Chapter 62
Shianan’s feet dragged, his bruised and knotted muscles protesting as he forced them up Alham’s hills. His legs marked with bruises from kicks, his aching back and ribs, his abdomen sore from repeated punches, his face swollen and bloodied—he must look as awful as he felt. He fixed his mind on the Naziar, thinking of more blissful sleep.
Finally they entered the Naziar, and as they crossed the yard, it seemed all activity stopped and all eyes stared incessantly at him. Obviously the guards’ message had spread farther than its first report. Shianan closed his eyes, knowing the path by heart. Let them think what they would. He wanted only his bed.
Instinct prodded him awake at the same instant a startled sound from Luca drew his attention. He blinked into focus and recoiled, but not quickly enough to avoid the hands that seized his arms. “Shianan Becknam,” a voice blared, “you are summoned to the Court of the High Star for immediate trial.”
“Now?” His swollen wrists were pressed together and shackles fitted over the bruises. “Why? Why now?”
The fresh guards who had seized him pushed past those who had escorted him to the Shard, watching with dull startlement. “You will answer the Court,” one replied shortly. “Move out.”
“No,” protested Luca. He started to follow. “Wait—”
A guard shoved him back roughly. “On your way, slave.”
“But my master—”
The guard struck Luca, sending him reeling through the watching group. “On your way, I said!”
“Leave him!” snapped Shianan.
“But I have to testify!” Luca burst, turning back. “I’m witness to when they tried to kill him!”
“Luca, no!”
“Testify?” repeated the sergeant who had announced Shianan’s arrest. “You’re eager for it?”
“Luca!” Shianan stepped forward, heedless of the hands which seized him. “A slave’s word is not admissible unless it’s—extracted.”
Luca blinked in horrified understanding. “But….”
“Luca, don’t!”
“Take the slave,” the sergeant ordered. “We’ll hold him until the court is ready for him.” He looked at Shianan. “They’re ready for you now.”
They walked him briskly into the stone keep and toward the ceremonial chambers where the Court of the High Star met. He was pushed forward with jabbing fingers and blunt tips, dagger pommels, whatever was handy. No one was called before the Court of the High Star unless more or less expendable, and no one would complain if a prisoner appeared a little the worse for wear.
The labyrinth of corridors swam before him as he stumbled forward, and his tired brain could not track their path. There was no need, though; he would not need to find his way out again. He closed his burning eyes and let the guards push him around corners.
Then he heard the creak of massive doors and they drew him into a high-ceilinged chamber, ringed with padded benches and staring eyes. Shianan barely had time to note the high dais at the far end before the guards forced him to his knees. Someone shoved his head down, as if Shianan did not know himself to bow it.
“You’re late, Bailaha.”
The voice had a quality of icy detachment. Shianan gulped, afraid despite himself. He was not sure if he were expected to answer. “My honored lord, circumstances—”
“Silence.” The voice was not interested in his circumstances. “You will have an opportunity to speak for yourself when all else is said. You will remain silent while the evidence against you is presented. My lord?”
“The Court of the High Star commences to try Commander Shianan Becknam, Count of Bailaha, who stands accused of the theft of the Shard of Elan, of treachery against the defense of the realm, and of high treason against the state.”
Shianan strained his eyes to look around him. The boxed alcove where the king might sit to observe was empty.
The court officer continued. “The first evidence is the eyewitness testimony of Yergman Camb, who saw the accused prisoner carrying away the Shard.”
He saw only a bundle! thought Shianan angrily, before recalling the man had in fact seen nothing at all. But perhaps in this telling, he would have seen the Shard itself in Shianan’s hands.
“Yergman Camb went out,” someone offered. “We waited so long this morning, he was given permission to return home during our recess. He’s been sent for, as soon as word came that the prisoner had returned.”
“Will it be long?”
“No, my honored lord, I don’t believe so. He lives within the fortress walls.”
“Thank you. Then while the witness is brought, we shall hear other testimony. The Court requests His Highness Prince Soren to come and speak for us, if it pleases him.”
Shianan’s stomach clenched. He had, after all, confessed to stealing the Shard, because he had, of course, actually stolen it. And the prince’s word could not be refuted.
He could not see much of the prince’s approach with his head bowed, but he heard movement from one side of the room and a pair of well-made boots crossed the limited field of his vision. Soren swore an oath of truth in loyalty to the crown and stood before the court, the members of which had risen in respect to their prince. There were a few formal exchanges of phrase, typical court protocol, and then the meat of the testimony began. “Your Highness, did the accused prisoner speak of the Shard?”
“He did, my honored lord.”
“Did he confess to stealing it?”
Shianan clenched his jaw.
“He did.”
Shianan swallowed. He would die, then.
“Your Highness, did he indicate to you why he would commit such a crime against his king and country?”
Shianan’s heart seemed to stop, and for the first time he realized he feared humiliation more than death.
“Er, he did not say much of that.”
Shianan blinked, surprised by the prince’s tacit answer. He exhaled gratefully, his shoulders slumping. Of course, they would not want to embarrass Ariana Hazelrig.
“But he did confess to stealing the Shard?”
“He did.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. The Court has no further questions.”
The boots departed, and Shianan wished suddenly that the entire process were finished, that they would simply take him out and behead him quickly.
“The Court calls Captain Refend.”
The voice which swore truth and loyalty was that of the guard captain. Shianan felt a quick stab of remorse for the man, who had only hours before believed Shianan had recovered the Shard from thieves. Which he had, in a manner of speaking, though the thief had held it for only a moment.
“Captain, you heard the accused prisoner confess to the theft of the Shard?”
“I did, my honored lord, but I—”
“Please answer our questions, captain, for the moment. You took the accused prisoner to retrieve the hidden Shard?”
“That was my duty, my honored lord.”
“Did he direct you to find it, demonstrating he knew its hiding place?”
“In a way, my honored lord.”
“In a way? Explain.”
“He told us which way to start out, and we did. But he did not dig up the Shard himself.”
“We presume your men would have done the work, yes.”
“No, my lord, let me explain. When we were some leagues out, we were attacked magically. A dust storm came up and blinded and choked us all. During this, the prisoner and his slave together overpowered some and escaped.”
“Your prisoner escaped?”
“With the aid of magic.”
Shianan pitied the captain, forced to admit his failure in his attempt to explain the innocence of a condemned man, when it would do no good.
“We followed them,” the captain continued quickly, “and caught them again, when the prisoner was engaged in fighting some men. We captured him and the last of these men and found the Shard in his possession.”
�
��In whose possession?”
“The prisoner had been fighting the other men for it. He told us he’d let himself be believed guilty so the real thieves would think themselves unsuspected and move with the Shard.”
There was a moment of silence as this completely unexpected piece of testimony echoed about the oval room. Murmurs reverberated but did not carry clearly. “Did you believe him?” asked the officiating voice at last.
“I did not at first, my honored lord, but the last swordsman admitted they’d taken the Shard when I asked. Said he’d been hired by a man in a tavern to carry it back and kill the commander.”
There was a ripple of surprise. Shianan wondered if he dared allow himself to hope he’d escape, somehow. Was it possible…?
“To kill him? Why would they do that?”
“They’d tried once before, it seems. It’s a merchant behind it, he says, one who lost money when the swindling came out. But these particular men were given five hundred pias and more to carry the Shard and kill the commander.”
Sweet Holy One, bless Luca, thought Shianan. It was such a simple story, so quick to tell, and the captain had retold it vaguely enough that it seemed the explanation came from the swordsman rather than Luca and Shianan.
The officiating lord cleared his throat over the rumble of discussion. “We still have a witness who says he saw the accused prisoner in the act of stealing the Shard. What you have told us might be a clever lie. Or not so clever, perhaps; why did the accused prisoner allow himself to be arrested and questioned if he were not guilty? If he knew the culprit, why did he not accuse him and save himself?”
“There’s a reason for that, my honored lord, or at least he offered one. I can’t say to whether it’s fit or not. But one of the party paid to kill him, and I don’t like to say this, but one was a guardsman himself. Bailaha said he didn’t know how many were corrupted, and so he couldn’t reveal what he knew ‘til he saw who was involved.”
“You say a guard was there? Can you bring him for us?”
“He’s dead now, my lord, in the fight, but he was there. We carried him back. Vagus was him.”
There was a pause, and Shianan found it difficult to breathe. His hands were slick with sweat, but there was no chance of slipping the shackles.
“I think,” the voice came slowly, “we should hear the testimony of our eyewitness.”
The guards had not yet returned with Yergman Camb, and the nobles and officials passed the waiting in exchanging theories, whispering possibilities. Shianan’s knees ached on the stone floor and his neck hurt with the unmoving weight of his head and the abuse of the last few days, but he did not move. There were still two unforgiving guards on either side of him.
And then there was a flurry of movement at a door. “My honored lord!” burst someone breathlessly. “We found Yergman Camb, but—but he’s dead, my lord. His throat’s slit.”
Shianan caught his breath amid the gasp that filled the room. No one intervened as he lifted his head to stare at the reporting guard.
“Explain!”
“It is as I said, my honored lord. We went for him and found his rooms empty. He was behind the house, dead in the alley. Someone had cut his throat.”
Shianan had a sudden, horrific image of Karlm the Vandogan slashing the throat of the slave who’d failed to kill him.
The court minister stared down at Shianan, caught facing him. They blinked at one another for a moment. “The accused prisoner has been under guard,” the officiating minister said slowly.
“Oh, yes,” confirmed one of the men beside Shianan. “We took charge of him directly from Captain Refend’s party.”
“He has not left my presence since we left Alham,” Refend responded, “save for a few hours yesterday after the magic attack. But that was leagues away.”
“We saw Camb this morning, anyway,” muttered the minister. “Perhaps the accused prisoner has an accomplice? Where is this slave you mentioned, Captain Refend?”
“We have him, my honored lord,” offered a court guard quickly. “We’ve kept him for questioning.”
Shianan tensed as two more guards dragged Luca into the oval room, throwing him to his knees before the court. Shianan watched, helpless, but Luca did not look at him.
“This is the slave which helped the accused prisoner to escape?”
“Yes, my honored lord,” answered Refend.
“To help a traitor is to commit treason,” pronounced the minister. “But let’s excavate the truth from him. Prepare—”
“No!” Shianan’s voice surprised them all, even himself.
The minister stared at him in astonishment. “No?” he repeated incredulously after a moment. “You seem to think your command carries some—”
“You needn’t question him. I’ll tell you everything myself. He doesn’t know much.”
The minister picked up a quill pen. “You are anxious that we ask him no questions?”
“It’s only—he is a good servant, my lord. He has saved my life twice or thrice now. I don’t want him tortured.”
The minister raised an eyebrow. “You recognize the word of a slave is without honor and cannot be admitted unless extracted under torture?”
Shianan bowed his head. “He was a freeman once, my lord. Let him swear by what was dear then.”
“And how came an honest freeman to be a slave? An enslaved freeman has no more honor than a bred slave. Slaves lie to be contrary.”
He had to save Luca. “Then ask me. I am no slave. If my word is not good enough, ask again.”
The minister smirked. “You’d rather we torture you than your slave?”
Shianan clenched his teeth, too anxious to feel shamed. “Torture is poor payment for saving my life, my lord.”
“My honored lord,” came another voice. “A soldier has just offered his testimony in the matter.”
The minister raised his eyebrows. “Offered?”
“He was not called for this trial, my lord, but he claims he has information relevant to it.”
“Perhaps he can speak to the conspiracy the accused prisoner claims existed.” The minister glanced at Luca, trembling on the stone floor. “We’ll interrogate the slave after. Bring in the soldier.”
Shianan did not dare to turn his head. He could not antagonize the court if he wanted to bargain for Luca. What information could anyone else have? Had someone else seen him with the Shard?
“Captain?”
“Captain Torg, my honored lord,” came the answer. Shianan looked up despite himself. Torg’s fingers were flexing at his side but he looked resolute. “I thought it my duty to inform the court of what I myself know.”
“Proceed.”
“The commander spoke to me a couple of weeks ago about someone trying to kill him. It was one of the merchants come to bid for contracts, he was pretty sure, but we didn’t have any idea why.”
“So the accused prisoner told you, well before the Shard was stolen, he believed his life was targeted?”
“He did. He suspected a particular individual, but he had no evidence, as he’d seen the man kill the slave who’d failed to murder the commander. He knew his word wasn’t enough to arrest the man.”
The minister looked surprised. “And he did not report this?”
“To whom, my lord? It was only his word against the merchant’s, and he supposed the man must be in the employ of someone else.”
Someone pushed Shianan’s head down, and he stared at the stone tiles as he listened.
“Did you see any evidence of this yourself?”
“I had no reason to disbelieve him, my honored lord. I knew the commander many years and never found him in the habit of being untruthful.”
“And yet he’s accused of high treason. Could he not have mentioned this to avert suspicion later?”
“I suppose he might have, my honored lord. But I took the liberty of bringing another witness for your court. With your permission, I’ll bring him.”
Shian
an’s pulse quickened. He didn’t know what Torg was doing, but he didn’t want another of his very few friends caught in this tangle….
“Bring them,” affirmed the minister.
The doors creaked open. “Let me go!” snapped a voice. “I’ll walk myself, thank you!”
Shianan knew the voice. He looked up to see the Vandogan merchant Karlm between two frowning guards. Then a heavy hand slapped his head down again, sending a spasm through his neck.
“How very crowded it is. Move the slave. And who is this man?”
“This is Karlm, a merchant of Vandoga, here to negotiate for a supply contract with our army. He is also the man whom Commander Becknam suspected of plotting his death. He has a slave as well, who may have information if Karlm is unwilling to answer.”
“Everyone answers the Court of the High Star,” the minister said ominously. “But why have you brought them?”
“I respectfully suggest, my honored lord, you ask Karlm why he found it necessary to send a slave to murder Commander Becknam, and why he killed that slave when she failed. As neither Becknam nor I could guess why a Vandogan would come this far to kill a commander, it might also be prudent to question Karlm regarding his masters or employers.”
“Let go of me! My lord, I am a foreigner and a guest here, and I have no quarrel with your local officers. This is plainly—”
“My honored lord!” This was the voice of the White Mage, and Shianan twitched against the hand on his head. “I regret my late arrival, but you will understand the Circle’s first duty was to see to the security of the Shard. We have examined it, and it is unharmed and uncontaminated.”
“Thank you, Mage Hazelrig. It is good to know we have only to punish the intent and not the actual destruction of the Shard.”
“I never meant to destroy it!” Shianan burst, but his voice did little to fill the room. The guards’ hands tightened and one took a handful of hair, warning him not to speak again.
“My honored lord, I wonder if we could review the case before us. We have Shianan Becknam, Count of Bailaha, a noble peer of the court, here as an accused prisoner. This man has no previous record of treason, no suspicion of any crime at all to my knowledge. From what I have heard, he has been an exemplary officer, though I admit I have little to do with the army’s affairs and it may be better to ask General Septime or another on that mark.”
Shard & Shield Page 40
