Chapter Fourteen

 

The following morning, Kerrion attended the formal court that was convened to try Blade. Five judges presided, seated on a row of hard-backed chairs behind a long table laden with elderly law tomes and jugs of water. The table stood upon a low dais that raised the judges above the rest of the courtroom. The princes sat behind a stone railing that separated them from an empty area, where witnesses would give their testimony and plaintiffs could plead their case. In the galleries, the courtiers and lords sat or stood, according to their rank, filling the back of the room.

Banners and royal pennants adorned the walls, and the huge carven crest of the court hung behind the judges. Kerrion sat in an ornate chair in front of the princes, and Minna sat beside him on a plain one, her face veiled. Women were not allowed in the court, and at first the princes had protested, but Kerrion had insisted that she stay, claiming that her life was threatened. In view of her recent kidnapping, the judges had allowed her to stay, since ejecting her would also mean removing the King, by his own declaration.

Dravis was conspicuous in his absence, a fact that made Kerrion cast his brothers a cynical smile, which they met with angry glares. He suspected that Dravis had little faith that Blade would testify in his favour, and wished that he had the same certainty. Despite Minna's assertions, an element of doubt remained in his mind. Marek had been chosen to represent Dravis, and when the court was convened, he entered the plaintiff's area to put forward Dravis' case.

Being a man of few words, he was direct and to the point, claiming that Dravis was innocent of Trelath's murder, and that the assassin responsible had been captured. The senior judge pointed out that the guards had seen Dravis entering and leaving the gardens, and Marek argued that the assassin had disguised himself as the Prince. The dagger, he claimed, had been stolen from Dravis and planted on Trelath's body to frame him for the murder.

Kerrion listened to this accurate account of what had happened and thought it ironic that truth was not always on the side of the righteous. When the judge asked who would wish to assassinate Trelath and frame Dravis, Marek glanced at Kerrion. He did not accuse the King, however, asking instead that the assassin be brought in and questioned.

The entire court turned towards the doors as they awaited the appearance of the legendary, elusive assassin whose identity was so mysterious. The doors opened and Blade limped in, escorted by two guards, his wrists manacled and a short length of chain linking his ankles, just long enough to allow him to walk. The guards topped him by several inches, and it seem incongruous that such a slight man should be so feared. The only sign of his beating was the blue bruise on his jaw, and he wore the fresh clothes Kerrion had sent him; a dark blue tunic and trousers with silver embroidery ornamenting the sleeves and shoulders, which made him look a lot less like an assassin.

Kerrion had also ordered that Blade be given water and soap, which he had used to good effect. His deprivation and trauma had sharpened his fine features, lending him a youthful, vulnerable look that the King suspected he added to somehow. Most people expected assassins to be sly-looking men, and the courtiers muttered as they studied him. The guards stopped before the judges and released him, retreating to stand by the door. Even though he was chained and injured, Marek did not approach him, addressing him from where he stood at the railing.

"Are you the assassin known as the Queen's Blade?"

In the deafening silence that engulfed the courtroom on the heels of this all important question, Blade turned to face his accuser, pinning him with a piercing stare. He lifted his chin, a slight smile curling his lips.

"Yes. I am the Queen's Blade."

A sigh wafted from the courtiers, and the judges relaxed, leaning back in their chairs. Kerrion glanced at Minna, whose hands were clasped in her lap.

Marek smirked, casting a triumphant glance at Kerrion. "Did you assassinate Prince Trelath and Prince Chaymin?"

Blade inclined his head. "I did."

A hiss of whispering arose from the audience, which died away when Marek asked, "Who paid you to do that?"

"Before I answer that, have you a paper for me?"

Marek looked confused. "A paper?"

"Yes. A letter from Dravis, which he promised me."

Marek glanced back at his brothers, then turned to the assassin and shook his head. "No."

"Then I will tell you the truth. Prince Dravis hired me to kill Chaymin and Trelath."

Kerrion hid a smile and Marek gaped at the assassin. The courtiers recovered from their surprise, and Dravis' supporters erupted with angry shouts and denunciations, forcing the senior judge to bang the table and order silence. When the hubbub died down, Marek gathered his wits and closed his mouth, frowning at the assassin.

"Why would Prince Dravis wish to kill his brothers, who were his allies?"

"Indeed, they aided him in kidnapping the King's wife, but when the plot to blackmail Kerrion failed they turned against him. I was not privy to his reasons for wishing them dead, but he promised to pay me handsomely for it."

Marek shook his head. "Then why did you disguise yourself as him when you killed Prince Trelath?"

"I did not. Dravis wanted to see Trelath die, and came to watch."

"So why was his dagger left in Trelath's body?"

Blade's slight smile widened. "After Chaymin's death, I demanded my fee, but Dravis refused, insisting that he would only pay me after I had slain Trelath. I suspected he would try to double-cross me, so after he left the garden, I planted his dagger on Trelath's body. I wrote a letter exonerating him, which I was going to send to the courts when he had paid my fee. Instead, he kidnapped me and threatened to murder the King's wife unless I claimed Kerrion as my employer."

A low, angry muttering came from the lords and courtiers at the back of the room, and the princes squirmed. Marek struggled to hide his dismay, glancing up at the stony-faced judges.

He persevered, demanding, "Why were you hiding in an empty room in this palace, and why does the King claim you as a friend of his wife's, and a lord?"

"I was not hiding, and I am a lord. Regent Chiana sent me to free Queen Minna-Satu, and I stayed in the palace as Kerrion's guest. He was naturally grateful for my aid in foiling his brothers' plot, and returning his wife to him. He did not know that Dravis hired me to kill Chaymin and Trelath."

"But..." Marek swung to stare at Kerrion with frustration and anger. He clearly knew Blade was lying, but could say nothing about Kerrion's blackmail for fear of being accused of making false allegations against the King, since Blade would deny it. Kerrion met his eyes with a blank stare, and Marek turned back to the assassin.

"Why would Dravis kidnap you, instead of paying you? Surely then you would have exonerated him?"

"I would, but he wanted more than two dead brothers. He wants the throne, and for that, he needs Kerrion removed from it. So he tried to blackmail me with a threat against my former queen, and promised me a letter to the court guaranteeing her safe return to Jashimari upon Kerrion's imprisonment.

"That was the paper I expected you to give me, at which time I would have named the King as my employer. But Dravis failed to keep his end of the deal, so I have no reason to keep mine. My primary aim is to ensure the safety and well-being of Queen Minna-Satu. Now that her safety is no longer assured by Dravis' promise, I cannot put her at risk by naming the King."

Marek put a hand on the railing to steady himself, looking stunned. "Yet you say he threatened to kill her if you did not do as he wished."

"Yes, but if Kerrion was arrested she would be even more vulnerable, and without Dravis' letter I cannot take the risk that he would kill her anyway."

"And why, if so much rested upon it, did Dravis neglect to send this letter?"

Blade shrugged. "I do not know. Any number of things could have happened. Perhaps the scribe did not write it as ordered, or maybe the messenger went astray, or he forgot. I am not a seer, Prince Marek."

Marek lurched forward, quitting the support of the railing. "But you are a consummate liar!" He turned to the judges. "My Lords, you cannot believe any of this. It is all lies."

The senior judge looked grim. "And what have you to refute it, Prince Marek? Why is Prince Dravis not here to defend himself?"

"Undoubtedly because he suspected that this traitorous assassin would betray him with lies, as he has just done."

"Surely he would have had nothing to fear, had he provided the letter as he promised the assassin?"

Marek glanced at his brothers for support, clearly at a loss to explain this.

"I can tell you why he is not here," Blade said. "Prince Dravis was angered that I framed him for Trelath's murder. He ill-treated me while I was his prisoner, as my injuries attest. He thought his threat to kill Minna-Satu would force me to obey, but I am confident that the King, forewarned, can protect his wife. Dravis did not trust me to accuse the King even if the letter had been here, which is why he is not here to be arrested."

The senior judge leant back and glanced at his cohorts, who could only shrug and shake their heads. Marek retreated to the railing and leant against it once more, staring at Blade.

The senior judge looked at Kerrion and asked, "Sire, have you anything to say on this matter?"

Kerrion lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. "I can only confirm that Lord Conash was sent to rescue my wife, for which he has my undying gratitude. Of the rest I have no knowledge, but I ask the court to consider the great service that Lord Conash has rendered me in foiling Dravis' plot to blackmail me, and be lenient.

"An assassin is merely the instrument that a villain uses, in this case, Prince Dravis. If Lord Conash had not freed my wife, she would certainly have died at Trelath's hands and I would have been quite maddened with grief."

The judge inclined his head, but Marek straightened and cried, "My Lords, he is lying! You must not condemn Prince Dravis solely upon the testimony of a lowly assassin. I ask that he be tortured, then he will tell the truth."

Kerrion shook his head. "I am convinced he is telling the truth, and Marek wishes to torture him into telling the lies that Dravis wanted him to speak."

"These are the lies!" Marek shouted. "He has fabricated this entire story. Parts of it are true, but Dravis did not hire him. The Queen's Blade, according to all the tales of him, hates the Cotti, and would never accept the employ of one."

Kerrion glanced at Blade, who nodded, lowering his gaze to the floor with a slight smile. "Prince Marek is correct. I do hate the Cotti, which is why I agreed to kill the princes. What better revenge than to slay Cotti princes whilst in the employ of their brother? Unfortunate though it is that I have been captured, I have my vengeance by naming my employer, the Cotti who also betrayed me."

"Assassins never name their employer!" Marek snarled. "It is part of their code! They cannot break it willingly; it must be tortured from them."

Blade nodded. "Unless their employer betrays them. I know a little more about the code than you, Prince Marek."

"Why settle for a mere prince when you could have dethroned the Cotti King by naming him?"

Blade shrugged. "He did not betray me, but in truth, the real reason I would not accuse him falsely is because he is wed to my former queen. Only she enjoys my complete loyalty."

Marek spat. "A woman! Are all Jashimari men as weak and spineless as you, bending their knees to foolish females?"

"Prince Marek!" The senior judge banged his fist on the table, glowering at Marek. "This is not a forum for insults and petty name calling."

Marek raised a hand to acknowledge the chastisement, glaring at Blade. "You are lying to protect her, are you not, assassin? Is that not the truth?"

Blade's brows rose. "Are you accusing your king of being my employer?"

"No." Marek glanced at the judges. "I am accusing his wife."

A hiss of surprise came from the galleries, and Kerrion jumped up, pale with fury. "Whoever accuses my wife accuses me! You will leave her out of this unless you have incontrovertible proof."

"There is my proof." Marek stabbed a finger at Blade. "He knows the truth; we have only to make him speak it."

"You will force him to tell lies in order to end his suffering. He is telling the truth now."

"How would you know?" Marek glared at his brother. "You do not keep your wife on a leash. She could have ordered him to kill Trelath and Chaymin. Trelath kidnapped and abused her. This was her revenge. Chaymin was in on the plot, and so was Dravis. That is why he was framed for Trelath's murder."

Kerrion shook his head, sinking back into his chair. "My wife is not a vindictive person. She would not seek revenge."

"Then perhaps she did it to aid you, by removing the princes who plotted against you."

"She would not do such a thing without my permission, and if she had my permission, then you would be accusing me too. Are you, Marek?"

The Prince swung to face the judges. "Only the assassin knows the truth, My Lords. I request that he be tortured, so we can get to the bottom of this and find out where the blame truly lies."

"No!" Kerrion banged the arm of his chair. "Torturing a man is only effective when he does not know what to say in order to end his pain. Marek seems to want him to accuse me."

"I do not," Marek protested. "I have not accused the King, My Lords, only his wife."

Two of the judges muttered to each other, the other three watched them.

Blade turned to them. "Perhaps you would be good enough to tell me whom to accuse, My Lords. If it is not the truth you want, then tell me what to say. I have no wish to be tortured."

The judges looked aghast, and Kerrion hid a smile. Four of the judges put their heads together, leaving one gazing at them.

Blade added, "If Marek wishes me to accuse the King, then so be it. I will, if you promise safe passage back to Jashimari for Queen Minna-Satu, as Dravis did. I am condemned, and I care nothing for the fate of the Cotti king, but it is evident that Marek wishes him accused."

"No!" Marek cried, looking horrified. "I do not!"

"You are trying to protect your brother, Prince Marek. You want me to blame Minna-Satu because she is Jashimari, and you dislike that she is wed to your king."

The senior judge glared at Blade. "I have heard enough of this argument, it achieves nothing. There is merit in Marek's suggestion of torture. You have admitted to murdering Prince Trelath and Prince Chaymin, but for the purposes of this court, only Prince Chaymin's death will be laid upon you. For that, you are condemned to die on the stake.

"I order you to be set upon the rack for two days before your execution, so that you may ponder the evil of your crimes and repent. Nothing you say can be trusted, so the case against Prince Dravis stands as before, based upon the evidence found in the garden."

Kerrion jumped up again. "My Lords, I protest! In view of the service he has rendered me now, and when Lerton falsely accused me of killing my father, I ask that his sentence be imprisonment."

The senior judge raised his brows. "The punishment for murdering a prince is execution, Sire, and this man has killed more than one. I believe he is also responsible for the deaths of your father, Prince Lerton, Prince Ronan, and Prince Targan as well as Prince Chaymin."

"He was pardoned for my father's death when he saved me from the gallows, and Ronan murdered his sister in front of him."

The judge shrugged. "That still leaves three princes, Sire."

"He is also the Jashimari Regent's husband and Lord Protector of Jashimari. Executing him would severely sour relations between the kingdoms. Imprison him."

The senior judge glanced at his cohorts, who shook their heads. He spread his hands. "Unfortunately, Sire, justice must be done. I am sure the Regent Chiana will understand the gravity of the charges."

"She will not. Endor has abused and insulted her while he was blackmailing me. Relations between the kingdoms are already strained. Let Lord Conash's sentence be a commuted, as a gesture of reconciliation."

Again the judges glanced at each other, and this time only three shook their heads at the senior judge. He rose to his feet, pushing back his chair. "Regretfully, we cannot, Sire."

"At least do not torture him."

The senior judge beckoned to the guards who waited by the door, and they approached to escort the assassin. As they took hold of his arms, he glanced at the King. Kerrion watched him limp out, frustration and helplessness making his stomach clench. The judges filed out through another door, and he turned at a touch on his arm. Minna slipped her hand into his, her face a mystery behind the veil. Clearly she wished to quit the courtroom, which was growing noisy as the courtiers discussed the trial. He shot Marek a venomous glance and headed for his private doorway, which opened into a passage that led to his rooms.

Kerra waited in his quarters, her eyes filled with worry. Minna dismissed the servants and removed her veil, revealing a despair-ravaged face, and Kerra groaned. Kerrion tried to take his wife in his arms, but she pushed him away and walked over to the wine bottle to pour herself a cup. He followed, and Kerra watched them, frowning.

"He is condemned, is he not?" she demanded.

Kerrion sighed, pouring himself some wine. "You knew he would be."

"You were going to appeal for clemency."

"I did."

"And they refused? You are the King!"

"I am not above the law."

Kerra snorted. "It is ridiculous. This could never happen in Jashimari. I have the power to overturn court cases if I wish, and pardon whomever I choose."

Kerrion sipped his wine. "Lucky you."

Minna sank down on a chair, staring at the floor. "They are going to torture him."

"What?" Kerra gasped. "Why?"

"For the fun of it, I think."

"It is part of his punishment," Kerrion said.

"Is it not enough that he is going to die a slow and agonising death?"

"Apparently they do not think so."

"How are we going to free him?" Kerra demanded.

Minna glanced at Kerrion. "I do not know."

"It is impossible," he muttered. "If I could, I would."

"He would find a way to free you if the tables were turned."

"He would laugh at my funeral and dance on my grave. In fact, he would like nothing better than to kill me himself. He would even do it for free."

Minna shook her head. "I wish I could prove that you are wrong, my dear. He did not accuse you, just as I said."

"Because of you."

"No."

"He would have accused me to avoid torture."

"Oh, Kerrion," Minna sighed.

"More lies?"

"Yes."

"We must free him!" Kerra burst out.

Minna put down her cup and rose, looking wan and tired. "I am returning to my rooms. I wish to be alone."

"It is not safe," Kerrion protested.

She turned. "I think it is. Dravis cannot possibly strike at me so soon."

Kerra went after her, taking her arm in the doorway, and Kerrion watched them leave. Frustration, anger and regret filled him, a terrible feeling of helplessness fuelling it, which he hated. The thought of Blade dying on a stake brought stinging bile into his throat, and his inability to save the assassin shamed him. He longed to march down to the dungeons and order him freed, but the consequences would be dire, not only for him, but for his wife and children.

His brothers would unite against him, and he would replace Blade on the execution block, leaving Minna and the children at the princes' mercy. He had considered sending a trusted servant to free Blade, but if the man failed the trail would lead straight to him. If he appealed to the courts or protested too strongly, the judges may grow suspicious, and his brothers would take the opportunity to accuse him of collaborating with the assassin. He sank down on a chair and slugged back the contents of his cup, reaching for the bottle to refill it.

 

When Minna-Satu arrived in her rooms, she dismissed her maidens and turned to her daughter. A grim resolve had replaced her tiredness and despair, and she took Kerra's shoulders in a firm grip, gazing deep into her eyes.

"Kerrion can do nothing, but we can."

Kerra nodded. "I have already thought of a plan."

"Indeed? Tell me, perhaps we are in accord."

Kerra gestured to the cushions, and they sat down. "Blade taught me a little of his art, and I think I could free him."

"From the dungeons?" Minna's brows rose.

"I had planned to go there disguised as a maiden sent by father with food, but it would have been risky. I would have smuggled his daggers to him, then relied on him to kill all the sentries on the way out. It might have worked, but now I have a better idea. You say he is going to be tortured, and I think we must wait until he is taken out of his cell. Do you know where they will take him?"

Minna shook her head. "But Kerrion will. I can ask him, but we must tell him nothing of our plans. He will try to stop us, fearing for our safety."

"He is not used to Jashimari women. We are not helpless like Cotti. If you can find out where he is to be tortured, I will free him."

"It will be dangerous. Are you certain you have the courage to see it through? If you fail, Blade dies, a prospect I dread. If you have any doubts, I will do it."

"No, I will do it, mother. I have a little of Blade's skills, a paltry amount compared to his, but I am not afraid." She hesitated, bowing her head. "I must save him."

Minna cupped her daughter's cheek, raising her face to gaze into her innocent eyes. A tear overflowed and ran down Kerra's cheek, leaving a glittering trail. The Elder Queen leant forward and kissed Kerra's brow, wiping away the tear.

"Have courage, my dear. You are my daughter, descended from a long line of queens, all of whom had the hearts of warriors. It will not fail you. I would not put you in danger, but..."

"You love him too, I know."

Minna smiled, her eyes sad. "Alas, it is not only that, dearest. I fear that if he dies, the princes will eventually succeed in their plots to bring Kerrion down. If that happens I will perish, and my sons soon after, without their father to protect them. The war will start again, and this time Jashimari will be conquered. You too will perish in that event, and the blood that Shamsara foretold will flow."

"You know about that?"

Minna nodded. "Chiana told Kerrion about it."

"How can so much depend upon one man?"

"Because he is the instrument, child. Tinsharon forged him through the vileness of our enemies, to be our salvation. Once Kerrion's new laws are passed the remaining princes will be powerless, and Blade has still to slay Dravis and Endor. Only then will our future be assured."

Kerra nodded. "I will not fail, mother."

"I know it."