There were so many people milling about for this trial that it was exasperating just to see them all there. Thankfully, Avera's friends and family did not have to transgress line ups or mobs to get in to see the court case unfold. Lord Nasher had given them the use of a personal balcony so they would not have to deal with other people. It was going to be trying enough on all of them as it was.
They watched as the Ambassador went to her assigned podium then Sand and Avera appeared. The little woman strode to her location beside Sand then jumped up a couple of times to see if she could even look over her podium.
She walked to the side of the podium with a look of subtle humor on her face, lifted her hand above her head with a pencil and marked her size on the wood as if she were a child being measured. Then she mimed the size difference of two heads to Lord Nasher with an upraised eyebrow.
Lord Nasher and Nevalle spoke quietly to each other but you could tell they were both angered. Nevalle turned to one of the guards who then ran off to fix the problem.
The mistake elicited some laughter and even a few chuckles from her own friends.
"Ye'd think they'd be more careful with things like that." Khelgar mused to Elanee and Neeshka as he was pinned between the two women.
A snort sounded off behind him to his right, "It's a court. Do you think they can do anything right?"
The royal guards and personnel were confused as to what to do. They had never had a halfling on trial. At least they hadn't in the main audience room like this. They took some time trying to find some wooden platforms and set them up behind the podium so that she could be seen.
Duncan leaned on the railing and watched with grim determination. He had closed shop for the day so that he could stand by for his kin. His head was bowed with his chin clasped in his hands, thumbs underneath. Like everyone else he could not believe this was happening, "I don't care about aesthetics as long as they realize the truth."
Neeshka put an arm on top of Khelgar's head and leaned against him, "I can't believe this! With all the good things she has been doing you would think they'd be having a parade. Not a trial. Besides, easier pickings at a parade."
Khelgar pushed the tiefling away from him, "Get yer arm off me, tiefling!"
"All she's been doing is help the weak survive."
"You have a grim outlook on life, you know that, Bishop?" Elanee snapped, "What in the world happened to you to make you so nasty?"
The ranger sniffed the air, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Casavir strode into the stands as they were complaining. It surprised the rest of the group to see him a bit disheveled, with a slight shadow of stubble. He was still in the clothes he wore the night before.
"Well, you look … different." Neeshka chuckled.
"I am not in the mood, Neeshka."
"You shouldn't be. Not after leaving Avera to worry alone."
"Leave the lad be, lass. It was you and the ranger who upset him in the first place."
"Thank you, Khelgar."
The dwarf shrugged, "No problem. Ye'd never hurt her on purpose, lad."
nnn
Avera tried to keep her worries at bay but was finding it difficult. Then she looked into the stands and saw him watching from the railing. He no longer seemed upset. In fact, he was disheveled and every line of his body screamed concern for her. It lifted her spirit more than anyone could have guessed.
He was there. He still wanted her. He was rooting for her along with everyone else she cared for.
It gave her strength to go on with this joke of a court case.
The trial itself was a mockery of justice. The battle went well and the sight of him kept her steady and patient. She showed her resolve throughout the case and even caught Torio, the Ambassador for Luskan, off guard many times.
The Luskan ambassador tried several times to misdirect the case and continually treated it as if there was already a guilty verdict. Further the ambassador showed disrespect to the people of Neverwinter as she discounted the accused's recital of a passage by Lord Derassis, who was one of Neverwinter's greatest heroes and a founder of Ember.
The hobbit won. She was proven innocent of the crimes against Ember.
Then Ambassador Torio of Luskan called for trial by combat.
Sand had become incensed when the Ambassador called for her right to that old rule of court. It was a ridiculous statute that should have been discredited and removed from the law books long before. But it had not been and now this little one would pay for that oversight.
When Torio's champion, Lorne, had walked in to announce his ambition to fight for the ambassador, there had been murmurs of discontent. Some murmurs had become downright screaming accusations of Luskan trickery.
Sand and Avera stood calmly, but the mage could hear a small rumbling beside him like a wolf snarling. He glanced down at his charge to see that she sported a mask of uncaring but the low growls that came from her said different. No one else could hear her as it was so low but it was there.
nnn
The atmosphere in the Sunken Flagon was morose. Normally Grobnar or the children would try to cheer people up. This evening was different. The orphans were all upstairs in their rooms trying to come to terms with the day's events. The patrons were in a gloom due to having heard the results of the court case. This trial had taken Neverwinter's citizens and dropped them into a heated rally against Luskan which had not ended well.
People gathered to discuss the results. They would come and go without doing much more than talk for a while, have a brew or two then leave. The custom was good but the atmosphere was somber. There were a few people having a bit of fun but they were mostly behind the wall with the fireplace where they could not see the gloomy expressions of the hobbit's friends and family.
Then there were the exceptions.
Two men stood in front of the bar, laughing about the trial, "The look on people's faces when that hulking brute came out was hilarious!"
"Someone that large against a hobbit is a joke!" A second drunk tuned in.
As they guffawed, the first drunk became a bit more bawdy, "But you know what is best about hobbit women?"
"Nah … but I bet ye'll tell me."
"They are just the right height to put your ale on top of their head while you have them …"
The man didn't get a chance to say the rest. An arrow stuck in the bar right in front of his groin. Bishop stood, fury plain in his eyes, "You are speaking about someone who is well respected here. I suggest you watch your tongue."
Karnwyr stood beside the ranger, snarling venomously at the drunks.
"Fer once I agree with the ranger. One more word about our little woman out of yer craggily yap and ye'll be having me taking you to whatever god you worship!" Khelgar walked towards the man with his axe in hand.
The men backed up, "We didn't mean any harm."
"If I ever hear you speaking about my niece that way again you will never be returning to the Flagon. That I can guarantee."
The drunks looked around and realized that this was more than the wrong bar to tease about the hobbit in. Several guests glared at them and the ones who were her friends stood ready to beat them to a pulp. Even Elanee and Grobnar looked wickedly unhappy.
As the two men scurried out of the way, Bishop trudged to the bar to remove his arrow. He walked past the others and snorted as he took his spot at the table he enjoyed so much. Karnwyr whined as he patted the animal and they both sat back, looking surprisingly down-hearted.
"That lad's reacting more about this than I thought he would." The dwarf whispered.
Elanee kept her eyes lowered, "We all are."
"She can't fight that behemoth!" Shandra stood and pounded her hands on the table, "For goodness sakes he's like a mountain!" She looked about at the others then ran out of the room. Grobnar followed her.
"I went to see the lass at the church." The rest turned to the dwarf in shock, "It's so infuriating!" He threw up his hands, "I had to see her before that vigil! It is wrong! She never did it … we fought so hard to prove her innocence for this to happen! This isn't justice! It's a tragedy."
Neeshka put a hand on his, "Why did you go?"
"I couldn't … I can't accept that she has to fight him. It is not just! So I asked if I could take her place." His voice dropped as his eyes shut, "But she only thanked me and said she couldn't let me do that. That she'd feel guilty the rest of her life if I died for her."
"She probably would too." Elanee put her hand on top of Neeshka's and Khelgar's, "I wish we could do something."
"There is something."
They turned towards the ranger, "And what is that, lad?"
"We could go to that church, grab her and haul her away. She's small enough to toss into a sack. We could hide out somewhere and make new lives. It isn't like any of us need to stay here."
"She wouldn't accept that." The voice was smothered in trepidation making the others almost not realize who it was. He stood just inside the room as if he had come from his, and her, bedroom, "And she would not forgive us for it."
Bishop sniffed in contempt, "At least she would be alive."
Casavir turned but hardly even saw the ranger. His eyes were clouded with resignation as he threw a pack over his shoulder, "Yes but her soul would be damaged."
The door squeaked open as Sand entered and the paladin left.
Nnn
Shandra sat on her bed, head in her hands.
"Shandra?" The voice was strained, not his normal self.
She looked up to see Grobnar peeking in through the crack between her door and the door jam, "What is it? Has a dragon come and tried to eat her now?"
"No. No. I was just worried about you. You are crying?"
"Of course I am crying you silly gnome!" She tried to laugh it off and couldn't, "She's saved me how many times? The woman helps urchins, throws herself into the path of danger for her friends in an instant, and just generally tries to make things better for others. Yet here she has to fight that ... that monster of a man! I'm not sure if that thing is even a man!"
"Have faith, Shandra! Avera can do it."
The human gasped, "No she cannot! Did you even notice that beast? He is so huge! I'm not even sure that Casavir and Khelgar together could damage him before he laid one of them out to get the other. It's horrible and we can't do anything about it!"
He walked over to her bed and sat on it beside her, "But she's gotten through so much."
"And that's it!" She flung her head on the gnome's shoulder and wailed, "She's been through so much already! There's her mother dying, her foster father feeling she's the fault of his wife's death, a shard in her chest, having to run from githyanki and who knows what else, almost died from that stupid appendix, and only Tyr knows what Casavir won't tell the rest of us about that scar under her chest! How can the gods do this to her?"
Grobnar patted her back, "It's ok. Really Shandra. You will see. She has to be ok. If she isn't then we can't finish our song about nasty head lice."
She backed up a moment then guffawed and went right back to crying on the gnome's shoulder.
nnn
Neeshka stood at the bar as Khelgar grabbed another drink.
"So?"
"So what tiefling?"
"Do you think she has a chance?"
He snorted, "Not a clue, lass. She's quite the rascal when it comes to a fight but that Lorne ... well, he's seen a lot more of battle than our little woman ever has."
Neeshka sighed, "So all we can do then is pray?"
"Ke ... maybe the paladin will be better at talking her into letting him champion her."
"Do you really think he will?"
"Aye. The lad's got at least half a brain. He knows what odds she's up against and even if she were bigger and stronger he'd ask. He cares too much for her not to try to champion her." He glanced at the tiefling's face, "Don't you like him lass?"
She thought it over, "You're right about how much he cares for her. I just wish he were less of a stick in the mud. I mean, Avera's not like that. She needs to have fun."
"Lass, ye saw enough of what they do together when you peeked in on them. Tell me they weren't having fun."
The tiefling let out a howl of cheer, "Ok ok! The paladin may be all uppity out here with us but in that room ... well, let's just say that those sounds were enough of a reason to think she was being tortured. But man ..."
"There you have your answer about whether he makes her have fun or not."
"Well, hopefully she'll listen to reason from him."
"I hope so too, lass. I hope so too."
nnn
"So where were you?"
Sand looked up at the woman, "Hmmm?"
"You must have gone to talk to her as well." Elanee gave the mage a poke in the arm.
"If you must know, I did go to speak with the little woman. You could hear the dwarf clear down the street yelling about the combat. I was sure the priest would have bleeding ears by the time I arrived."
"So what did she say?"
He glanced into the woman's eyes, "Not much. I gave her potions to help with the fight and bid her to do well."
"I wish she had allowed Khelgar to fight for her."
"What makes you think the dwarf would do better than her?"
"She is so small, not so strong, and ... well, Khelgar just is more a ... well, a brick."
"Yes but she is fast, agile and sneaky. Some things which bulk cannot always beat."
Elanee chewed on his words, "So what do you think her chances are?"
"To be honest? She's gonna have to run for her dear little life because that brute is not going to be an easy kill. I respect the little darling but I don't know if she will survive this. That is why I gave her potions to help. She's going to require whatever edge she can take with her."
"I thought so." The druid noticed Khelgar and Neeshka coming back to the table, "I guess all we can do is hope she wins or that Casavir asks to champion her."
nnn
Bishop strode to the back of the Sunken Flagon then flopped in the field to watch the stars. Karnwyr dropped in behind him to give a nice, comfy spot to lie. It was funny how that hobbit liked some of the same things he did. The natural beauty of the sky was amazing and it tended to give him some insight on his life.
What now? If that hobbit died then his fun would die with her. He hadn't been this amused for years. And somehow she was able to bring out his more animal instincts, the ones he had pushed back to keep from feeling too much for anyone besides Karnwyr. Well, that and the erotic urges. Sure he could watch the women bathing. That is the reason he had tricked Duncan into letting him have the room beside the bathing room. But this was different. He didn't want to just commune with his hand when it came to the hobbit.
But he had made the foolish mistake of underestimating the paladin. He should have tricked Avera into going out of the Flagon while the paladin was setting up his ambush in the woman's room. It wasn't like he couldn't have done it. He just did not want the baggage that went along with a relationship. Not that this woman cared to put much baggage on anyone. She kept a lot of her pain hidden.
He didn't like where his emotions were heading. This was getting to be too much. Maybe he should just leave. It wasn't like this group would miss him.
He would leave if she died.
Then he noticed the cat. Kathin was lying by the stables, looking at the stars as well. He wondered about the cat. She was old. If he gaged the look of her right then she would be around thirty. That was very old for a jaguar even if it were an animal companion. Now dire wolves lived a lot longer.
He thought it over. When the cat died it would take part of the hobbit with her. It would be like chopping off your own arm with a dull, serated knife. If Avera died then the cat would too. That was the problem with animal companions. As long as they didn't sever their ties to the owner's heart, or if there were no child from the animal's companion for them to "jump" to, then they would die when that person did.
Karnwyr whined at him when he thought about companion lives so he patted the animal's head being thankful for long living dire wolves.
nnn
"Okay Tyr! Another game of jacks but I tell you sooner or later I will win!" She dropped the ball and jacks then grabbed two jacks and missed the ball, "Dang! I suck at this game."
She let out a breath of frustration then picked up the pieces and placed them on a dais. It was quiet but she knew he had been standing there watching for the last couple of minutes and had dropped a backpack beside the door, "Hey my paladin."
"Hey my lady." He did not move from the doorway. Instead, he continued to lean against it and watch her, "Have you even won a game of that?"
She could see him to her side even though she did not turn, "Not a one. Neeshka says it is a good way to increase fine dexterity but I've never been good at that. I suppose as long as I can hit things then I'm fine."
He closed the door and stepped forward while trying to figure out what to do next. Words escaped him. This was not something he could have ever anticipated happening. He'd had nightmares of having to rescue her from being dragged towards Luskan because of the trial going bad but nothing like this had even entered his mind.
When the verdict had been reached he was ecstatic. Then Torio hit everyone with her ace in the hole and this Lorne person came to her aid. Casavir's heart plummeted.
Avera carefully stepped over to him and took his hands in hers, "This was not what you had originally planned for tonight."
He slowly lowered himself to the ground, still holding her hands, "No it is not."
"What had you planned?" She moved forward enough that they were face to face.
"I was going to apologize profusely, take you to a fancy restaurant, have some dinner, then spend the night in a high ranking inn."
"I think I would have liked that. I've never been anywhere fancy." She smirked, "And it would have kept our gossips at bay. At least until we got back to the Flagon."
"That it would have."
Silence. They never had to deal with this kind of silence before. There had been silences between them but those had been quiet times when they could feel each other close by doing something that needed to be done. They had never had to deal with one of them going off to a duel knowing that person may die. It was so much different to go into battle together than to see one you care for so strongly go off for battle alone.
Instead of speaking, he opened his arms to her. She willingly stepped into his embrace, smelling the fragrance of his soap fresh on his face. He was newly shaven and smelled so good. But this was a church. She could not get herself to do anything here.
He played with the fringe of her bangs, "Avera? If you do not wish to face this Lorne … I will gladly serve as your champion, if you would permit it."
His voice was soft, filled with the need to protect her. She grudgingly pulled herself from him and looked up into his eyes, "I'm sorry, Casavir. This is something I have to do. It is important to me."
Casavir touched her chin, "Are you sure, my lady." Please don't do this. Lorne was larger than Logram and could probably break her in half if he got hold of her, "I do not wish for you to do this."
She snuggled into his chest and shivered with concern as she knew this would hurt him, "I know."
"Avera?" He pulled her back by the shoulders so he could view her face, "I wish to do this for you. I WANT to be your champion."
"Lorne owes for Ember and he will pay for that. There are other injustices he committed." Her eyes strayed to the ground, "He is also the brother of my friend Bevil, from back home. I would never be able to look him, his mother, or siblings in the face if I left it to someone else to deal with Lorne." She put a hand on his chest, "Even if it were you."
He nodded. Even though he wished to try to convince her differently he understood. It was hard but he had to trust her. Trust in Tyr. He could see in her eyes that there was more and she needed to fight. But it was so hard to even think of her in combat with that man. His mind brought up images of her little body splayed across the arena, and him with no ability to avenge her.
Part of him wanted to listen to Bishop. To just grab her and run away. But he knew it would not help to do so. But she would be alive. Who is to say she cannot beat Lorne? You saw that beast. He is larger than you!
"I admire your conviction. I am certain that you shall see to it that justice finds Lorne at last."
"Oh don't you go closing yourself off on me!" She put both hands on his cheeks, "I know you are worried. This scares me too. But please do not distance yourself from me."
"I was not .." He was about to argue the point then realized he had begun to distance himself by becoming formal with her. Being measured was part of being a paladin but formalities were not part of their relationship. It was for the public, not her, "I shall not, my lady. You are correct. I am worried. In fact, this terrifies me."
"That is quite a statement for a paladin."
"It is but the truth. I do not know what I would do without you now that we have found each other." I just hope that Tyr did not bring us together just so I would have to avenge your death.
"Good because I need you."
The words somehow cheered him, "Do you know the etiquette of the duel?"
She nibbled on her lip, "Nothing. I'd assumed you just tried to stop the other person, I guess."
"I know something of knightly combat. Probably more so than your opponent, I suspect."
She kissed him on the chin, "I should have known you would! So what is there to know?"
"Do not yield to Lorne - if there is a chance you can still win, keep fighting, for Lorne will not accept your surrender."
"Yes. I know." Her eyes became distant as she lightly snarled, then came back to herself, "Anything else?"
He cocked his head to the side, "You know?"
"We have fought before."
Her downcast eyes said it all. She had lost that battle with the man long ago. Was she up to it now? "You can always …"
"So what else is there to the combat?"
The change back to the topic didn't sway him but for now he'd stay to the topic at hand, "Any weapons or spells are permitted in the arena - each combatant is expected to fight to the best of their ability, with all the resources at their disposal. Lorne's strength is in close combat - as such, there is no dishonor in keeping him beyond arm's reach."
She cuddled up to his chest, "That might not be so easy but it is probably my best bet."
"You can change your mind and choose a champion at any time." He kissed the top of her head. To the nine hells with anything else. He did not want her fighting him, "I know you wish to do this yourself … and I admire that."
"You just wish I wouldn't be so stubborn and allow someone with the strength and size to take him on."
He bit his lip, "It isn't an indication of your abilities. It is just that …"
A giggle escaped her, "I know. You are right. This cannot be easy for you. It just has to be me. I'm sorry."
"This worries me greatly."
"Then I believe we both need comforting." She pulled his arms tighter around her, "Just hold me. Please. We can ask Tyr for guidance together."
They sat together for a time just enjoying the feeling of being together. As the sun rose through the windows, they stood and Casavir brought over the backpack he had brought with him.
"These are your weapons and your armor. I …" He handed her a bottle, "This is something someone gave me once - I need it no longer. Make use of it, and it will have served its purpose. It is a ritual flask which will heal you and also convey a blessing upon you."
She smiled and winked at him, "But it isn't oil."
A chuckle escaped him, "It is not oil, my lady, but I will have some ... strawberry scented even ... ready for when you win this battle."
"That, my paladin, is a deal!"
Nevalle opened the door and walked into the room. Grayson was behind him as they stepped through the door to see Casavir. With a smile, Nevalle put a hand on the other man's arm, "Good morning to you, Casavir."
"It is good to see you Nevalle. Grayson."
"It is time. Torio ... and Lorne ... await us on the field."
Casavir nodded, "I shall take my leave. May your blows hit true, my lady."
Nevalle watched as the paladin left, "Nasher wished me to communicate to you the importance of the coming battle - both for you, and for Neverwinter itself."
Avera raised an eyebrow in stubborn aggravation, "How stupid does Nasher believe I am?"
Grayson stood in befuddlement to her reaction, "This is a great honor, to be able to lay down your life for your homeland. You should savor this moment."
"For my homeland?" The hobbit fought herself for control, "Excuse me gentlemen. I'm not in the mood for courtly manners so you may wish to escort me to the battleground with great haste before I say something you would not like."
Nevalle laughed in understanding as Grayson harrumphed, offended.