial of the Three Traitors’ or something similar.
“Prest’l, please step forward,” the king said, his voice indicating that he would get to the point, and expected all who faced him to do the same. The businessman wore more dignity than he had in front of the last king, but still maintained more than enough reticence. “Since we have reason to both reward you and punish you, we will leave the matter as it is. You will not regain nobility, but you will not be tried as a traitor. We would not have been aware of your actions had you not confessed, and by your confession you have done great service to the land. However, this court will be looking far more closely at your business practices from here on. It is amazing that you have managed to do so much after being so recently brought before this court on charges. On any other day, mind you, your king would not be so merciful, regardless of your better intentions. Today this court has been fortunate, and fortune should be shared.”
“Thank you for your mercy, sire.”
“You are dismissed. Ralin, step forward.” The servant supplied a meek grin as he strode forward. He had no idea how to face this situation, but had reason to hope after the king’s decision on Prest’l. “What you did struck the king’s person directly, which is the highest form of treason. Also, you did not willingly step forward, but were forced to. However, you braved far more than Prest’l once you decided to cooperate, and you could have easily caused the whole matter to fail. You cannot remain water bearer – that is for certain. The king will also be distressed at seeing your face, as you will always be a reminder of this tragedy. You will therefore not be able to work in the palace any longer. The court will provide you with enough money for six months, and kind references as are befitting a good servant, but you will have to find work outside the palace. Any further transgressions against the law committed by you will be punished as harshly as possible. You will see no more mercy for the rest of your life. Is this all clear?”
“Yes, your highness. And very merciful,” Ralin said, though he didn’t sound like he believed it.
“Aniol, also known as the False Adenor, it is time for you to learn our fate.”
“Sire, might I not have full representation and witnesses on my behalf.”
“It is unnecessary. You will return to your peasant army, or whatever of it that has regrouped, and tell them that the king has agreed that they should be represented in court. A commoner will be chosen by this court as representative, and the common people will vote on whether they accept this person to speak for them. This representative will have all the powers of a lord councilor, including the implied rank to back witnesses in cases, and to bring cases to this court. The king will also grant tax relief and decree that the armies of this land may only travel on established roads. If people are in anyway harmed by those who are supposed to protect them, they may bring their case to this court without noble backing, and can expect to receive redress from those who committed the crime or, if those cannot be identified, from the army itself. As for you, Aniol, you will serve two years in prison for the crimes you have admitted to, and you will be barred from all offices controlled by the government of this land. Any violation from the law from you after your release will be punished to the full extent possible.”
Aniol was nearly breathless. “Why?”
“Why so harsh or why so lenient?”
“Why so lenient?”
The king smiled, “because on some level, your king understands the reason why you did what you did, and you meant no harm to this land, or to your king. Of all those who have appeared before the king today, you deserve the most clemency because your purpose was honest. It was the fault of this court and your king that you were driven to such measures to seek redress.”
“In that case, highness, will you hear some of the specific grievances the common people have?”
“Go to them, tell them what has been said, and ask them for a list. This court will consider every single one in turn, and the king charges Lord Jaksen to ensure that all considerations are thorough. Will that satisfy the rebels?”
Aniol smiled wryly. “It’s a start, sire, but it will more than satisfy.”
“Then you have leave to go, but the guards who led you here will follow you, and ensure you return in two days to begin your two years. We trust you will not try to resist this, as the court has been more than reasonable in your case.”
“As you say, high king. Thank you.” And Aniol left the chamber, flanked by his guards.
The king shifted in his throne and the court waited to see if the day was finally over. Enough had happened to fill conversations for years to come, and a placid weariness was settling on the court. It seemed like they had their right king back, and all was well. But the king had one more piece of business to attend to. “Tayron, please step forward.”
Surprised that the king would choose this time to deal with him, Tayron made his way to center floor. He supposed that the king simply wanted to resolve everything at once.
“Let it be known in this court that it was Alevan Tayron, knight and bodyguard to Lord Jaksen, who formulated the plan to free the king from the control of Lady Damial, and who ensured that evidence could be presented against Lord Quenari. His services to this realm outweigh any in the past century, if not longer. For this, his king thinks it appropriate to give him the title of lord, Quenari’s seat on the council, and Quenari’s old lands. No one else deserves them more. Does the king have the approval of the court in this matter?”
The court roared its support, so the king moved on. “But first, Tayron, you have something to do. The king has shown the extent of his justice and judgment, does it please you, who allowed it to happen?”
Tayron had already made the choice. While he tried to choose his words carefully, he was certain the courtiers would be puzzled at them. “Highness, by the gods I believe that all is back as it should be. You are king, Terilon is the Lord Jaksen, and if I am anything but a knight, it is because you decree it. If it is your desire, then I am honored to accept lordship, and it would no doubt please the trickster god, who played such a large role in our success, as well. But whether or not I am given that high title, I will remain loyal to you, the true king. There are no set words for me to use to say what I mean and to express my loyalty to you, so let the gods understand my intentions, and return this realm to the order that has prevailed for the centuries.”