Chapter Twenty-Three
The High Court of Yevon
The wait was not long and not entirely unpleasant. Although the four prisoners were separated from their other companions, it did give them time to talk amongst themselves and compare notes regarding their very recent experiences in Spira. Jecht and Auron fumed silently as Braska briefly described his captivity among the Guado to them, but they realized that the matter of the Guado's crimes had already been attended to.
It had scarcely been two hours when the guards came for them and escorted them to the courtroom wherein Yuna had once been called a traitor and the deceased Lord Seymour had nonchalantly admitted to patricide. It was not a room of which any of them had fond memories. Lord Braska had been excommunicated there for marrying an Al-Bhed woman. Auron had been demoted in rank at the behest of a priest who felt slighted when Auron would not marry his daughter. And, of course, none of Yuna's guardians had pleasant memories of time spent there.
"The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The holy offices of this high court seek nothing but absolute truth, in the name of Yevon. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon and speak the truth only." intoned the Ronso maester, who was not nearly so imposing as Maester Kelk Ronso had been, once everyone had taken their places.
"I read now the charges of the court." said Maestress Shelinda, stepping forward and looking down at the four who were accused, "The High Court of Yevon accuses High Summoner Braska, Sir Auron, Sir Jecht, and Sir Tidus of the crime of being dead and/ or unsent and in that state or states attempting to sway the policies and influence the decisions of Yevon and Spira."
"What a mouthful." mumbled Tidus.
"How do you plead?" questioned Argus, who, by virtue of being the Ronso maester, had the right to preside over the court.
"Innocent, my lord." answered Braska.
"And do you speak for the others as well?"
"I do." he said. They had decided beforehand that Braska should speak on their behalf because he was far more eloquent and less likely to lose his temper.
"There is but one way for you to present convincing evidence for your plea. Will you consent to a sending?"
"Yes, my lord, we will consent ... on the provision that this is all that you will ask of us." replied Braska.
As the Ronso considered this, Tidus whispered to Auron, "If we're alive, it won't do anything to us, right?"
"Right." he replied quietly.
"High summoner, I accept your condition." said Argus, turning toward Yuna in the gallery. "Would former Maestress Yuna care to perform this task for us?" he questioned, bowing slightly.
"I ... I would be honored." she said, seeming to steel herself as she spoke. It was not an easy thing that he asked of her.
"Then ... send them."
Everyone cleared a small space for her. Aurie and Pacce clutched one another's hands while Rikku and Wakka were oblivious. Tida shrank back against the wall, too afraid to watch. While Tiron and Lulu stood silently, stoically just out of the way. They seemed to be holding their breaths as Yuna began her dance, no less horrible, no less horrifying, as Tidus had once called it, even when they knew or at least hoped that it would not work.
But there were no tears in her eyes as she performed the slow and somber movements, only calm and resolve. Yuna had performed enough sendings that even this one brought out no discernible emotion. Whatever it was that she felt, it no longer showed upon her face. Not even Lulu could detect any sadness or fear as Yuna conducted the ritual.
On the platform where those accused of crimes against Yevon stood to face judgment, the four stood silent and still as they watched her perform the sending. They felt nothing, except perhaps a faint twinge of relief at feeling that nothing. Tidus, his thoughts wandering for a moment, wondered how it would be to see Yuna dance on a happier occasion, a wedding perhaps. And he felt slightly regretful.
"She would never marry me ... unless I was older." he thought.
Then the dancing stopped and Yuna looked at them and smiled. A couple of whoops, from Rikku and Aurie, went up from the gallery as they realized that nothing had happened, that the test had been passed. The Ronso maester may have glared at them, but he can hardly be blamed for that.
"It seems that I must acquit the accused of all charges. Congratulations, gentlemen, you are indeed alive." Argus said to them. Then he glanced at Shelinda and said quietly, "You may as well release your husband. We have very little with which to fault him now."
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A/N: Thanks for the reviews, waterff, Shido21, Trixie, Lynx, and Tiffany!
I know this chapter is short and maybe a little boring, but the guys had to clear their names, right?
The High Court of Yevon
The wait was not long and not entirely unpleasant. Although the four prisoners were separated from their other companions, it did give them time to talk amongst themselves and compare notes regarding their very recent experiences in Spira. Jecht and Auron fumed silently as Braska briefly described his captivity among the Guado to them, but they realized that the matter of the Guado's crimes had already been attended to.
It had scarcely been two hours when the guards came for them and escorted them to the courtroom wherein Yuna had once been called a traitor and the deceased Lord Seymour had nonchalantly admitted to patricide. It was not a room of which any of them had fond memories. Lord Braska had been excommunicated there for marrying an Al-Bhed woman. Auron had been demoted in rank at the behest of a priest who felt slighted when Auron would not marry his daughter. And, of course, none of Yuna's guardians had pleasant memories of time spent there.
"The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The holy offices of this high court seek nothing but absolute truth, in the name of Yevon. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon and speak the truth only." intoned the Ronso maester, who was not nearly so imposing as Maester Kelk Ronso had been, once everyone had taken their places.
"I read now the charges of the court." said Maestress Shelinda, stepping forward and looking down at the four who were accused, "The High Court of Yevon accuses High Summoner Braska, Sir Auron, Sir Jecht, and Sir Tidus of the crime of being dead and/ or unsent and in that state or states attempting to sway the policies and influence the decisions of Yevon and Spira."
"What a mouthful." mumbled Tidus.
"How do you plead?" questioned Argus, who, by virtue of being the Ronso maester, had the right to preside over the court.
"Innocent, my lord." answered Braska.
"And do you speak for the others as well?"
"I do." he said. They had decided beforehand that Braska should speak on their behalf because he was far more eloquent and less likely to lose his temper.
"There is but one way for you to present convincing evidence for your plea. Will you consent to a sending?"
"Yes, my lord, we will consent ... on the provision that this is all that you will ask of us." replied Braska.
As the Ronso considered this, Tidus whispered to Auron, "If we're alive, it won't do anything to us, right?"
"Right." he replied quietly.
"High summoner, I accept your condition." said Argus, turning toward Yuna in the gallery. "Would former Maestress Yuna care to perform this task for us?" he questioned, bowing slightly.
"I ... I would be honored." she said, seeming to steel herself as she spoke. It was not an easy thing that he asked of her.
"Then ... send them."
Everyone cleared a small space for her. Aurie and Pacce clutched one another's hands while Rikku and Wakka were oblivious. Tida shrank back against the wall, too afraid to watch. While Tiron and Lulu stood silently, stoically just out of the way. They seemed to be holding their breaths as Yuna began her dance, no less horrible, no less horrifying, as Tidus had once called it, even when they knew or at least hoped that it would not work.
But there were no tears in her eyes as she performed the slow and somber movements, only calm and resolve. Yuna had performed enough sendings that even this one brought out no discernible emotion. Whatever it was that she felt, it no longer showed upon her face. Not even Lulu could detect any sadness or fear as Yuna conducted the ritual.
On the platform where those accused of crimes against Yevon stood to face judgment, the four stood silent and still as they watched her perform the sending. They felt nothing, except perhaps a faint twinge of relief at feeling that nothing. Tidus, his thoughts wandering for a moment, wondered how it would be to see Yuna dance on a happier occasion, a wedding perhaps. And he felt slightly regretful.
"She would never marry me ... unless I was older." he thought.
Then the dancing stopped and Yuna looked at them and smiled. A couple of whoops, from Rikku and Aurie, went up from the gallery as they realized that nothing had happened, that the test had been passed. The Ronso maester may have glared at them, but he can hardly be blamed for that.
"It seems that I must acquit the accused of all charges. Congratulations, gentlemen, you are indeed alive." Argus said to them. Then he glanced at Shelinda and said quietly, "You may as well release your husband. We have very little with which to fault him now."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, waterff, Shido21, Trixie, Lynx, and Tiffany!
I know this chapter is short and maybe a little boring, but the guys had to clear their names, right?
