Chapter 8
"So you think she will want her ceremonial armor for her trial?" Kait stood and moved towards the tall male warrior as he descended the stairs to pause on the end of the steps and look with infinite sadness to his friend.
"I think she would feel more renewed if she were to wear her ceremonial armor for the trial and that the entire island may see who she truly is and what she represents and that is their interests."
As Marstoq has spoken with the passion of a love from a son for his mother the door had opened and there was this soft clapping sound. "Bravo Captain, you speak your words so eloquently and yet your mother is standing trial for betraying this island and its laws."
He immediately noticed how Kait had stiffened at the sound of his voice and this truly did wound him, he had respected the lady Kaitlin and found her to be one of the most pure women this island had offered and now he felt he had lost her respect.
Looking at Marstoq she asked quietly, "is Gillian in the nursery?"
Mars nodded. Kaitlin smiled and made her way up the stairs only after a formally polite nod to Morgan to disappear to the rooms above.
Marstoq moved to pass Morgan but paused at his side, "So you see, one that would hold no animosity is not very happy with you."
Morgan frowned slightly, "That is regrettable I find the Lady Kaitlin a very delicate and beautiful woman that has a lot of charm. She unlike your mother would learn to grieve in silence and get over it."
Kaitlin had stepped out of the rooms upstairs and now held the tiny little girl in her arms. "Actually Dr. Manshak I would grieve and then I would wait and then I would strike, you see sometimes its us silent ones that you should worry about the most."
Morgan frowned as he looked up seeing Kaitlin poised with a sleepy dark haired child that laid her chin on Kaitlin's shoulder. "Momma, me want momma." Gillian sighed and said softly to Kaitlin.
"Soon poppet, we will have your mommy home soon."
Gillian yawned and blinked her huge dark eyes at her Aunt Kait. "Aunt Katydid, bring momma home soon?"
Kait smiled and then looked down accusingly at Morgan. "Yes darling soon." With an open look of defiance Kait looked down at Morgan with disgust.
M'lar crawled up on the small bunk and peered out the portal and watched as the sun began its long laborious crawl into the morning sky. The sky was painted with streaks of red across the cloudbank that formed over the island. M'lar had remembered how the sailors that frequented the Hoch would use an age-old saying 'Red skies in the morning sailor take warning.'
Which essentially meant that there would be a storm coming and rough seas ahead. But this was the sword coast and along these coastal waterway was ten thousand miles of ocean and a smattering of islands and landlocked areas that hinted at the fortune and misfortunes to be found.
However today for her M'lar knew was designated the day of her trial. Feeling the tension growing in her gut she sat on the edge of the bunk and looked at the many sheaves that she had written one of which was her last will and testament and guardianship for her daughter to Kaitlin.
Looking over at the bag that held her royal armor she knew that if she had to take her last breath this day she wanted it to be in something that was her and that was those articles of clothing. Moving to open the bag she pulled out the breast plate and laid it on the bunk, then the golden leather skirt, and then the golden leather jacket and the golden bracers.
At least she would make a striking corpse. She pulled her hair upon her head and reached for the circlet and draped her hair through and over the crow, then fixed the veil. Stripping off the simple gown she had worn for her restless night of sleeplessness she stood and pulled the breastplate over her breasts and felt the pressure change in the room. When Raven stepped into the room and immediately averted his eyes and turned his back.
"The guard will be here shortly to transport you to the Kane's. You will be tried there." M'lar continued to dress as she listened to the even tones of his voice.
"Will you be my executioner"" She asked and felt the tightness of her voice with the dryness that suddenly encompassed her and a case of nerves filled her.
"Yes."
M'lar finished putting on the skirt, and then drew on the thigh high boots. "I am ready. Will you promise me that if I am found guilty that you make it a quick death?"
Raven turned and peered at the woman before him and spoke again with no or little emotion. "I will make sure my blade strikes you true through the heart, you will know death instantly."
M'lar nodded and then reached for her papers. "Thank you." She had finally returned her own words with as little emotion as he had expressed.
"You only believe I am some horrible siren that tempt men with my body to do as I want them to do. I want you to know before we leave this room and I go face my accusers that I am no such demoness and I only sought to see Morgan Manshak a dreadlock brought to justice for the death of my son, whom I know you have little regard for him because he was a fallen warlock and branded a dreadlock. But that is the truth and the whole truth."
Raven looked on impassively, "I know you are a woman that has a great deal of chaos in your thoughts and your life and that you served a vengeful deceitful god and you worshiped ;evil at one time, I just wonder that have you truly left your old ways behind."
Raven still stood with his back to her as he spoke, "If that is the case this trial will be the turning point of your life M'lar, heed what is about to happen and know I will strike you down without a second thought if you are found guilty."
M'lar stepped past him to the hallway only pausing for a moment next to him she whispered, "Then strike true and do your duty."
Not allowing him a retort to her comment she moved to the galley and waited at the table having heard the heavy trundle of the prison wagon. The sound was distinctive as it moved up the docks.
She could hear that a crowd had gathered outside to watch the transport of the most notorious woman known as M'lar. Watching her being lead off for her trial. The fear she had was that these people believed the lies that had been circulating about her and thought her some horrible monster that was out to attack and murder their precious doctor.
As the guard moved onto the deck, M'lar stood up head held proud and moved up the stairs to stand with pride on the deck of the spell jammer. From the docks there was suddenly a hush and then one person started with a simpatico clapping one clap, then one more clap and suddenly that clap was joined by another clap until the large crowed that had gathered were all clapping
M'lar felt the tears edge her eyes as she looked upon the people that had gathered and they were applauding her. The guards were growing nervous not sure what was about to happen. When Raven stepped out on the deck he glanced over the assembly on the docks and then turned to his cannons and nodded to the cannoneer.
On his single the cannons were aimed at the crowed. A soft gasp of incredulousness ran through the crowed and shouts of discontentment were sounded off to those that had gathered. Raven lifted his hand and spoke, no emotion. "We will not have a riot, the prisoner will be taken Kane's where she will stand trial if you have something to add to her defense then join her there."
He turned to the town guard and nodded, "Remove the prisoner and take her to Kane's." They in turn nodded to Raven and gently escorted M'lar down the plank to the prison transport. M'lar was helped into the barred wagon and locked in.
She moved to sit on the one single bench that sat against the far end of the wagon and waited for the jolt and the transport was set into motion. Taking a deep breath she looked on bravely to those that had tried to crowd up to the wagon and offer their hands for support and offers of good luck.
M'lar smiled at them but her mind was filled with fear and with uncertainty. She nodded and whispered her thank yous as she passed the crowds that had assembled along the route and were now following them to Kane's.
The trip seemed to take so long as she watched the crowd grow bigger and bigger behind the wagon and they all followed with a soft murmur of their worry and concerns. M'lar could pick out the ones she knew and she recognized them as ones she had helped monetarily or with her healing powers or had given them a job or found them a job. They all followed showing their support.
The wagon drew to a halt she could see another wagon had followed behind at a more sedate speed and behind the crowd that now moved forward to fill the building that was Kane's training arena. M'lar stood and waited to be escorted into the large structure.
She had been here many times to watch the training of the men. There was an entryway with an observation room. Next to that was an office. Entering into the main room that had been used for training was like a huge common area with highly polished wooden floors.
She remembered how she had stood in that entryway and watched her son training under the direction of Kane; the room now was filled with benches and was packed. In the front part of the room in a staging area sat two tables end to end and at the table sat Kane, Glithcalis, King Eric, Prin, Kaitlin, Kyger, Prin, and Gilden.
All people she had called friend and had shared her life with in one-way or another. Gathering her papers close she allowed the guard to lead her to the single table that sat in front facing the Council. M'lar searched for Morgan and then saw him at the back of the room. So he was the topic of this tribunal of course he would not be permitted to sit in judgment of her.
M'lar lowered her eyes to the table and arranged her papers and reached for the quill and ink well and readied herself. She knew it was probably futile she had already been found guilt. All that remained was the matter of when they would execute her.
The room held a buzz of whispered conversation and then silence as someone else entered the room from the rear. M'lar turned and she saw Rahvin who turned his dark penetrating gaze upon her at the front table and then looked down.
He had been gaged and was shackled and the guard stood on either side of him and pushed him against the back wall. "You will be after her."
Rahvin made no other acknowledgement as he waited for the trail to begin he was frustrated and it was evident in the tension of his body and his eyes. M'lar turned her gaze back to the front and waited. Eric took his gavel and landed it on the table. "We will being this trial of Council Woman M'lar and the Necromancer Rahvin Bloodthorne will follow her trial. Councilman Gilden will you please read the charges as they were written."
Zak Allen sat at the rear of the room and watched Morgan he could not help but notice that despite the fact he showed no emotion he was highly charged and not at all happy at the number of people that had shown up to support his mother.
Morgan looked at the necromancer that thought to take his life and smiled and something told Zak, Morgan was planning something he just did not know what. He watched, as Morgan seemed to be studying Rahvin.
Morgan did study Rahvin, he was concentrating on pushing his way onto the gag and the shackles that bound the necromancer and as he felt the ~molecular agitation~ weakening the gag and the shackles he turned his attention back to the charges as they were read. Oh he had plans and they were marvelous plans and they did involve M'lar and the necromancer.
Gilden had stood and read, "By decree of the council and the good King Eric the Goldleif the following charges were brought against Council woman M'lar as follows: She did conspire with a group of citizens in Foothills Park to plan to carry out and murder the Head of the Council Morgan Manshak."
Kane having heard all this before and growing quite bored with the whole affair exerted his own will and with a subtle pop ~teleported~ from the room. M'lar held her head proud and she waited for her chance to question any witness that said she had conspired to kill Morgan.
Eric sighed sadly and refused to look at M'lar, as he turned to the council members present at the table and asked, "Councilman Kyger as you brought these serious allegations to our attention would you care to explain what you heard in the park on the night in question?"
There it was the one that had said she wanted to kill Morgan. She waited and she knew she did not at this time have the heart to attack Kyger. Kyger had been a friend, trusted and respected by her. M'lar lowered her eyes to her papers as she noted Glithcalis shoot a disapproving glare at her.
Kyger stood up and moved to the head of the table and stood in front of M'lar who only raised her eyes to him and waited for him to speak. Kyger refused to look at her as he faced those that had gathered and it was rather formidable the amount of support she commanded from the people of the island.
Kyger a short compact man with possible mix blood of some form or another turned his boyishly handsome face to nod to the council then to the assembly. "Late one night while on patrol in the woods, I noticed that there was a gathering in the park, Marstoq, Yielder, an elf by the name of Rathferth, another silver elf by the name of Sidon Nile, the council woman M'lar, and the necromancer Bloodthorne were gathered."
Kyger had for a moment shot a glance at M'lar then looked away quickly, "They had been discussing the head of the council Morgan Manshak that she was going to bring him down for the murder of her son Joe. That she wanted him brought to justice and that if she went too far with him he may try to harm her and if she was to start acting odd it would be more than likely that Morgan had used some kind of mind trick on her and that Kaitlin and Orion would know what to do to get her away."
At the mention of these involving higher placed members of the guard being involved, Eric moaned and shook his head and looked down at the table. Then he glanced down the table at Kaitlin and sighed deeply and continued to listen.
"Do go on Kyger."
Kyger took a deep breath and began to speak again. "Well, M'lar said she only wished to see him brought to justice for the death of Joe Otter and the necromancer Bloodthorne said he would prefer to see him dead and that would eliminate the problem. That he could easily design a way to kill Manshak. That apparently the whole island would be better off without him. Then M'lar said she did not want him dead but brought to trial."
'M'lar closed her eyes and sighed, Kyger had just implicated Marstoq, Yielder and all her friends and now they all could be subject to a trial and put to death. Preparing to take the full blame for all of this she stood and cleared her throat, "May I approach this court and make a statement?"
Her stomach was in a hard knot and she was heartily sickened by this whole affair and ready to take the blame for everything if it meant they would not go after Marstoq or the others. Morgan cleared his throat. "If I may approach the council and make my own observations before the good council woman makes her statement."
Morgan had frowned having ~ego whipped~ and ~probed~ her thoughts. He knew she was about to accept the blame for everything and that would not do at all. He had plans and he needed her indebted to him.
Eric glanced up and smiled his appreciation to Morgan as he approached the front of the room. He could feel the tension and the hatred of those present was more than palatable it was like a wave that was washing over him and he needed this under his control now.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the council, good citizens of New Damara, obviously by the recent testimony of Councilman Kyger, M'lar was a mother suffering a tremendous amount of grief. Her intent was obviously not to seek my death therefore she did not commit treason."
There was an audible hush that rushed over the room when Morgan exonerated M'lar from the deed in which she had been charged. Using his hands in an effeminate manner he waved and said, "As for the others I am sure they were under the direction of Marstoq because they knew the vile necromancer Bloodthorne was plotting my death and they were waiting to uncover the means in which he was going to perform this dastardly deed. Therefore, the only one capable of treason in this situation is the necromancer Bloodthorne."
Eric sighed relieved that the corruption of his council had not run as deep as he feared and he looked to Morgan. "So how do you wish to proceed Morgan?"
Morgan smiled and bowed to Eric, "My intentions are that M'lar be released, and that the necromancer Rahvin be put to death."
M'lar turned her gaze shooting to Rahvin and she shook her head. "No mercy he cannot help he is so caught up in his passions. Please mercy, banishment not death!"
Rahvin shot a glance to her as she asked for mercy and banishment and he saw what he had failed to see before she had set him up and on more than one occasion. He shook his head and then he smiled under his gag.
Rahvin had felt a moment's elation as he felt the gag loosen and the bonds of the shackles grow weaker and was able to with a single snap break them open and throw the gag from his mouth and shove the guard away from him and softly utter the words that allowed him to teleport without fail from the room.
M'lar collapsed to the chair and put her head in her arms. She was not sure exactly what had just happened but one thing was for sure, she was not going to die. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder and looked up into the gaze of her loving sister. "Sister its time to go home. Come along."
M'lar turned to the room and all eyes were on her and Eric could not help but see the devotion that all in the room held for her as they moved forward to congratulate her. She took each hand offered and shared tears with all those that had called her friend and accepted hugs from those that offered them. Then she felt a tug on her skirt and looked down to see Paul with a medallion around his small neck and he sat up on his hind legs and extended the medallion to her.
Taking the medallion in her nerveless fingers she looked over at Droconis and smiled. "What is this?" He moved forward and scooped her up in his arms and hugged her tight. "That is a medallion making you a priestess of Bahamut and under the protection of Droco-dramire and me. "
M'lar smiled, "I have a god now thank you my dearest friend, thank you so much." Droc leaned down and took the medallion from Paul and let him scamper up his arm to hide behind his shoulder as Droc dropped the medallion over her head and then turned to the others that had gathered.
"Excuse us a moment we will return shortly." He turned and led M'lar to Eric. "King Eric, my I present the newest postulant Priestess to my world, now perhaps you will be more forgiving for her new associations and forget her old ones."
Eric looked to M'lar and frowned, "Perhaps you will learn that those that follow the investigation of death are not good and you should avoid them M'lar you would then avoid this kind of complication in your life."
It was a chastisement and a soft one at that and Eric was tired he just wanted to head back to Noble Island and sleep. This whole torrid affair had nearly destroyed New Damara and all over a woman that commanded more of this nations citizenry than he. This was something he seriously had to think about.
Glithcalis stepped forward, "There is the matter of her position on the council Milord, I vote she not be allowed to return." M'lar felt as if she had been physically struck and lowered her gaze her moments elation was now crushed and it was by those simple words uttered by Glith.
Eric turned and looked at Glith. "I think that is something to discuss at the next council meeting Arch Mage for now this is over we have an escaped prisoner that means to see this island destroyed and the head of our council dead. That I fear is far more important than whether or not you feel M'lar is fit to sit on council." With that said he turned and sighed deeply, "We will convene a meeting at the end of the week M'lar you will be expected to be there."
M'lar nodded and turned seeing Morgan waiting for her. Sliding her glance apologetically to Droc and then to Kait she went to Morgan as he motioned her to him.
"You were lucky this time M'lar. Next time I won't be so generous. You owe me and you are in my debt along with that annoying son of yours Marstoq. I suggest you think long and hard the next time and you appreciate all I have done for you this night."
Without preamble he turned and moved to the door and stepped out and from the sound of the subtle popping noise that was heard outside she knew he had teleported away.
Weighing his words she knew he was right she did owe him and now she was indebted to him and it ate away at her. Closing her eyes she calmed her nerves and felt the gentle fingers of Kait as she lead her back to Droconis and the others that still awaited her return.
She moved on leaden legs to the gathering and smiled her gratitude and thanked each and every one of them for their support. Holding in a wealth of emotion and hoping not to break down in front of them she knew she was exhausted and all she wanted was to sleep.
To go and hold her daughter's body close to her own, cradle her to her breasts and whisper over and over in her ear how much she loved her while holding her close. As if answer to her thoughts and her prayers Orion entered the room holding onto a tiny little dark curly headed child.
That child looked around with bright intelligent dark eyes and they lit up seeing her mother and she squealed out causing all in the room to turn and smile seeing the child. She held out her arms and shouted, "Momma, Momma, Momma. Down, down, down, me, want momma!" She was set down and she ran full tilt towards her mother's legs and dived into them burying her face to her mother's booted legs and held on for dear life.