In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 123: The Trial Commences

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123: The Trial Commences

It had been decided to hold the trial when Alcarinquë reached its zenith. When the Trees had been alive, all judgments had been rendered at the time of the First Mingling, but no one now knew when that was. All times were meaningless under the stars, at least for the younger Elves among the Vanyar and Noldor. Only the oldest of the Elves, those who had once lived in Endórë, recalled how it had been before. And for the first time, Olwë and the other Teleri in his retinue felt superior to the Noldor and the vaunted Vanyar, for they could tell at a single glance at the heavens what time it was while the other Elves struggled to decipher the movement of the stars.

"While we paid little attention to the Light of the Trees," Olwë said to Ingwë when the question of when to hold the trial came up, "we could always tell when First and Second Mingling occurred, for the light that came down the Calacirya was different than at other times. I had some of my loremasters measure the change in the light against the changes in the heavens. Eventually we figured out the pattern and Alcarinquë standing at zenith is about as close to First Mingling as you can get. I suppose if we asked the Valar they would be able to tell us for sure."

"It really does not matter," Ingwë said. "With the Trees gone we are forced to make certain changes in how we conduct the business of the realm. I suspect that if Aman is doomed to know no other light but the stars that eventually we will forget that we had ever done it any other way."

"And would that be a bad thing?" Olwë asked, pursing his lips. "We Lindar are quite comfortable living under starlight. It is our people’s natural habitat after all."

"And it looks to be again," Ingwë replied with a sigh, "unless the Valar come up with another idea. At any rate, we will begin the trial as you suggested."

It had also been decided that both Olwë and Arafinwë would sit in judgment with Ingwë. "For a crown was threatened and that cannot be borne," Arafinwë commented and the others agreed.

In the meantime, those who had kidnapped Ingwë and taken him to Formenos were brought to Vanyamar. Valandur and Eccaldamos set out to separate those who had been there reluctantly, fearing for the safety of their families, and had acted as decently as circumstances allowed, from the two or three who delighted in tormenting Ingwë. The same was done for those who had guarded Elindis and Indil. Long exhaustive hours were spent in questioning these ellyn and their families until Valandur and Eccaldamos were satisfied with what they had learned and offered their recommendations to Ingwë as to the disposition of the prisoners. Ingwë read the reports carefully, asking Olwë and Arafinwë for their opinions, as he decided on the fate of these particular Elves.

It was decided to hold the trial in as public a place as possible so that as many who wished to could attend, thus the same platform that had served for Ingalaurë’s funeral was used for the trials. Rich carpets hid the plain wood of the deck and three ornate chairs with low backs were brought out and set in place in the center where the kings would sit. A long table was placed to the right of the thrones and an area on the left was set aside for the accused. Witnesses would stand before the thrones, but face the table where Valandur and Lady Lindórië, who was the senior member of Ingwë’s Privy Council, would sit, acting as Questioners for the Crown. Ingoldo would speak in his own defense as was his right, having refused the assistance of one of Ingwë’s loremasters conversant with the Laws and Customs of the Eldar. Behind the thrones were three banners, two of them hastily stitched by palace seamstresses, each banner depicting the emblem of one of the kings.

A second, smaller platform was built just to the right of the main platform where seating was arranged for the royals not directly involved with the proceedings, as well as for the members of the Privy Council and other select nobles.

People began gathering in the plaza well before time, quietly finding places to stand, some cursing their luck at not arriving earlier for the best view, but everyone was orderly and the gravity of the situation kept even the children who were attending subdued. As before, a path was marked out between the palace and the platform and as Alcarinquë rode majestically across the sky, the royals and nobles not involved with the proceedings came out and made their way down the aisle to the smaller platform where they settled in their seats. Tinwetariel was there, sitting between Elindis and Indis, looking frightened. The crowd quieted, knowing that the trial was beginning. Sorontor came out next, climbing to the top step of the platform and, turning to address the crowd, banged his staff of office three times.

"Hear ye, hear ye, the Court of their Majesties, Ingwë Ingaran, Arafinwë Noldóran and Olwë Lindaran hereby commences. Let all approach with reverence."

At that the doors of the palace opened again and out strode Ingwion, Intarion and Lindarion, each holding a naked sword before them, the very swords Intarion had had made and which he, Ingwion and Arafinwë had used in the rescue of Ingwë. There were murmurs of surprise throughout the crowd at the sight of the three ellyn. Ingwion walked three paces ahead of Intarion and Lindarion, his face expressionless, keeping his eyes straight before him, ignoring as best he could the whispers all around him.

He knew that his being allowed to attend the trial was a privilege and not a right. He knew he had forfeited that right with his actions of late, actions that had seemed logical at the time and for which he had no real regrets (except for not getting to kill his hated uncle). But since speaking with Lord Manwë and then facing Lord Oromë, he was beginning to have doubts about his recent course of action. He had remained suitably subdued and biddable after the audience with the Valar, doing whatever he was told without complaint, and was relieved when his atar came to him and told him that he would join Intarion and Lindarion as the kings’ honor guard. He knew there had been some reluctance on the part of many to allow him to carry a sword, but it would have looked odd if Intarion and Lindarion held swords and he did not so his atar had allowed it with stern admonishments to behave.

"For your ammë spoke truly when she said that you were my champion," Ingwë had said. "And as my champion you will stand behind my throne. Your cousin Intarion will act in the same capacity for Arafinwë, since he does not have any sons left. Lindarion, it goes without saying, is Olwë’s champion. Do not disappoint me, Ingwion." Ingwion assured his atar that he would behave.

And now, walking slowly up the aisle to the platform, he struggled to do just that, for he knew that the whispers were about him, or so he thought. Had he been able to overhear what was being whispered he would have been surprised to learn that most of the comments centered around Intarion.

Behind the three ellyn came the three kings with Ingwë leading. All three kings were clothed in formal court garb, though Arafinwë and Olwë had to borrow from Ingwë. Ingwë wore his crown of state of white gold and mithril, intricately wrought in the shape of two stylized eagles facing one another, their wings closed. Each had a claw outstretched between which was set a single star sapphire the size of a pigeon egg. The eyes of the eagles were also sapphires. Both Arafinwë and Olwë wore lesser crowns: Arafinwë’s was a circlet of red gold with an emerald cabochon between two rubies while Olwë’s was silver with a diamond between two sapphires.

Behind them were Valandur and Lindórië and bringing up the rear was Sérener, who had been so instrumental in the rescue of the queen and Lady Indil, and now was promoted to the office of Ingwë’s Chief Guard, carrying the High King’s Spear of State.

Ingwion, Intarion and Lindarion climbed the stairs and moved to stand behind the thrones, holding their swords point down before them, with Ingwion in the middle. The kings took their thrones with Arafinwë on Ingwë’s right while Olwë sat on his left. Valandur and Lindórië bowed to the kings before taking their own seats while Sérener stood in the space between Arafinwë’s throne and the table where the Crown Questioners sat. When all were settled, Ingwë nodded to Sorontor who had moved to the left of Olwë’s throne. The chamberlain stood forward.

"Let the prisoners be brought forth," he commanded in a ringing voice.

People stirred as a side gate was opened and guards herded a dozen ellyn with their hands bound until they were ascending the stairs and made to kneel before the thrones. The guards, at a nod from Ingwë, moved to the perimeter of the platform, standing so as not to block the view of any in the court. Ingwë and the other two kings stared impassively at the prisoners, most of whom kept their eyes lowered. The silence went on a little longer than was comfortable before Ingwë spoke, never taking his eyes off the ellyn kneeling before him.

"Read the charges," he said, his voice cold and implacable.

Valandur stood, holding a piece of parchment in his hands and began to read the charges, naming each of the prisoners in turn. All were accused of treason against the Crown with minor charges of kidnapping and unlawful detainment laid against them, but clearly the charge of treason was the most serious. None of the prisoners looked up as the charges were being read, one or two of them stifled sobs. Valandur finished reading, bowed briefly to the kings and sat.

"What plea have each of the prisoners entered?" Ingwë then asked and Lindórië stood. "All plead guilty to the lesser charges, your Majesty. All plead innocent to the greater charge of treason. All have willingly made a statement explaining their actions as proof of innocence. Most of them say pretty much the same thing."

"Perhaps you could simply summarize," Ingwë suggested and Lindórië proceeded to do so, glancing at a bit of parchment on which were written notes. The onlookers listened with rapt attention as Lindórië spoke of how each of the prisoners had taken service with Lord Ingoldo in good faith and how, when their lord commanded them to do what they did, they protested, but were forced to do as they were ordered or be foresworn of their oaths.

"Most were willing to foreswear their oaths of fealty to Lord Ingoldo," Lindórië said, "until Lord Ingoldo threatened to have their families, their children especially, ‘meet with an accident’, as one of them put it."

This set many in the audience gasping and shouting angrily, for the very thought of bringing harm to any elfling was sickening to them. Ingwë stood and the noise died away with some reluctance. He glared at them, his eyes flashing with anger. "You will hear much that is unpleasant during these proceedings," he said in a voice that reached the other side of the plaza. "Your anger is understandable but We will not allow you to disrupt this Court. One more such outburst and I will have this plaza emptied." He stood for another minute or two until he was satisfied he had gotten his message across and then sat. When he spoke again it was to the prisoners.

"Normally, each of you would be tried separately," he said. "However, I have neither the time nor the patience to listen to the same testimony a dozen times over. You will notice that some of your comrades are not with you. They are being held separately, for unlike you, they did what they did voluntarily and, in some cases, with some pleasure. I fear that they have been tainted by the evil wrought through the machinations of Melkor, whom I believe many are calling Moringotto. A fitting enough epessë, I suppose." He gave a small shrug. "At any rate, they will be remanded to Lords Irmo and Námo for... treatment, I believe is the word. Their evil is clearly a sickness and it is hoped in time that they will be healed of it. Afterwards, they will spend some time engaged in hard labor for their misdeeds. King Arafinwë has agreed to have them sent to the mines which his people operate. Once they have served their time, the period of which is yet to be determined, they will be allowed to return to their homes."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"You, on the other hand, have shown genuine remorse for what you did. It is a hard thing to do something against one’s will, knowing that to do otherwise might bring harm to a loved one. None of you had any proof that my brother would not carry out his threats, and so you acted accordingly. For this reason, and because in spite of the circumstances you acted as honorably as you could, We are prepared to forgive your crimes against Us."

The prisoners all looked up, most with bemused expressions on their faces, as if they weren’t quite sure what the king was saying. One or two had more hopeful looks. Ingwë noticed and shook his head.

"I cannot in good conscience simply let you go," he said, "nor will you be able to resume your former employment. You will each take oath to me and then you will be assigned other duties within my household or you may seek to join one of the guilds with the understanding that when you finish your apprenticeship that your journeymen years will be spent working for the Crown until you achieve your mastership. I have spoken with the guildmasters and they have agreed to this. So, if you have a particular aptitude you may petition to be granted an apprenticeship, otherwise I will give you positions in my own household and you will have the same opportunities to advance yourselves as anyone else in my employ. The choice is yours to make, but you will all swear fealty to me first."

With that, he stood and Sérener stepped forward with the Spear of State and handed it to Ingwë who held it point up. "Remove their bonds," he ordered the guards and when the prisoners were untied, one by one, they were made to kneel before the High King, placing their hands on the Spear and repeating the oath which Valandur recited to them. No one took note of Eönwë standing at the back of the platform calmly writing in a blue book. When all had made their oaths, Ingwë gave the Spear back to Sérener and spoke to the ellyn who were now part of his household.

"Over the next several days, each of you will be interviewed to determine where best to place you. Think long and hard about this. You are being given a second chance to prove yourselves. Use this opportunity to the fullest for both you and your families. And now, you may go and join your families below. I had my people place them over there by the fountain so you will easily find them." He pointed to where the largest of the three fountains that graced the plaza stood and almost as one the ellyn turned to see their families waving at them. One or two shyly waved back, then reddened in embarrassment when they caught Ingwë’s amused looks.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Ingwë said in a mock angry tone. "Go!" He made a shooing motion and there was nervous laughter from more than one onlooker. The ellyn gave Ingwë hasty bows and then clattered down the stairs. A path to the fountain was made for them and they were soon reunited with their families while those around them applauded or called out congratulations.

Then Ingwë raised his hands to command silence and all eyes turned to him. "One of the guards in Lord Ingoldo’s service died during the attempt to rescue my wife and daughter," he said in a solemn voice. "It was as needless a death as was my son’s. My investigators have learned who was responsible for Lemenyon’s death and we will address that later in the trial. What I will say now is that I hold Lemenyon as blameless of intent as those who just took oath to me. Therefore, I have taken his wife and two older children into my service under the same conditions as I offered them."

He then sat down amidst the murmurings of approval from the crowd, murmurings which died when Ingwë nodded to Sorontor and the chamberlain stepped forward. "The Crown summons Lord Ingoldo," he called out and the palace doors opened immediately to reveal Lord Ingoldo surrounded by four guards who escorted him to the platform. Unlike the other prisoners, he was unbound. The guards led him to a chair that had been placed to the left of the thrones and he was made to sit while two of his guards moved to stand behind him and the other two left the platform. Ingoldo kept his gaze before him, not looking at anything or anyone in particular, refusing to acknowledge anyone’s existence. Ingwë stared at his brother for a long moment.

"Read the charges," he said tonelessly.

Valandur stood but this time he did not even bother to read from the document before him, but kept his eyes on Ingoldo as he spoke.

"Lord Ingoldo, thou standest accused of crimes against the Crown, in that thou didst purposely lead others to commit treason, that thou didst prove thyself faithless to thine own oaths to the Crown as well as to those sworn to thy service, that thou didst attempt to overthrow the legitimate government of the Vanyar in the Person of the King whom thou didst kidnap and hold against his will and that thou then didst constrain the Queen and Princess Indil against their wills as well."

All this time, Ingoldo remained impassive, never glancing at anyone as the charges were being read. Valandur paused for a moment and when he spoke again, his voice was as cold and as implacable as any had ever heard it.

"And lastly, thou standest accused of the willful murder of Prince Ingalaurë Ingaranion."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd at that last charge and for the first time Ingoldo’s studied indifference cracked. He leapt to his feet, his eyes blazing with wrath. "That’s a lie!" he screamed. "That’s a lie! I never touched him." His guards started to restrain him, but he brushed them off, leaping towards Ingwë. Ingwion tried to move to protect his atar, but Intarion and Lindarion were in the way and he wondered bitterly if that was the reason for them being there in the first place. Fortunately, even as Ingoldo leapt towards his brother, Arafinwë and Olwë rose almost as one and grabbed him and pushed him back before he could reach Ingwë who never moved from his seat.

"It’s a lie!" Ingoldo screamed again, anger suffusing him beyond all reason. "I would never have killed Ingalaurë. If I were to kill anyone, Ingwë, it would have been your other son!"

The silence that descended over the plaza at that revelation was absolute.

Ingwion blinked a few times, trying to comprehend what his uncle was saying. Memories of his brother rose before him — Ingalaurë laughing at something Indil had said, Ingalaurë sitting at the desk in their shared sitting room scribbling away at yet another poem, Ingalaurë in Tirion screaming from some night terror he never would speak to Ingwion about, Ingalaurë waving farewell to him as he stood at the doorway of the inn when Ingwion and his group left to try their luck in escaping from Ingoldo’s clutches, neither of them realizing that this was the last sight either of them would have of each other, and then the final scene at the manor house, watching his twin fall to his death. The memories came at him one right after the other, so quickly that he barely could register them, yet each memory was like a hot knife twisting in his gut and as the final memory came something inside him snapped. With a wordless roar, he pushed Lindarion out of the way and came running around Olwë’s throne, his sword raised, as he rushed toward Ingoldo, who was still being held back by Arafinwë and Olwë.

"I’ll kill you first!" he screamed.

"Ingwion, no!" he heard his atar yell, but he was beyond all reason, his only thought to strike Ingoldo down, to make him pay for what he had done to Ingalaurë.

Pandemonium reigned. Several people attempted to stop Ingwion at the same time but even as they did so there was a flurry of lights and to everyone’s shock Lord Námo was there, his hands raised as if to stay the maddened ellon, blocking Ingwion’s path. Unfortunately, the ellon had already begun swinging his sword to strike down his uncle and now found that he could not stop in time.

All there watched in horror as the heir to the High King’s throne struck the Lord of Mandos with his sword.