Sam Bowring - Prophecy's Ruin

‘Naphur should show some backbone,’ said Bel. ‘The Trusted is his subject, just like everyone else.’

‘A very powerful subject, my boy,’ said Fahren.

‘Well, don’t forget who amongst us is really the powerful one,’ replied Bel. ‘Perhaps it would be best not to get the future saviour of the realm agitated, or does that count for nothing?’

‘Bel! Just remember that when the wasp Trusted leaves, Naphur won’t be so worried about Cydus kicking up a stink. Who knows how long Jaya will remain in jail – especially if she marries a peacekeeper.’

Bel turned to Fahren wearing an expression of such alarm that Fahren’s eyes crinkled in amusement. Baygis also smiled – he well understood Bel’s reaction to marriage. He continued to look around the court. At the front, of course, sat Cydus with a couple of his friends, speaking loudly and laughing. Baygis noted a few other courtiers scattered about, boorishly interested in the slightest of scandals. Behind him an aide cleared his throat and Baygis turned slightly in acknowledgement.

‘High Overseer,’ said the aide. ‘The accused has arrived. She waits with the other witnesses.’

‘No other witnesses will be necessary.’

‘Very good, lord. Shall I announce you?’

‘Please,’ said Baygis unenthusiastically.

The aide walked to his own small desk on one side of the balcony. He cleared his throat and a murmur rippled through the crowd as they realised the trial was about to begin.

‘Silence, please!’ called the aide. ‘This is the trial of Jaya Kincare, charged with unlawful entry into the house of Lord Assicon Cydus and reckless damage to his property. Presiding is High Overseer Baygis Naphur.’

Baygis entered the balcony and took his position on a high bench at the front. He flicked his white-gold overseer’s robe out behind him as he sat, and nodded to his aide.

‘Bring in Jaya Kincare!’ called the aide.

A guard appeared leading Jaya, who was shackled at the wrists. Baygis glanced at Cydus, who was waiting greedily for the girl’s humiliation. He would not be sorry to disappoint him, or the other scandalmongers sitting in the viewing gallery.

‘You are Jaya Kincare?’ Baygis asked in a carrying voice.

‘Yes, High Overseer.’

‘I have already had your admission. Is there anything else you’d like to add?’

‘No.’

‘Good,’ said Baygis. ‘Then you are guilty as charged and sentenced to two years in Kadass Jail.’ He rang a brass bell that stood on the bench. ‘That’s it, everybody. Off you all go.’

Cydus was clearly outraged at being denied seeing Jaya chewed up by the court and Baygis gave him a little smirk. Then Baygis glanced across at Bel and the others, and his amusement faded as he saw Bel’s expression.

Bel barely heard Fahren speaking to him.

‘…am sure we can work out some kind of …visitation rights …’

Let the old man waffle , thought Bel. I’m not going to settle for any kind of compromise .

As the woman he loved was led away, she looked back at him and an understanding passed between them – he would fix this, somehow. She disappeared, and he fell to wondering how. He briefly imagined storming into the jail and freeing her no matter who was in his way and hang the consequences – what could they really do to the blue-haired boy? Man, he corrected himself. Blue-haired man. The other way, though, was to simply demand it. Would they really refuse him? Would they dare?

‘Come, Bel,’ his father was saying, taking him under the arm. Bel blinked – the courtroom was emptying. He rose and allowed himself to be led out. Baygis appeared in the corridor outside.

‘Bel,’ he said, ‘I am sorry. If there was another way –’

A commotion broke out at a nearby doorway. A young woman ran into the corridor, her curly hair wild and her eyes wilder. She was followed by a nervous peacekeeper who kept ineffectually trying to grab her wrist.

‘…can’t come in right now, miss!’ they heard him say.

‘They said he was here!’ insisted the young woman, knocking the keeper’s hand away.

An older woman appeared at the door behind the young woman. This one was obviously blind, as she was leaning on a stick and holding the door frame. ‘Essie?’ she said, but Essie – Bel assumed Essie was the young woman – wasn’t answering. As Essie’s head turned, her eyes fixed on a point and blazed.

‘There!’ she shouted, pointing at Corlas. ‘There he is, Mother! He’s there! It’s him! That man!’ she screamed, ignoring the peacekeeper trying to quiet her. ‘That’s the swine who murdered my father! HE KILLED MY FATHER!’

She screamed it again and again, stabbing her finger like a dagger of justice. Her blind mother called plaintively from the door frame, and everyone else stood and stared.

‘Oh, yes!’ shouted the woman. ‘I recognise you, you swine, you dog, you filthy, murdering –’

‘Enough!’ roared Bel, stepping forward. ‘Cease this slanderous outpour lest I choke it to a stop! This man is Corlas Corinas, the hero of the Shining Mines, a soldier of Kainordas! Who are you to dare sully him with these baseless accusations?’

‘Do you deny it?’ spat Essie, still staring at Corlas.

‘Of course he denies it!’ shouted Bel, and whirled to his father.

Corlas stood frozen, staring at Essie, his expression ashen. Bel blinked, not understanding what he was seeing.

‘Father?’

More guards appeared. ‘Seize her,’ said Baygis. Essie continued to scream and claw at the keepers who held her, while her mother sobbed. ‘Take her to a holding room, and see the blind woman is given a place to wait.’

‘What madness is this?’ said Bel.

‘That,’ said Baygis calmly, ‘is exactly what we shall find out.’

The hatred from this young woman is astounding, sent Fahren.

Yes, replied Baygis. She believes it so vehemently .

They were in one of the rooms used to house prisoners before trial, featureless but for a table at which the girl Essie sat. A guard behind her forced her down each time she tried to rise, to shake her fists in anger, to scream and yell. It took time to get any sense from her.

It was over twenty years ago, said Baygis. And she remembers only a big man with a big beard. Many fit that description. A man with a similar beard and build to Corlas would be easy to mistake.

But his name, said Fahren. She knows his name.

‘How did you learn the name of this man?’ Baygis demanded.

‘What?’

‘His name, girl! You knew the name Corlas. Did you learn it during the attack?’

Essie stared back defiantly. Baygis laid his hands on the table and leaned in close, piercing her with power-filled eyes. She faltered before them, her gaze flickering downwards.

‘You didn’t, did you?’ said Baygis. ‘Even insane murderers usually don’t leave their names behind for witnesses to remember.’ He sent magic into her, slipping around her tongue and vocal cords, making them pliable to the truth. ‘How?’ he asked. ‘How did you learn the name Corlas?’

Essie gulped. Only the strongest of wills withstood Baygis’s ability to force out the truth.

‘Arkus,’ she gasped.

‘What?’

‘Arkus sent us a messenger!’ she said shrilly. Again she tried to stand, but the guard behind placed strong hands on her shoulders. ‘He said we deserved justice!’ she shouted. ‘He said that the crimes against our family had gone unpunished long enough! He said that the Sun God himself had deemed us worthy to know the name of our transgressor!’