1Hi! I'm back again with the next chapter. Tari's trial will be in this.

Thank you to all of those who reviewed! I didn't receive a single flame!

And now, here is chapter seventeen!

Trial and Punishment

The next four days for Tari passed agonizingly slow. Her only contact to the 'outside world' was her maid, Celestil.

"They say you've gone mad with grief..." Celestil whispered as she sat next to Tari on her bed. Tari frowned. So, they had finally been told that she was no longer betrothed to Legolas...

"What of Arya?" Tari asked, dreading the answer.

"She moans and pretends to be in agony, claiming that she had done nothing to warrant such an attack from you." Celestil said, having had to tend to the lady a few times. Tari scoffed, and murmured a few well chosen curses under her breath as she fiddled with the elven rope that was still tied firmly about her wrists. Celestil sighed deeply, and put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Everything will be alright, Tari."

Tari gave her best friend a watery smile, but said, "Nay, Celestil, it shant. I'm to be tried for attempted murder. My own father believes not his own daughter. I know what I saw, and know what Arya has done... But despite it all, I know the worst. I am either to be slain, or banished."

Celestil gave a gasp, and covered her mouth with a hand. Lowering it slowly she shook her head frantically saying, "No, no, no... Your father can't allow that!"

"I told you! He doesn't believe me! And besides, he is not a juror nor counsel. He has no say in my fate..." Tari said, slumping back against her pillows. So many thoughts raced through her mind, and so many problems too... Yet they all stemmed from one thing; she had returned.

Legolas, Elrohir, and Elladan rode through the gates of Rivendell, and into a very quiet courtyard full of solemn looking people. He dismounted with unease, gazing from face to face; trying to discern what made them look so concerned, angered, and depressed. Elrohir and Elladan were doing the same thing. As a stable-hand led away their horses, the two princes of Rivendell went quickly up the stairs to find their father, and ask him what had caused their peoples' moods to so suddenly change within a week. Legolas followed them...

"Tari." Elrond said, as the three sat down before him.

Legolas stared at him with scrutiny, his hands clenching up on the arms of the chair he was sitting in. "Why? What could she have possibly done?"

"She tried to murder Arya."

"She what?" all three of them shouted, and all bearing looks of the same disbelief. 'Nay...' thought Elrohir, 'Not our sister... surely not. She may be bold and angered at times, but she would never slay her own kindred!'

"Aye, 'tis true. I saw it with my very eyes. As a matter of fact, everyone in the hall at dinnertime saw it. She and Arya were arguing, I know not who started it, then Tari looked down upon the ground. When she looked up, she stared wide-eyed at Arya, drew her sword, and slashed at her." Elrond explained, taking a seat as well. "One of Arya's guards approached her from behind and knocked her out with the hilt of their sword. When she awoke again, she claimed not to have done it, wondering why her wrists were bound to her bed. I told her that she had tried to murder Arya. Yet, she says that it wasn't Arya at all. When she had looked up again, it had been an orc. How can I believe that story! And how will anyone on the panel (jury) believe it either?"

"Panel?" Elladan asked, his dark brows knitting together.

"Yes. She is to be tried for her attempted murder."

"No, Elrond! Tari couldn't do such a thing!" Legolas objected angrily, and desperately.

"Legolas, I saw it with my very own eyes!" Elrond retorted, remembering every detail of that night in his memory.

"But you did not see through hers! You know not what she saw! Someone powerful enough could manipulate her into thinking that Arya was an orc! You know it is possible!" Legolas protested, "You cannot allow her to be tried! She would be banished!"

"Legolas..." Elrond sighed, "I have no choice, and nor do I have a say in this matter."

Legolas glared at him, standing up. "... You don't even believe her, do you? Your own daughter?"

"Hold your tongue, prince! Save your anger for someone who deserves it!" said Elrond, his grey eyes flashing angrily.

"You do! For not believing her! For choosing to believe that snipe Arya over your own flesh and blood! For all you know, Arya could've planned the whole thing!" (a/n: I bet he's scary when he's mad...)

Tari awoke to hear her door shutting quietly. It was dark all around her; obviously night had fallen. Faintly, she heard soft footsteps approaching her. "Tari..." a husky voice whispered.

Tari tried to sit up. "Legolas? Is that you?" she asked frantically, wishing that there was a candle alight. From the moonlight flooding through her windows, she saw a solemn figure walk to her bed, and sit down beside her. A hand found her own, and grasped it lovingly, caressing it gently. She knew those soft, docile hands...

"Do I not even get an embrace?" Legolas asked, wondering why she did not move.

"My hands are tied to the bed, you dolt."

In his mind, Legolas cursed Elrond and Arya a thousand times, while his agile fingers undid the numerous knots in the elven silk; ignoring the protests from Tari. "You shouldn't even be in here!" she hissed, "Let alone freeing a mad elleth who is to be tried tomorrow!"

"I had to see you..." was his answer, "I was worried..."

"Then you believe me?" she asked, rubbing her aching wrists.

Legolas embraced her tightly, wanting to make all of her worries and fears flee. "Of course I believe you... I care not what your father, or Arya says... You would never do something like that, no matter how much you hated that person. I know that Elrohir and Elladan believe you too..."

Tari clung to him like a child, answering in a whisper, "... I'm scared, Legolas... The trial is tomorrow, and I know that I face either death or banishment."

"Nay, Tari. Do not think of such things." Legolas reassured, running his hand fondly through her hair.

"But it is true! You know it is!" she cried, "It does not matter what I saw! It matters what everyone else saw! All the evidence is against me, and Arya is a good actress. She'll have everyone believing her in less than a minute." Tari said, finding it unusually hard to breathe for some reason. "A-and I'll never see you again... Nor my brothers... or Arwen... I would die within days."

"My conscience would never let me rest, to know that I could never see you again."

Tari had never felt such fear in her life... The whole of Rivendell was in the Hall, and all had their eyes fixed upon her. She stood unbound before a panel of jurors and advocates, awaiting the inevitable. Her eyes roamed the numerous elves, finding Arya speaking in hushed tones with a man.. If Tari had to describe him, she would say that he was a vampire. His skin was paler than parchment, and his ebony hair fell just above his elbows. His eye looked to her, and locked with her fearful adust brown ones... So much evil Tari saw in those eyes. So much malice, and death in their infinite depths. Tari knew at once who those eyes belonged to; for they were so much like his daughter's... It was Sircin.

He grinned maliciously at her, before turning his gaze back to his daughter, to continue their whispered conversation...

"You have done well, daughter..." he hissed, "You manipulated her mind better than I would've done."

Arya glared at her father. "It won't matter what I've done if they let her go."

"The only place she'll be going is to the gallows or the gates, Arya. I'll see to that. You'll have your prince, and I'll have my power." Sircin said, his cold black eyes glittering.

Arya huffed. "Elrond won't let them banish or kill her."

"Ah, but Elrond has no say in this trial, Arya... Nor does he even believe his own daughter's words." Sircin said with a sardonic smile.

He said no more, for one of the jurors had stood, to announce their verdict...

Legolas sat next to Arwen and Aragorn, who had turned up at Rivendell only hours ago for the trial. Elrond had called Arwen (through his mind of course). She looked fearful, and there were unshed tears in her eyes for the well-being of her sister. Aragorn let his hand grasp hers, in a comforting way, and whispered words of encouragement that did not seem to work.

If Arwen was worried, then Legolas was in a right state. He had never been this helpless before; to not be able to protect someone you care for from something inevitable. His silver-blue eyes finally found their way to the head juror, as he began to read out the verdict...

"Tariathon, Estellia. On the charge of the attempted murder of the Lady Arya, we find you guilty..." he said, reading from a slip of parchment. Arwen gasped, and buried her head against Aragorn's chest, finding no comfort in his safe arms. "In the stead of banishment or death, we sentence you to one-hundred lashes... At a time hence."

Legolas nearly bolted out of his seat, but his conscience held him back. One-hundred lashes? That would as good as kill her! Everyone around him was getting up and leaving the Hall. The jurors departed, and two guards came forward, each taking one of Tari's arms to lead her away for her punishment. He couldn't stand it! He couldn't watch this happen! In an instant, he was out of his seat and running toward them.

"Wait!" he called to one of the guards.

Tari turned to look at him, her eyes somber. "Go, Legolas..." she whispered. "I cannot bear to have you see this..."

"Nor can I. That is why I ask that I take her punishment instead." Legolas said, staring at one of the guards... He even knew this elf. His name was Luminar, and he had met him on his first journey to Rivendell...

"No Legolas!" Tari said firmly, "This is my punishment, and I shall see it through."

"Tari, no-" Legolas pleaded, reaching out to grasp her arm. But she pulled away.

"Legolas, no. Stop." she whispered. Her hands were released from the guards' grips, and she placed them on either side of Legolas's face. " I would rather receive one-thousand lashes, than be banished from my home. I shall take the punishment, and that is final." she finished, her voice crisp and strong.

Luminar took hold of Tari's arm once more, though it was gentle and kind. "I am sorry, Legolas..." he whispered to his friend, before turning back to Tari, and leading her away, leaving Legolas to stand there, not believing what was about to be done to her...

The first blow upon her bare back was like that of a knife ripping through flesh. She pursed her lips, and thought of anything but the pain. Her hands clenched upon the rope that they were bound with. She felt warm, sticky blood oozed down her back, as again and again the whip cut into her flesh. Ten lashes... twenty lashes... thirty lashes... She lost count after a while, feeling nothing but pain and agony. In her mind, she couldn't get the image of Legolas's grief stricken face as he watched her being led away...

It felt like hours had passed, and not just a few minutes, when the guard finally threw aside the whip and left the room, horrified at what he had done. Tari heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and a woman's terrified cry. Someone's hands were undoing the ropes upon her wrists, as another pair of trembling hands gently wrapped a cloak, or blanket, over her shoulders. Tari hissed at the pain that stung her back, as the cloak brushed over her deep wounds.

"I'm sorry, Tari..." came Aragorn's voice. She was too weak to care. The pain hurt too much, so she closed her eyes. Next thing she knew, someone was lifting her up off the ground, and into their arms. Tari let out a feeble scream as the agony intensified.

Every tiny jostle that she felt, wrenched a cry from her lips. Finally, she felt herself being laid upon a bed, face down (but with her head to the side so she could breath!). The cloak was removed with the same gentleness.

Someone gasped slightly, near her. She heard Aragorn whisper something, and then he and Arwen left the room.Then, she heard the voice of the man that had been on her mind the entire time she had been whipped... "You shouldn't have done this, Tari... You should've let me take this for you..." Legolas whispered. He took a cloth that had been soaking in a steaming bowl of water that had crushed Athelas in it, and laid it upon her back. She hissed again with the pain, but relaxed soon after; letting the warmth and the herb take it's effects.

"I couldn't let you..." She whispered, feeling him take off the cloth, dip it in the water, and then reapply it.

Her back was so bloody, that within minutes, the bowl of water Legolas had been using was crimson. 'Ai, Elbereth!' he thought as he got a fresh cloth, and began to try and clean her wounds. 'Why have you chosen this for her? What has she done?'

"The worst is yet to come Legolas... In a fortnight - the worst will come..." Tari whispered, as her eyes closed and she fell into a deep nightmarish sleep.

For the record, I wrote this chapter for you to understand that Arya and her father failed at banishing Tari. She had to receive some kind of punishment, so... Yeah.