After the Verdict

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 9th June 2019
Series: The Great Bandit Trial

Characters: R'fal, Tasni, Lirena
Description: Tasni speaks with R'fal and Lirena after the trial verdict is announced
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 22 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Corowal

The trial had come to an end, the prisoners were led away, and the grand
hall was filled with the sounds of lively chatter as the holders
discussed the verdict. Almost everyone was happy to see the holdless
bandits punished, though some expressed the opinion that ten Turns was
not long enough and they ought to have been condemned to the mines for life.

Amid all the excitement, R'fal sat staring blankly at the high table
where the Lord Holder had been sitting when he'd judged his father
guilty, unable to believe what had just happened. His Da, stripped
of his rank in front of the whole Hold and dragged away to prison with
the thieves.

He was vaguely aware of his mother speaking to him, but he couldn't
concentrate on what she was saying. All his mental strength was taken up
with shielding Marlath from the despair that threatened to overwhelm
them both.

**I'm all right. I'm all right...**

Close by, a fair-haired harper woman pushed her way through the crowd,
her expression troubled. "Lirena - R'fal. I'm sorry."

"You did what you could." Unlike her son, the holder woman sounded
resigned, as if she'd expected the outcome.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" the harper asked. Two months seemed like
a long time, but in a Pass, with a convict for a husband and young
children, it wouldn't be easy to find a new place. There was always the
Weyr, she thought. They surely wouldn't turn away the mother of a
dragonrider.

"Yes, my sister's family will take us in. The children are already
there. I'll go back to the cothold first, explain the situation to the
workers and pack up the rest of our possessions." Lirena sighed. "It'll
be strange, leaving..."

Tasni remembered the fierce light in the holder woman's eyes when she'd
spoken about the land - and then, what Galveden had told her about the
cothold having belonged to Lirena's family, not Terren's. An idea
occurred to her. A way she might help, after all.

"Perhaps - don't start packing, just yet." She spoke softly and glanced
over her shoulder to make sure no-one was listening. "The Lord Holder
did not say for certain that Terren knew he was in league with thieves.
He might listen to an appeal to save the cothold for your family."

Her eyes flickered up to meet the harper's. "Do you think that would be
possible?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up, but it's worth a try. You'd have to
present him with an alternative holder to replace Terren. A relative, if
you have one the right age. Or someone you trust, to hold the land until
your younger son is old enough to take over." Tasni could see that
Lirena was distracted, and this wasn't the time or the place for such a
discussion. "Think it over, and send me word at the Harper Hall. I can
help you draw up a petition."

"Wait." R'fal spoke up, before she could turn to go. "Can we see Da?
Before..."

Tasni's brow creased. She was uncertain whether that would be such a
good idea. In her opinion, it was unlikely that Terren would behave
stoically for the sake of his wife and son. "I don't know. I'll ask the
guards." Then she was gone, slipping through the crowd.

It was a long time before she returned, and the hall had emptied out
apart from a few drudges, who were restoring the tables and chairs to
their usual positions for the evening meal. Lirena had almost made up
her mind to leave, but R'fal insisted on waiting and she would need him
to fly them back to the cothold. It would be odd to be back after so
many months at Emerald Falls, trying to help her husband. She'd almost
grown used to life at the Hold.

"Oh, you're still here." Tasni sounded slightly surprised, but came over
to join them. "Sorry, it took a while. There were lots of people wanting
to speak with the guards." Most of those that weren't on duty had headed
off to the tavern to celebrate. There would be plenty of holders and
traders offering to buy them drinks this evening. "The answer is yes,
you can speak to your father before they depart for Black Rock Hold. But
not now. Come back tomorrow or the next day, they won't be leaving until
then."

R'fal seemed to have broken out of of his stunned trance while she'd
been gone. He had a look of determination, as if he was planning to
fight this verdict all on his own. Even though it wasn't really her
concern any more, it worried Tasni. It would have been best, she
thought, if he could have stayed away from Emerald Falls for the time
being. She hoped that Weyr discipline and the strong sense of duty
drummed in to all dragonriders would prevent him from doing anything
foolish.

"Thank you. We'll be back tomorrow." He got to his feet. "Ma?"

"Yes, I'm coming." Lirena managed a smile for Tasni. She had worked hard
on what had turned out to be a fairly hopeless case, and was still
willing to help. "Thank you, again. I'll speak with my relatives and
decide what to do about the petition."

"Of course. Take your time, don't rush to any decisions." Her gaze
shifted sideways to R'fal for a moment, and she thought Lirena noticed
it and nodded slightly in understanding.

They followed her out of the Hold, parting at the main entrance. R'fal
felt as though everyone must be staring at him, despising or pitying him
for being the son of a criminal, though with the excitement over, the
Hold was quickly returning to its usual routine. Outside, Marlath was
waiting, his eyes glowing yellow as lamps.

"Ma..." He waited until they were close to the dragon, where no-one
could overhear. "Shouldn't we be appealing to the Lord Holder to change
the verdict? To clear Da's name?"

Lirena looked at him. He'd never seen her look so weary before. "We'll
talk about this back at the cothold."

"But - "

"Not now, R'fal." She handed him the small bag she'd brought to the
Hold. "Let's go."

R'fal wanted to argue. Instead, he secured the bag to the riding straps
and helped his mother up to Marlath's back. A group of men in guards'
uniforms passed on their way to the barracks, laughing together, their
voices loud with triumph and ale. He felt as though he couldn't move, as
if his feet were too heavy to lift from the ground. How could he abandon
his father here, to be imprisoned and jeered at by those men?

Marlath nudged him. }:We should go.:{

**I know.** He touched the brown's snout briefly, then sighed and
climbed up behind his mother. As Marlath leapt into the air, he felt the
dragon's sense of relief at being gone from this place which had caused
his rider so much anxiety and pain, and guiltily, he knew he shared it.

**I'll come back,** he thought, looking down at the barracks, where the
cells were. **This isn't over.**

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

[Prev: The great bandit Trial, part 4] Series: The Great Bandit Trial [Next: The fate of Tedek]

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

After the Verdict