As the bell rang for the villagers to gather in the main hall, Lucullus was dragged out of his cell, and marched through the village center into the hall. Onlookers were horrified at the sight. Lucullus’s scourged flesh was all on display as he was led around in nothing but a loincloth. The children of the village ran away screaming as they saw his hideous, wounded body. The women wept to see him be led away like some thief.
Everyone assembled for the tribunal, gathering in the raised up platforms that surrounded the center area, and in the ground-level seating. The building was packed; even overflowing, with villagers anxious to see who was on trial, and for what cause.
The chief elder presiding over the trial, Elder Maximian, stood in the midst of the tribunal. He raised up his hands. “The trial of Lucullus, son of Barbatus, is now in session.” He lowered his hands, and sat in the Seat of Judgment. “The accusers may now present their charges.”
The guard whom Lucullus recognized from the night of his arrest stepped forward. “The guards of this humble village find Lucullus guilty of murdering our blacksmith, Darius, sedition, and the assault of several guards in an attempt to resist arrest and obstruct justice.”
The chief elder nodded. “Very well. Show your proof that he has done these things.”
The guard adjusted his belt, and arrogantly strode up to a table where some pieces of evidence were set before the trial. With a smirk, which he made sure Lucullus saw, he picked up the first piece of evidence. “On the count of murder, I shall begin.” He held the evidence up before the elders. “Behold: I present to this tribunal, the scythe which Lucullus used to murder Darius. You can see the—”
“This is a mockery of justice!”
The chief elder slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. “Silence, Lucullus. You will have a chance to defend yourself. But you mustn’t make a fool of yourself before you get that chance.” He took a breath to calm himself. “Continue.”
The guard nodded. “As I was saying: the scythe has dried blood on the end of it. No doubt, this was the murder weapon.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Your honor, this scythe is normally a tool used only for the fields. I’ve never seen a man use it to slaughter an animal for harvest. The blood on it can only be from a man, not an animal.”
He stroked his long, gray beard. “How can you prove that Lucullus was the one who used this weapon for murder? Or that it was used on Darius, and not someone else?”
He chuckled with a sinister grin. “That’s really quite simple. Who else here owns a scythe?” He looked around, as if waiting for someone to respond. “My boys checked all the farmhouses of this village, of which there were very few, and only Lucullus appeared to be missing a scythe. No one else but Darius’s mangled corpse seemed to be in possession of one. And Lucullus has been seen by many bystanders passing by his farm to be using one at any point.”
“And you can prove that he killed Darius with it?” He studied the guard intently, locking eyes with him.
“I absolutely can, your honor.” He gave Lucullus a smug glance. “You see, Lucullus gave this scythe to Darius days before the murder for repairs.”
“What was wrong with it?”
He pointed to the end of the scythe. “Lucullus came to him, complaining that the tip of the scythe was damaged as well as bent, and saying that it was worthless until it was repaired.” he put the scythe down. “The two argued over the cost of repairs for quite a while before agreeing on a price.”
“But where is the motive? The proof that Lucullus used that scythe and slew Darius?”
The guard put his hands out, as if to calm the elder. “Let’s not be hasty, your honor.” He cleared his throat. “Lucullus returned days later. In fact, it was on the night of the Astrum festival. As several witnesses, including my superior, Tullius, can attest to, Lucullus left the celebrations early that night.”
Tullius’s head sank. The realization of the kind of charges brought against his friend began to set in. He felt his stomach lurch, and his heart drop out of him. Truly, he’d made the most difficult choice he would ever have to make in his life. But it was the right one. It had to be.
“A few of Lucullus’s friends, once again including Tullius, noted his sudden mood swing during the party. He knew it was his best chance to kill Darius, as no one else would be there to witness it. Or so he thought.”
The elder’s ears perked up. “Oh? Was there a witness to the murder?”
“Indeed there was. But, due to her extreme, and completely justified, fear of Lucullus, she would rather not be here.”
Maximian slammed both fists onto his chair’s armrests. “What? You expect me to listen to a witness who couldn’t be bothered to show up? What sort of joke is this?”
He shook his head, and wagged his finger. “No jokes here, your honor. My men had to enter with their swords drawn, ready to strike, so that Lucullus wouldn’t escape his cell. Two of my fellow guards were struck by Lucullus quite savagely when they had to put on his restraints to bring him here. He’s an unhinged and dangerous man when he’s angry.”
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“I’ll accept that. Even though I find your witness to be flaky, I suppose that’s as good of reason as any.” He waved his hand at the guard. “Continue.”
“This witness was the daughter of Darius. She is only nine, and quite traumatized by all this. She’s currently under the protection of the village guard.” He paced over to the table of evidence. “She told me that Darius took her back to his house because it was late, and she was getting sleepy.”
“Where does Lucullus come into the picture?”
He cleared his throat. “Lucullus likely saw Darius getting up to leave, as the two weren’t sitting more than a few arm-lengths from each other. That, or he knew that Darius wouldn’t stay for long at the celebrations, and left early so he could sneak around to Darius’s house and kill him.”
One of the other elders shook his head. “But why would he murder someone with a witness obviously present?”
“Recall, if you will: that this witness is merely a little girl, not even ten years of age. He knew well that such a witness would be a liability in any normal murder case. If it weren’t for his unhinged behavior in the jail, I couldn’t have convinced Elder Maximian that such a witness was even credible.” With a confident strut, he moved to the next piece of evidence.
Maximian shifted to one side in his chair, clearly growing tired of the hearing. “What is this other piece of evidence you’ve brought?”
He grabbed a blood-soaked tunic with a large hole in it. He held it up for all to see. “This is the tunic which Darius wore that night. On the table is a pile of his other tunics. As you’ll notice,” he grabbed one from the pile, “they are very much his clothes.” He put the undamaged one back on the table, and pointed at various black spots on them. “You can see various charred spots along the sleeves, indicating burns from hot cinders at the forge.”
The chief elder made motions with his hand. “Just get to the point. We know now that Darius wore that shirt. What next?”
The guard tossed the shirt back on the table. “Our witness says she saw Lucullus take the scythe back after they argued over what the agreed price was for the repairs. He then, out of his unhinged anger, swung the scythe at Darius, but he dodged the first strike. He took a sword from his stock, and brandished it. Lucullus probably figured our witness was asleep, not that it mattered to him, and fought Darius. In the end, Lucullus got the hit he wanted and fled. What a coward.”
The elder sighed. “I think I’ve heard enough from the accuser’s side. Let’s hear Lucullus’s defense on this matter.”
Lucullus stood up, and approached the council of elders, still with his hands bound together. He briefly glared at the guard, and returned his gaze to Maximian.
“Defend yourself.”
“All I admit to is fighting a few guards. But only because they broke into my home and made an unlawful arrest. There was no announcement of who they were. For all I knew they could’ve been bandits. My farm sees plenty of those.”
The guard scoffed. “Excuses.”
Maximian snapped at him. “Silence. You had your turn.” He turned back to Lucullus. “Continue.”
“I’ve never said anything seditious, nor have I murdered. Darius and I have had our disputes over his steep prices, but I honor all of my deals.” He glanced at the scythe on the table. “I never went to Darius’s house to retrieve it. I planned to go today, but the night of Astrum changed that.”
The elder studied Lucullus’s body language, and tone. “How do you suppose that he was killed, then? Surely he didn’t kill himself with your scythe.”
He took a deep breath. “It was of the same ilk that killed Decimus.”
Tullius facepalmed, and shook his head. Why, Lucullus?
“They’re trying to get me like they did him. And they know that sticking me with a murder charge will get me out of the picture.”
Maximian sighed. “What are you on about? Who are these people?”
“They are sorcerers. Men in black cloaks, like the one spotted by the innkeeper.” He glared at the guard, and to Tullius, then returned his focus back to the elders. “I was at my house after I left the celebrations. I wanted to look at some documents I obtained from Decimus to see if I could figure out exactly who it was that had him killed. That was when the guards broke in.”
“Is there anyone who can confirm that you were at your house at that time?”
“Yes.”
The elder looked at him with surprise. “Really? Who?”
He looked over to where most of the guards were standing. “Tullius can. I told him why I was leaving shortly before I left.”
Maximian looked over to Tullius. “Captain Tullius, can you substantiate this? Can you confirm that he was at his house when he said he was?”
After a long pause, Tullius looked down, closed his eyes, and sighed. “No.”
“Well, Lucullus, it looks like your witness disagrees with your testimony. Unfortunately, I can’t simply take your word for it. Even if I did, it would make your witness a liar.” He shrugged. “As for this conspiracy you’ve drummed up: I can’t rule based on rumors or unresolved cases like with Decimus. My hands are tied there.”
“It’s clear that he’s guilty.”
He jerked his gaze to the guard. “And it’s clear that you’re out of line. Be silent until I tell you otherwise. Unless you’d like to be held in contempt, I suggest you behave.”
Lucullus kept his focus on the elders.
“The other elders and I have heard enough. This tribunal is in recess. We shall return to give a verdict when we have reached a consensus.”
All of the elders retreated to their private chamber to deliberate a verdict.
After half an hour, the elders returned to the courtroom, and Maximian called the tribunal to be back in session. “We have come to an unfortunate decision. I’ve always considered Lucullus to be a good man at such a young age. I knew his father to be a model citizen.” He sighed, holding back tears as he nearly choked up on his next statement. “Lucullus, you are hereby found guilty of the murder of Darius, sedition, and of resisting lawful arrest. Your own words have, sadly, betrayed you, Lucullus.”
Lucullus looked down, and stewed in anger.
“This tribunal has declared that your sentence is life in the Avarus Wall.”
Those words, Avarus Wall, rang in the ears of everyone attending. All trembled at the thought of it.
Lucullus fell to the ground; the color drained from his face. Guards rushed over to pick him up and lead him back to his cell.
Tullius grabbed onto one of his men as his knees nearly gave out on him. The Avarus Wall. His men helped him stand as he took in the reality of the situation.
Lucullus’s mother tried to go up and hug him as he was being led away, but the guards stood in her path. She stood there, weeping and helpless.