Chapter 198 – Peace be with you
'And what do you, the jury think? Have you come to a unanimous agreement?' Makatza asks as the spokesperson of the jury stands. It was the young woman she knew to be called, Cheri, whom worked at the brothel. She gave Makatza a curtsey, a bad one but the effort was appreciated.
'We have, Viscountess,' she nods a little nervous about being the one to speak.
'Very well, your verdict, please,' Katza asks feeling a pit in her stomach grow.
Cheri breathed in deeply and looked at her fellows who all nodded, 'we find Lady Caroline Crewe, to be guilty on all charges,' she said loudly. The crowd was a mixture of boos and cheers, Makatza gave it a minute before looking over the crowd and glaring them into a silence. Lady Crewe simply looked furious and not a shred of regret on her features.
Makatza nods at Cheri, 'thank you, all of you,' she says softly. Exhaling heavily she nods and Aveline walks up to her.
'Katza, do you need some time to think?' She asks aware that the conclusion may have been revealed but the sentence had not. Fenris tilts his head as he watches Lord Crewe who's face had paled and he was talking to whom he knew to be a manservant. Fenris waves over Varric and whispers into his ear to keep an eye on the servant that was leaving. He had to make sure to cover all bases.
'No, thank you, Aveline,' Katza says smiling weakly in reassurance for the woman. Aveline nods and steps to the side of the throne while Makatza stands up, her wolves walking beside her as she descends down a few steps to address everyone and the woman in the stand in front of her. 'Ladies, Gentlemen, the court has come to a decision,' she says simply gaining everyone's attention. 'Lady Crewe, you are found guilty on all charges presented today, do you have anything to say?'
She spits at Makatza who didn't even bother to move. The guards have a moment of tussle to hold the crowd back. Fenris is grabbed by Aveline who saw it coming and Makatza's wolves snarl and snap at the woman until they're scolded by a click of Makatza's fingers. 'Disgusting half-breed, I should have killed you myself instead of relying on Fereldens!'
Makatza has to refrain from snapping back at her, the anger that rose inside her was almost palatable. The Viscountess took out a handkerchief and simply dabbed at the globule of spit on her chest, not breaking eye contact with the prisoner. 'Lady Crewe, I sentence you to death, execution by beheading. I will give you twenty four hours to reconcile with your family. Guard Captain?' She calls asking for Aveline to take her away. Seneschal Bran walks up to her and nods, 'can you make sure the appropriate measures are taken? The beheading will be in the Square, if she is Andrastian please notify the Grand Cleric,' Makatza instructs. Fenris notices that she's so cold and blunt, almost as if she had put her normal personality to one side and donned this mask. She commands the guards to escort the crowd out the Keep and tells Ser Cullen to follow the Jury should he have any questions he wished to ask.
Once she had directed everyone to their appropriate places she slips away, letting Bran know that she was going to her private quarters. Fenris caught her leaving and asked Garrett to follow her as he had to catch up with Varric regarding the servant. The Champion nodded and went up to the private apartments, knocking on the door before simply letting himself in. 'Katza, sweetie? You in here?' He asks as he walks in and greets the wolves. He could hear her as he walked through the rooms, he found her in her bedroom, sitting on the edge of her bed and in tears. 'Oh, darling,' he says softly as he sits next to her.
'She hated me so much and all I could do was sign her fucking death warrant,' Makatza sobs, unashamed of her crying. 'It's different, like when the assassins attacked it was very much, them or me and yeah,... I killed them but it's so, so different. I have literally commanded her death. Me. No-one else. Her blood is on my hands...and I don't want to do this any more,' she cries.
Garrett wraps his arms around her and pulls her closer for a hug, 'oh, sweetie. You didn't do this, she did. She was the one that had that poor maid killed and then tried to hurt both you and Fenris. She brought this on herself and now she has to face the consequences of her actions,' he soothes.
'I just feel sick and... I don't know how people do this sort of thing,' she sighs trying to gain control of herself.
Garrett kisses the top of her head and then takes her circlet off from where it was stabbing him in the chin. 'You're a kind, wonderful, sweet woman. These kinds of jobs generally attract those who are calculating and merciless. Even Kiana isn't afraid to get her hands filthy. She is so meticulous, and does everything she has to to keep Alistair safe, the things I've heard, you would not believe,' he grins. 'You are doing what you have to. For the good of the city and for yourself,' he assures.
'I haven't even figured out who's going to be the one to execute her. I don't think we have an executor on payroll,' she says with a slight heavy exhale as she looks at her hands. 'Maybe I should be the one.'
'No, definitely not. You need to be seen as the.. overseer of these things. The one who decides the sentence, not the one who bloodies her hands,' Garrett says shaking his head. 'You are the Viscountess, not the executioner.'
'Then whom? Aveline? No thanks, You? No way, you're the Champion. Some poor random person who's simply trying to make a living? No, that's not fair. To have your job be taking the lives of others,' she points out.
Garrett gives her a squeeze, 'you've got all night to think about it. Give yourself a little break. And you should be happy the trial worked! Amazingly well! People will be talking about this for years. And hopefully we can avoid another one,' he teases. Makatza laughs weakly and nods, she did feel better. There's a knock at her door and Fenris lets himself in and nods at Garrett. 'Ah, see, your favourite elf is here. I would say person but we all know that you love me more than him,' he grins giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek before getting up and saying his goodbyes. Fenris takes off his sword and armour before walking over to embrace her gently.
'Are you okay?' Makatza asks as she holds him.
'Yes, just following up on a few things. Nothing to be concerned about,' he assures. 'What were you talking about that made you so upset?' he asks being able to feel her heartbeat as her chest was pressed against his. Her mana was high as even he could feel it on his skin. Her necklace had been doing a good job of keeping her fluctuations under control.
Makatza bites her lip and decides to tell him, it's not like she was going to be able to hide it anyway. 'I have to chose an executioner for Lady Crewe,' she said quietly. 'Garrett says that I can't be the one to do it-'
Fenris stops her speaking very gently as he tilts her head up to look at him, 'and he is absolutely correct. That is not something you can do. You have taken lives for many different reasons, anger, vengeance, protection, love, all of them in the moment and with your own life on the line. If you wish, I will do it. I hold no particular feelings towards the woman. My strike would be clean, merciful,' Fenris said simply. He was lying a little, he despised the woman, furious at her audacity but he didn't need Makatza to know that.
'I don't want to use you like that,' Katza sighs as she looks away from him.
'My Katza, I have offered. You would not be forcing me to do anything. Command me and it will be done,' he says leaning down and kissing her forehead.
'The people would see you as the man that killed Lady Crewe,' Makatza worries as she bites her thumbnail.
Fenris can't help but chuckle, 'they see me as an elf. A tattooed elf. A tattooed elf that for some reason is always by their Viscountess. Let them see me as something to be feared, maybe then they will think twice before trying to have harm befall you,' he said smiling.
Katza sighed and closed her eyes, he was a good choice and it would mean that this problem would be over and she could move on to other worrying things. 'And you really don't mind? I don't want to just be using you,' she repeats, 'it's bad enough that you insist on being my bodyguard.'
He raises a brow and pulls her closer, 'what else would I do with my time apart from fret? You are always getting into trouble,' he teases making her smile. 'My Katza, I will be the one to draw my blade. You will be confident in knowing that the death will be merciful, quick and as painless as possible,' he assures. Makatza nods and holds onto his under shirt, the cotton soft against her cheek as she pressed herself against him, lost in the comfort he provided.
'Okay,' she nods. 'I'll let Seneschal Bran know,' Katza says quietly. 'How was the courtroom after I left? I know there are a few noble families that won't be happy with my decision,' she adds not really wanting to think about it.
Fenris winces a little, 'I will admit, there were... sharp words being thrown around. I would not worry about it. There would have been arguments no matter your decision,' he points out. 'The trial worked well and the people of the city feel that justice has been served.' Makatza nods and buries her face into his chest, just a few more minutes like this, where I don't have any expectations from anyone. Where it's just me and him... peaceful.
-x-
Isabela looked over the crowd as she stood next to Varric, 'fucking hell there's a lot of people,' she says to the dwarf who was literally standing on a box that she had found him. 'Looks like half the city is here.'
'Kirkwall entertainment at it's best,' Varric mutters bitterly. He pokes a clunker in his pipe and then takes a puff watching it smoulder. 'Have you spoken to Petal?'
'Yeah, she asked for me last night, she wasn't going home and spending the night at the Keep. We just had a chat and I think I managed to cheer her up a little with some teasing. She fell asleep on me around ten and I just put her to bed before finding Broody in the Barracks with Aveline. I let her father know that she wasn't going to be back as well. I'm not jealous of her, I really wouldn't want to do this type of shit. You should have heard the amount of shit that was going on in the foyer, families demanding to meet with her. Threats of nobles using contacts to get even the fucking Imperium involved. Thankfully she's already got Ferelden and Starkhaven on her side, not to mention the dwarves and Dalish. The Antivan Crows seem to be taken care of as well thank fuck,' she sighs. 'Oh, shit there she is,' Isabela points out as Makatza walks down the steps of the Keep escorted by Seneschal Bran and Fenris.
Makatza breathed in deeply, she wore a complete ensemble of black, including a veil. Her wolves walk a few feet behind with black collars on. She was aware that people would probably think she's going overboard but she didn't want to ever have to do this again. A large stage had been erected and she climbed up the steps holding onto Fenris' hand for balance. The crowd went strangely quiet as she stood in the middle of the platform. She could see Cullen at the back with a patrol of Templars, but the crowd itself was a mesh of ethnicities and status. She clears her throat and looks up at the all. 'Today... it is not a good day. Today, a woman will meet her end, her fate for conspiracy, treason and murder. Lady Caroline Crewe, she is a well respected member of Kirkwall nobility, a mother and a sister to a long passed brother. She is also a daughter though her parents have long since joined the Maker. I ask that today you show her respect as she is still a living being-'
'Then why you killin' her?!' Came a shout from the crowd.
Makatza sighed. 'In truth, I wish I didn't have to sit at my desk this morning and sign my name on her death warrant. I wish I didn't have to stand here and look her family in the eye while her life is taken. But she made her decisions and those decisions have consequences. She conspired to have me assassinated, she had a young maid murdered in cold blood for this to succeed. With a merciless tongue she tried to have your city thrown into pieces. A fair trial found this woman guilty and so she must now pay with her life. I will have silence, I will have an understanding that this is not some form of sick entertainment. Her death today here will stand in remembrance as what consequence will befall you should you try to harm my city, my people.' Her words were sharp and demanding and there was not a word from the crowd. 'Guardsman, please, bring out the prisoner,' Makatza asks taking a step back.
Aveline walked out the Keep with Lady Crewe, Grand Cleric Elthina by her side as she was taken up onto the the stage. The cleric looked at Makatza, 'is there no other way?' She asks quietly.
'Grand Cleric, I cannot stand in the middle forever. I have to show that justice is taken seriously against those who deserve it. I have to choose a side, something you should bear in mind,' Makatza says simply. The Grand Cleric sighed and stepped to the side, to be witness to this moment. Makatza looks at Fenris and nods who unsheathes his sword stepping forward.
Aveline looks at the woman who's true fear was now showing, 'would you like to stand or kneel?' She asks softly. Lady Crewe breathed in deeply and straightened her back, she wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction.
Makatza wanted to just run away, 'Lady Crewe, you are sentenced to death. Do you have any last words before you meet our Maker?'
The old woman look over at Makatza, the silence from the crowd was unnerving. 'Your fake pity does nothing but show what a pathetic creature you really are,' she snarls.
Fenris' lip curls and he swings his blade around until it almost touched her skin, 'Kneel, I will make this painless,' he promises. He wouldn't admit it to Makatza but he was looking forward to this. Lady Crewe tried to believe she wasn't intimidated by the elf but she couldn't keep up the facade and she kneeled down. Fenris moved the sword back and looked at Makatza who's tears he could see from where he stood, she nods after a moment.
'May the Maker have mercy on you, Andraste hold you close to her bosom and peace be-' Makatza paused as Fenris brought down the blade and a minor spray of blood caught her. '-Peace be with you.'
