Awakening, Quickening

Benly's Case pt 3

Harmony smiled up at the strange, sure-voiced young man; his composure was wonderful in the face of such an outburst; not many people in authority would have been so calm. She admired him for it. Jeede's mouth opened in protest, but Harmony didn't let her speak. "Yes, my Lord, and gladly. This child has, as I had mentioned a moment ago, been studying mana with me at my assigned home, on the wall. He has successfully achieved the skill of mana-speech, or mind-speech if you will. He was thus able to explain to me the circumstances of this situation, in spite of not having any tongue. The persons you see before you are myself, your captain, the gate-soldiers Kade and Sren Bennt, and the father and mother of the child, Myra and Vern Shien; and also Jeede Bennt, the child's aunt, who stands accused of committing this crime. Benly himself has explained to me that in a moment of hunger and poor judgment, he stole an egg from Jeede's henhouse; but he was caught, and was then manipulated by Jeede, who harmed him after he attempted to pay for his crime. Jeede had told him to give her a family heirloom, a gold chain, in return for the egg–-a price far too high for a single egg. But being a child, Benly was not aware that she was using him. Once he brought the heirloom to her, she cut his tongue to prevent him from telling what had happened to it."

Jeede's face drained of color, then flushed dark red. "Fake!" She snapped. "All nowt but fake fakery and bullocks. Ye ain't got nothing to prove thet." But she didn't look as certain as she had looked, a moment ago. Neil looked angry; Vern looked furious, and sad. Myra's eyes never left Benly's face, who was now sleeping soundly in his mother's arms. Comfortable and secure, he was healthy, out of pain, and out of earshot of Jeede's anger; for that, Harmony was exceedingly glad.
Next, Harmony gestured to the twins to speak. Sren and Kade shoved them forward; they stuttered and dropped to their knees, looking ashamed. Diras took the lead, as usual; Corm shoved his hands in his pockets, looking like he'd rather sink into the floor. "It's all true m'Lord. We wuz there. We, uh, we, I mean Jeede made us to hold Benly, while she cut 'im, to keep 'im quiet, m'Lord. We saw 'er take th' gold an' cut 'is mouth. It were awful, but she made us do it, though, see. We dursn't disobey 'er. She's t'only one as took us in, an' she'd do us too, if we din't, fer 'er. She's beat us afore, but she lets us stay."
Jeede's mouth opened again; she looked too shocked to speak, for a second. Then she spat "An' that ends now, ye ungrateful brats! Piddlin' little yeller arses! Ye ain't never darkenin' my door agin!"
Diras flushed with rage, but Corm began to weep silently. Noticing this, Sren and Kade took them back to their seats. Diras laid an arm around Corm's shaking shoulders and glared at Jeede's head.

The young Lord raised his hand again and motioned for silence. "I have heard your evidence, and the testimony of these children. Is there any other evidence you can share?"
Jeede huffed. "Ye ain't heerd ME yet, yer high-and-mighty-ness."
Lord Grebefal nodded, his face staying calm and neutral. "Go ahead, then."
Harmony looked closely; he still had not removed the dark glasses. It gave him a mysterious air; she was beginning to wonder about them. Why did he wear them?
Jeede launched into a tirade about Benly's misbehaviors. He's a thief. He steals food all the time. He frightens the animals and stops the hens from laying. He shouts at the cows and runs around the marketplace scaring her customers. He looks like a little wild cat, and would never account to nothin' anyhow–
Here Lord Grebefal, his face darkened with anger, stopped her. "I've heard enough. So far, I have not heard you state anything which contradicts the previous testimony at all. It is clear to me that you are guilty, Jeede Bennt, but I require one more piece of evidence which is not present here. Jeede Bennt, do you have Myra and Vern Shien's heirloom in your possession?"
Jeede face cleared, and she sneered. "A'course I don't. Jist like I din't hurt nobody. This hull thing 's jist a made-up hunt. They jist tryin' ta make me look bad."
Diras piped up, "She does, yer 'oner, ah, Lordship, sir, but we ain't knowin' where it be she never told us."

Jeede glared, but continued in a wheedling tone. "He ain't got proof. M'Lord, ye can't jist pin this on me. I ain't never hurt a child, not e'n a sour one like him. I'd never hurt Vern's kid. He's my only brother."
Lord Grebefal looked irritated. "We shall see. I would like to take a moment to observe for myself."
He gestured to Myra. "Would you be willing to wake the child for a moment? I would like to ask him myself."
Myra nodded mutely, and murmured in Benly's ear. Benly's eyes popped open. "??"
Lord Grebefal smiled kindly. "Master Benly, if you would allow. I, too, am educated in the way of mind-speech. Would you be willing to tell me what happened, if I speak with you in your mind?"
Benly nodded clearly, and stood up.
The great courtroom fell silent; everyone was staring either at Lord Grebefal, or Benly. Benly nodded and waved his hands for emphasis; his eyes locked on the Lord's face. Lord Grebefal had his hands locked together in his lap, but Harmony noted that his fingers were twisted together, and his whole body was tense. What is he so afraid of? she wondered. Finally Lord Grebefal spoke aloud again. "Benly has told me everything. I will now do a mental search for the missing heirloom, an image of which the young Master Benly has showed me. If it is found to be in your possession, Jeede Bennt, I will have no choice but to remove you from your place in Grebefal and send you under guard to the capitol for punishment." Benly looked satisfied. Lord Grebefal frowned. "Please wait a moment."
********
Harmony sensed the air around her grow electrified again; she could feel Lord Grebefal's mana energy surrounding her like a tidal wave, rushing and pouring into every part of the room, then out through the walls, reaching further, further. His power and control were immense; she now doubted that she was the stronger of the two. I've misjudged him, she thought; when he came to look at the house, he avoided my mind-touch, but was he really avoiding me? Maybe he was pulling back to keep from harming me. With that amount of mana control, he clearly could have overwhelmed her mind; it made no sense for a proud, arrogant man to use such precise control, to send a single thread and retreat from the minds of others, unless he was doing it to protect them...
She lost sense of the reach of his search, but could tell he was still searching, still feeling. Suddenly his calm face grew thunderously angry, and the tidal wave of energy returned in a rush. Wind rippled through the room and the Lord raised his both hands to still it, and accept the mana's return. Then he motioned to the Captain. "I have discovered the location of the item in question. Captain Neil?"
Neil approached; Lord Grebefal motioned to come closer, and he whispered into the captain's ear. Neil looked furious, but quickly left the room, motioning Sren and Vern to follow him. Kade stayed beside Jeede, glaring at her. Lord Grebefal motioned to Mistress Fyn, who was standing to one side, looking extremely proud; "Mistress Fyn. Please see that all of these good people are fed well. All except for the accused, Jeede Bennt. I do not wish to share my hospitality with an attempted murderer. Sir Kade, is it? Please bind her hands. She is not permitted to leave."
Jeede looked sick. At a motion from the Lord, Kade took a length of rope and tied her hands behind her back. "My Lord!" she wheedled, "Ye havent' even seen any item yet! I tell ye, I don't have any such thing!"
She fell silent as Lord Grebefal scowled. "You would do well to keep your silence. I have seen enough." Jeede bowed her head, but fury stained her face as she glared at each person in turn. Her eyes rested longest on Harmony.
Fyn left the room, looking greatly entertained; Lord Grebefal let his hands fall into his lap once more, his face smoothing beneath his dark glasses. Harmony felt a sense of deja vu; she'd seen dark glasses like this before, somewhere. When? On Joie? What were they for? The feeling itched at her brain; she knew it, she knew she did, but the memory still eluded her. Lord Grebefal's commanding voice interrupted her thoughts again.
"One last thing before we eat. Benly, would you show us the mana you have been practicing?"