Barb Hendee - Rebel Fay

Caramel faces among the crowded turned, one by one, and then more. Wynn followed the wave of shifting focus.

Freth came down the far slope, dressed the same as Brot'an, with her hair pulled back. Four Anmaglahk followed behind her, bearing the ends of wooden bars over their shoulders.

Between the bearers, Most Aged Father sat upon an ornate chair with rounded sides that cradled his frail body. He was wrapped in a blanket or long shawl of the gray-green, the color of his Anmaglahk. Whispering murmurs filled the clearing at his entrance.

Most Aged Father's face was overshadowed by a fold of his wrap, but Wynn thought he squinted against the bright sun. His emaciated features and pale skin were worse to look upon than in his root chamber's dim candlelight. The bearers settled him beside Freth's table, and he turned his head slowly, examining the crowd.

Sgaile stepped to the clearing's center and lifted his face to the gathering, calling out in clear Elvish, "I welcome the people and their clans, as represented by their elders, to hear the claim in dispute."

Not a breath passed before Frethfare's voice rose. "Brot'an'duive, you are already in breach of our ways. Only the accused may stand at your side. The others will be removed immediately."

Brot'an stepped around his table past Magiere. For all his calm ways, his voice thundered across the clearing.

"Leshil is involved by implication and has a right to be present. And I choose the one called Wynn"-he pointed to her for all to take note-"to serve as Magiere's translator."

All eyes turned to Wynn, and she shrank from them, stepping halfway behind Leesil.

"The accused has the right to hear all that is said," Brot'an continued, "as it is said and not thereafter. I will not allow the accuser's advocate to complicate matters by requiring me to be Magiere's translator as well as her advocate! That would be a breach of courtesy… if not law."

Sgaile cut off Freth's retort with a hand raised toward Brot'an.

"The accused's advocate is within custom and law. The advocate for the accuser"-and he turned toward Frethfare-"has no further grounds for this challenge."

Frethfare scowled and went to crouch beside Most Aged Father.

Wynn quickly translated all that was said for Magiere and Leesil, though a few nuances of dialect frustrated her. The night before, Brot'an had advised them that proceedings were conducted in Elvish, the proper language, and few clan leaders spoke any other tongue. He told them little else, claiming there was no time to understand more. Too much preparation might work against Magiere, if Frethfare tried to trip her up amid rehearsed responses.

Wynn was uncertain how much of this was just Brot'an's own scheming. Undoubtedly he risked alienating Most Aged Father and his own caste in standing as Magiere's advocate.

Brot'an stepped further into the clearing. "I thank the council for being present to render judgment, but I fear your time is not well spent."

Frethfare stood up. Both she and Most Aged Father turned rapt attention on Brot'an as he gestured toward Magiere,

"Most Aged Father gave this woman and hercompanions safe passage and sent Sgailsheilleache under oath of guardianship to escort them to Crij-heaiche. Now, her own host claims that she is one of the humans' undead-something unnatural, returned from beyond death to this world. A human without a guide would have succumbed to the forest, left to wander until captured or dead. An undead could not have entered at all, as none have ever been seen in our land. Yet she walked among us for many days and in the company of a majay-hi. The claim of the accuser is shown false by Magiere's very presence."

Wynn hurried her translation, but as Brot'an paused, her gaze slipped to Most Aged Father. She unconsciously shifted back half a step at the steady hatred upon his face. The ancient elf appeared about to erupt, but Brot'an resumed in a forceful voice.

"Look upon the accused in the full light of day.Human, without doubt. For as little as we know of their kind's… 'undead'… our land and the spirits of our ancestors have never tolerated such before. By both these ancient authorities, the claim against her should be dismissed as superstition."

Wynn heard dissenting voices, high-pitched in anger, and her attention swung to their source-the Aruin'nas. One of their elders shouted to a nearby elven clan. Wynn could not follow their strange language, though its sound and cadence was akin to Elvish. Clearly they came only to see a human put to death.

Brot'an returned to his table as Wynn finished translating.

Leesil smoldered with satisfaction-perhaps surprised and pleased by the strength of Brot'an's statement. But this was only the beginning. Wynn knew the claim against Magiere could not be dispelled with words.

Most Aged Father leaned toward Freth, whispering, and she crouched briefly to listen.

Freth shook her head emphatically, and Most Aged Father squirmed in seething frustration. She stepped around her table, but Most Aged Father shouted out before she reached the clearing's center.

"Twister of truth!"

The wizened old elf jabbed a bony finger at Brot'an.

Brot'an dropped his eyes to the table, and Wynn faltered in her translating.

Murmurs faded among the gathering as Freth turned in shock to Most Aged Father.

"She is undead!" he shouted weakly. "I know her kind, as the rest of you do not. My caste witnessed her change withtheir own eyes. Sgailsheilleache was present, and who among you would doubt his word?"

"Do something," Leesil hissed at Brot'an.

"Be quiet," Wynn warned.

Brot'an did not look up. Neither did he seem affected by the old elf's words.

Several elders around the clearing turned to attendants and companions. Some called out to each other, while others sent companions weaving through the crowd to nearby clans. There were too many low voices for Wynn to catch anything that was said, but she noted surprise mixed with concern on many faces.

Brot'an remained placidly silent, which only made Wynn more nervous by the moment.

Freth looked hesitantly at Sgaile, as if waiting for him rather than Brot'an to say something. She backed away as Sgaile stepped out.

"The accuser…" Sgaile's voice faltered. "The accuser will leave his claim in the hands of his advocate and remain silent until called upon. And as all are aware, the adjudicator is not permitted to witness for either side of a dispute."

When Brot'an lifted his head, he showed neither reluctance nor satisfaction-only cold poise.

Sgaile, standing within Most Aged Father's plain sight, was an obvious choice for support. Even Wynn understood that choice, for what she knew of Sgaile, but he had a rigid adherence to his people's customs, as well as the hidden codes of his caste.

Brot'an's blunt opening had been a goad thrust at Most Aged Father. The old one could not containhimself, and his outburst had served Brot'an. But Wynn realized still more.

If Most Aged Father's claim was proven true, then he was accountable to the elders for having given Magiere safe passage in the first place. If proven false, the elders might see him as senile and erratic for claims against one under his own protection. And either way, he might be held presumptuous for allowing humans into this land at all. The council grew unsettled by his inappropriate action.

Wynn turned a suspicious eye on Brot'an.

The tall and scarred anmaglahk played a dangerous game with his leader-with Magiere caught between them. Yet who better to stand against the claims of a patriarch of assassins than a master among the Anmaglahk?

Wynn slipped her hand around Magieres wrist and squeezed lightly.

Freth reclaimed the clearing's center and began in a calm, clear voice.

"Do not be fooled by this woman's appearance. As Brot'бnduive says, we know little of the humans' undead. Who among you could swear to know one upon sight? Three days past, I saw her eyes turn black, her teeth and nails like a predator's, and her strength grow beyond any human's. She attacked my caste like a feral beast. Any acceptance by our land or the majay-hi was achieved through trickery. She is dark-begotten and must be destroyed…"