Read Online Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Elven Princess by Wesley Allison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wesley Allison
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sagely.
Then the three walked away, leaving me to my own thoughts.
An hour later I was marched out of my cell
and taken to an open glade within the wood. This space had
obviously been used as a ceremonial center for many years. Covered
areas had been built for spectators as well as individuals involved
in whatever ordinance was being performed. The awnings were made of
wood, but they were covered with many layers of vines, while here
and there trees grew up through them. Most of the seats were
intricately carved of stone and had been worn very smooth by
extended use. I was led to a spot on one side, where Iidreiior
waited. On the other side of the glade, stood his twin.
A few minutes after I arrived, a whole crowd
of elves began filing into the open forest area. There must have
been about two hundred of them. Though I carefully watched for her,
Jholiera was nowhere to be seen. At last King Jholhard appeared and
took his place in a stone chair raised only slightly higher than
the others.
“What is the charge?” asked the king without
any preamble.
“The prisoner is charged with the abduction
of a princess of the royal blood,” said Iidreiion.
“How does he plead?”
“Guilty,” said Iidreiior.
“What? Wait.”
“After having weighed all the important
details,” said the king, placing far too much emphasis on the word
important for my liking. “The prisoner is hereby found guilty as
charged.”
“What? Wait.”
“Recommended sentence?”
“Death,” said Iidreiion.
“Agreed,” said Iidreiior.
“What? Wait. What kind of trial is this?” I
demanded accusingly, my back straight, but without my arm being
outstretched, as it was still tied to the other arm.
“It is a show trial,” said the king. “It is
called a show trial because it is only for show. There is no real
justice involved.”
“I know what a show trial is,” said I. “I’ve
been in enough of them.”
The two hundred or so elves in attendance
watched mutely as I was dragged back to the cell in the cave and
left there once again. All in all, it was hardly worth being
dragged to the glade in the first place. They could just as easily
have told me I was guilty and condemned to death right there.
Sitting down, I leaned against the wall of the cave and winced as
my back came into contact with the stone. After a few minutes the
king appeared outside the bars.
“Why bother with a show trial that lasts
three minutes?” I wondered.
“As I said, it is for show,” he said.
“But why? I never kidnapped your daughter. I
was helping her come home.”
“Yes I know. It’s her punishment. She needs
to learn that she can’t run off. There are consequences. Your trial
and your execution tomorrow morning will remind her of that
fact.”
“You’re going to execute an innocent man to
make a point to your daughter?”
“It’s not as though you were an elf,” he
said. “You’re only human.”
Chapter Nineteen: Wherein I make an escape,
a plot element that I normally wouldn’t reveal, but you know that I
am alive anyway because I am telling you the story.
I was given another bowl of the delicious
mush, which I ate, this time with more difficulty because my back
really ached when I bent over to eat like a dog. I certainly didn’t
sleep though. Oh you can be sure of that. I didn’t sleep. Knowing
that you are going on trial in one hour is not nearly the cure for
sleepiness that knowing you are to be executed in the morning
is.
“Eaglethorpe,” a voice called.
I turned to see Jholiera bathed in the light
of the setting sun as it diffused through the trees. She was no
longer dressed as a boy. She had on a leather dress cut in an elven
style with a leaf motif carved into it. It left her shoulders bare
and though her form was slight, there was no longer any question
that she was a young woman. She had golden jewelry on her arms and
a delicate golden crown on her head.
“Eaglethorpe, how are you?”
“I’ve a pretty nasty stab
Then the three walked away, leaving me to my own thoughts.
An hour later I was marched out of my cell
and taken to an open glade within the wood. This space had
obviously been used as a ceremonial center for many years. Covered
areas had been built for spectators as well as individuals involved
in whatever ordinance was being performed. The awnings were made of
wood, but they were covered with many layers of vines, while here
and there trees grew up through them. Most of the seats were
intricately carved of stone and had been worn very smooth by
extended use. I was led to a spot on one side, where Iidreiior
waited. On the other side of the glade, stood his twin.
A few minutes after I arrived, a whole crowd
of elves began filing into the open forest area. There must have
been about two hundred of them. Though I carefully watched for her,
Jholiera was nowhere to be seen. At last King Jholhard appeared and
took his place in a stone chair raised only slightly higher than
the others.
“What is the charge?” asked the king without
any preamble.
“The prisoner is charged with the abduction
of a princess of the royal blood,” said Iidreiion.
“How does he plead?”
“Guilty,” said Iidreiior.
“What? Wait.”
“After having weighed all the important
details,” said the king, placing far too much emphasis on the word
important for my liking. “The prisoner is hereby found guilty as
charged.”
“What? Wait.”
“Recommended sentence?”
“Death,” said Iidreiion.
“Agreed,” said Iidreiior.
“What? Wait. What kind of trial is this?” I
demanded accusingly, my back straight, but without my arm being
outstretched, as it was still tied to the other arm.
“It is a show trial,” said the king. “It is
called a show trial because it is only for show. There is no real
justice involved.”
“I know what a show trial is,” said I. “I’ve
been in enough of them.”
The two hundred or so elves in attendance
watched mutely as I was dragged back to the cell in the cave and
left there once again. All in all, it was hardly worth being
dragged to the glade in the first place. They could just as easily
have told me I was guilty and condemned to death right there.
Sitting down, I leaned against the wall of the cave and winced as
my back came into contact with the stone. After a few minutes the
king appeared outside the bars.
“Why bother with a show trial that lasts
three minutes?” I wondered.
“As I said, it is for show,” he said.
“But why? I never kidnapped your daughter. I
was helping her come home.”
“Yes I know. It’s her punishment. She needs
to learn that she can’t run off. There are consequences. Your trial
and your execution tomorrow morning will remind her of that
fact.”
“You’re going to execute an innocent man to
make a point to your daughter?”
“It’s not as though you were an elf,” he
said. “You’re only human.”
Chapter Nineteen: Wherein I make an escape,
a plot element that I normally wouldn’t reveal, but you know that I
am alive anyway because I am telling you the story.
I was given another bowl of the delicious
mush, which I ate, this time with more difficulty because my back
really ached when I bent over to eat like a dog. I certainly didn’t
sleep though. Oh you can be sure of that. I didn’t sleep. Knowing
that you are going on trial in one hour is not nearly the cure for
sleepiness that knowing you are to be executed in the morning
is.
“Eaglethorpe,” a voice called.
I turned to see Jholiera bathed in the light
of the setting sun as it diffused through the trees. She was no
longer dressed as a boy. She had on a leather dress cut in an elven
style with a leaf motif carved into it. It left her shoulders bare
and though her form was slight, there was no longer any question
that she was a young woman. She had golden jewelry on her arms and
a delicate golden crown on her head.
“Eaglethorpe, how are you?”
“I’ve a pretty nasty stab
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