Burden of the Crown, page 24
"He was," said the baron. "In fact, all the nobles were present."
"Thank you," said Arnim, "I just have one more question. Please take your time before answering."
"Of course."
"Who is allowed to create a knight?"
"Only the king or a member of the Royal Family. Though in truth, it's been only the king until Queen Anna created the Knights of the Hound, back when she was still a princess."
"So, the Order of the Sword is a Royal Appointment?"
"It is, exclusively," said Fitz.
"And as such, the power of life and death is the exclusive domain of the sovereign?"
"Yes," said Fitz, "on that, there can be no doubt."
"Thank you," said Arnim, "I believe that's all we need you for."
"Not so fast," called out Lord Harwood, "I have a few questions of my own."
"By all means," said Arnim, relinquishing the floor.
Lord Harwood moved slowly towards the baron, carefully considering his words before he spoke.
"Baron, are you familiar with the rules governing female knights?"
"Of course," said Fitz.
"And would you explain to the court how you gained that knowledge?"
"My daughter is Dame Beverly Fitzwilliam," he replied, "Knight Commander of the Order of the Hound."
"But not a Knight of the Sword?" asked Harwood.
"No," said Fitz, looking rather uncomfortable.
"Can you tell us why?"
"She was dismissed from the order by King Andred after the Battle of Eastwood," the baron confessed.
"Did the king give a reason?"
The baron's face turned red, "The king felt she let the Orcs escape, and he wanted them destroyed. But I was there-"
"I'm not concerned with your experience at Eastwood," interrupted Lord Harwood, "but if not for the fact that she is a Knight of the Hound-"
"Knight Commander," clarified Fitz.
"Yes, I stand corrected, Knight Commander of the Hound. If not for her position with this new order, she would no longer be considered a knight, is that not true?"
"She was dismissed from the order," said Fitz, "so no, she would no longer be a knight."
"And therefore no longer under the king's protection," said Lord Harwood, his face smiling in triumph."
"No, but-"
"That is all for now, Lord Fitzwilliam."
"One moment," objected Arnim, "there are still some unanswered questions." He rose, making his way back to the baron.
"Lord Fitzwilliam," Arnim began, "can you explain the differences between knights and dames for us? Aside from the obvious that is. How are the rules different?"
"A knighthood is an honour granted for life," said Fitz. "Female knights trace their history back to the founding of the kingdom. A few of the mercenaries that came here originally were women. When the Knightly Order of the Sword was first created, it was decided that men and women could both receive that honour. The principal difference is merely title, dame being used for women instead of sir, but there are a few other differences, chief amongst them the ability of women to leave the order to bear children."
"And are they allowed to return to the order in the future, say after their children are grown?"
"They are," said Fitz, "though it is seldom done."
"Can a male knight leave the order?"
"He can," said Fitz, "though once again, it's rare."
"And what are the repercussions of such an act?" asked Arnim.
"He would not be liable for military service except in times of war."
"So you're saying that if a war broke out, the knight could be called on to serve again?”
"Exactly," said Fitz.
"And what of the women? Do they have the same obligation?"
"They do," said Fitz, "unless they have children, in which case the obligation is waived."
"So, just to be clear, if a woman leaves the order and has no children, she can be recalled in times of war. Is that correct?"
"It is," said Fitz.
"So that would mean," continued Arnim, "that Dame Olivia, even though she left the order, could still be called to service?"
"As long as she had no children, yes," the baron agreed.
"I would like to inform your lordships," said Arnim, turning to the jury, "that it is on record that Dame Olivia bore no children, nor was responsible for any child. In other words, she was subject to service at the king's discretion, making her a Royal Representative."
Lord Montrose whispered something to Lord Harwood, who then rose. "We agree to this interpretation," he said, "but the fact is that the earl did not order the death of Dame Olivia."
"I beg your pardon?" said Lord Somerset. "If that's true, why are we here?"
"Would you care to clarify?" asked Lord Spencer.
"Gladly," Lord Stanton replied. "You see, Lord Montague ordered the woman to be locked up, nothing more. Her death was caused by others."
"That's not true!" yelled out Beverly from the audience.
The entire cathedral was suddenly flooded with shouts of angry commoners. The Master of Heralds tried to calm them to little effect. It was finally Anna that succeeded by standing in the balcony, drawing everyone's attention. She waited till they quieted, then sat back down.
"You claim that he ordered her locked up," said Arnim, "but we have multiple sworn statements that he ordered her placed in a cage, suspended outside of the city."
"What of it?" said Harwood. "The cage is a typical punishment for her crime, it need not be a death sentence. In fact, it was Dame Beverly that killed her, using a sword."
The audience gasped, then went so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Lord Somerset looked to Gerald, "Is this true?"
"I have no knowledge of this," Gerald replied. "I had heard of some difficulties that she faced, but this is the first time I've heard this accusation."
Somerset whispered briefly to the other jurors and then stood. "The court shall recess until tomorrow. When the day commences, we expect Dame Beverly Fitzwilliam here to be questioned over this matter."
The Master of Heralds brought the room to attention as the jurors filed out.
Twenty-Three
The Truth
Winter 963/964 MC
Beverly waited in the back offices, pacing nervously.
"It'll be all right, Bev," said Hayley.
"I don't know if I can do this," the knight replied.
"All you have to do is tell the truth," the ranger implored.
"No, don't you see?" said Beverly. "Aldwin will hear of my disgrace, I can't bear it."
Hayley steadied her by holding her shoulders and then looked into her eyes. "He loves you, Bev. Nothing in your past will change that. What happened to you was terrible, everyone will see that. You're the victim here, not the criminal. Just tell the truth and unburden yourself."
"You're right," she said, shaking her arms to release the tension.
A servant at the door turned to face them, "They just called for you, Dame Beverly."
"Good luck," said Hayley, giving her friend a hug.
"Thank you," the knight replied.
Beverly entered the chamber, moving in front of the seat provided to take the oath. She had elected to wear her armour, and so she sat in the proffered chair and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, remembering Aldwin's words.
* * *
"I will make your armour, and when you wear it, it will be as if my arms are holding you."
* * *
She opened her eyes, finally feeling at peace.
"Dame Beverly," began Lord Harwood, "did you, or did you not kill Dame Olivia?"
"She was suffering from terrible wounds," said Beverly.
"Answer the question," ordered the lord.
"Left in the cage, she would have died a painful death."
Lord Harwood's voice grew angry, "I must insist you answer the question. Did you kill Dame Olivia?
"I did," admitted Beverly, "she begged me. It was an act of mercy."
The room sat in stunned silence until Lord Stanton finally spoke. "There, you see? The earl is innocent, though I do think the crown should charge Dame Beverly with treason. That's what you get for killing a knight, isn't it? After all, you can't have two sets of rules!"
He returned to his seat, a smug look on his face. Lord Montrose was smiling and patting him on the back.
Arnim rose, making his way towards Beverly. He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Dame Beverly," he began, "you have had a distinguished career in the service of the princess, and then the queen, have you not?"
"I have," she replied, her voice dull and devoid of emotion.
"As a knight, we often hold the power of life and death, at least on the battlefield, wouldn't you say?"
"I suppose so," she said.
"Life Mages aside, if you found a wounded comrade on the battlefield that had no hope of recovery, wouldn't it be charitable to end their life to prevent suffering?"
"It would," she said, energy beginning to return to her voice.
"I would maintain that, given the same circumstances, any knight would have dealt the same mercy to Dame Olivia, wouldn't you?"
"I would hope so," Beverly replied.
"I must object," said Lord Harwood, "we've already established that she killed the woman, what else is there to tell?"
"If the honourable lords would permit," continued Arnim, unfazed by the remark, "I would like to delve into the events that led to the actual arrest and sentencing of Dame Olivia."
"You think it relevant?" asked Lord Somerset.
"I do," said Arnim. “In fact, I believe it will explain a great number of things, including the culpability of the earl in Dame Olivia's death."
"Very well," said Lord Somerset, "you may continue."
"When did you first meet Dame Olivia?" asked Arnim, his voice softening.
"When I first arrived in Shrewesdale," said Beverly. "I was in service to the Countess."
"The earl's wife? Not the earl?" asked Arnim.
"That's correct. Lady Catherine wanted me to stop the predations of the earl's men."
"Can you clarify that for the court?" asked Arnim.
"Yes. The Knights of Shrewesdale preyed on young women, taking advantage of them."
"Was this all of the knights?"
"No, just some of them, those closest to the earl."
"I must object," said Lord Harwood. "Dame Beverly is in no position to know who was or wasn't closest to the earl."
Arnim stood waiting as Nikki moved across the room, handing him a paper. "I have here the sworn statement of Sir Heward, Knight of the Sword. It addresses that very fact." He dropped it on the table in front of the jurors, then returned to face Beverly.
"Can you relate the sequence of events that took place on the night you were arrested?"
Beverly took a deep breath, avoiding the eyes of the onlookers. "The countess had just died, and I was ordered to take up residence in the barracks."
"This was," said Arnim, "the barracks of the earl's knights, I assume?"
"Yes," she admitted, "though I was given my own room."
"And what happened?"
"I drank quite a lot. I was upset over the countess's death, and then I went to sleep."
"And then?" he prompted.
"I was awoken by the sound of wood splintering. Someone had kicked in the door," she paused, looking nervous.
"Go on," he prompted, "take your time if you need to."
"A hand was pressed over my mouth, while others pinned my arms and legs." She took a deep breath, "They pulled me from the bed and tore my clothes off."
"Do you remember how many there were?"
"I can't be sure of the exact number, but there were at least four, maybe five."
"What happened next?"
Tears came to Beverly's eyes, "They tried to rape me."
"You say they tried?"
"Yes," she continued, "Olivia showed up. Her brother was a smith, and he'd made a dagger for me, it was to be a gift. She was bringing it to me. If she hadn't arrived at that precise moment, I'm sure I'd be dead."
"Objection," said Lord Harwood, standing, "the woman was merely being raped, not murdered.
The crowd suddenly turned angry, yelling obscenities at the man. He sat back down, cowed by the hostility.
Aldwin, watching from the balcony, gripped the arm of his chair, his fingers turning white with the force. He wanted to get up and hurl his seat at the earl. Only the presence of Beverly on the stand prevented his actions.
"Olivia saved me," Beverly choked out, her tears coming freely now, "and it cost her her life."
"I know this is difficult," said Arnim, "but the truth must be known. Please continue when you can."
"I, I don't quite know the full details," she stammered, "but during the fight, she stabbed one of the knights, Sir Remington, I believe. The rest of the knights fled."
"And that was it?"
"No," said Beverly, "they came back later with the earl. Olivia had wrapped something around me, a blanket, I think. She was just holding me. I was shaking and couldn't do a thing. They accused us of consorting in an unholy manner and ordered our arrest. That's the last I saw of her."
"I see," said Arnim.
Baron Fitzwilliam, sitting beside the queen, was no longer able to contain his outrage. He stood, ready to challenge the earl for his behaviour. It was Aldwin that calmed Fitz, a firm grip pulling the baron back to his seat.
Arnim walked across the room and then back again, once more thinking things through. He resumed his questioning, "From your point of view, what happened after you were arrested?"
"I was held in a cell all night. In the morning, I was hauled before the earl. They took all my possessions, and then forced me to walk out of the city under guard."
"Naked?" asked Arnim in shock.
"No, they gave me a ragged dress. When I reached the city gates, I saw Olivia. They had beaten and tortured her-"
"Objection," yelled Lord Harwood, "there's no proof that the earl was responsible for her treatment."
Once more, the crowd turned ugly, yelling obscenities.
Arnim waited until the noise abated. "When you were held before the earl, do you remember what he said, precisely?"
"I do," she said, "it is burned into my memory. He said I was led astray by the wicked acts of a woman of loose and questionable morals. He also said she would pay for her crimes with her life."
"You understood that as a death sentence for Olivia, I take it?"
"Of course," said Beverly, "wouldn't you?"
"I most certainly would," Arnim agreed. "Now, when you left the city, is that the next time you saw Olivia?"
"It was," she continued. "She was hanging in a cage, as I said, bloody and bruised. Someone had broken her ribs and... degraded her."
"How did you know that?" Arnim asked softly.
"She told me," said Beverly, "just before she asked me to put her out of her misery."
"And so you killed her, ending her suffering," said Arnim.
"I did," said Beverly breaking down into great sobs. They echoed throughout the cathedral as the spectators sat in stunned silence.
Up in the balcony, Aldwin rose quietly. Baron Fitzwilliam looked at him in surprise.
"There's something I must do," said the smith.
Fitz nodded as Aldwin made his way towards the stairs.
"My lords," said Arnim, turning to face the jury, "I have here the written testimony of several knights that bore witness to this exchange between Dame Beverly and the Earl of Shrewesdale." Nikki rose, depositing the documents before the jury, then returned to her seat.
"As to her death," continued Arnim, "there can be no doubt that the intent was to kill her. I have an extensive collection of information for you, but the gist of it is this: No one who is sent to the cage has ever survived. To think that the earl did not desire her death is not believable.
"Dame Beverly," said Lord Somerset, "you may leave the court."
Beverly rose, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. Hayley rushed out from the back of the room, guiding her to some privacy where Aldwin was waiting for her, a look of concern on his face.
Beverly stood in the doorway, despair in her features. Aldwin's heart broke, and he moved towards her, enveloping her in his arms. "It's all right," he soothed, "it's over now."
* * *
"There can be no doubt of the earl's guilt," said Lord Somerset.
They were in the private offices once more, discussing the verdict.
"I beg to differ," said Lord Stanton, "I think the crown was weak."
"Oh, give it up," called out Lord Spencer. "The man's as guilty as a boy with his hand in the pie. You can't possibly still think of him as innocent. Have you bothered to read the statements?"
"I disagree," Lord Stanton insisted.
"What about the rest of you?" asked Somerset. "Lord Matheson?"
"Guilty," Gerald spat out in disgust.
"Lord Anglesley?"
"Guilty," the young man announced.
"Lord Spencer?"
"Is the sky blue? Guilty, of course."
"I suppose I don't need to ask what you say, Lord Stanton? Perhaps you're content to let the mob club you to death."
"Innocent," Lord Stanton replied, "though it matters little. You have the majority of votes, therefore you must pronounce the man guilty."
"Have you no shame, Alexander?" asked Lord Somerset.
"None at all," replied Lord Stanton.
"Then let's get back inside and get this over with," said Gerald. They all rose, making their way into the chamber.
* * *
The court was quiet as they took their places. Beverly had taken a seat near the queen, but Aldwin was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Lady Aubrey held her cousin's hand in a reassuring grip.
The Master of Heralds rapped his staff and called out in a strong voice, "Have you reached a decision, my lords?"
"We have," replied Lord Somerset.
"And what say you? Is the prisoner guilty or innocent?"
"Guilty."
"And the sentence?"
