“Then who killed the General?”
“I’ve no idea and, to be honest, that isn’t my concern. Getting you out of this mess is my job and I owe you too much to fail.”
The door creaks open and the champions expect to see Cyrus returning, so they are surprised to see Luke approaching with a covered platter. The half-elf has a worried expression on his face as he places the hot meal on the table. There are two plates, each one a collection of sauce-covered meats and soft bread to sop up the leaking juices. One of the dishes is put on a chair near the bars to allow Timoran to eat with the help of a long-handled fork. The barbarian proves to have no trouble using the awkward utensil, including hooking the bread and dipping it in the sauce without dropping a crumb. A mug of ale is put next to the prisoner’s meal, which causes everyone to stop and realize that this has all the makings of a last meal.
“I’ve got some bad news,” Luke says, rubbing the back of his neck. The forest tracker takes a seat and claims the smallest piece of beef from Timoran’s plate. “It seems people aren’t happy about an outsider being involved in the trial. They think it’s a trick and are wondering if King Edric is really on Timoran’s side. So the trial will be starting tonight. It will only be opening remarks and some questioning of the accused in order to set the stage.”
“I was told that I have until the morning,” Dariana argues even though she knows there is nothing she can do. Her eyebrow arches when she sees the forest tracker repeatedly glancing at the closed door. “Why are you so nervous? Is there something else we need to know? Don’t hold back information, Luke. We’re already in a bad position here.”
“The King was urged to move the trial to tonight by Sheriff Kalten,” the half-elf answers as he scratches his pointy ear and taps his foot. “She really has it in for Timoran, so I think she wants this over quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the one who let everyone know about your involvement, Dariana. The woman is working very hard to turn the other barbarians against us. Is there a reason she hates you so much, Timoran?”
The red-haired barbarian stuffs several forkfuls of food into his mouth and swallows after a few grinding chews. “Udelia Kalten is the daughter of General Godric and the twin sister of Tigris Godric. Her husband was killed in a Weapon Dragon hunt, but she retained his last name in his honor. She is my former sister-in-law. Before you ask, Luke, I had a wife who was killed in the same battle as General Godric. I apologize for not telling you sooner.”
“Wait!” the forest tracker sputters, grabbing the cell bars. He continues moving to keep Timoran’s attention, the nimble half-elf refusing to let the larger man look away. “You’re not only married, but you’re General Godric’s son-in-law? Not only that, but the sheriff who wants you dead is your former sister-in-law? Doesn’t all of this make the situation a lot worse than we realized? I think Nyx is lucky that her job is to drink and avoid burning the city down. Seems so much easier than what we’re stuck with.”
“All of that does explain Sheriff Kalten’s anger,” Dariana says while eating her meal. She notices that her food is predominantly vegetables, so she takes a piece of roasted chicken from Timoran. “I’m sorry, but I’m really hungry. This is not your last meal, so I recommend that you not complain. Now I assume she will be a witness, so I’ll prepare to face her. It shouldn’t be hard since she’s going to be very emotional.”
“Actually, she isn’t a witness,” Luke interjects, wringing his hands. He looks up as Cyrus enters, the barbarian dragging a set of chains and manacles behind him. “I guess they want to move you right away.”
“If she is not a witness then what is her role in the trial?” Timoran asks as he tries to eat quickly. He slows down when he sees his old friend stop to fix his perfectly tied shoelaces and adjust all of his gear. “Will she even be involved?”
“Sheriff Kalten is the person arguing to execute you.”
Dariana groans and rubs her temples as she mentally searches for the sheriff. “She’s already in the courtroom. This whole thing keeps getting messier and more complicated. Then again, life always does when family gets involved.”
*****
Every seat is filled within the courthouse of Stonehelm, which is a tall, stone building in the northeast corner of the city. The domed ceiling depicts a scene of battling snow tigers with a solitary man standing amid the beasts. Sitting on a raised dais, King Edric makes himself comfortable on a cushioned chair that has been placed in front of a red curtain. To his left is a large, topless box where witnesses stand, the space currently being taken up by Timoran. A gathering of five barbarians sit on a bench that is screwed to the wall and attached to small tables for them to put their mugs or lean on when bored. The jury keeps their eyes on Dariana and Udelia, the two women resting on wooden stools that have been placed in the open area between the King and the tightly packed audience. Everyone is whispering, which fills the single room with an incessant buzz that even the acute hearing of a barbarian cannot decipher. Dariana is the only one who can hear the threats and curses from the indoor crowd, but she also picks up on a growing mob outside that is more sympathetic to Timoran. She silently hopes that more of them can get into the building on the second day of the trial. For that matter, she prays that she can get that far since she is positive this event is more of a formality and she is only involved to make the display more believable.
“We are here to begin the trial of Timoran Wrath who has been accused of battlefield murder, treason, and abandonment of his post,” King Edric announces, his voice booming over the excited crowd. One person refuses to stop talking until a guard comes over to give the man a muttered warning. “This session is only to start the proceedings because we have already waited too long for this day. All I want tonight is for the appointed speakers to state their cases and allow some initial questioning of Timoran. There will be no calling of witnesses until our next session. Due to her being an outsider, Dariana will go first and I ask that you treat her with respect. As she pointed out to me in private, none of our people should be forced to defend a man we have grown to despise. I personally thank her for making this sacrifice. She will now stand and explain her case.”
Dariana faces the crowd and notices that only a few of them are paying attention. Glancing at the jurors, she sees that two of them are resting with their eyes closed. Unsure of what to do, the woman becomes lost and centuries of social isolation attempt to lock her nerves. She is about to speak in a cracking voice when she spots Luke sitting among the barbarians. The forest tracker is leaning forward, his eyes darting from her to Timoran. Even without her telepathy, Dariana can see the worry and frustration etched on the blonde warrior’s face. It abruptly dawns on her that she truly is the only one who can save their friend, which makes her more confident than ever. Pretending to activate a magical item, she rubs her clear ring and uses her powers to make her voice heard by everyone.
“People of Stonehelm! Edric the Snow Tiger King! Thank you for allowing me to defend my traveling companion,” Dariana says as she sorts her racing thoughts. A look of disdain and hate on Sheriff Kalten’s face makes her more determined to strike a few verbal blows for her side. “Timoran has been accused of three crimes, but we’ve been told that this trial will only focus on the murder of General Godric. So I ask that we not use the other two crimes as distractions from the greater tragedy. I only know what I’ve heard about this event, but one thing that is certain is that nobody actually saw the killing take place. It was a chaotic battlefield and Timoran just happened to be the one standing near the deceased General. Not a surprising since many died that day and armies fight as a group instead of alone. My friend was not the only one who was standing near a fallen ally when the battle ended. So this could have happened to anyone who participated in the fight, but it was this man’s bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is very little physical evidence against him and what I have been shown is nowhere near conclusive. Nobody saw him commit the act, the General’s blood was not on his w
eapon, and-”
“How do you know it wasn’t on his weapon?” Udelia asks, throwing off her courtroom rival’s momentum. The sheriff remains in her seat, but turns so that she is facing the smaller woman. “The coward disappeared before anyone could check. General Godric was felled by an axe and that is the traitor’s weapon of choice. If he was innocent then he never would have run away.”
“Timoran was scared and confused,” Dariana argues, refusing to back down even when the taller woman stands. A few people laugh due to the amusing size difference, but they are swiftly silenced by the stomp of King Edric’s booted foot. “He made a mistake by running away, but emotions were high. It is obvious that General Godric was loved by everyone and people would have wanted immediate justice. This court system did not exist at the time, so Timoran feared he would have to fight one of his fellow barbarians. He had too much honor for that and preferred to live as a hated exile.”
“Interesting that you put so many words in his mouth,” the sheriff snarls before approaching the accused. Slapping her hands on the edge of the box, she gets within a few inches of her former brother-in-law. “I don’t want to do a speech. This man is the only one who could have killed General Godric. None of our enemies who used an axe were strong enough to deliver such a blow. Keep in mind that Timoran was the man’s son-in-law. Once King Melich died, the General was the only one standing in the way of this traitor taking the throne. I clearly remember this man talking about what he would do if he was in charge of the tribe. Maybe he saw an opportunity to make that a reality since our old ways would have made him the intelligent choice for our new leader. If he had only moved away from the body or used a different weapon, Timoran Wrath would be ruling the Snow Tiger Tribe.”
Dariana grabs the blonde woman by the wrist and yanks her away, surprising everyone with her strength. “I believe that counts as a speech, but it is all guesswork. I’m sure many people speak about what they would do if they were in a position of power. Also, I read some of your history and the throne is not granted to family members of the deceased. It is earned by being chosen and defeating the challenge of Aintaranurh. How do we know somebody else didn’t kill General Godric and made it look like Timoran was the one at fault? This person may have even tried to kill both of them, but ran out of time to finish the job. There might have even been an accident or an enemy that did have the strength for such a blow. Even the battle records state that there were other warriors in the area, so how do you know that one of them did not do it? My point is that all of what you just said goes for the easiest explanation, which may not be the case.”
“Many times, the most obvious answers are the right ones,” Edric states while rising from his chair. He steps between the two women and gestures for them to return to their seats. “I will help clear up some confusion. It was Timoran Wrath who was found standing over the body and all other warriors in the area were too far away to have delivered the fatal blow. The primary witness has attested to this since they were the first to discover the scene. We have other people who remember seeing the event from different locations. All of them will be questioned as the trial progresses, but tonight we focus on hearing from the traitor.”
“Wait!” Dariana shouts, leaping from her chair and holding up her hand. Shuffling through a few pages of notes, the telepath holds one up and lets the rest fall to the floor. “The primary witness was the person who found Timoran standing over General Godric? That was you, King Edric.”
“Yes it was.”
“You’re also the Judge.”
“That is correct.”
“Isn’t that a problem since you need to remain unbiased?”
“The jury makes the decision, so I do not have what you call a conflict of interest,” Edric declares, nodding to the five barbarians on the bench. He returns to his chair and takes his time adjusting his thick cape, the tiger fur bunching around his lower back. “Each of you will ask the accused two questions by alternating. Sheriff Kalten will go first since Dariana began the opening statements. Please proceed, Udelia.”
The towering sheriff rolls up her sleeves and paces in front of the crowd, her lips silently mouthing words. Udelia lets the tension in the room fester while she thinks of the perfect question to swiftly finish off her enemy. In her mind, this case is easily won and she need only get Timoran to admit what everyone already knows. Yet she has a worm of doubt in her mind thanks to the confidence that is etched into Dariana’s face. Something about the strange foreigner makes her believe that there is more of a fight in her future than she expected when she agreed to be a part of the trial. Tying her long hair back, Udelia returns to her seat and meets Timoran’s blank gaze.
“I wish to start with something simple, yet essential,” she claims, his voice surprisingly calm and melodic. The hardened growl that is always behind her words has melted away, replaced by an almost playful purr. “Please describe your relationship with General Godric. Was there tension or did you two always get along? Remember that you swore on the power of Kerr before you walked into this courtroom. He will strike you down if you lie.”
“Raynar Godric was my father-in-law, mentor, and commander,” Timoran answers with pride in his voice. The angry murmur from the crowd causes him to clear his throat and make his voice less emotional. “He taught me how to fight and took me under his wing soon after my parents died. There were some days when we argued because we did not always agree on Stonehelm’s future. Raynar was very traditional and used his intelligence purely for combat and strategy. I was of the same mind most times, but I would occasionally consider the scholarly path and suggest its use in specific situations. These arguments always became very heated, especially when one of his precious daughters joined in. Many times one of them did so to stir enough trouble that her boredom would be alieved.” A few in the crowed chuckle as he smiles at the sheriff, the woman grinding her teeth. “If you were hoping to uncover a secret hatred then you will not find any. I loved him like he was my second father. You know this more than anyone else in Stonehelm, Udelia.”
A burst of rage overtakes the sheriff and she jumps to her feet to shout, “Then why did you kill my father!? I’m sorry, Edric. I don’t know what came over me”
“I believe that’s her second question,” Dariana points out, barely able to hide her smirk. She eases the pressure she has been placing on her opponent’s emotions, allowing the woman to relax again. “I would like to add my first question to her final one. What does the accused remember about killing the General?”
“I do not remember killing him,” Timoran calmly answers. The crowd shouts and stomps their feet until Udelia unleashes an echoing roar that shakes the solid building. “I know this upsets all of you because it is easier to think of me as a remorseless murderer. Yet the truth is that I barely remember the battle. There are fragments of the fight in my mind, but none of them involve the General. Is it possible that I killed him by accident? Yes. That has happened before when one of our people has fallen into a deep rage. My memory gaps do make me think I was in such a state, but I have never lost control to the point where I would kill a loved one. Even if that did happen, Raynar was a better warrior than I and would have restrained me.”
“That is true,” Udelia mutters with a sour expression. Accepting that she has used her second question, the sheriff stands and heads for one of the side doors. “I ask permission to leave because my heart can’t take any more of his words. I promise on my honor to be of a calmer mind tomorrow. Dariana can tell me her final question and the response later. I will trust her to be honest.”
King Edric nods and everyone is quiet as the exhausted sheriff leaves, the door closing with a surprisingly loud click. Many in the audience get up to leave the courtroom, forcing Dariana to wait for the parade of footsteps to cease. She half expects some of the jury to exit the courthouse since all of them stare at their departing brethren with looks of jealousy. After several minutes, only Luke, King Edric, the jury, and three other barbari
ans remain. With a sigh of frustration, Dariana approaches her friend and leans on the side of the box.
“Just a simple question, Timoran,” she says, massaging her temples to ward off a looming headache. A lilting voice of mockery slips into her mind, but she turns her ring to make it go away. “Is there anyone within the tribe who would have wanted General Godric dead? This is under the assumption that someone used the battle to hide their act and let you take the blame. I will point out that this brings up the question of there being a real traitor who has been at large since that day. That would raise further questions and be difficult to prove, but it is still a possibility.”
Rubbing his bloodshot eyes, Timoran strains as if something is preventing him from answering. “I cannot think of anyone who hated him. The only enemies that General Godric had were outside of the tribe.”
“I guess that is everything for tonight,” King Edric softly replies. He rises from his seat with a wave of his arm that reveals a door behind the curtain. “I commend your dedication and loyalty, Dariana. This will be an interesting trial. Thank you for convincing me to allow your participation. See everyone in the morning.”
With a ringing silence descending upon the courthouse, Dariana watches the ruler leave while the jury swiftly heads for the exit. Cyrus steps out of a nearby doorway to escort Timoran back to his cell, the thick manacles locking into place with echoing snaps. Left alone in the courtroom, Luke and Dariana take a seat on the jury bench and let their tension seep out of their muscles.
“That last question didn’t work,” the telepath whispers after several minutes.
“How so?” Luke asks, putting a comforting arm around his friend’s shoulders. “He said the man had no enemies, which makes it clear that something is off.”
“I didn’t care about Timoran’s answer because I was watching King Edric.”
“You think he’s the real murderer?”
“I did, but there wasn’t even a flicker of worry in his mind. The man loved the General as much as everyone else.”
Tribe of the Snow Tiger (Legends of Windemere Book 10) Page 13
