Fantasy In Beziers

[Seventh Seal]

“I have done nothing wrong!” screamed the boy as he was drug forward.

The two guards fought furiously to wrangle him, both having an arm. They tried to subdue him as he bit and yelled and spit, making them fight for every single inch that they made him step. The bailiff, tired of the spectacle, hit him over the head with a club. The boy’s upper body lurched forward as he spit blood on the ground. The bailiff hit him again, harder.

This made him temporarily cease resistance, as his head lolled, blood dribbling from his mouth onto the ground. He was a short man, and the guards held him up roughly, each having one arm. His body was limp as he recovered from his blows. Several witnesses stood a good distance behind him, watching solemnly. They waited, in case they were called forth to give testimony.

Seeing the prisoner calm down, at least for now, the bailiff turned to his lord and cleared his throat.

“My lord,” he said, respectfully, “before you stands Eustace, a blacksmith’s son. He is accused of stealing bread and fruit from honest merchants in the marketplace. There are six witnesses that can attest to not only this particular theft, but several others. They are willing to testify against him.”

The young man, Eustace, suddenly sprang back to life, saying, “I only stole to feed my family!”

The bailiff turned around and beat him in the ribs twice, subduing him, before turning back to his lord, the judge. He said, “And he is also on the books for resisting arrest-“

The thief spit blood on the back of the bailiff, screaming, “Like anyone wants to be arrested!”

The bailiff snarled and spun around, raising his club in anger. Before he swung again, ready to cave in the young man’s skull, a clear and powerful voice rang out through the large audience chamber, stopping him.

“That’s enough, bailiff!” yelled a finely dressed man, donned in silks and muslin, wearing a mitre. “You need not kill the defendant before sentencing. If he is to die, allow Lord Tenebrous to decide that,” he said, “It would not do for you to carry out a premature sentence.”

The bailiff stayed his hand, turning back around and looking up at the raised dais upon which the clergyman stood. He bowed, “My sincerest apologies, Bishop.”

They all stood in a long rectangular hall. At one end stood a door leading directly onto a rich carpet. At the other end stood a slightly elevated platform. On top of this platform sat two thrones, one smaller than the other. The thrones were not too ornate (that would be considered gauche to the true regality of the King of Gallia), and one was smaller than the other. The Lord in question sat on the larger throne, in place of his father.

Beside him, on either side, stood two figures. One was the aforementioned Bishop Guy. On the other was a shriveled up old woman, dressed in the simple regalia of a nun, black and white covering her head-to-toe. After the chamber, with its staff and guards and spectators, calmed down for a moment, the nun leaned in to the young lord.

She very quietly said, “My lord, I recommend that this young man, regardless of his motives, be shown the standard wages of his sin.”

The bishop stared at her contemptuously. He snorted, “My lord, he is a thief, but he is not evil. Punishing him too harshly would not bring true justice to your father’s lands. I recommend some leniency. When doling out punishment, you must take circumstances into regard. You cannot merely look at what the law speaks. What say you?”

 

[LadyOfStars]

It became easier and easier to hide his lust for power every time, Tenebrous sat upon this throne and passed down judgement upon someone. The experience lost its initial thrill and the power was too expected. Comfortably settled upon the modest throne, Tenebrous watched as the enraged servant abused the criminal.

His eyes careful in their examination. They took in the scene, comittted every reaction to memory. The young, Elesham’s attention was more so on the balliiff than the accused. He was an odd man with clear aggression issues, but he obeyed the chain of command. Tenebrous’ eyes traveled to the man at his side and listened as he put an end to the attacks.

Hearing both sides, he waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t need the two of you in my ears.” With a deep breath, Tenebrous sat up straight and crossed his left leg over his right. “Bring forth the witnesses. I want to hear what they observed and decide whether or not these stories are true.”

 

[Seventh Seal]

The bailiff turned around and said, “Witnesses come forth.”

There was a bit of jostling amongst the people behind the defendant, then one stepped ahead of the others, walking beyond the young man and his jailers.

She was an older woman, dressed in a homespun dress, almost lacking entirely in jewelry. She wore a ruby encased in metal wire and a ring on her left forefinger. She said, “My lord, this man stole three apples and a Persian apple from my stand in the market. He came to me pretending honest business with honest coin. This is the only way that I can provide for me and my children, since my husband died of typhoid. We barely scrape by from season to season. Only scarcely do we provide rent to the landowner. And it is only by his grace that we continue to live where we do.”

With that, she bowed and walked back to the group of witnesses. When she did, they talked quietly for a moment before producing another witness, a fellow blacksmith. The blacksmith walked forward, on the carpet before the dais. He was a large man, bedecked in gray and black homespun cloth.
He said, “My lord. This man came to me, requesting four horseshoes. After I had made them for him, he reneged on payment. After that, they sat in my shed. Then, sometime in the night, they mysteriously disappeared, and I saw that his father’s horse had fresh shoes on it the next day. What other conclusion can I come to?”

After giving his testimony, the blacksmith bowed out graciously and returned to the group. After him, a third witness stepped forth. It was a fat man, dressed in gay clothing, reds and greens. He was obviously someone who ate very well and dressed even more well.

He said, “I run a stall that sells fine apples and onions and skeins of wool. This very man before you stole an armful of all of these things, before my eyes. I saw him scoop them all up and run, before I could exact payment. Three yarns and a bushel of fruit. That is what he owes me. I am not a vindictive man, and if were to merely pay me what he owes me, then I wouldn’t have an issue with him. But he denies that he stole what he did. I have no other way to gain recompense.”

With that, the merchant bowed out and returned to the group of three witnesses. They all awaited the judgment of their lord.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Tenebrous listened to each story and devoted all of his attention to the people before him. Some of them didn’t appear as if they had anything worth stealing, but this man supposedly found things to take from them. “Thank you.” The unfortunate nails upon, Tenebrous’ right hand started to lightly scratch against the arm of the throne as the wheels in his mind turned. A man’s future hung in the balance here and although he cared very little for the individual life, the wrong decision could reflect poorly on his own intelligence.

“While your accounts have given me a great deal of insight into the situation, I believe more evidence to this man’s crimes is required.” His cold gaze swept over the room and all of its occupants, except for the two at his sides. He then spoke with an authoritative tone, “Jail the accuse. If he did truly steal any of these items, we should be able to produce them, correct? I will have a man attempt to collect what might remain of the stolen materials. Please leave a record of your lost items within the steward.”

“Bishop.” He turned his head in the man’s direction and glanced up at him briefly. “Send your most trustworthy man to find the stolen items.” His low tone concealed the topic of their conversation from all but the intended man.

 

[Seventh Seal]

The nun glowered briefly as a smile lit up the Bishop’s face. This was the kind of justice he liked.

“Of course, my lord,” he said, “I will organize a search immediately. The defendant will be detained in the meanwhile.”

With that, he clapped his hands, and the guards turned around, dragging the prisoner off. Eustace himself was relieved for the moment. It would be at least one more day where he got to keep his hand or his head. As he was shuffled out of the room, the three witnesses followed him.
When they all had walked out, two men accompanied by a couple of guards walked in. Neither of the men were manacled or held by the guards. Both were middle-aged, but one had nicer clothes than the other and was also accompanied by a lawyer. The lawyer and his client chatted quietly while the room settled down.

The nun leaned in to Tenebrous and said, ever so softly, “Nephew, I understand the ruling you gave on this occasion, but do not make it a habit of showing mercy for the guilty. Do not be soft like your mother.”

“Abbess Genevieve,” said Bishop Guy, “Just because our lord does not wish to see a forest of gallows beside every road in Beziers does not mean that he is soft. Mind your tongue and your manners.”

 

[LadyOfStars]

Tenebrous nodded his head as a silent thank you when his request was accepted. He watched the accused be taken away and wondered to himself whether the man truly was a criminal.

The new group that arrived showed some promise. They were men of means by the looks of them and possibly brought a more challenging case with them. The sudden whispers from the nun were enough to ruin his rising mood.he looked back at her as the bishop berated her for her comment.

“Mistaking intelligence and wisdom for softened says a lot about you.” With a deep breath, Tenenebrous straightened his back and sat as someone of his status should. “And do not attempt to speak I’ll of my mother again. She could do your job far better.” His attention finally went back to the group.

“The court is waiting.” He said with a hint of impatience in his words.