Silently she nodded.
The Count di’Cameron took a deep breath and held it for several seconds before expelling the air. A strange look came over him and he took several long strides toward her, until they stood almost nose to nose. His eyes burned fiercely as he stared into her eyes, “I have done many terrible things, but it grows easier each time. Would you like to know the secret?” He was leaning closer, as though he meant to kiss her cheek.
The stone lady found herself off balance, made hesitant and unsure by his strangely aggressive manner. She tried to take a step back, to pull away, but his arms were around her, one at the small of her back and the other behind her head. She almost yelped in surprise as she felt his lips beside her ear.
“Let me tell you…,” he said, whispering.
When she heard the words she started to scream, but it was too late.
Chapter 30
Alyssa’s trial was held two days after her return, which was almost a mercy, since she was kept in the Lancaster jail during that time. She was allowed no visitors but the food was good. It was better than she felt she deserved.
She had been surprised when Lady Hightower had appeared early on the morning of her trial and she had lowered her face, ashamed.
“Raise your eyes, Alyssa,” the noblewoman had told her.
“I don’t deserve that much honor, milady,” she had replied, “not after what I have done.”
“This is going to be awkward if the client cannot even face her counsel,” Rose had said.
She had looked up then, “Counsel?”
Rose’s face had been serious, showing no humor but filled instead with somber resolve, “I will be defending you today.”
“But why?”
“Because otherwise they’ll execute my son’s fiancée…”
That had been six hours ago, but even now she found herself glancing sideways at the woman beside her in disbelief. Rose Thornbear was a woman in her middle years, but she sat on the hard bench with her back perfectly straight. Everything about her spoke of dignity and decorum and the light in her eyes made certain there was no doubt of her intelligence.
She could not read her at all. By every measure that Alyssa could think of, Rose Thornbear should hate her, but she could detect no malice in her mannerisms. She had spent the morning with Alyssa, questioning her over and over again, making certain of every detail. During that time Alyssa had been unable to decide whether Gram’s mother honestly wanted to help her or was acting on some unseen directive, perhaps from the Count.
The Count sat in the row behind her, with Moira on one side and the Countess on the other, another surprise. Alyssa had somehow expected that he would be presiding as judge, but apparently in Lothion the nobles could only dispense low justice. High justice, cases that could result in execution, were the sole province of the queen herself, or the royal justices that she had appointed.
His Honor, Lloyd Watson was just such a man. He had been summoned from the capital purely for her trial. He was younger than Alyssa had thought a judge might be, appearing to be in his early thirties with short brown hair and eyes that were so dark as to seem black. He had a piercing gaze that made her nervous whenever he glanced in her direction.
“Calm yourself,” cautioned Lady Hightower, “fidgeting will make you appear guilty.”
“I am guilty,” replied Alyssa softly.
Rose scowled at her then, “Do not presume to use that term here. We are pleading innocence today.”
Alyssa’s incredulous expression was all the reply she could give to that statement.
Lady Hightower smiled at that, the first smile she had shown Alyssa all day. “See the Count behind you? I stood before the High Justicer in Albamarl when he was accused of murder.”
“And you proved him innocent?” asked Alyssa.
Rose pursed her lips, “No, but I could have gotten him out of the charges on a legal point of order. Unfortunately, he was stubborn and insisted on allowing the case to stand and he was convicted.”
“You think there is some trick that will save me?”
The noblewoman shook her head, “No. I merely told you that so that you would learn from his stupidity. Don’t be like the Count. They would have executed him if the Queen hadn’t threatened to pardon him.”
“I can hear you,” hissed Mordecai from behind them. Penny elbowed him to warn him to silence as a result.
Alyssa glanced past Rose to look at Gram, who sat farther down the bench beside his grandmother, Elise Thornbear. He gave her a thin smile that couldn’t dispel the nervous anxiety on his face.
John Stanton, the prosecutor was standing and reading the charges, “…did willfully and intentionally conspire to commit murder and kidnapping. The state charges the defendant with conspiracy, fraud, treachery, treason, kidnapping, and murder.”
“How does the defendant answer these charges?” asked Lloyd Watson.
Rose stood, “Your Honor, the defendant respectfully enters a plea of not guilty.”
The judge’s brows went up, “Are you certain? Unless you are planning to argue the facts of this case…”
“The facts are indisputable, Your Honor,” agreed Rose, “but the circumstances are not.”
The judge sighed, “Very well.”
The prosecution proceeded as expected. Master Stanton laid out the facts, beginning with Alyssa’s fraudulent identity as the daughter of a nobleman and continuing to her disappearance and subsequent return with the men who kidnapped Irene Illeniel and slew Lilly Tucker.
In the course of matters, the prosecution called Peter Tucker, Lilly’s brother, to testify regarding his sister’s death. Then they called David Summerfield, her fiancée. Neither had anything material to add to the facts of the case, but their moving descriptions of Lilly Tucker’s kindness and generosity caused many an eye in the courtroom to grow misty. The final witness called was Irene herself, but the questions directed at her were punctual and self-limiting, giving her only enough leeway to confirm the facts of her kidnapping.
Rose had declined to examine Peter or David, but she rose to her feet after the prosecutor was done with Irene. “If I may also question the witness, Your Honor?”
“Of course,” said the judge.
“Did Jasmine Darzin murder Lilly Tucker?” she asked.
Irene looked confused, “I’m not sure who…”
Rose waved her hand at Alyssa, “This woman, the woman you knew as Alyssa. Did she murder Lilly?”
“No,” said Irene. “She told him to stop but he ignored her. She protected me later when…”
“I will get to that in a moment,” said Rose, cutting her off. “By your statement you imply that Jasmine did not, in fact, have command over the men that took you.”
Irene nodded, “Yes, Lady Hightower.”
“How did you escape your kidnappers?”
“Gram tracked them and confronted them at the edge of the mountains, near the Northern Waste. He fought Alyssa, I mean Jasmine’s father, and killed him,” Irene answered.
“And why didn’t Jasmine return with you after that?”
“They shot her. Her father ordered his men to kill me and she covered me with her body,” said Irene.
Rose smiled, “You say they shot her. How many arrows hit Jasmine?”
“Two, I think.”
“And after that you and Gram fled?”
“There were horsemen coming to take us, from across the wastes. Jasmine couldn’t run and Gram couldn’t run fast enough and carry her, so she begged him to leave her with a sword. She was going to try to delay them.”
“Do you think that the defendant wanted to kidnap you?”
“No,” said Irene. “Alyssa hated what they were…”
“Objection, Your Honor,” said John Stanton. “The victim’s opinion of the defendant’s intentions isn’t relevant.
“It is entirely relevant, Your Honor,” argued Rose. “The charges include treachery and fraud, which to be proven, must show that the defendant h
ad a deliberate intention to commit a crime, in this case murder and kidnapping.”
The judge paused a moment but then spoke, “You may continue.”
Rose looked at Irene, “So you don’t think Jasmine wanted to kidnap you?”
“No. She looked after me when the men tried to torment me. She only did it because her father ordered her to,” answered Irene. “She didn’t want to hurt Lilly either.”
Rose had no more questions after that, but Stanton asked to reexamine the witness. The judge agreed and he directed a new question at Irene, “How did the men from Dunbar find your parent’s home in the mountains?”
Irene looked unsure, “I don’t know, exactly.”
“And yet, the only one of them to have been in Castle Cameron, was Jasmine Darzin, is that not true?” he asked.
“The house isn’t in Cameron, though,” responded Irene. “It’s hidden in the mountains. No one knows where…”
“But that isn’t true, is it Irene? Does not your friend, Gram Thornbear visit your home sometimes?” continued the prosecutor.
“Well, yes…”
“And isn’t he also romantically involved with Jasmine?”
Irene faltered, “I don’t know anything about…”
“You are friends with Carissa Thornbear, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t she tell you her brother was in love with the woman calling herself Alyssa?” added the prosecutor.
Irene looked at the floor, “She might have said that. It’s hard to recall.”
“Someone must have told you, though, for you knew that he was in love with her, didn’t you?”
The girl’s lip trembled, “Yes.”
“Then isn’t it reasonable to assume that she learned the location of your home from the man she had seduced, and then used that information to lead her accomplices to your home?”
Irene’s eyes filled with tears and her mouth opened, but she couldn’t find the words to speak. Alyssa heard Moira shifting in her seat and a low growl was coming from Mordecai.
Rose stood once more, “Objection, Your Honor. The witness’ inferences about the defendant’s source of information are hearsay.”
Justice Watson agreed, but the prosecutor smiled as he sat down again. He had made his point.
The case went on and the court heard testimony from Gram, the Count, and various servants that had interacted with Alyssa in the castle. Rose called on Cyhan near the end to discuss the nature of his brother, T’Lar Darzin’s training techniques. She tried to get a full description of what had happened to his younger sister, but the prosecutor argued that it wasn’t material to Jasmine’s case and the judge agreed.
Alyssa lost hope as the day dragged on. She knew she was guilty, and so did everyone else. Rose’s defense seemed pointless. The prosecutor’s closing remarks made that clear enough, all the facts were against her. Neither she, nor anyone else, had denied what she had done. There could be no verdict other than guilty, regardless of her motivations or the circumstances.
And then Rose stood.
“Your Honor, you have heard the prosecution’s case, and the facts are not at issue here.” Her blue eyes caught the light as she turned to face the room. The gray hair that was visible in her coiffure seemed to only highlight the shine of her dark hair. She did not look like a woman about to admit defeat.
“What is at issue, are the charges,” continued Lady Hightower. “Jasmine Darzin is accused of conspiracy, but it cannot be shown that she was willingly involved in planning these crimes. She is accused of treason, but she had not sworn loyalty to Lothion or Albamarl. She was no vassal of the Count’s either. She was acting unwillingly under the coercion and direction of her uncle, the man who raised her and abused her. What should be amazing is that she was unwilling. The only loyalty she had been trained to know, was to that evil man, and yet she chose, when the moment of crisis was upon her, to risk her life to save Irene Illeniel.
“Treason is impossible to justify, as is treachery. Treachery involves the unexpected use of force to commit a crime in such a way that the offender is safe from retaliation, and yet she put herself in harm’s way. When her uncle ordered the kidnapping of the Count’s family, she went with them, willingly, yes, but not to further the crime. She went to guarantee the safety of the people she had come to love and respect, and when she was forced by circumstances, she betrayed her comrades to protect Irene Illeniel. The only treachery she committed was against her uncle.
“Murder is likewise untenable. By the account of Irene herself, as well as the other witnesses, Jasmine Darzin did not murder Lilly Tucker. In fact, she spoke out against it. Her sole purpose for being there was to prevent that very thing from happening.
“Jasmine Darzin, who by the way, prefers to go by the name she assumed when she first came here, Alyssa, is not guilty of those charges. Not as they are written, not treason, or treachery, or murder, or even conspiracy. I will not argue against the charges of fraud or kidnapping, but the rest is an attempt to foist upon her a punishment that she does not deserve.
“The true question facing this court today, if reason is to be honored, is not as simple as deciding guilt or innocence. This young woman is not guilty of most of the crimes named. The real issue is how we will treat a woman abused and betrayed by those who should have cared for and nurtured her, a woman who then was ordered to kidnap our Count’s daughter, a woman who in the end made the correct choice by turning against her uncle and saving Irene Illeniel, even at the possible cost of her own life.”
Rose pointed at Alyssa, “This woman is not a murderer, but she has broken the law. Will we use this court as an excuse for vengeance and reprisal? The men responsible for those other crimes are dead. Will we make her our scape goat in their stead, a sacrifice to fulfil our need for revenge, or will we treat her according to the mistakes she is truly guilty of?”
Lady Hightower’s voice ended on that note and the silence that followed seemed to echo with significance. When she sat down the judge addressed the courtroom, “I will need a short while to deliberate.”
Everyone rose as he left and when he had gone the room broke into a multitude of conversations. Moira reached forward to touch Alyssa’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. Whatever happens I won’t let them take you.”
“Moira!” said her father, his face unusually severe.
Moira looked away, but she had no intention of changing her statement. She had meant it. I could change everyone’s mind. Then her eyes landed on Cyhan.
The big man stood alone on the far side of the room, but his eyes were locked on Alyssa. His normally relaxed stance was gone and for once he seemed to have little awareness of his surroundings. It was as if his mind only had room for one thing.
“Alyssa, look,” said Moira, tapping the other woman’s shoulder again and directing her gaze toward Cyhan.
Alyssa looked down, “I cannot.”
“He’s your father. Let him see your face. You’ve barely met before this. This might be your only chance,” suggested Moira.
“He must hate me for what I’ve done,” said Alyssa softly. “I can’t bear to see it in his face.”
Moira looked at Cyhan again. He did look rather stern, so she could see how Alyssa might easily imagine him to be angry, but she knew Cyhan better than that. “That’s just how is face is. He always looks like that…”
The room fell silent as Judge Watson returned. He hadn’t taken long to think on his decision, which might be cause for concern. After a few formalities he stood to address the room. Moira was studying him intently and she could see the determination in his aythar. Lloyd Watson was not a man of many doubts and she could see his condemnation written clearly on the surface of his mind. She could hear the word ‘guilty’ almost as clearly as if he had spoken it already.
Not today! she thought sending a fine line of aythar toward the judge’s mind.
A shield rose in front of her, interfering with her attempt to reach him. “Moir
a,” whispered her father sternly. “No.”
Righteous anger filled her heart as she protested, “But he’s going to…!”
Mordecai interrupted, “We need to have a serious talk after this.”
She felt as though ice water had been thrown on her. Her suspicion was finally confirmed. She had heard about the visit from her mother’s shade a few days ago, while she had been back in Halam. She had been worrying over its portent, but her father hadn’t said anything—until now. She told him about the rules.
Lloyd Watson gave his verdict, “It is the finding of this court that Jasmine Darzin is guilty of fraud, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The court finds her innocent of murder, treason and treachery.”
A hush fell over the room then. After a short pause he continued, “The court will pause now to hear statements from those most affected by this case before we continue with sentencing. Those with good cause may approach the bench to ask for permission to speak to the court.”
David Summerfield was on his feet first and the judge gave him permission immediately. He wasn’t family, but he had been betrothed to Lilly Tucker. His cheeks were red and his eyes inflamed as he spoke, “My Lilly was a beautiful soul. My only dream in this world was to marry her, to try and give her as much joy as she had given to so many others. There’s not a soul here who could speak ill of her. She was my heart, my life.
“And she was stolen from me, from all of us. Say what you will about that woman’s intentions,” he pointed at Alyssa, “but Lilly is dead and all the good intentions in the world won’t bring her back. She led those murderers to the house. She deserves to die for that alone!” His voice broke then and he covered his face, unable to continue.
The next to stand was Peter Tucker, his cheeks wet but his face calm. “Few of you know my story, but Lilly and I came here to serve the Count and Countess when we were very young. Back then, revenge was my only motive, my driving force. Hatred burned in my heart and I longed for nothing more than to kill the man responsible for our grandfather’s death.
“But Lilly didn’t believe in living that way,” Peter’s throat closed up for a moment and he struggled to go on. When he continued his voice was thick, “She wouldn’t let me live like that. She fought and argued with me to forgive, to live for kindness instead, and as time went on, I came to see that the man I hated was no monster at all. He was just a man, a man who made a simple but terrible mistake. He was a man that was capable of great goodness, of kindness, and once I forgave him I came to love him.