Again, another sleepless night. I needed to punch something. Preferably Decmoore’s face. Draves had come back late last night, having found no sign of Tanya. When he went to the inn, the owner said he remembered the girl because she had sat at a table for an hour, staring into space. Then, she abruptly got up and left. Upon the captain's asking, the owner found that somebody had returned at some point, but he must not have been around. Draves went to the Expungers, but the man had closed shop, and the owner of the place next door said the Expunger would be out for the next few days. Draves then went on to search every inn he could find. None had even seen a fourteen-year-old girl by herself. Draves was going to go back out this morning and look around, but he didn’t have much hope.
He thought Tanya might have been part of this scheme from the beginning. I had my doubts. Could she have been an excellent actor who had been part of Decmoore’s plan to… Well, actually, I didn’t know exactly what his endgame was, but he was at least hoping to discredit me at a public hearing. Anyways, sure, that was a possibility but not likely. First, they would have had to devise the plan and train someone for the part. That is assuming that when Mathew stopped by Decmoore on his way up to get me, he had told them his plans. Then they had spent the time from when Mathew first came to their Keep to when he came back with me to make up this plan. The current trap I had fallen into was not likely one they would have used if they had any knowledge about the former Amos. At least the actor they used would have a different story. She probably would have been an actual whore.
I think they threw it together after realizing I was all about doing the right thing. They gambled on my naivety, a gamble that may have just paid off. They probably didn’t clue Tanya in so that it would look more genuine.
In the end, Draves and I decided this was much like the poisoning of my family. An opportunity my enemies just couldn’t pass up. Someone raped Decmoore’s daughter. Along I come acting all nice and naive. He sees an opportunity and takes it.
My main concern was with what happened to Tanya. I do not doubt that her disappearance was Decmoore’s doing, but how could I prove it? Did they kill her to silence her or just kidnap her? If it was a murder, were they going to try and pin that on me? Too many questions with no answers.
None of my men could figure out what the specific charges were. All they discovered was that the news was spreading like wildfire throughout the town. Everyone was speculating on what I stole from Baron Decmoore. The Count's servants who attended to me had no clue, and my request for more information was stonewalled. I was beginning to think that the count may also be in on this.
What did the baron hope to gain by discrediting me? Was he hoping to get me removed and expand his territory? Was he part of the plot against my family? Maybe by discrediting me, he hoped that it would turn people against me so they wouldn’t care about any future assassination attempts. I just wasn’t good at this type of thing.
I didn’t eat breakfast or lunch that day, and Draves came back just before the start of the trial. I had been sitting at my writing desk, just doodling. It was something I sometimes did when my mind was racing.
“I’m sorry, My Lord. She has vanished,” Draves said as he stepped up next to me, his frustration breaking through his stoic mask.
“We didn’t have much hope of finding her anyway,” I sighed. "Were you able to gather any more information about the accusation?”
“No, My Lord, I am afraid not. My Lord, if it is Tanya they are accusing you of stealing, I do not believe they would have enough evidence to make it stick. And if they do have something, I believe the punishment will be the cost of a serf and a fine. The true damage will be to your reputation.”
“Wait, wouldn’t they claim I stole his daughter?”
“I don’t think so. If that were the case, the accusation would be kidnapping, not theft of property. Also, unless Decmoore dressed her up as a serf and she acted out the part extremely well, then I believe she is an unclaimed illegitimate child who has been living as a serf. I agree it would have taken a master actor to pull that off. If it came out that he was not abiding by the “Bastard Laws,” it would be very damaging to him.”
“So kidnaping people is only punished by a fine?” I said in shock.
“Taking property, not kidnapping. And yes, as a baron, it will be more of a scandal than anything. The fine, however, could be quite large. The count likes order, and he is not known for leniency.”
“Well, at least I am not going to go to prison or beheaded.”
Before we could discuss the matter further, there was a knock on the door. “Enter,” I said resignedly.
In came a short, balding servant who bowed low to me. “My Lord, your presence is requested in the Hall of Judgment.”
“Thank you. You may lead the way.”
Draves’s words about only getting a fine was not comforting to me. This situation brought flashbacks of walking to the courtroom back on earth. As I walked down the hall, memories of the juvenile detention center flooded my mind. That was not a good time in my life, and I began to crack under the pain of remembering the events that had led me there.
Standing before the entrance to a room, I squeezed my eyes shut and shook off the memories. This case was not the same. I was innocent this time. I had done nothing wrong. ‘I will get through this.’
The doors opened to reveal a large room. An aisle led up to the far end, where the count sat on an oversized chair on a raised dais. Even at this distance, I could tell his stern eyes were boring into me. Even his full beard couldn’t hide the frown on his face. The look he gave me was not a good sign. An older man in the robes of a priest stood next to him.
The room was packed with people standing and staring at me. The ones farthest back were commoners. The final group of people I passed were all nobles, many of whom I recognized from the dinner the other night. They were all sitting on benches. Some gave looks of disgust or had sneers on their faces, but most held looks of curiosity. A feeling of eagerness permeated the room. They were all here to watch an exciting show.
Then, I noticed one more bench containing three women with their heads bowed. They wore a similar garb to that of the priest. They looked like they were praying. One was even muttering a prayer under her breath. I really couldn’t make out the words.
My accuser, Kyle the Second, and another well-dressed man sat at a bench off to the side. The same malicious grin I had seen on his face as I left their keep now formed on his face once again. The servant led us to a similar bench on the opposite side of the room. Draves took up position behind me. “Are those priestesses?” I whispered while nodding to the three women. “What are they doing?”
“Priests and priestesses help ensure the law is followed. In this case, the priestesses are here to pray to the Endless One that he will grant wisdom to the count. Some records say there has been divine intervention in court cases.”
“I think we will need that,” I whispered back.
“Indeed,” Draves said gruffly.
At that moment, the old priests called out in a voice that must have reached the back of the hall, “Nobles of the court and people of Vaspar. Today, Baron Kyle Decmoore has brought an accusation against Lord Amos Bicman, Regent of the Barony of Bicman. The accusation is theft of property. Councilor Dunham, Baron Decmoore's legal representative, will present the facts.”
Dang, Of course, they have lawyers here. I wish I had known I could get a lawyer. He probably would have acquired access to the accusation beforehand, and we could have created a defense.
Councilor Dunham stood up and approached the stand. Bowing, he said, “My Count, I stand before you to give the facts of this case. Several nights ago, Lord Amos Bicman requested the hospitality of Baron Decmoore so that he might stay at his keep on the way down to Vaspar. Shortly after his leaving, they found that one of the house's servants, Tanya, was missing. Upon investigation, it was found that a servant had witnessed Lord Amos requesting Tanya come to his room that night. She-”
I couldn’t help myself. I stood up and shouted, “I object! That is a lie!”
Whispers started up all over the room.
“Silence,” The priest said in a loud but even tone. “Lord Bicman, you will have a chance to defend yourself after the accusations and questioning.”
I sat back down, fuming. I heard a whisper from behind me. “The lawyer wants you angry and not in control. It gives them credence to their accusations.”
“Thank you, Captain,” I whispered while letting out a calming breath.
“As I was saying, before I was interrupted, she was found missing.” the man said, glaring at me like I was some annoying bug. “By the time they had finished searching the town and gathering testimonies, Lord Bicman was a day and a half ahead of them. Knowing his destination, they rode hard to make it to Vaspar, but unfortunately, they were too late.”
“They requested to meet with Lord Bicman upon arriving at Vaspar castle yesterday but found that he was out. Also, they discovered disturbing information: a girl matching Tanya’s description traveled to Vaspar with Lord Amos Bicman, but she did not come back with him after Lord Bicman claimed he wanted to explore the town by himself. Your messenger, Mathew, provided this information. Kyle Decmoore the Second and his guards began to explore the town and found that several people had noticed a carriage similar to the description of Lord Bicman’s. This investigation eventually led them to the Expunger in town.”
“I have written testimony from the Expunger stating that he did, in fact, meet with a girl named Tanya. During the preliminary examination, she told the Expunger, Freeman Emmle, that she had been in a relationship with a Baron, and he had brought her here and paid for her to make sure no child resulted from the situation. If written testimony is not enough, we can call upon the Expunger to testify. Unfortunately, Lord Decmoore’s men could not find Tanya.”
At this point, I was grinding my teeth. I was pissed off. They were both besmirching my honor and Tanya’s. Also, they had bribed the Expunger.
“Lord Bicman, did you escort the girl Tanya to Vaspar.” The filthy lawyer said.
“Yes, but-”
“And did you bring her to the Expunger?”
“No.”
“You deny that you brought her to Vaspar for the express purpose of having her Expunged.”
“Yes, but-”
“My Lord Vaspar, Lord Bicman answers both yes and no to the same question. It seems this boy is confused or trying to get out of this situation. Maybe the stress of being found out has addled his brain. Since he may not be coherent enough to continue, I recommend we end his suffering. I believe he should pay the cost of a serf who applies the trade of prostitution and one hundred gold crowns. If he cannot afford the payment, he may give it in the form of land.
“Thank you for your opinion, Councilor Dunham, but as you very well know, Lord Bicman must be given a chance to defend himself. Lord Bicman, do you wish to refute any of these claims?” the priest said.
I took a deep breath, “First, I would like to apologize for my earlier outburst. I was extremely shocked about the claims leveled against me. Let me clear up this little misunderstanding. Indeed, it must be a misunderstanding, for I cannot imagine Lord Decmoore claiming I did something he expressly asked me to do. In his eagerness to prove himself to his father, I must assume that Lord Kyle took it upon himself to find Tanya without inquiring of Lord Decmoore concerning the girl's whereabouts.
Furthermore, during his investigation, the servant he questioned must have had a reason to hate Tanya, as I cannot see another reason they would lie about her coming to my room. Count Vaspar, I assure you that I only met Tanya right before I departed. Baron Decmoore asked if I would take his illegitimate daughter to Vaspar to be expunged because she had committed an indiscretion."
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
There was a murmur in the crowd at the mention of her being an illegitimate daughter.
“That is a lie! Tanya is no sister of mine!”
“Silence,” The priest said, a little louder this time.
“Well, maybe Baron Decmoore kept it secret from you,” I shrugged. I tried to sound confident as if nothing he said could bother me. Inside, however, I was freaking out.
“Anyway, I decided to do him this small favor as a good neighbor. Knowing she was a Baron's daughter, I strove to treat her with the utmost respect. In fact, your Messenger, Mathew, can attest that I tried to teach her how to read and count money since I knew she would be on her own after I dropped her off. She was a pleasant girl and confided in me on the way down there that it had not been a consensual relationship that caused her pregnancy. After arriving at Vaspar, I decided being discreet about the matter would be best. I did not bring her straight to the Expunger; I brought her to an inn around the corner. I am sure you could speak with the innkeeper, and he can attest to the fact that we did indeed get her a room there.
“I realized Baron Decmoore’s steward must have made a mistake because he only provided the daughter of a baron with five silver pennies to make her way in the world. Maybe he didn’t realize that the Baron had requested that I not bring Tanya back, and she was to be on her own after the expunging. So, I covered for the error by giving his daughter five silver crowns. That is the last I saw of her, even though I told her she was welcome to come find me here if she needed anything.”
“You gave that wench five silver crowns! She must have given it to you good.” Kyle jeered at me.
I was about to tell the jerk to shut his mouth when the count spoke up for the first time. In a strong baritone, he said, “Lord Decmoore, you will keep your foul comments to yourself. Now, we have two very different stories but only one truth. Baron Bicman, though your story was quite enjoyable and may have some truth to it, you lack sufficient witnesses to bring a strong case. What’s more, you accuse Baron Decmoore of breaking the law concerning illegitimate children by your assertion that the girl is his daughter. Might I suggest you retract that statement and confess that Tanya told you the lie and that she is to blame for your confusion? To accuse your fellow noble of such an egregious crime without evidence carries with it severe consequences.”
“I cannot do that, My Lord. I will not besmirch another's name unjustly. As a noble, I must hold myself to a higher standard than others. I will be honest in all my dealings, whether it be you or the lowliest of men. I stand by what I said. Baron Decmoore told me specifically that Tanya was his daughter, and I was to take her to the expunger and leave her there. I had no relations with the girl outside of instructing her on how to survive on her own. What you hear from me today will be the truth as I know it.”
The count sighed. “We will investigate the matter, but if you are found to have accused him falsely and refused my advice to rescind your statement, you will lose your title and will be reduced to the title of knight in Bicman. The title will become non-hereditary. Your nephew will also lose his title. Regarding the theft of property, we only have the words of two Barons opposing each other and the words of a bunch of commoners. I am throwing this whole matter out, and you, Lord Bicman, will pay Lord Decmoore and myself five gold crowns each as a reminder to be more careful with your actions.
“Do you have anything more to say for yourself?”
What could I say? Even if Tanya were here, it wouldn’t be like she could prove she is the daughter of the Baron anymore than I could. Well, it would have saved me ten crowns, maybe, but I had just lost Aaron, his barony. I suppose I could have left out the part about her being Decmoore’s daughter. If I had just left out that fact, I could have avoided having to defend it. How was I to know that accusation would be the biggest issue in this trial. I sighed, “No, My Lord. I spoke honestly and with integrity, and if you cannot find evidence of Tanya’s parentage, a barony is a small price to pay in order to maintain my honor.” I said the last part with as much conviction as I could muster. I said it. Now, I just had to convince myself I believed it.
“Very well. I-”
At that moment, one priestess fell off her chair and landed on her knees. She knelt there, her hands crossed over her chest, shaking.
‘Holy Crap! Was this really happening? Was she getting inspiration from the Endless One?’
“Priestess, what is the meaning of this?” the Count said. I couldn’t tell if he was concerned or angry.
After a moment, the girl spoke softly, “My Lord, forgive me, but I must speak.”
She said this in a voice that I… recognized. My eyes looked away from the girl and landed on Kyle’s face. There was clear shock there, and he must have realized what was happening at the same time I was.
“Rise, child, and speak.”
The girl rose and removed her hood. Her long brown hair spilled down her back, and her hands fell to her side. A small bronze-framed mirror was held tightly in her hand.
There was murder in Kyle’s eyes as he shouted, “What are you doing here, Tanya?! Father told you to disappear. He warned you. He-”
“Thank you, Lord Decmoore, for confirming this girl's identity,” the count said coldly. “It saves us a lot of time. Lord Bicman, is this the young woman you transported?”
I was still in a daze but managed to get out, “Yes, but she…Uh… I’m confused. Tanya, when did you become a priestess?”
The count ignored my obvious blunder of asking a question to another person and continued his investigation. “A question I would also like an answer to,” Count Vaspar said, trying to be heard over the buzzing voices of the crowd. “Care to enlighten us, Priest Brady.
But the priest looked just as confused as the rest of us. “I did not know this was the girl in question. She came to us two days ago. As often happens when joining the priesthood, she gave up her name and took a new one. She goes by the name Rose, and I only met her this morning. I was encouraged to bring her along. I thought it was to show her some of the aspects of the life we live, but now I think it may have been for a different reason. Rose, why have you kept silent.”
“I was… I… I am afraid.” She said with a quiver in her voice.
“You are a Priestess of the Endless One now. You have covenanted to not only seek the truth but to speak the truth,” he said sternly.
“It is also obvious that Lord Amos was not the one to get you pregnant.” The count said, while looking at her stomach.
“I am the Daughter of Lord Decmoore,” she started slowly. Her posture straightened as she looked down at the mirror in her hand. Then the words came rushing out. “My mother was a favorite of his when they were both young, and it continued after he wed the late Baroness. I have been raped many times over the last year. Only recently did Lord Decmoore learn that I was pregnant, though. He didn’t want a scandal, so he planned to send me to Vaspar with his next merchant caravan. I was told not to return. The plan changed when Lord Amos came.”
She turned to me and, with tears in her eyes, said, “I’m sorry, Lord Amos. I didn’t know.”
I just smiled at her, “I know. Thanks for speaking up.”
She smiled weakly, “Lord Amos is the nicest person I have ever met. He let me ride in his carriage, bought me new clothes, and taught me to read some words and count. He did it without asking for anything in return. When we got here, he took me to an inn and gave me five crowns to help me find an apprenticeship. He left me, and I sat for a while, trying to decide whether or not to visit the Expunger.
I decided to go to the temple of the Endless One to see if he would give me wisdom. When I entered, I just felt peace. It was like all my problems were left outside. I sat for a long time, attempting to figure out what to do. Then, I felt the baby move inside me. And… and I knew I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go to the expunger. So then I decided-”
Suddenly, the young Lord Decmoore was on his feet. “You were supposed to get rid of that thing. It is an abomination!” He roared. The lawyer next to him went pale. And I knew why. His own client was tearing down the carefully crafted lie he had built. I was in shock, but nothing prepared me for what happened next.
Tanya turned from a meek lamb to a roaring lion. “It is not an abomination!” she shouted, “Even though its father is a monster pretending to be human.” Okay, this was getting weird. I just saw Tanya go all “mother bear” on Kyle Decmoore. ‘Dang, why don’t I have any popcorn?’
There was an audible gasp from the crowd. You would have to be a complete moron not to hear the accusation in Tanya’s voice.
All hell broke loose as Kyle lost all reason and lunged for and tackled Tanya. His sudden attack caused me to freeze up, and when my brain finally kicked back into motion, I was ashamed to admit that my first thought was not, ‘Dang, I need to jump in and save my friend.’ No, it was, ‘Dang, if we posted this on Youtube, we would make millions!’
Fortunately, by the time I thought to jump in and save Tanya, Draves, and a few other guards were already pulling Kyle off of her. I immediately knelt next to her. I felt awful about myself as I saw a bruise forming on the side of Tanya’s face where he had gotten a hit in. She was utterly dazed. I about stood up and attacked the stupid prick even though he could probably make mince meat out of me.
“Guards! Restrain that man. And Priest, attend to your priestess. Casper, call for a healer.” His steward, who had been off to the side of the room, quickly left. I thought the count would adjourn the meeting, but since Tanya was still conscious, he refused to let anyone leave.
Half an hour later, Tanya could stand on her own feet. A sticky salve covered the side of her face, and one eye was slightly swollen shut, but she was standing.
Count Vaspar looked down at Tanya sternly, “Young girl, due to the seriousness of your accusation, I could not end this meeting until I have answers to all my questions. You are a commoner and have made accusations against your lord. That means that, unlike Lord Bicman, you will be put to death for your claims. Do you still stand by your claim?”
Though the words were harsh, I could tell the count was trying to convince Tanya to retract what she said to spare her life. It was very unlikely that Baron Decmoore would have offhandedly told me she was his daughter if he had left evidence to prove she was. That remark was a trap—one that I had fallen for. I was praying that she would do as he said. It wasn’t worth her life. Mine maybe, but not hers.
Tanya took a steadying breath and said, “I am a Priestess of the Endless One. I will not just seek the truth but speak it as well.”
The count's frown deepened, and he muttered something under his breath.
Tanya interrupted his thoughts, “My Lord, I believe I may have something that may help.”
Hesitantly, she reached into the small coin pouch she had left the keep with and pulled out a small golden pendant. There was no chain, and it was about the size of a silver penny. “This was given to me by my mother's best friend after my mother passed away. She said my mother told her it was given to her by Lord Decmoore when he first made her his favorite. It has writing on it, but I can’t read, and neither could my mother's friend.
“Casper.” Lord Vaspar said.
Casper walked over to Tanya and picked up the pendant without further instructions. After reading the inscription, his face turned grave. Out loud, he said, “To My Beloved Tanya from Lord Kyle Decmoore.”
“That was my mother’s name,” Tanya said softly.
“How could Lord Decmoore have made such a mistake.” Count Vaspar mussed more to himself than anyone else.
“I think he tried to find it after she died. At least, that is what Nat said. She hid it until I was older."
“My Lord, this pendant has a maker's mark on it.”
“Very good. Go to the archives and see if you can find out who the mark belongs to. Mathew, You are to go to Decmoore and meet with this Nat as well as anyone else this priestess may deem helpful. When you find out all you can bring the Decmoore family back here, they will be here to either witness Baron Bicman’s title being stripped and the girl's execution or their own punishment breaking the “Bastard Law” and false accusations brought against Baron Bicman. No member of either party is allowed to leave the castle until this investigation is complete. Guards escort these lords to their rooms. We are done for today.”
Baron Klint Tine
I sat at my table, staring at the letter on my desk. My wife, Maria, sat across from me, quietly sobbing. I usually forbid her from expressing such emotions in my presence. But today, I could not bring myself to do it, not with the news of Martha’s death.
Unlike Maria, I could not morn right now. I needed to figure out how to preserve my Barony. Our agreement with Bicman was that his son would give us his secondborn to inherit Tine. It would be another couple of years before we could marry Ashlyn off, and hopefully, she would bear at least two boys. Who would be as desperate as the Bicmans, though, someone willing to give up their secondborn for such a small price? Not even my own relatives were willing to do it. They were holding out until I became truly desperate.
Now, I needed to start from scratch. Maria almost didn’t survive the last pregnancy, so I may have to find a new wife if I can’t get our grandson back. The question is, what was it going to cost me?
“First, our boys die on the field, and then Erica is barren, and now Matha. What have we done to bring this curse upon us.” Maria cried out.
Normally, I would scoff at the idea of being cursed, but right now, I was having the same thoughts. The war had taken both our sons, and we had married off Erica with the same deal we gave the Bicmans. After a few years, she was found to be barren and came home in shame. Martha was promising, as everyone thought she might have become pregnant on the wedding night, but the Bicman’s death ruined everything.
“We will need to see how much it will cost us to keep Aaron safe until we can go and get him,” I said.
“Cost us? But the letter says that he will take good care of Aaron.” Maria said in confusion.
I loved the woman, but she could be so naive sometimes. “You know you can’t just read the words on the page, my dear. You must look for the meaning behind them. We have both met Amos Bicman, and you know as well as I do the type of boy he is. This letter is full of meaning beyond what you read. He will keep Aaron safe as long as we meet his demands.”
“But he didn’t ask for anything?”
“He invited us to come to the barony to visit Aaron. I think he will make his demands known then.”
“Can’t we just take him while we are there? Surely Amos would want the barony to himself.”
“Of course he does, but if he had petitioned the king for the title of the barony and received it, then we would have a claim over Aaron. By making himself regent over Aaron, he has given himself leverage over us. Now, we need to give him something in order to get Aaron. He must know we are desperate for an heir.”
“I didn’t get the feeling he was all that clever,” Maria said in confusion.
“He isn’t, but that doesn’t mean somebody isn’t directing him. We will go to Bicman and negotiate for our Grandson.”
“Should we bring Ashlyn? Maybe-”
“No, I am not giving him Ashlyn. First, he is a louse and a wastrel. I would never subject her to such a life. Second, there may be someone trying to eliminate the Bicman line. We will go there and see what he wants. I promise you, Maria, we will get our grandson back.”