Arranged (8 page)

Mar, a Vidarian with small horns in a crown around his bald head, stood to speak. "Lavtis is dead," he pointed out.

"Yes, I remember that council Mar. An accident."

Hushed whispers sounded and Bartus smacked his staff down. Qwinn continued once it was quiet, "We have not checked for signs of an accident. We merely found his body and determined it murder."

"She is not from our land," someone interrupted.

"Yes, she is not one of us," another said.

"Silence!" Bartus said softly, but he might as well have yelled. The members quieted.

Qwinn took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper down. He needed to be convincing, yelling at them would solve nothing. Council was an exhausting process. Each man tried to respect the other, but in the end it was the entire council that would have the say. "She may not be one of us, but she was chosen to become one. She should have a proper trial."

"You defend her because you love her, ignoring the good of the people," a member said, standing.

Qwinn faced the man, narrowing his black eyes, as he grew hot with anger. He knew he looked dangerous. "I do not put my feelings above the good of the people," his voice lowered seriously. "I am aware of my duty to Vidar. I would not jeopardize my position for a human if I did not believe she were innocent. A trial is what a Vidarian would be granted. I ask that she be shown the same courtesy."

Everyone was silent for a moment. "The law does not allow it," Bartus said softly.

Qwinn's heart dipped in fear. "Surely there is some exception…"

"Morinell," his father said, speaking for the first time since the meeting had begun. Now everyone's eyes were on him.

"Morinell?" Mar asked.

Qwinn's father stood, his hand bracing himself on his walking stick. His eyes remained straight ahead, staring at nothing, but Qwinn was sure that he could sense everything around him just as well as if he had eyes. "Morinell will look into the girls mind. She will determine whether the girl is innocent of not."

Qwinn filled with hope, trying quickly to squash it. It would be in his best interest if he remained unfeeling towards Alison, for now. Morinell was one of the oldest seers in Vidar. She was around even before Qwinn was born. Unlike the younger seers, who would say anything for a nice trinket or a gold piece, Morinell was always correct in her visions. If the council would agree to allow her to read Alison's mind, it would end the whole dispute. Qwinn couldn't help but tense, what if they didn't allow it? He would lose Alison.

"But she is not one of us. She doesn't deserve the chance to−"

"The law does not state that a seer cannot hold the sway," his father said firmly. "The circumstances call for a sense of mercy."

"So we should forget the law because your son has chosen this woman?" A member growled.

Bartus banged his staff. "Those who agree that Morinell should read the girl, place your chip in the bowl in the center of the table."

The members quieted and no one moved for a moment. Then Qwinn's father set his crystal chip in the bowl, not missing despite his blindness. Qwinn followed suit, setting his crystal in the bowl. The members around him remained still, none wanting to go against the other.

Qwinn's mouth dried as he looked around desperately. Then finally someone stood and placed their chip in the bowl.

A servant passing him with a blanket to cover Alison pulled Qwinn out of his thoughts. He tried to ignore the anger that began to rise in him. Just because she hadn't been proven innocent yet, didn't mean that she should be treated as a criminal.

It was by some miracle that the council agreed to allow Morinell to read Alison. He was grateful.

However, he needed to clear Alison from his mind or she would haunt his dreams, again. Now was the time to distance himself. If the council was correct and she did kill Lavtis, then she would be sentenced to death.

Qwinn let himself into his room. Jabr was nowhere in sight. For that he was thankful. At sunset Morinell would read Alison. He knew he needed rest, but he doubted sleep would come.

He threw open his balcony doors to let in the cool air. He tossed his royal sash aside and scrubbed his hand over his face. He desperately needed to relax or when the time came, he'd be a wreck. Even he could not stop the hand of the law.

She was only a human, he should not feel this way about her. He wished the circumstances were different, but he could only wait.

Alison woke and felt refreshed. She hadn't slept that well for a long time. She opened her eyes and her good mood evaporated. She pushed herself up to her elbows and a blanket puddled around her waist. She frowned down at it because she hadn't had one when she fell asleep. A shiver raced up her spine as her eyes scanned the cell. It felt empty, she couldn't explain it, but she was absolutely sure that there was no one in the cell with her.

Even though the appearance of the blanket meant that someone had entered the cell without her knowledge, she was thankful for the warm cloth. She pulled herself into a ball, wrapping the blanket closer to keep the warmth in.
If they want to kill me, why cover me up?
She wondered. She didn't have long to ponder on it because in the next instant the bar outside her door was being slid out of place.

She sat up, backing all the way into the wall, while dragging her legs into herself, trying to make herself look smaller.

The door opened and the room flooded with creatures. Alison's heart leapt at the sight of being greatly outnumbered. The tall creature stepped forward, his dark eyes studying her. She tried not to whimper in fear. Suddenly another creature stepped forward with dreads that reached past her hips. She had feathers and all manner of trinkets braided into her long black hair so that it jingled when she moved.

She stepped closer and Alison flinched. The woman was old. She could tell by the apparent wrinkles in her face, however, her yellow eyes held Alison still, as if hypnotizing her.

Qwinn's heart hammered as he watched Morinell lower herself shakily to Alison's level. He grit his teeth slightly as he tried to regain control over himself. He had promised himself that he would be unfeeling through the whole process. It was safer that way. Bartus stepped slightly closer, Mar close behind. Qwinn hardly noticed; his eyes were glued to the two women.

Morinell's piercing yellow eyes studied the girl, taking in her fear. However, she easily saw past that. The girl had a strong heart. Her ability to love was great. The seer tilted her head slightly to the side, "A coodaa ssay."

Qwinn cleared his throat, "She says not to fear," he translated.

"Beesssah taay vaanusssh," she said, holding her palms up for Alison to see.

"She will not hurt you when she touches you."

"Wh-why is she going to touch me?" Alison asked, her voice quivering.

"She is going to read your thoughts," he explained gruffly. Her big green eyes widened in fear as they looked to him. She looked so vulnerable. Sucking in a deep breath, he clasped his hands behind his back to make sure he didn't pull Morinell away from her.

"Queee melllo breesh a sssutaay.," she said softly, lifting her hands to either side of Alison's face.

"Wait!" she gasped.

"She says to remain still," Qwinn spoke up.

Alison did just the opposite. She raised her hands in offense. "Don't touch me!"

Morinell dodged her hands and grabbed her head. As soon as contact was made, Alison froze, as if paralyzed. Her eyes were wide and staring vacantly ahead.

Morinell closed her eyes as she allowed her mind to enter the girls. Alison's thoughts and memories to flooded her. Whispers bombarded her, but she had a lot of practice. She sorted through them until she got a hold of one. It was a memory of the girl as a child running through a strange house. Morinell focused on other whispers, grabbing another; Alison curled in her bed, sobbing. Her pillow was soaked with tears; however, it looked as if she was still grieving as heavily as when she had begun.

Morinell released the memory, grabbing a hold of another. Alison was ridding into town, two men in the carriage with her. One was sitting much too close. From the look of boredom and agitation on her face, it was obvious that she didn't want to be there. Morinell knew she was getting close to the memory she wanted. The girl looked to be about the same age as she was now.

Carefully the old woman sifted through Alison's memories, catching enough glimpses to make sure she didn't miss what she was looking for. She grabbed another one; night had fallen. Alison crept through the halls of a house, a pack on her back. She made her way carefully down the stairs.

Morinell grabbed another. Alison held a knife to a man's throat. Morinell's eyebrows rose as she watched.

Qwinn felt his heart sink in fear as he watched Morinell's face. The tension in the room was thick as they waited to hear the seer's observation.

Alison sliced a string and pulled a key off it. Immediately, she turned to get away, tripping. The old woman's face relaxed. The girl had not been about to kill the man. Alison left the room and safely left the house as soon as she could.

Morinell grabbed another. Now the girl was being chased. The old woman recognized Lavtis as he closed in on her. She didn't understand why the warriors didn't just capture her. It seemed almost as if they were playing games. He touched her shoulder, hissing in her ear. Morinell could see the look of horror on the girls face and pitied her. If Lavtis were alive, he would be severely beaten for this.

The old woman watched as the other soldier disappeared into the trees only to reappear in front of the girl. She dodged and ran. Morinell was surprised of the girl's endurance. She was keeping a good pace for a human against the Vidarian.

Suddenly the scene picked up a heavy sense of fear. The girl tried desperately to stop her speed, but slipped on the leaves and slid into a clearing. The seer's eyebrows rose again as the girl slid into a ravine, followed closely by Lavtis who had also slipped. Her scream echoed through the corners of the old woman's mind as her hand closed around a root, halting her. Lavtis was not so lucky. He spotted the ravine too late and grasped wildly for a hold. His fingers grazed the girl's ankle.

She screamed and shook him off in fear. His hold was unstable and his fingers easily dislodged. His body fell down the ravine, smashing against the rocks, his spine snapping upon impact. His eyelids fluttered closed as his life left him.

Morinell's lips tugged down in a frown. The girl pulled herself out of the ravine, her ankle dragging limply. She skipped forward slightly. The other warriors found the body and howled with grief. She stumbled through the trees, grabbing a branch. The warrior found her easily and spit
plahass
on her face. The girl passed out.

Morinell took a deep breath before pulling her mind out of the girls. Alison sucked in a shuddering breath as her eyes came back into focus. She couldn't explain what had just happened to her, it was as if she had watched someone intrude on her mind and was powerless to stop it. She found the old woman staring at her in pity before she lightly brushing Alison's brow.

A comforting feeling swept through Alison from the woman's hand. Before she knew what was happening, her eyes closed and she slumped slightly against the wall. Morinell gently guided the girl to lie on her side, covering her with the blanket.

The seer braced herself as she stood shakily, Qwinn hurried forward to help steady her. He didn't want to rush her, but the need to hear Alison's sentence was almost unbearable. Mar stepped forward; it was obvious that he too was curious.

Morinell straightened her many flowing layers that hung almost as netting around her. She turned her yellow eyes to the men. "An accident. Nothing more," she spoke softly.

Relief flooded Qwinn so quickly that his knees nearly buckled. Bartus nodded solemnly. Mar, however, frowned. "How can that be?" he demanded.

The old woman turned her knowing eyes on him. "The warriors were teasing her; scaring her instead of capturing her. Lavtis chased her, then slipped, falling into the ravine."

Mar growled. "Are you sure she did not push him in?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "It was an accident."

Qwinn barely heard the next few comments. Anger seethed in him so violently that he curled his hands into fists. He could not believe his men would play with Alison in such a way when they had direct orders from him to capture her and return to the castle. He had half a mind to charge to the barracks and have them all beaten.

Suddenly the other elders began to file out of the cell, Morinell leading the way. Qwinn touched Bartus' arm. "What will happen to her now?" he asked. He despised the way he sounded so vulnerable, he wasn't a child anymore.

In a way, it scared him that he already felt so deeply for Alison when he hardly knew her. Also, the fact that she was human was distressing. Humans were so fragile and prone to sickness. He could easily lose her.

However, no matter how hard he tried to distance himself from her, he was failing. He hadn't realized the extent of his feelings for her until the possibility that she could be executed arose. His father had told Qwinn that he would know when he found the right one to become queen and sit side by side with him to help rule his people. If she would have been executed, he wouldn't have known what to do.