Author's notes: Thank you, Gemma, for all your wonderful reviews. I'll tell
GEFF to let you have lots of lovely parcels.
Silvaqua Veris, I'm glad my typing's getting better and I hope you keep enjoying my story.
Oh mighty Bean02, I'm updating as you command. No, Rion hasn't killed anyone before. And I think you'd better not let me into your car as I've a tendency to get travel sick.
***
The chains dug into Rion's wrist as he hung from them, but he didn't notice. He ribs were sore from the blows that had been dealt him, but he didn't feel it. His shoulders were aching from supporting his weight, but he didn't care enough to stand and put the weight on his legs for a time.
The only thing he felt was the dried blood counting his hands with a stain that would never wash away. He had killed a man. And now he just stared into the darkness, seeing those dead eyes staring back at him.
Did he have children, Rion wondered. Were there children grieving for him as Rion would grieve if his father died? Did he have a wife who would weep at the news that her husband had been murdered?
Time passed, but when he even noticed he thought it was what he deserved. After all, shouldn't murderers be locked away? The bruises and sore wrists were a just punishment. Anything else they did to him would be fitting as well.
Rion wept, but not for himself. He wept for the life he had ended. The future that man would never know.
***
Ari stood in her father's study, and watched him pace, filled with some energy he needed to rid himself of. She drew back, trying to shrink inside herself and disappear. She saw the anger boiling just below the surface. And the sorrow.
"Garen was a good soldier!" he snarled, "A good man!"
"He wouldn't have done this without cause," Ari said softly.
"You've known him a few days and you think yourself the judge of his character?"
Ari didn't respond. She wanted to tell him that she did know Rion. But her father was right. She'd known him two weeks, and that was hardly long enough to have learned much about him. She was certain he wouldn't kill anyone, but the evidence was against him.
Graynal, who stood waiting by the door, chose this moment to speak. "Your majesty, I saw the way the boy looked when we found him and Garen. He was shocked and trembling. I doubt that would be the reaction of an intended murderer."
"Perhaps so. Or perhaps he is just trying to fool us."
"Why should he hurt Garen?" Ari asked. "He had nothing to gain from it."
"What I do not understand," Graynal said, "is how he was able to obtain a dagger."
"We have my daughter to thank for that." Ari looked away as her father sent a glare in her direction, before rising up to defend herself and Rion.
"There were no daggers in that cupboard, and I would have seen if he had taken anything but his sword, which you took from him," she said.
"Even so, he had the opportunity to acquire a weapon, and so could have planned the attack."
"Surely we should hear his side before judging him," Ari protested.
"I will listen to him," her father said, "but you are to remain here. I will deal with you later." Ari sank into a chair as he and Graynal left. Rion wouldn't do this. He was no murderer.
***
Rion looked up as the door opened. The king entered, Captain Graynal following behind. The light that streamed through the door blinded him momentarily as he hung there from the chains.
"Stand up!" the king ordered. Shakily, Rion set his feet on the ground and stood, but his legs felt wobbly beneath him, so he grasped the chains that held his wrists tightly to support some of his weight.
"Why did you do it?" the king demanded, "Why did you kill him?"
"I. . ." Rion began, "I didn't mean. . ." He broke off, tears filled his eyes and he saw again those blank, lifeless eyes.
"What happened?" the king asked, still fiercely, but less so than before.
Rion began to talk. Somehow it helped to speak, and once the words started nothing could stop them. He spoke of how he had feared punishment, and how the soldier had come. He spoke of how the soldier had tried to kill him. How he hadn't meant for him to die.
"I want to believe you," the king said, once he had finished, "but Garen was a good soldier and wouldn't have tried to strike you unless he was ordered to, and he was not."
Garen. Knowing the man's name made things worse. It made it seem more real. It wasn't just some nameless solder he had killed, but a man with a name.
"I'm sorry," Rion sobbed.
"That," the king said, "I do believe. But you are to remain here until we have evaluated the evidence and can decide whether or not you were provoked. When we have reached that decision, you will either face punishment or be released." Rion nodded, feeling that they would surely judge him guilty. Some part of him wanted it: wanted to face justice for what he had done.
***
Mir was worried. Rion hadn't come to see him today. Rion had told him he would try to convince Ari to show him more of the palace, but Mir couldn't help worrying that something terrible had happened to him. They were prisoners here, and anyone who would kidnap them would hurt them without a second thought.
He paced the floor, the only exercise he could do to relieve the tension inside him. At last the door opened, and he spun to face it, hoping it was Rion. It wasn't. The captain Rion said was called Graynal stood there, with two soldiers.
"What's happening?" Mir asked, "Where's Rion?" The only answer he received came from two pairs of hands seizing him and tying his arms behind his back. "Where's Rion?" he demanded again, but again he was given no answer. The blindfold was put over his eyes and he was forced firmly out of the door.
His whole being was filled with fear. There had been something fierce behind the eyes of the captain and Mir could only imagine what had happened. Rion must have done something to make them angry. They must have found out they were looking for a way to escape and now they were going to punish them. Where was Rion?
In a few minutes, the blindfold was torn off, and Mir looked round the study he had seen before. The king stood in front of him, his face expressionless. Behind the king was a dark-haired girl, who looked away when Mir's gaze fell on her. From Rion's descriptions, he guessed this was Ari.
"Where's Rion?" Mir asked.
"In a cell," the king replied, and Mir's heart froze. "He killed one of my soldiers."
The absurdity of that statement could have made Mir laugh under different circumstances. "He wouldn't kill anyone," Mir said.
"The man lay dead in the prince's room, his blood on the prince's hands."
"I know Rion. I know he wouldn't kill anyone."
"The evidence says otherwise."
"Where would he have got a weapon?" Mir asked, hoping they would see just how impossible it would me for Rion to kill someone. To Mir's surprise, the king glanced towards the girl, who shifted almost guiltily. So she had something to do with this. Mir knew he'd been right to be mistrustful of her.
"Rion would not kill anyone," Mir said again, "and if you do anything to hurt him I will make sure you suffer at least twice as much." The captain who still stood behind him gripped Mir's arms so tightly his fingers dug painfully into his flesh.
"If your friend is innocent as you seem to think," the king replied, "he will not be punished. But if he is not, he will be punished according to our laws." Then he turned to the captain. "Take Danomir back to his room, we have learned all we can from him."
"Rion is no murderer," Mir said, even as the blindfold covered his eyes, "and you are a fool if you think otherwise."
***
Ari sat by the fire in the study, Graynal stood beside the door, and her father paced restlessly. She believed Mir, and she believed Rion. It wasn't in him to murder, but her father was right and the evidence did suggest he was.
"Your majesty," Graynal said, "the knife that Garen was stabbed with was his own, not one of the daggers kept in the training room. Garen must have had it with him when he went to the prince's room."
"Then this confirms what Rion said," Ari said hopefully.
"Perhaps," her father replied softly, "but why should Garen want to strike him? The prince must have done something to provoke it. The one person we need to ask is in no position to speak." He sat down and sank his head into his hands. "I cannot see the answers. On the one hand, Eldarion could not have taken the blade. On the other, Garen had no reason to try to kill him."
"Perhaps we're too close to the situation to think about it properly," Ari suggested, "we need someone who can see it objectively and maybe tell us what we've missed."
The king raised his eyes and looked at her. "Traag." Ari nodded.
"He doesn't like being disturbed about politics," her father replied.
"This isn't politics," she said, "this is about the life of a young boy." Then her father smiled.
"Very well, we shall ask Traag for his opinion."
***
Author's note: I hope that you're all wondering who Traag is now. Please review.
Silvaqua Veris, I'm glad my typing's getting better and I hope you keep enjoying my story.
Oh mighty Bean02, I'm updating as you command. No, Rion hasn't killed anyone before. And I think you'd better not let me into your car as I've a tendency to get travel sick.
***
The chains dug into Rion's wrist as he hung from them, but he didn't notice. He ribs were sore from the blows that had been dealt him, but he didn't feel it. His shoulders were aching from supporting his weight, but he didn't care enough to stand and put the weight on his legs for a time.
The only thing he felt was the dried blood counting his hands with a stain that would never wash away. He had killed a man. And now he just stared into the darkness, seeing those dead eyes staring back at him.
Did he have children, Rion wondered. Were there children grieving for him as Rion would grieve if his father died? Did he have a wife who would weep at the news that her husband had been murdered?
Time passed, but when he even noticed he thought it was what he deserved. After all, shouldn't murderers be locked away? The bruises and sore wrists were a just punishment. Anything else they did to him would be fitting as well.
Rion wept, but not for himself. He wept for the life he had ended. The future that man would never know.
***
Ari stood in her father's study, and watched him pace, filled with some energy he needed to rid himself of. She drew back, trying to shrink inside herself and disappear. She saw the anger boiling just below the surface. And the sorrow.
"Garen was a good soldier!" he snarled, "A good man!"
"He wouldn't have done this without cause," Ari said softly.
"You've known him a few days and you think yourself the judge of his character?"
Ari didn't respond. She wanted to tell him that she did know Rion. But her father was right. She'd known him two weeks, and that was hardly long enough to have learned much about him. She was certain he wouldn't kill anyone, but the evidence was against him.
Graynal, who stood waiting by the door, chose this moment to speak. "Your majesty, I saw the way the boy looked when we found him and Garen. He was shocked and trembling. I doubt that would be the reaction of an intended murderer."
"Perhaps so. Or perhaps he is just trying to fool us."
"Why should he hurt Garen?" Ari asked. "He had nothing to gain from it."
"What I do not understand," Graynal said, "is how he was able to obtain a dagger."
"We have my daughter to thank for that." Ari looked away as her father sent a glare in her direction, before rising up to defend herself and Rion.
"There were no daggers in that cupboard, and I would have seen if he had taken anything but his sword, which you took from him," she said.
"Even so, he had the opportunity to acquire a weapon, and so could have planned the attack."
"Surely we should hear his side before judging him," Ari protested.
"I will listen to him," her father said, "but you are to remain here. I will deal with you later." Ari sank into a chair as he and Graynal left. Rion wouldn't do this. He was no murderer.
***
Rion looked up as the door opened. The king entered, Captain Graynal following behind. The light that streamed through the door blinded him momentarily as he hung there from the chains.
"Stand up!" the king ordered. Shakily, Rion set his feet on the ground and stood, but his legs felt wobbly beneath him, so he grasped the chains that held his wrists tightly to support some of his weight.
"Why did you do it?" the king demanded, "Why did you kill him?"
"I. . ." Rion began, "I didn't mean. . ." He broke off, tears filled his eyes and he saw again those blank, lifeless eyes.
"What happened?" the king asked, still fiercely, but less so than before.
Rion began to talk. Somehow it helped to speak, and once the words started nothing could stop them. He spoke of how he had feared punishment, and how the soldier had come. He spoke of how the soldier had tried to kill him. How he hadn't meant for him to die.
"I want to believe you," the king said, once he had finished, "but Garen was a good soldier and wouldn't have tried to strike you unless he was ordered to, and he was not."
Garen. Knowing the man's name made things worse. It made it seem more real. It wasn't just some nameless solder he had killed, but a man with a name.
"I'm sorry," Rion sobbed.
"That," the king said, "I do believe. But you are to remain here until we have evaluated the evidence and can decide whether or not you were provoked. When we have reached that decision, you will either face punishment or be released." Rion nodded, feeling that they would surely judge him guilty. Some part of him wanted it: wanted to face justice for what he had done.
***
Mir was worried. Rion hadn't come to see him today. Rion had told him he would try to convince Ari to show him more of the palace, but Mir couldn't help worrying that something terrible had happened to him. They were prisoners here, and anyone who would kidnap them would hurt them without a second thought.
He paced the floor, the only exercise he could do to relieve the tension inside him. At last the door opened, and he spun to face it, hoping it was Rion. It wasn't. The captain Rion said was called Graynal stood there, with two soldiers.
"What's happening?" Mir asked, "Where's Rion?" The only answer he received came from two pairs of hands seizing him and tying his arms behind his back. "Where's Rion?" he demanded again, but again he was given no answer. The blindfold was put over his eyes and he was forced firmly out of the door.
His whole being was filled with fear. There had been something fierce behind the eyes of the captain and Mir could only imagine what had happened. Rion must have done something to make them angry. They must have found out they were looking for a way to escape and now they were going to punish them. Where was Rion?
In a few minutes, the blindfold was torn off, and Mir looked round the study he had seen before. The king stood in front of him, his face expressionless. Behind the king was a dark-haired girl, who looked away when Mir's gaze fell on her. From Rion's descriptions, he guessed this was Ari.
"Where's Rion?" Mir asked.
"In a cell," the king replied, and Mir's heart froze. "He killed one of my soldiers."
The absurdity of that statement could have made Mir laugh under different circumstances. "He wouldn't kill anyone," Mir said.
"The man lay dead in the prince's room, his blood on the prince's hands."
"I know Rion. I know he wouldn't kill anyone."
"The evidence says otherwise."
"Where would he have got a weapon?" Mir asked, hoping they would see just how impossible it would me for Rion to kill someone. To Mir's surprise, the king glanced towards the girl, who shifted almost guiltily. So she had something to do with this. Mir knew he'd been right to be mistrustful of her.
"Rion would not kill anyone," Mir said again, "and if you do anything to hurt him I will make sure you suffer at least twice as much." The captain who still stood behind him gripped Mir's arms so tightly his fingers dug painfully into his flesh.
"If your friend is innocent as you seem to think," the king replied, "he will not be punished. But if he is not, he will be punished according to our laws." Then he turned to the captain. "Take Danomir back to his room, we have learned all we can from him."
"Rion is no murderer," Mir said, even as the blindfold covered his eyes, "and you are a fool if you think otherwise."
***
Ari sat by the fire in the study, Graynal stood beside the door, and her father paced restlessly. She believed Mir, and she believed Rion. It wasn't in him to murder, but her father was right and the evidence did suggest he was.
"Your majesty," Graynal said, "the knife that Garen was stabbed with was his own, not one of the daggers kept in the training room. Garen must have had it with him when he went to the prince's room."
"Then this confirms what Rion said," Ari said hopefully.
"Perhaps," her father replied softly, "but why should Garen want to strike him? The prince must have done something to provoke it. The one person we need to ask is in no position to speak." He sat down and sank his head into his hands. "I cannot see the answers. On the one hand, Eldarion could not have taken the blade. On the other, Garen had no reason to try to kill him."
"Perhaps we're too close to the situation to think about it properly," Ari suggested, "we need someone who can see it objectively and maybe tell us what we've missed."
The king raised his eyes and looked at her. "Traag." Ari nodded.
"He doesn't like being disturbed about politics," her father replied.
"This isn't politics," she said, "this is about the life of a young boy." Then her father smiled.
"Very well, we shall ask Traag for his opinion."
***
Author's note: I hope that you're all wondering who Traag is now. Please review.