The small, weary group had spent a veritable age on the open road leading up to this moment, facing numerous dangers and vicious threats while coping with the devious plots and schemes of their foes, both individually and collectively. Many of those standing in the Throne Room of Dol Amroth, who had begun this journey as strangers back in Bree, now considered themselves truly a band of close friends…having traveling together through Rivendell, over the Misty Mountains and along the Anduin Valley, past Lothlorien to Faldham and Cliving and Edoras, over the Dimholt Road to Morlad, Calembel and now to stately Dol Amroth. Along the way battles had been fought, plots uncovered, escapes managed, taverns destroyed and graves tended. Until here they now stood, in what finery they could manage, to seek one of the goals of their expedition...justice for Nethrida of Linhir.
As they stood together, uncomfortably, Nethrida kept her face impassive as Xandilif held her by the arm, her captor in her role as a Champion of Dol Amroth. All however could feel her fear, as well as her guilt and sorrow and resignation. She had finally found the nerve to stop running, and face her destiny beside her friends.
A herald stepped forth and blow a single note on a long silver trumpet and intoned….”Hail, Lothiriel, Daughter of Imrahil, Grandaughter of Andrahil. Hail unto the Princess of the Azure Sea and Hope of the Towers of Regret and the Moon....Hail unto the Queen Regent of Dol Amroth, long may she flourish.”
The crowd bent their knees and intoned together “Long may she flourish”.
Stepping out onto the dias was a tall, thin man in black robes, wearing the azure blue badge of the princess upon his breast. Behind him came a small, delicate woman of no more than 20, her blonde ringlets cascading down her back nearly to her waist. She wore a gown of white silk and robe of azure damask, the anchor of Dol Amroth embroidered all along its hem in pure silver thread.
The man dressed in black cleared his throat. “Will Xandilif of the First Born, Champion of the Azure Faithful and sworn blade unto the Princess Lothiriel step forward, bearing with her a matter of High Justice?”
Xandilif stepped forward, her crimson armor gleaming in the torchlight, and dropped to one knee, laying the sword SilverWand before the princess. Her companions bowed behind her.
Lothiriel smiled and settled into her throne, a smaller one set beside the great seat held empty awaiting her father’s return from the war. "In the name of the Mighty Imrahil, Lord of Wrath and Prince of Dol Amroth, I bid you welcome, Xandilif of the Twin Ships, and unto your companions...Addiela and Eduwiges of our cousin, Rohan, Calidis, ancient of the first born, Hawke of distant Arnor....and the wrongdoer, despised by her fellows and brought before this august throne to enjoy the High Justice of the Sword of Imrahil.'
The group stared in rapture at the strangely etherial princess, all save for Hawke who looked anywhere but at Lothiriel's face and Calidis who clasped her hands together and kept her eyes down.
Lothiriel yawned prettily and totally unconvincingly. "We tire..Our business is at an end for this day and we retire...If the Mighty Xandilif, Slayer of Trant, Sealord of the Demons of Harad would attend upon us in private, we would not be displeased.”
Most of the room grumbled as the fickle Princess had simply cancelled a full day of royal business with a wave of her hand and a yawn, but all saluted and bent a knee again as she walked off the dias and out of sight.
Tharril, her black garbed Major Domo, gestured to a side door while looking at Xandilif most pointedly. “C’mon…” growled the Champion to her companions. ”And no nicking silver…they count that shite every damn night.
The door they passed through opened into the gardens to either side of the Court, and Xandilif led them to a fountain, well in the back of the garden...a blanket with food and wine was already laid out. As they arriveed, a cloaked and hooded woman was already waiting for them, and now scampered up to Xandilif for a hug from the gruff elleth.
Calidis tilted her head a little as Eduwiges muttered sotto voice “This should be interesting…” The two moved by instinct to shield Nethrida.
The woman cast back her hood, revealing the Princess though her disguise had fooled no one. "Banshee...are they all here?'
Xandilif nodded."Yeah, give or take a few....
Lothiriel drew herself up to her full height, peering at the group. “And where is the Captain Nethrida?'
Nethrida tried to keepher neutral expression, but the cloaked figure did pique her interest somewhat. As such her left eyebrow crept ever so slightly higher as she stepped in front of Calidis and Eduwiges. "I am Captain Nethrida". She then immediately knealt, her forehead pressed to her fist in salute
Lothiriel walked up to Neth....and biting her lip looked down. "Stop that...I am off duty...mostly.' Nethrida nodded slowly and rose back up to her feet, standing at attention as the Princess continued. “You are accused of desertion, Captain....are you guilty of this crime?”
Addiela gasped softly at the question and grew visibly nervous for Neth, knowing in advance the plea the woman would enter.
Nethrida nodded sternly "Yes." was her only reply with a sharp tone.
Lothiriel clasped her hands in front of her...."Why?'
Nethrida took a moment to answer. "Would you prefer to hear the whole story? Or simply the reason?" she inquired with a somewhat hesitant tone.
The Princess paused, a big confused. “Are they not one and the same?'
Nethrida nodded sharply again. "They are. But I feel it will be easier to explain what I did, if I were to explain the full situation."
"Are there any here you would not wish to hear this tale?' Lothiriel gestured towards the company.
Addie stepped forward and shook her head, "Nay, I would have her tell it, princess…and I speak for all of us in this."
Lothiriel nodded slowly..."And what says the Captain?'
"Then I shall tell it as it happened." said Nethrida. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat as she began her description of what happened, how five years ago she had led a detachment of troops into the region of Anorien, tasked with setting up a watch post. She went on to explain how they were then beset by orcs, taking pains to mention her own failure to scout the area as they had received intelligence from another nearby detachment that no Orcs had been sighted. This resulted, she explained, in the surprise attack that took the lives of twenty eight of the thirty men under her charge…including her lover. She then called herself for a moment, and keeping her composure she continued the tale of spiraling out of control, of her excessive drinking and the crippling grief she felt for the deaths.
The Princess watched her coldly as Nethrida explained how one day she simply could not take it anymore, and thus fled northward. She detailed her travel up the Anorien, the dark moment at the banks of the Anduin where she had thought to plunge her blade through her chest and toss herself into the watery depths and her trek through the Mark, all the way to Bree. She had lived there these past five years, making ends meet by offering her services as a caravan guard, or by aiding the Bree Town Watch. She also explained her plans of marching into Fornost alone, and how her friends, at which point she motioned to the people behind her, had stopped her from throwing herself away so.
Finally Nethrida fell silent, exhausted, and Lothirel nodded slowly..."And did you conspire with Captain Baran?'
The sudden silence seemed to echo and Addiela snapped her gaze back to the princess, not having heard the name before when Nethrida spoke of her travails.
Nethrida raised her eyebrow "Conspire? Nay. The mistakes I made... The lives lost... They were... my own fault... My own hubris... I had... No reason to not trust the intel. I was... Simply too focused on setting up the watchpost."
Lothiriel continued, speaking slowly and carefully. Behind her, a scribe standing with Tharril was writing down every word. 'So then Captain Baran had informed you that the region was scouted and secure?'
Nethrida nodded again, unsure where this was leading. "I received scouting maps, reports from the 17th Interior Brigade... It is true they were... Some days old. But no Orcish squads had been sighted east of Amon Din. They had moved in... Over the few days that had lasted between the latest scouting report... And my detachment arriving... We... Did destroy their foothold, but our casualties were... Near total.
Lothiriel nodded softly, seeming lost in through for a moment before continuing..."I see...The Captain of the 17th Interior, Baren is dead.'
Her eyes widening in shock, "H...how did he fall?" Nethrida inquired in a shaky tone.
Lothiriel grew even more impassive. "He did not fall...he was hanged by the neck until dead, for dereliction of duty, and high treason.”
Nethrida seemed even more shocked, she took half a step back, bumping into Edu. "On... What treason...?"
The Princess seemed to glide towards Nethrida, Xandilif falling into step naturally behind her. “Baran had been filing false reports for some weeks before your squad was destroyed, Captain. The orcs had had several months to dig in and make their positions defensible and knew when the deployments would change. They were awaiting your men, Captain.” Lothiriel sighed..."It is a wonder any of you survived at all...”
Nethrida shook her head. She had carried this guilt for so long she was reluctant to let it go. “More yet would have survived if I had sent my scouts forth."
The Princess stomped her foot, clearly growing frustrated. "More still if you had sent them riding oliphants.”
Addiela 's eyes widen at that and she looked over to Hawk to whisper, "I suppose that's why she asked if Neth conspired with him."
Nethrida steeled her gaze and nodded. "I... understand…and accept any judgment laid upon me." She spoke with a shaky tone but kept a neutral expression, yet the observant would see she did turn a shade more pale.
Lothiriel remained impassive, her voice growing more regal. "Nethrida of Linhir, Captain of Gondor, you stand before the Azure throne on one charge alone...Being absent without leave. On this charge, how do you plead?”
Nethrida took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Guilty" she stated.
Lothiriel nodded..."The throne accepts your plea and pronounces you guilty of the charge, by the wisdom of the Azure Crown. On your knees to receive your sentence.”
Through the company a grumble was rising, fearing what was about to happen. Eduwiges gripped the hilt of her sword
Nethrida held her hands out in front of her friends, calming them then looking from side to side, shaking her head in silence before lowering her hands again, moving them behind her back and fixing her gaze on Lothiriel as she sank to her knees.
Clearing her throat, the Princess began. "Nethrida of Linhir, Captain of Gondor, it is will of the Azure throne that your rank shall be reduced to Guardsman First Class, and that your remaining term of service, given by you unto the Defense of Gondor shall be doubled. You will serve at the direct pleasure of the Azure throne for a period of not less than two years, under probation for your crimes. Rise, Guardsman of the Azure Throne of Dol Amroth.'
Dark eyed Calidis let out the breath she had been holding in relief, quite loudly, and plopped down to sit on the grass where she had been standing. The others all laughed quietly, her gesture reflecting how they all felt as the tension passed. No prison, or worse, for Nethrida.
Nethrida herself remained completely silent however and slowly stood up. She nodded and saluted. "Thank you, your highness. But... May I inquire... The terms of the probation, your highness?"
Lothiriel sat on the blanket and reached for some grapes...."You will serve me as I choose, Guardsman, or I shall place you under the control of Xandilif the Banshee...I will decide later...why do you ask?'...Now, please eat, all of you...and you must tell me..did you indeed slays scores of Riders just to save the life of a horse?'
Nethrida nodded slowly. "I had hoped... To visit home. Am I allowed to depart the region of Belfalas?"
Lothiriel smiled as Tharril brought her the scroll to sign."There, the criers will have that by morning...and you may visit your Linhir kinsfolk in the company of your brother and the Banshee, as well as Xanderian, servant of Gondor, if that would please you'
As the group spoke, now calming after the tensions of the sentencing, several Knights marched through the archway. Their livery was different then the ones Swan Knights they had seen. More battle stained. Grander. More elite. These were clearly no ordinary soldiers and they did not march as such. Their tabards and cloaks were a rich Cobalt blue and on the left shoulder each wore a guard carved in the appearance of a snarling dog.
The Knights moved into the circle of the picnic...and the Captain in the lead read from a scroll as four Knights moved to Hawke, two on each side of him..."Gwaellion of Ost Lontir?'
Hawke stood straight, having been leaning against the ornate planter, and when he heard the name the Knight read out his face paled. Xandilif stared and muttered to herself. “What the blazes are the Hounds of Anarion doing here?”
Confident they had found their man, the Captain cleared his throat and continued... "Gwaelion of Ost Lontir, you are requested to attend with caution upon his grace Denathor, the Steward of Gondor by the authority of Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth and Sword of the Free Peoples.'
Brushing the shoulder of his cobalt cloak back to expose the hilt of his blade, the Captain’s tone remained cold and business like 'You will lay down any arms you may carry and will come with us please, to stand trial for your life in the presence of the Steward.”
TO BE CONTINUED
