Chapter 23: To Court We Go!
Sarah fussed with the dress her mother had chosen one more time. She still wasn't used to wearing dresses all the time. What she would give for a good pair of jeans!
"Aranel, are you about ready?" Vendae asked peeking her head in.
"I'm just not used to dresses yet, Aunt Vendae," Sarah responded with a sigh.
"Well, you look like an angel so let's go meet your mother and sons."
Sarah smiled her thanks and hurried down the hall beside her Aunt. She found her boys were again dressed with perfection and she smiled at both of them.
"Mommy, you're gorgeous!" Daire cried out and Darien added his agreement with a nod.
"Thank you boys," Sarah said with a slight curtsey. The dress was actually very modest although it accentuated her smooth curves perfectly. The neckline was high and only a small portion of the back showed. Yet this was barely seen fore her wavy brown hair covered most of that. It was a deep royal purple that was accented with a circlet of amethyst in her hair. Only part of it showed over her forehead as the rest was hidden in her dark tresses. In the center of her forehead there hung a simple amethyst stone. Around her neck was another simple amethyst necklace. The sleeves were long tapering to points on the back of her hands. The boys were in white except for their royal purple, silk poet shirts. Even their gloves and boots were white. Sarah silently wondered how long that would last. They too wore circlets of amethyst. They had discovered that even as adopted children of Lorien they still had high place in the Faye world. Vendae wore an outfit of sapphire blue while Lorien wore an emerald green. Soon a carriage pulled around to the front of the palace and all five were off to the capitol, city of the Underground's King.
Delyinon was a beautiful city. Sarah thought it was the most marvelous city she'd ever seen! It was so clean! It was the complete opposite of the Goblin City. Of course, Dayton's subjects were not goblins either. The Court was located in the same vicinity as Delyinon castle, and Sarah looked up in awe at the marvelous structure. It seemed made of pure gold! The Court nearby was a modest structure. Its walls were plain stone. There were no adornments. As Lady Lorien led her family inside its walls, Sarah realized the building was a huge circle. Hundreds of meeting rooms surrounded the larger courtroom that was built in amphitheater style. Behind the high table was the room where the High Prefect could discuss a decision with his council. Lorien sat down in a place for witnesses and noticed that Ione was alone beside her. Vendae took the boys to sit in the front row of the crowd.
"Where is Jareth?" Lorien hissed quietly to Ione. Ione nodded towards the center of the room. Jareth was seated beside Sarah.
"The King decided that Jareth was too involved to simply be a witness. His accusations have been added to those of Sarah's and they shall be making a joint trial."
Lorien was not sure she liked this turn of events, but she could not question the King's judgement. All rose as the High Prefect and the King entered the room with the council following behind them. As the King and High Prefect passed, the crowd knelt on one knee showing deference to their positions. Both King and High Prefect sat at the high table. The council sat to the right of them.
"Be seated my people," Dayton told the crowd then nodded in the direction of the High Prefect.
"Let the council take note that King Dayton will make no judgement today in a case between his two sons." The council nodded in acknowledgement and the High Prefect turned to Sarah and Jareth. "We ask now that the accusers bring forth their accusations to be read before the assembly." Jareth stood first for he ranked Sarah. Vendae tapped Lorien's shoulder and Lorien turned slightly in time to see her own parents finding a seat in the crowd. She had not thought they would show.
"Your Grace," Jareth said with a slight bow. "I accuse Taureth, my brother, of treason and conspiracy. By manipulating his magic and the unfortunate bond between us as twins, Taureth attempted to overtake my place as crown prince of the Underground." Jareth stood tall and erect as a true prince of the Underground. He was master of himself once more. He knew well that the bond between twins was well respected by all Faye, and the crowd was murmuring quietly.
"Silence in the court!" the High Prefect demanded. "I will ask that Lady Sarah of Willoway also present her accusations." Sarah stood thankful that her hands were not shaking as she prayed for peace.
"Your Grace, I accuse Prince Taureth of rape and assault. He is the father of my own two boys seated now in the assembly." The courtroom was buzzing with gasps and whispers now!
"Silence!" the High Prefect thundered. The courtroom quieted though it was difficult after such an announcement. "Prince Taureth what do you say to these accusations?"
"I will not speak on such wild charges!" Taureth replied in a high-pitched tone of contempt. "Let them prove it if they can!"
"We will address the issues brought by King Jareth first," the High Prefect announced. "King Jareth you have listed here as witness The Elder Knight of the fifth division of the Labyrinthine Knights."
"Yes, Your Grace," Jareth replied. Ione stood and walked forward. The grace and dignity of the centaurian race rested squarely on her shoulders at that moment in time, and she bore it well. Dayton was not pleased that his son brought the centauress to attest to his character. Dayton knew well that the relationship between his youngest son and the centauress had gone too far. Jareth would be the first to question her.
"Lady Ione, tell us what you perceived about eight years ago at the time the Aurelis was proclaimed."
"Your Highness seemed very upset over this prophecy. Indeed one might say you were furious. It was two or three days after it that I began noticing I was able to hear you less and less."
"Explain to the court what you mean by hearing the King, Lady Ione," the High Prefect requested.
"I am telepathic, Your Grace," Ione said quietly. "I can hear or see the force of one's mind within my own. I have been in the Knights for some time, and I am familiar with the force of his mind from this work. A few days after the Aurelis was proclaimed, King Jareth's force began to slip. I could not explain it at the time."
"Your Grace," Taureth protested. "Am I to be tried on this woman's thoughts?"
"Lady Ione's abilities of the mind have long been acknowledged and respected by her peers. Her testimony is sound," the High Prefect stated firmly. Taureth said no more, but he was not happy about it.
"Tell us, please, Lady Ione, what happened a month ago that caused you to draw a conclusion as to the reason for this phenomenon," Jareth asked.
"I was called to council you, Highness. I made a comment suggesting the behaviors that were unfamiliar to your character. I could still hear you though slightly at that point. But you seemed to not understand of what I was speaking. I was beginning to understand that there was something strange happening at that moment. But as soon as I began to put the pieces of the puzzle together, another force entered Your Highness with such force I had to break contact. You were a completely different person, and it was the invading force in you that sent me to the castle that Taureth had been banished to." The assembly seemed to hold its breath. What would Taureth say to this?
"Prince Taureth, do you have any cross-examination questions for the witness on this matter?"
"I do, High Prefect. Lady Ione, did this supposedly non-Jareth tell you his name?"
"No, he did not."
"Then how can you assume it was me that was in him? Are you sure Jareth isn't simply crazy with a split personality?"
Ione looked utterly shocked for a moment and Jareth's stance was rigid. "Prince Taureth, it was your dungeon that I was brought to, and it was your guards that beat me continuously without a break!" The room was sent into a flurry of whispers again. The High Prefect used the age-old gavel at his place to order quiet once more.
"Lady Ione have you proof of this?" he demanded.
Ione was not used to having the validity of her statements questioned, but she was never the less prepared. "Yes, Your Grace. Caladon the healer attended the wounds since they were somewhat slower to heal from the length of time I was exposed to torture.
"Is Caladon the healer present?" the High Prefect called.
"Here, Your Grace," the Elf replied. "The Lady Ione speaks the truth. I attended grievous injuries to her sides and flanks. She had been whipped continuously for hours. My findings in treating her support the story." The High Prefect nodded, and the healer seated himself once more.
Jareth addressed the High Prefect once more. "Your Grace, not one of the people in this room that knew me before the Aurelis can deny that my behavior was changed in the past eight years. The Labyrinth itself became extremely dangerous as well. My close friends of many years; Lady Aurora, Lady Lorien, Captain Damien, and Lady Ione; can be called upon to be witnesses of that change. Taureth is indeed guilty of treason for I myself was trapped within his dungeon after his imprisoning of the Lady Ione. I too was subjected to torture from my own brother the Lady Ione, the Lady Sarah can both be called upon as witnesses. He has forfeited his very right to be called a member of my family through his cruelty." Taureth could almost breathe a sigh of relief. Jareth's accusations would probably bring about him being disowned from his family and likely having his powers reduced, but he would likely escape with little else.
"Lady Sarah, we will hear your case now."
Taureth paled. He'd forgotten that they weren't finished with him yet!