Disclaimer: I don't own squat, not a damn thing. Well, I own a rather nice pair of red Converse high-tops, but that's it. As far as Ardeth, Evy, or Rick, no, sorry, not mine. The OC, however, is mine. Flames will be used to light my backyard barbecue pit. Please R&R, I'm desperate.
-Belle
Dawn broke far too quickly for Lira. She was exhausted from the night before. The emotional strain was finally starting to weigh on her. Between her confrontation with Ardeth and what had happened in that room with Joshua she was strung out. She felt like she didn't have anything left in her for this council meeting. She left the fort like a mindless zombie escorted by the Medjai. She didn't register any of the activity in the marketplace. As they reached the Museum of Antiquities, the only thing registering was the acute headache developing behind her eyes. She very much wanted to get out of the light.
She had no way of knowing how many people would be there, but as she was led through the museum and down a flight of stairs she began to hear a multitude of voices. She'd expected a few elders and maybe a couple of the guards who'd witnessed Joshua's demise, but as the large double doors opened, she saw a full table of nine elders and a room packed to the gills with men and women alike. As soon as they saw her enter, though, the strange foreign woman, they all stopped chatting. She had a feeling this council meeting was far more serious than originally indicated. As she looked at the council she saw Ardeth standing to one side. She tried her best to concentrate on the council and ignore him, but she could feel the anger radiating off him. Everything from the way he stood to the way he moved his head stiffly from side to side scanning the crowd indicated this seething rage. For a moment, she wondered if she was the cause. When he caught her eyes, however, and his face paled around his suddenly fearful eyes, she knew it was far worse.
"Lira Onen!" a voice from the center of the table boomed. She regarded the man critically. He was standing and the room was silent, "You are here to testify to the comments of one Joshua Lieger as made before his death." The man declared.
"Understood." She said simply, standing firm and keeping eye contact on the man. He paused a moment.
"Would you care to repeat what you heard last night as fully and accurately as you can?" the man asked, finally sitting down. She nodded her head curtly.
"Certainly," she said with resolve and commenced relaying everything she could remember with astounding accuracy. She had, after all, been very interested in whatever lousy excuses he had. When she reached the part where he'd explained why he'd gotten so close to her, the audience drew in a collective breath, but Lira continued without pause. When she was finished, there was silence as the council members regarded one another.
"We must clarify, young woman, whether or not you recall these visions he claimed. Do you remember ever having dreams concerning Egyptian artifacts or temple or palace locations?" one of the men asked. It seemed an odd question to her.
"No, I don't." she responded, and the audience erupted in chatter. Lira stood silently, still facing the table. The elders called the audience to order.
"Do you understand the seriousness of this inquisition?" the man in the center asked.
"Clearly not." She said, unflinching. Ardeth was watching her silently. He'd been absolutely outraged when he'd arrived to meet the elders this morning and saw the volume of people coming to witness the questioning. He was beside himself with rage when he realized they'd assembled an execution council. It had been against Esam's wishes, he saw no harm in the girl, but he had to tell the truth. He had to tell them about these dreams. This was a colossal threat in the eyes of the elders, and the fact that she could not remember or control these visions essentially sealed her fate. Still, his heart ached as he saw her standing there, proud and fearless before these elders.
"These dreams of yours pose an imminent threat to our people. We guard the most ancient and dangerous evils in the land of Egypt. You have no way to control this phenomena. What do you think our conclusion must then be?"
"I was told I would not face execution." She responded blandly.
"I'm afraid Esam was mistaken. You are too great a threat to ignore. You could potentially lead to the destruction of the world as we know it. It is regretful, but we cannot allow you to have access to the outside world. As our people have no prisons, execution is the only option." The middle man spoke. Lira was stunned, but she did her best to hide it.
"I see."
"You will, of course, be able to choose the method of your death. It will be quick and painless."
"Oh, of course." She said sarcastically. The man was silent. There was a moment of discussion between the men at the table. Finally the man in the middle stood up.
"All corresponding testimony has been made. Unless someone chooses to step forward on behalf of this woman, we will hand down our judgment." He paused and there was silence. Lira glared. She had no intention of taking this lying down. "In that case, we, the elders of the twelve tribes of the Medjai…"
"Stop!" came Ardeth's thundering voice. A shock traveled through the room, as he stepped forward into the circle where Lira stood. He looked down at her, her green eyes burning with defiance, and his heart was finally and completely gone. "I will not stand for this." The man at the table sighed, shaking his head.
"The council reminds our gracious chief that he has already used his one veto. The council's decision is final."
"There must be…" Ardeth protested, but he was silenced.
"You know our laws. You have the right to one veto your span of time as acting leader just as your father and his father and grandfather before him. You have used yours, and you cannot change that." The speaker said wearily.
"You don't understand…"
"She's innocent. Yes, we know, but she is still a danger. It's a terrible lot to have, but you know better than anyone, Ardeth, that we must do everything in our power to keep the secrets of the Pharaohs safe."
"There are some things I am not willing to do." Ardeth replied, standing firm. It became very clear he was not leaving her. There would be no backing down. The council glanced at one another.
"You do realize this means you will be stripped of your rank and cast away from your people?"
"Yes." Ardeth responded and Lira stared at him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to face her.
"No, Ardeth, stop it. Don't ruin your life on account of me." She insisted with all gravity. "Of the two of us, you have far more to live for."
"They will not kill me." He reassured.
"No, but you may as well be dead. You know that. You love your people." She growled at him. Ardeth made to reply, but the motion of the doors opening caught the corner of his eye and he turned.
"Gentlemen!" came the commanding voice of Dalal, "Try as you might to keep me from this gathering, you should have known better." There was a collective groan from the council.
"Mother?" Ardeth asked, she lifted a hand to silence him.
"How dare you put together this travesty of a council to condemn this woman," Dalal scolded. Each and every member of the council felt smaller.
"Dalal, unless you have a testimony to add," the man in the center snarled, standing up, "I would ask that you leave the defendant's circle." Dalal glared at him and stood fast.
"I have no testimony." She responded, "Only a gift from my late husband."
"Do not presume to…" the man began, and Dalal cut him short.
"To what? To use what was rightfully left to me?" she scolded before turning to the crowd. "My friends. Hatim in all his years of faithful service never once used his right of veto. Luckily, he never had to. So, upon his death, the right of veto passed to me. I have every intention of using it now." Conversation erupted among the gathered masses. It took several minutes before the council was able to reclaim order. Dalal knew exactly what was going on. Rafa had been at odds with her husband as long as he was chief. He had even greater animosity towards Ardeth. He was on a vendetta to reclaim a position his family line had held a few hundred years ago. He'd scared the rest of the council into thinking the woman was a serious threat. He knew that Ardeth, being the honorable man would never let these trumped up charges fly. In fact, it was because of Rafa that Ardeth had been forced to use his one veto years ago.
"I do not believe this veto can be used to forgive an execution order." Rafa sneered.
"The order has not been issued yet." Dalal pointed out, passing her gaze over each member of the council. Rafa was outraged. He made to stand and declare the execution before Dalal had a chance to officially submit her veto. The hand of the man next to him grabbed his shoulder and sat him back down.
"Do not" Mariq warned, "Do not stick your hand into that hornet's nest. Only a very foolish man would get between a mother and her child." Rafa was steaming. He'd come so close to getting rid of this upstart young chief. He was so close to reclaiming the leadership. He growled and reluctantly stood.
"This council is dismissed,"
A/N: It has been SO long, I know, I swear to all that is holy, it's not my fault. Just as soon as I got off the antibiotics for my strep, I had a dentist appointment (an appointment that I'd had to postpone because I was on antibiotics). I found out I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth. So a week later, I went in to have them removed. This is my first full day of clarity. Though, if you think about it, that's kind of funny. At least I got all that ickyness out of the way in 2005. Here's to a bright new year! Anyway, as a condolence, I will post 2 chapters tonight. My gracious thanks to NewsieGoil1899, Shorty McGee, FawkesFire (Rebel Prince is a song title, I can't tell you who sings it until the very end due to the contest and all, but the lyrics go "Where is my master, the rebel prince? They're breaking everything trying to get to me." For some reason it just felt right for that chapter to me. Can't explain it, I'm a bizarre girl), Ardeth fan, Jedimasterstar, lisa, jibade7, and ThePrincess04. I'll also try to update my other fic tonight, so ya'll should go check it out. Adios!
