His heart was pounding, and his palms were sweaty. The hall was filled with people awaiting the trial of Deorla. A mix of people from honest townsfolk, to the merchants that held grievance with the defendant, to the strange, hooded figures that he could only assume were the rangers. The atmosphere was electric, and Furley did not feel at ease whatsoever.
When she was brought in, under close guard by the Watchwoman Bridghet Wren, there was a fell hush about the whole chamber. Even the comfort of having sweet Ede with him, and the presence of his friend and new business partner, Percyvael, didn't have an effect on him. His head was swimming with thoughts, flashing through his mind. "What if they sentence her to death? What if I've doomed one of my closest friends to die? What if I can't get her out of this? Oh lord, what have I done?".
Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he stood at the back of the room, almost out of sight. The magistrate is Rastrick, his old mentor from the guard. "He's risen high since I've been away to the south" he mused to himself, but he was glad that Rastrick was presiding over the trial. The man had common sense and fortitude in abundance, and he knew they'd all receive a fair hearing.
The charges were read out. One count of murder, fifteen counts of robbery, one account of attempted arson, and two counts of loitering. Loitering? Of all things. Still, a complaint on record is a complaint, and he allowed himself a slight chuckle. This trial would be farcical, but at least it avoided the ranger lynch-mob. Black magic b*stards that they were. And after all, this was all necessary. At least that's what he told himself when he closed his eyes at night. This'll clear her name, and avoid the "dead or alive" bounty posters from meaning she turned up dead. And he had found out what he needed to know from her, which unfortunately took incarceration to make her talk to him on a level.
"Lord, I hope she one day forgives me for this".
The first, and only, ranger witness, was a certain Miss Lysinda, who recounted the events of the murder. Deorla had been in Fornost, and they had presumed her a treasure hunter. However, when their ranger commander, Serren, had found what she was looking for, Deorla had stabbed him in the calf and then cut his throat before making off with the loot. Deorla's defence was that she had killed the man. Wait, what sort of defence is that? She went on to explain how she had done it with good reason, and that the artifact had been a "palantir". One of the seeing stones from the old stories.
Half the room gasped, the rest seemed to laugh, not nearly more than one restless hobbit sat in the bleachers. They had considered her defence to be one of fairytale, and the others looked a little darker, as if they believed the rumour. Deorla then went on to explain about dangers in the land, and something about doing right by Bree, amongst other things. At least that bit was true, Furley thought to himself.
A few character witnesses later, inlcuding the merchant Percyvael, who publicly withdrew his complaint of theft as she had returned his goods, seemed to give a glowing character reference. It all rather dragged on, but there were holes in both stories, and no other witnesses to back anything up. There was no clear or obvious decision that could be made.
Finally, Rastrick came to a verdict, despite protests from both sides trying to sway him one way or other. Raising his hand, he ushered them to silence, and the whole room listened. Furley grinned. "He's still got his old touch", he muttered to himself, but his heart dropped as he heard the verdict read out.
"The evidence has not been totally conclusive, and nor is th
ere any conviction that the Bree-Land Judiciary can press such a hefty charge on Bree-Land soil. Therefore, the verdict is such. Due to crimes against Bree-Land, including fourteen counts of theft, the Lady Deorla of the Dale-Lands will be removed from Bree-Land, and not allowed to return for a period of five years. If she does, she will be incarcerated in our cells for a period of five years.
"Regards to the murder, regardless of intent, it is clear that the defendant is guilty, though it occurred outside our borders. She will be escorted to Trestlebridge, and beyond the Trestlespan Bridge, where she will be taken beyond our borders by the rangers who her offence was against, where with the blessing of the Office of the Bree-Land Judiciary, she may be executed for her crimes".
The room gasped, and Furley's heart sank to the floor, his stomach turning in panic. Turning to leave, he picked up his sword from the rack by the door, and went out into the street to formulate his thoughts. This is it, he thought. If this doesn't work, one of us will end up on the headsman's block before the day is out.
