Hearts in Cups (17 page)

Percamber chose to hear
the case in a private audience chamber within the administrative wing of the
palace. He sat in a chair wearing a diadem and carrying his steward's scepter.
In a corner, sitting at a small table with a sheaf of parchment before him, was
the clerk who would record the proceedings. With an impassive face Percamber
indicated the two chairs facing him to the duke and the viscount, both of whom
entered the room and bowed before him.

"It is our
intention to pass judgment based on the evidence and argument that you put
before us now. Do you both swear to accept and obey our decision with no
recourse outside this court?" Both Branwilde and Colin assented.
"Then we declare this court in session. My lord duke, as accuser we will
hear you first."

Branwilde stood and
spoke in a firm, confident voice. He told of finding his daughter's room
vacant, of sending forth men to look for her and finding a woman who lived near
the city's quays who told of seeing a girl boarding a boat on its way to Dacara
with a young man. His men had ridden in haste to the port city and two days
later, after asking after her and the boat, found her locked in a tiny room in
the back of a tavern. His men had waited and apprehended the man who had taken
her. They had then conveyed both of them back to the city. His daughter had
been in a pitiable state on her return, frenzied and incoherent, and had to be
deeply drugged by their personal physician before she had even been calm enough
to sleep. When questioned by himself and his wife in the morning, she had
lapsed back into a hysterical fit that again required sedation. The physician
had advised them that she be taken home, away from the scene of her terrible
experiences. Thus it was that his wife and daughter had already left for Gwenth.
He ended his statement by demanding the maximum penalty for the kidnapping and
rape of the daughter of the Duke of Creon.

Colin noticed that when
Branwilde sat down his hands were trembling slightly and there was a decidedly
belligerent thrust to his jaw. Standing, Colin related the tale as Daffyd had
told it to him. He tried to emphasize that it was the foolish act of youth and
that while it was not a deed to the young man's credit, he had not taken the
girl against her will and she had not been physically harmed by him. As he
spoke, Branwilde's face flushed with anger, though he said nothing, in
deference to the forms of the court.

When Colin had finished
his version of the crime, Percamber looked thoughtfully at both men and said,
"We have heard the story from both sides. According to your grace, your
daughter was forcibly taken from the palace and carried off to Dacara by this
man, Daffyd ap Blewyns; and you, Lord de Chantalcalm, attest that the girl left
the palace willingly and was, in fact, eloping with him." Both men nodded.
"Now I need to see and hear what evidence there is to support these
accusations."

Branwilde rose and took
a sheaf of papers from a leather bag at his feet. "This is the sworn
testimony of the captain of the men that rescued my daughter." He handed
the document to Lord Percamber who read it slowly and then passed them to his
clerk. "I also have statements from the woman who saw her on the boat and
the owner of the tavern in Dacara where she was found. This last document is
from the physician who examined her when she returned." These were also
handed to Percamber to be read in turn. Percamber read the last document with a
deepening frown. When he had done, he looked expectantly at Branwilde. The duke
nodded curtly and sat down.

"All of these
documents support your case, but what of your daughter's testimony? She is the
one most concerned, next to the young man; is there no statement of any kind
directly from her?"

"My daughter is
hardly herself. After the trauma that she has gone through, she is incapable of
thinking clearly about what has happened, let alone write about it."
Branwilde fidgeted irritably in his seat.

"While we have
great sympathy for what your daughter has gone through, the fact remains that
she must be the primary accuser against the defendant. With no direct evidence
or testimony from her, this court cannot in good conscience proceed against the
defendant in this matter."

Branwilde was on his
feet and close to shouting at the old man who sat before him. "That is
absurd! The man took her, carried her off, abused her and you will not punish
him? I demand retribution!"

"Sit down!"
Percamber's voice crackled with authority. "We did not say that he would
be set free, blameless. But the lack of direct accusation from the person most
directly wronged weakens the case considerably. Lord de Chantalcalm, we would
now know your evidence." The old man pointedly turned from the duke.

"I have here a
sworn statement from the defendant corroborating the story that I have told to
you. I also have testimony from the man on whose boat they traveled, stating
that he witnessed no compulsion in the actions between the two, and indeed that
they seemed very comfortable in each other's company." He handed his
documents to Percamber and sat down.

"Gentlemen, having
heard both of your arguments, we must now consider the meting out of justice.
Lord Branwilde, we are sensible to your position. You are a powerful and
influential man in the Pentarchy, with the dignity of your House and duchy to maintain.
What has happened, whether with or without your daughter's consent, is a blow
to your reputation as well as hers. However, unless she can be brought to
testify in person against the defendant, we cannot allow you to continue in the
prosecution of the defendant."

"What of the
doctor's testimony?" Branwilde interrupted fiercely.

"This document
does not say that she was raped, only that she was under great mental stress.
We are sorry, but it is not enough to proceed." Percamber looked
compassionately at the tormented expression on the duke's face. "Can you
not have your daughter returned to give testimony?"

Branwilde shook his
head. "No, I will not have her exposed thus; she has gone through
enough."

Percamber nodded.
"Lord de Chantalcalm, although you have tried to lessen the defendant's
guilt, there are still things for which he is culpable. Even if he did not
abduct the girl, he did conspire against the duke by being party to the girl's
running away. For that conspiracy we strip him of his palace office and exile
him from the city of Pentarin." Colin stood and bowed in relief and
gratitude.

"That is
all?" Branwilde sputtered incredulously.

Percamber fixed his
eyes coldly on the duke. "That is sufficient for the requirements of
justice, Lord Branwilde." The duke glared back, before giving a curt nod
of acceptance.

The regent continued,
"We conjure both of you to keep silent on all that has been said here
today. We now declare this court to be adjourned." He stood and looked
sternly at both men. "This episode has been painful and embarrassing to
both of you. I think that it would be best for you to put it behind you, and
not to feel that one of you has won to the other's loss. The Pentarchy and I
need you both, especially in the days to come. The Duchess of Langstraad's
mission to Prince Brian will leave Pentarin soon and we must be prepared to
wait patiently until she returns. Strife will not serve at this time; do not
hold grudges."

"For my part, I
hold no ill-feeling towards your grace," Colin said, trying to breach the
gap he sensed the duke had built between them. "I am indeed sorry if wrong
has been done. But I truly believe that the young man I defended today did not
mean to do evil to you or any of your family."

"I will hold my tongue
and work with you in the council, Treves; but let the young man know that he is
not welcome within the borders of Creon and would be wise to stay far from
them." This speech was delivered in a grating tone of enmity that
surprised both Colin and Percamber. "My lords," he said with a bow to
Percamber. Turning on his heel, he exited the room.

After Percamber
conferred with and dismissed his clerk, the old man turned to face Colin, who
had remained in the room. "I fear the repercussions of this incident, my
lord," Colin sighed. "The duke is angry with the verdict and with me
for defending Daffyd."

"He may be angry,
but he will not disrupt the council for a family matter, regardless of any
hostility he harbours. Know too, that if he had produced any hard evidence of
the girl's ill-treatment, even a written statement from her, things would have
gone much harder with your man. I don't like what was done and he bears much of
the blame even if she was willing. As it is, you would be well advised to send
him far away from the duke."

"Yes, I can see
the wisdom in that," Colin replied with a touch of humor.

  "I am
growing more concerned each day, Colin. All of this excitement over Creon's
missing daughter has kept attention diverted from the duchess and her coming
journey." Percamber began to make his way to the door but stopped as Colin
put his hand on the old man's sleeve.

"Everything will
be fine, Percamber. The men are rallied and the provisions are gathered. I have
put my affairs in order; Dinea will administer Treves for me while I am away.
In another week we shall have gone and will return with Prince Brian before the
summer is out."

"And what of Niall
and Rashara? I cannot believe that they are truly content with the solution of
the prince's return. Though indeed, Niall has been of great help in the
organization of this expedition." His face wore an expression of
perplexity.

"Possibly Niall is
assuming that, should the mission fail and Hollin be forced to return and
marry, he may yet get his hands on the throne. He was a strong advocate for her
marriage to a son of one of the Houses and the beginning of a new royal line.
If she should be forced or maneuvered into marrying Lord Galen, he would be
very close to the power that he wants."

Percamber looked grim. "You
may be right, and that may be the game he now plays. I think though that he
would be in for a very unpleasant surprise if he assumes that the Lady Hollin
would submit to being anyone's tool. The more I see of her, the more I think
that she will make my grandson an excellent wife and be a fitting queen."
He smiled wanly. "The dreams of a weary old man. I do want to see Brian
again. To see him become High King of the Pentarchy, as was his father before
him."

"I wish it as
well!" Colin gripped the regent's thin, sinewy arm. "I promise that I
will do all that I can to bring them back safely and soon. Now, I must go and
relieve my wife's mind about this wretched business of Daffyd's."

The two men smiled in
mutual understanding as they parted, Colin, with a quick stride, eager to tell
Dinea that Daffyd's head had been saved, albeit at the expense of his career,
and Percamber, with slow steadiness, to his private study to sit long into the
night considering what should be done to make ready for the return of his
grandson.

Dinea sat listening
with an intent expression to her husband's assurances that her favoured
musician was to keep his life. Though he could not detail all that had been
said in the closed chamber, she knew him well-enough to decipher what was not
said. They had spent the past few days feverishly gleaning what evidence in
favour of the young man they could find, but both had known that it was the
testimony of the duke's daughter that would really determine his fate. Even as
she breathed her sigh of relief, Dinea's mind continued to wrestle with the
situation.

"You know that
Branwilde will not let the matter rest where it is," she said when he had
finished.

"Oh, I think he
will. After all, he did promise to abide by Percamber's decision." He
reached for one of the cakes she had brought him on a plate at his return.

"He made that
pledge before he heard the verdict. The duke is a very proud man. He will not
feel that justice has been done and he will not want pity or sympathy for his
daughter, poor girl. He will want to inflict his own feelings of shame on
Daffyd. I want to make certain that Daffyd is safe from the duke's wrath."

"How do you
propose to do that?" Colin asked around a mouthful of cake. "Send him
back to Treves? He can read and write; perhaps he can be employed as an
administrative clerk. A little lowering of his sights might do him a world of
good."

Dinea smiled
indulgently at Colin. He had worked hard for the acquittal, but his thoughts
were now turning back towards the quest and matters of greater consequence than
the future of one lowly musician. "If the duke decides to send retribution
looking for Daffyd, our lands will be the first place searched. No, he must go
very far away and he must go soon. I think that it would be a good thing for
him to go with you on your journey to find the prince." Colin's eyebrows
shot up in astonishment. Dinea sat demurely, waiting for her husband to
assimilate this suggestion.

He shook his head
doubtfully. "I can't see Branwilde standing idly by while the man he
thinks kidnapped his daughter rides off with a prestigious embassy. I also
don't think that Hollin would welcome such a snub. The Duke of Creon is too
powerful a man to offend in that fashion."

"Of course Daffyd
could not ride openly with you. He would have to leave Pentarin quietly and
rendezvous with you at some predetermined place in the Inner Ward." She
began to pace in front of where he sat, marshaling her plans. "I can go to
Hollin and plead his case. She sent a note when she heard about the incident,
and I believe that she is somewhat sympathetic. I shall explain our reasons for
asking this and beg that she allow him to join you."