Dani woke to a blazing headache. The light inside the tent was changed significantly. In fact, if she did not know any better the light indicated it was late afternoon, may be even early evening. She sat up. There was a book under her hand that slipped when she sat up and she gripped it instinctively, thinking it was Mama’s journal. She looked down. It was Theo’s Psalter.

Brandyn stood at the door where all the filmy layers had been tied back, watching her intently.

She touched her hand to her head and closed her eyes.

“What did you do to me?”

“Drink water.” Brandyn said.

She squinted at him.

“Drink water. The sedative dehydrates. Drink and your headache will ease.”

With an impatient gesture he indicated a ceramic pitcher and a wooden cup on the table next to her bed. She followed his advice and drank a full cup of water and another half cup and sat down again, holding the Psalter and wondering where did it come from? Where was Mama’s journal? She found it hidden beneath a cushion. The feeling that she had lost a significant amount of time was worrisome.

“What time is it?”

Brandyn glanced over his shoulder but refused to answer.

“For that matter why was I sedated?”

“You do not remember?” He spoke without turning around.

“No. I was reading and now here I am. What happened?”

He turned and squinted his green eyes at her, his mouth screwed into a little frown.

“You went berserk. Again.”

“I did not.” But she knew she must have. She felt the telltale ache in her solar plexis that came from the screaming that seemed part and parcel to the fits and her throat was raw. The question was why? What had set her off this time? So she asked.

 “Why?” Brandyn turned and glared at her. “How in hell am I to know what makes a crazy bitch like you drop over the edge?

She lifted the Psalter and gave him a questioning look. It just seemed too much to try to speak again.

“The Queen brought that to you from the criminal. She said he wanted you to have it.”

“The Queen; I thought the queen was coming tomorrow.”

He made a scoffing sound. “It is tomorrow.”

“No that can’t be. How late is it? The trial.”

“We sedated you twice. The Matriarch and Maddie agreed that everyone would be best served by keeping you quiet until the trial is over.”

“It’s over?” Panic seized her. “No!”

Brandyn took a quick determined step toward her. He pointed his finger at her. “One more word about it and you’re out again. Do you hear me? There are two sentries right outside, the same two you brained yesterday with your rocks. Believe me they would love a reason to get their hands on you.”

Dani ignored the threat in his voice, more concerned with what her mother had been up to while she was unconscious.

“The Queen spoke to Theo?” Her dislike of the idea was plain in her sharp tone. “She was supposed to talk with me.”

Brandyn shrugged. “She stopped in to see you but you were sleeping peacefully so she apparently went to see the prisoner instead. Later she returned and left that. I would not worry your little head about it. There will be plenty of time to talk to the Queen once you are gone.”

Dani got the distinct impression that having her gone was a very happy prospect for Brandyn, and probably for all the Lowlandians, nice little bigots that they were with their sage ideas about right and wrong while harboring a hate so intense that it would not allow the truth to be told.

“Where is she now, at the trial?”

“Everyone is at the trial.”

There was no denying the querulous tone in his voice, like he would rather be at the trial than here, babysitting the malcontent, Dani.

The camp definitely was very quiet, like Sunday morning.

“So the trial is still going on?”

“So far.”

She had to get Theo out of here before they executed him. She might be able to subdue Brandyn with luck and if she could catch him off guard even for an instant, but there was no way she would be able to get past the sentries at the door. She had to think of another way out of the tent, and then the answer came to her, the answer so obvious she felt dizzy with its simplicity.

The germ of her plan took root in her brain and unfurled like a rose opening in time lapse speed, a thing of beauty. It was risky. It may not work, but any plan worth devising was worth trying. She sat down and took a look around locating her pack and Theo’s rucksack and larger pack exactly where they should be. She noticed a folded second skin on a nearby stool. She went and picked it up.

“Theo’s?”

Brandyn shrugged.

Was this not verification enough that Dani’s fears for Theo’s life were on target.

"You are all hell bent on killing him."

He shook his head at her.”You are being ridiculous. The suit was removed to protect it from damage. Once his ordeal is over it will be returned to him.”

“What happens if he doesn’t make it? Just answer for argument sake.” She said when Brandyn began to protest again.

“There is a chance he could be beaten to death if he runs the gauntlet," he said with a shrug. “However, that is highly unlikely. The man is made tough, designed to withstand serious hardship but I assure you, death as a punishment option is off the table. We no longer practice corporal punishment; the Cricifixion Tree has been put to rest as an instrument of judicial penalty.”

Dani picked up the suit and hugged it to her chest. It was the color of mercury, quick silver, shiny and alive looking without Theo’s body to give it color. It really was a beautiful piece of technology, a wonder to behold. She doubted very much it faced any threat of damage – they had taken it to demoralize him. Some of her mood leached into it and the shiny fabric took on a muted indigo hue near where her hands touched it.

There was a commotion at the entrance. Brandyn withdrew his short sword and pointed it at Dani.

“Sit down.” He ordered. Apparently he was unwilling to take any chance that she might try to escape. But she was just as eager for news of the trial as he and for the time being she had no desire to attempt a rescue. There would be time for that later. She settled on the divan.

One of Brandyn’s colleagues, a woman named Hendri her leather armband designating her one of the Matriarch’s security forces in training, walked in.

“Is all the testimony in?”

She nodded. “A recess was called before the verdict is announced.

“So tell us. Be brief. I will get the details later from Maddie.” Brandyn spoke without taking his eyes off Dani and listened to the woman’s skeletal description of the testimony much the same way.

The prisoner and his companions had visited the compound earlier on the day of the attack to trade and it was assumed used the opportunity to determine the camp’s weaknesses, get a general headcount, and to commit the camp’s layout to memory. In the evening they returned with their full number to loot. In the chaos, the prisoner and four other men of the group focused their attention on the abductees. The accused knocked Ruby out and carried her into the forest. Sillie followed in a vain attempt to save her sister. She bit Theo’s arm and he shook her off violently enough to knock her out. In the morning she recovered only to find she had been stuffed under a rock ledge obscured by low hanging branches and some Felder bush. She made her way back home.

“Too much detail, Hendri. Get on with it.”

“The prisoner abducted Ruby and her raped her – for her own protection, he told her, if you can believe that. He tried to keep Ruby away from his companions, but failed. Later his companions caught up and seemed to want him to do her in, but he refused. There was a challenge. Dreyden fought with the criminal for possession of Ruby and won.” She shuddered and grimaced to think of such barbaric behavior and then continued in a terse voice. “After that Ruby’s memory is gone. A medic from the north testified as to the extent of her injuries and the brutality that must have been employed to cause them. Maddie testified about discovering Ruby near the trail not far from the compound though to this day no one could explain how she managed to get there, considering the condition she was in, but you already know that part. No one dwelt on it for long and of course, Ruby has no idea either.

“And what was the prisoner’s defense?”

“He neither confirmed nor denied the witness testimony. He pleaded guilty to all counts saying he abducted Ruby, violated her and put her in harm’s way, when he should have returned her unharmed to her family.”

“That’s it?” Dani interrupted.

“I know,” Hendri nodded with a look of pure disgust on her face. “We want to know the whole story, but that son of a bitch is just going to keep the full truth to himself.”

“He should have never taken her in the first place.” Brandyn said. He still kept a watchful eye on Dani.

“That is exactly what he said when he corrected his own testimony.”

“No excuses?”

“None. Do you think the Queen made a deal with him? Do you think he pled guilty for leniency in sentencing?" Clearly Hendri thought the idea repugnant as she gave Dani a long penetrating look.

“Anything is possible, I suppose. “ Brandyn did not sound pleased either, but there was a hint of understanding in his voice. “When you have children, you might appreciate a mother – even the Queen – willingly bending the rules for the sake of her child.”

Hendri shrugged. “I only wonder how much influence she and the King will bring to bear on the sentencing.”

After Hendri left, Dani stared at Brandyn, perplexed.

“What will happen next?”

“The court will present the criminal with three punishment choices. From this point forward, whatever happens is up to him.”

That gave Dani little comfort. Hendri’s report only seemed to verify what Dani feared the most. Theo was resigned. He had given up. He wanted out of the bond bad enough he was willing to die to escape it. What about his promise to Anthony? That alone had to be the one thing that would get him through this ordeal. She looked down at the silvery second skin on her lap. It had once belonged to Anthony, the one she now wore used to be Theo’s.

“Don’t get any ideas,” Brandyn said. “I will sedate you again if I have to. And do not waste time looking for rocks. I already cleaned out your pockets and took the collections you hid under your pillows and in you pack.”

Dani glared at him.

Brandyn shrugged and offered an apologetic, tight smile. “It was a long day. I had to do something while I waited.”

Dani indicated the second skin and Theo’s Psalter. “May I please put these away?”

He gave it a few minutes thought, then came to her and indicated assent with a nudge of his sword. He followed her to the pole where Theo’s haversack and her backpack shared a spot beside the larger pack. She knelt down and opened the latches of the haversack. She was on her best behavior and tucked the suit and the book on top, taking careful inventory of the pack’s visible contents.

All there was left to do was wait for the sentencing. She went back with Brandyn to the dining area. Food was brought – cold fare of fruit, nuts and bread with water to drink. The Sunday quiet remained settled over the camp. Periodically they heard footsteps and voices outside the tent, speaking quietly as they passed.

The waiting was excruciating.

At last, after what seemed life hours of waiting but a moment that came far too soon for Dani’s heart to take, there was a sound from the direction of the Peldyn. A swell of voices crying out, a vigorous hellish cheer, deep with poisonous hate full of the sound of victory, the cry of carrion about to take their fill. The sound sent a chill down Dani’s spine.

She stood up reflexively and Brandyn pointed his sword.

“Stay.”

She had a terrible feeling. Briefly she felt Theo’s fear. But it winked out just as quickly, the swift end to a fly under the swatter. Without giving it a conscious thought, she gripped the crucifix at her throat, she stood immovable, fearing the worst and going over and over again her plan to make it right, searching for any detail she might have overlooked or obstacle she might have underestimated. She was determined to save him from whatever punishment the Lowlandian barbarians had devised against him. She would rescue him from his own stupid desire to self destruct.

The tent flap opened and Hendri came in looking breathless and excited.

“He has chosen the crucifixion tree,” She said without preamble in a voice far too eager.

Dani’s heart turned to stone. Her will to protect Theo became a moral imperative. Suddenly nothing else mattered including her terror of losing him.

“What were the other choices?” There was alarm in Brandyn’s voice.

“One other; the gauntlet.”

“The matriarch presented only two choices?

Both deadly options, Dani noted with bitter anger.

“She said his declaration of guilt came too easily and for the depth of the crime committed, no matter how limited his involvement, he failed to prove to the court’s satisfaction the he truly understood the gravity of his transgression.”

“That’s a lie.” Dani shouted, unable all at once to hold her anger in.

“How did the King vote?” Brandyn ignored Dani’s outburst.

“The King plead for leniency, what did you expect?”

Dani wanted to slap Hendri silly. She doubted the woman would stand there and take it as Theo had.

Hendri did not wait to discuss the verdict any further or the King’s supposed nefarious weakness in seeking mercy. She left with the same air of excitement and anticipation with which she had entered.

Dani could only stare at Brandyn with a heart full of accusation.

The noise of jubilation had moved out of the Pavilion and crossed the Peldyn until the sound of rushing feet, shouting voices and screams of pent up rage swelled to a sharp din in the gathering night. Theo was out there alone in the middle of that mob. The thought made Dani’s blood run cold. If the King and Queen could not influence this mob on his behalf what could she hope to accomplish? How would she get out of here and get through the mob and get him away to safety before they stopped her and they would stop her or simply run her over in their desire to spill his blood.

She pushed her doubts aside and made a few mental adjustments to her plan. All that had changed was the mode of rescue, since she only just learned what the punishment entailed. The Crucifixion tree was crucial to the success of her plan now, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise, that he had chosen it. Her task would have been far more precarious and dangerous had he chosen the gauntlet.

No one else came to the tent to explain what was happening, but Dani needed no explanation. She needed to take action. She hurried to Theo’s large pack and tore into it finding a sack of rocks he had collected and ripped it open as fast as she could.

Brandyn shouted for her to get back to her seat and she heard him hurrying over so she grabbed the first two stones that fit the curve of her hand, one smooth one sharp. She divided them between her hands and turned and flung the sharp one left handed at Brandyn’s head and while he was deflecting it with his sword the second, smoother stone pitched right handed struck his brow just above his left eye. He was so close when the stone hit him that when it knocked him off his feet; Dani felt the breeze from his feet flying out from under him grace her chin with a lovely caress. He landed hard and did not move again. His sword fell with a muffled clattered on the rug.

Hardly believing her luck she hurried to make sure he was out.

Please do not let him be dead. She breathed a silent prayer and quickly found his pulse. It was strong. An egg shaped lump already marked the spot above his left eye. She wasted no time, turned back to Theo’s supply pack and quickly went through the outer pockets, collecting two handed as many of the small necessary tools she had seen him use in the last weeks, and tossed them into his rucksack, that she had deliberately left open after placing the suit and the Psalter there. The flint, his fishing line a few small bags of gem stones and minerals for barter, the cup and bowl, powders and ointments (including the amethyst box) the twisted bandages, dried meat, a leather bag of nuts and dried berries and his knife that was unbelievably right on top of everything else. The knife she tucked into her waistband. She might need it. She put on her hoodie and zipped it up.

So far the sentries seemed too distracted by the commotion outside to be aware their captain had been overpowered by the crazy off-worlder.

In a matter of minutes, she had the haversack secured. She put on her back pack and adjusted the weight between her shoulders then passed the long strap of Theo’s rucksack over her head and wore it from right shoulder to left hip. She knotted the long straps of Theo’s boots around the straps of his haversack and hung them over her shoulder one in front and one in back..

The weight of the two smaller bags was bearable, but the big pack and its supplies would have to be left behind. She held no illusions that she could manage that thing and Theo too.

She stepped over Brandyn’s inert form, whispering an apology and went over to the trap door.

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Next Chapter: Chapter 23