"It's bad, Artemis," Foaly said the instant Artemis picked up the emergency call from him—so urgent it could not even wait for Artemis to get to his office. A call to his cellular decide from Foaly had been enough to make Artemis worry, and the greeting did nothing to help.
"What is is, Foaly?" He asked, fighting off panic. "If it Holly? Is she okay?"
"She's fine, mudboy, but the both of you might not be for very long."
"Why? What's happened?" Artemis wished Foaly would stop stalling and just tell him whatever it was that was so terrible.
"It's the case. I know a guy who has an ear into the council's business. He's just told me their argument against you."
"Nothing we can't handle, I'm sure."
"I don't know that we can. It's got to do with The Book."
"The Book of The People?"
"That's the one. They're going to use it against you."
"That's absurd, there's nothing in The Book about union between fairies and humans."
"So it'll be a stretch, but it will still work."
"Every argument they could make is easily refuted," Artemis protested.
"It's The Book, Artemis. The Book. Our most sacred and upheld book of rules. We follow it like nothing you humans could comprehend. Even a construed and iffy rule will be hard to get The People to ignore or overturn. It's almost certainly a doomed cause."
"So Holly and I will be forced apart against our wishes and there's nothing we can do about it?"
"You could try to run, but you'd get a mind wipe and Holly would get prison for life. You can't evade the law. Not ours. Not for long."
"This is bad," Artemis agreed. He tried to think, but what could he possibly say to turn fairies against their sacred text? Their guiding document? "But we have to try."
"Of course we're gonna try," Foaly said, sounding offended Artemis would even feel the need to point this out. "I just thought I'd warn you where this'll probably end up."
The weeks preceding the trial were spent in a flurry of furious planning, prepping, and rehearsing. Every possible angle had been considered and prepared for. Every reaction and expression had been thought out. There was nothing more that they could have done, and when the day arrived, they were ready. As ready as they could be.
Artemis was nervous but this was where he excelled. Using his intellect to win, finding loopholes and refuting fact—remolding fact, if he needed. He could do this. He had to do this. So he held his nerves in and presented himself as calm and collected. Holly was beside him the whole time, hand wrapped around his. She had the expression of an elf about to face down doom. She'd already decided they'd lose, but she was staring it in the face with poise and unbreakable bravery. How many times had Artemis seen her wear that expression? And, thus far, they'd always eked by. Today would be no different.
"The Book has guided us, The People, since it was scribed." It started, and, just as Foaly's information had claimed, it was about The Book. "It has led us true and wise. It is our most sacred and precious possession as a collective. By following its commands, we have stayed safe and civilized. By following it, we honor our ancestors and the earth—the magic which it lends us. We can not cast off its advice, not even for love." Here there was a pause to allow gasps and murmurs as the fairies in the courtroom digested that this was the argument the council intended to use. "Every fairy has memorized its most potent caution: But, Fairy, remember this above all: / I am not for those in mud that crawl, / And forever doomed shall be the one / Who betrays my secrets one by one." The words rang loud and clear through the room and there was a sort of reverence to them. It was the obvious choice and Artemis had anticipated their usage of it. He had arguments against it to fill hours—Artemis had already gotten his hands on The Book years ago, what did it matter now if Holly's personal copy were technically his as well through their marriage? He already knew all its secrets, and none had been granted personally by Holly. Beyond that, it didn't offer clearer insight or opinion on a marriage between the Fairy and those in mud that crawl. It was ridiculous to hold this up as a 'command' against their union instead of for the caution it was. And, more than that, The People had disobeyed The Book before, and in a more severe way than this. The Rule of Dwelling had been abolished and the spell attached to it untangled. It was hard for Artemis to believe that this argument against him and Holly could possibly win the approval of The People.
The trial got started in earnest, then, and Artemis presented his points flawlessly, with just the right amount of conviction mixed with a deep respect for The Book. Once it got started, it passed in a blur. After all the work they'd put into it, the duration of the actual trial seemed to be nothing at all. Holly's grip on him tightened steadily through the proceedings and her nails bit into his skin. He didn't mind. Never once tried to shake her off. He could tell, just as she could, where this was going.
"It is the official ruling of The People that Holly Short and Artemis Fowl II are forbidden to the sacred right of the marriage bond on the grounds that it disobeys The Book." And it was over.
Even after every brilliant argument Artemis had put forth, they'd lost. He'd been hard-pressed to believe it, that the council could win with such a tenuous argument just because The People wouldn't disobey their book. But all members had voted against the marriage, and none of the observing fairies had called that ruling into question—which was their right, if they so wished. But the entire council had voted and that vote was backed by The Book. So all the observers filed out of the room, chattering among themselves. Artemis stayed put. He'd…lost. He couldn't do it. He'd done everything he could but it hadn't been enough.
Holly's hand slipped from his and it felt all wrong now, without hers in it. He'd failed her. But soon arms were wrapping around him and her face was pressed into his chest and she was hugging him as tightly as she ever had before. He returned it without hesitation.
"We'll be okay," Holly whispered.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm so sorry."
She just shook her head and held tighter. But they weren't allowed to stay interlocked for long. Rough and uncaring hands pulled them apart and Artemis was suddenly all too aware that Butler had been required to stay outside the courthouse. Looking around the room, it was completely empty but for himself, Holly, and the team of L.E.P. Officers currently tugging their hands behind their backs and securing cuffs around them. Holly gave a fight; of course she did. Got a couple of the officers pretty good too, but there were too many of them and they got her detained as surely as they had Artemis.
"This is not proper procedure," Artemis said calmly, and then found the room going dark. The last thing he saw before succumbing to unconsciousness was Holly's panicked face. He wished he could save her.
Artemis woke up in a small chamber with an ominous looking contraption that somewhat resembled a coffin in the middle of the floor. And it was just his size. He sat up, dazed, and looked around. He was on a surface not unlike a doctor's examination table. And in a thin paper gown to match.
"Holly." He said, his spinning head honing in on the panic on her face when last he'd seen her. "Where's Holly?"
"She's perfectly safe," a soothing voice told him as a door in the wall opened and a pretty pixie stepped in. For one confused and terrifying moment, Artemis thought she was Opal Koboi.
"What is the meaning of this?" Artemis demanded.
"I am Doctor Delauc, and I'll have you fixed up and back home in no time. The council thought it was best for the bond to be removed as quickly as possible," she smiled, voice still trying to calm him. It couldn't. Nothing could. But he didn't let it show. He closed his eyes and considered for a moment why this would be necessary.
"The trial was rigged," he said, a new comprehension dawning on him. "Every fairy allowed a say in the outcome was against my marriage to Holly in the first place. That's biased, Doctor." She only smiled at him. "The rest of the population will believe that it was a fair trial, they'll believe the council voted how they did due to loyalty to The Book." Just like Foaly and Holly had. Just like he had. "But Iggy Noble has been replacing his council members over the last six months. To ensure they'd vote as he wished. I should have seen it." How had he not seen it? He knew the answer. Holly had distracted him. The simple joy of married life had pushed all scheming from his mind. Ironic, considering the 'married life' was, itself, a scheme. "Now you must be rid of the bond before anyone can get suspicious."
"Now, Artemis, don't look at me like that. You know it won't do for a fairy to marry a human. For the good of The People, we can't let that happen. Imagine what future it could bring."
Qwan, waxing poetic about a world where humans and fairies got along. Fairies on the streets of Haven, stopping Holly and Artemis to say they were glad to see that such different creatures could love each other so deeply. His mother and Caballine, calling each other practically every day, already close friends. Tabloids and movies and books centered around Holly and Artemis's love. A city full of fairies excited to see a world in which a human could marry a fairy. A world in which humans and fairies could get along.
"But it's the future The People want," Artemis spat, disgusted by this doctor and her council.
"Wanting something doesn't make it right," she chided. And Artemis paused. Because he knew something about that. Wanting Holly didn't make it right to be with her. But—
"This isn't right." But he knew there was no point. Doctor Delauc was armed with the belief that she was doing the right thing, and there was nothing more dangerous than that.
"Shall we begin?"
A chill ran through Artemis. He'd forgotten in his righteous fury what he was here for. "No," he said, and she laughed softly.
"Don't worry. It will be alright."
"No," he said again, louder. He lurched to his feet. "You can't break it. If you do, I could—,"
"And what do I care for a reformed evil human?" She asked lightly, a delicate eyebrow raising.
It occurred to him then that there was another reason this had to be done quickly. He could petition the court to keep the bond on the grounds that to break it could be deadly. They'd go through a long process of getting divorced, legally. But, perhaps, they'd be allowed to stay married magically, if only for their safety.
"No!" He said, charging for the door, but it was locked. "I need to tell my family, I can't—,"
The world went black once more and this time all Artemis could think of was his family, gathered around another grave.