Chapter 18: The Sentencing
Colby found Strider back at her place. "Strider!" she called as she ran into her house. "Hey, where are you?!" she cried. "I'm right here," he said as he came out of the kitchen. "What's the matter?" Colby, who was panting and out of breath, said, "It's Marcie..they've captured her and are going to bring her before the king for having an affair with Legolas, but that can't be! You know that Legolas loves Marcie too much to do that, right?!" "Of course he does!" said Strider. "You're right, we have to go and stop this from happening!" As they walked out of her house, Colby said, "It's that Princess Leandra, I know it is, I could sense that something was up with her, like she was evil or something." Colby and Strider both had their swords at their sides, knowing that something bad could happen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Back at the palace, everyone was bustling around, preparing for the trial of Marcie's affair with Legolas. The king had learned earlier that morning of what had happened. Leandra was a witness, claiming that she and her servant had seen them kissing very "passionately", as she called it, outside the castle grounds. When Prince Legolas was questioned, he told his father that Marcie had abruptly forced him to kiss her, and almost made him.well, you know. Marcie, who was sitting in a chair in the middle of a room while they questioned Legolas and Leandra, cried out, "No! That isn't true! I would never force him to do such a thing!" She began to cry.again. Legolas looked at her, but then looked away. It hurt him to see her in this agony. He knew in his heart that Marcie never would try that, but he didn't want to disappoint his father. So, after the questioning, the trial began. It was a typical trial, with the king as judge and a jury and blah blah blah. Leandra was called forth as a witness and told her story, then Legolas approached, and then Marcie had to go forth and tell her story. She told the king everything that had happened, right up to when they said good-bye. When asked if she forced the prince to kiss her, she looked at Legolas, then straightforward and said, "No.I kissed him because I thought he loved me." A tear streamed down her cheek as she closed her eyes and looked away. Legolas wanted to save her so bad, but then he thought about what Leandra had told him, so he reconsidered. After about five minutes, the king rose and said, "Amorfiwiel Rose, you are to be sentenced to be thrown into an orc cave five miles from here, in the Dark Woods. There, you shall be left there." he paused for a moment and then said, "to die." Marcie looked at the king, then at Legolas as the guards escorted her away. "No!" she cried. "Legolas, I love you! Don't you realize that? Leandra is just doing this to.." but her words were muffled because one of the guards had placed his hand over her mouth. Legolas rose and said, "Father, you cannot do this! She is no criminal!" The king yelled, "Silence! She was trying to seduce you, and you were too blind to see it! You were only blinded by her beauty and sweetness!" Legolas was so furious, he could say no more. He kept telling himself that Leandra was right. Marcie was to be sentenced the next morning
Colby found Strider back at her place. "Strider!" she called as she ran into her house. "Hey, where are you?!" she cried. "I'm right here," he said as he came out of the kitchen. "What's the matter?" Colby, who was panting and out of breath, said, "It's Marcie..they've captured her and are going to bring her before the king for having an affair with Legolas, but that can't be! You know that Legolas loves Marcie too much to do that, right?!" "Of course he does!" said Strider. "You're right, we have to go and stop this from happening!" As they walked out of her house, Colby said, "It's that Princess Leandra, I know it is, I could sense that something was up with her, like she was evil or something." Colby and Strider both had their swords at their sides, knowing that something bad could happen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Back at the palace, everyone was bustling around, preparing for the trial of Marcie's affair with Legolas. The king had learned earlier that morning of what had happened. Leandra was a witness, claiming that she and her servant had seen them kissing very "passionately", as she called it, outside the castle grounds. When Prince Legolas was questioned, he told his father that Marcie had abruptly forced him to kiss her, and almost made him.well, you know. Marcie, who was sitting in a chair in the middle of a room while they questioned Legolas and Leandra, cried out, "No! That isn't true! I would never force him to do such a thing!" She began to cry.again. Legolas looked at her, but then looked away. It hurt him to see her in this agony. He knew in his heart that Marcie never would try that, but he didn't want to disappoint his father. So, after the questioning, the trial began. It was a typical trial, with the king as judge and a jury and blah blah blah. Leandra was called forth as a witness and told her story, then Legolas approached, and then Marcie had to go forth and tell her story. She told the king everything that had happened, right up to when they said good-bye. When asked if she forced the prince to kiss her, she looked at Legolas, then straightforward and said, "No.I kissed him because I thought he loved me." A tear streamed down her cheek as she closed her eyes and looked away. Legolas wanted to save her so bad, but then he thought about what Leandra had told him, so he reconsidered. After about five minutes, the king rose and said, "Amorfiwiel Rose, you are to be sentenced to be thrown into an orc cave five miles from here, in the Dark Woods. There, you shall be left there." he paused for a moment and then said, "to die." Marcie looked at the king, then at Legolas as the guards escorted her away. "No!" she cried. "Legolas, I love you! Don't you realize that? Leandra is just doing this to.." but her words were muffled because one of the guards had placed his hand over her mouth. Legolas rose and said, "Father, you cannot do this! She is no criminal!" The king yelled, "Silence! She was trying to seduce you, and you were too blind to see it! You were only blinded by her beauty and sweetness!" Legolas was so furious, he could say no more. He kept telling himself that Leandra was right. Marcie was to be sentenced the next morning