Wyn stood to the side, as much as she could be while situated at the front of the crowd. She was watching the group of Sellexun women stride into the room surrounding Emeltra. In the large and ornate audience chamber, the men visibly shifted backwards as if to escape whatever powers the woman may have.
The women walked with a strength and dignity that was echoed by the Ladies who formed the outer part of the crowd. Wyn saw an awakened understanding of their own strengths growing in the faces of the women around the room. They were watching the woman who frightened most of the men in their country, realizing that in an odd reversal of roles for Sellexu, the women were now the protectors of the men.
Wyn shivered at the thought of the possible consequences of this day, knowing that this trial would have possibly change the society that had been so long standing. From tested warriors to chauvinist courtiers, a woman caused the men to step back in fear and the women to step forward to protect them. Wyn felt a thrill of watching history in the making, and saw the same understanding growing on the faces of her friends who stood nearby.
The only man who had stood his ground to the approach was the King on his dais. Caelur sat calmly on his throne, facing the prisoner as she stopped and stood defiantly in front of him. His throne was raised, allowing him to look over the female guards and watch her without much trouble or danger to himself.
The Queen Mother stood beside Lyana at the foot of the Dias of the throne, as if forming another line of protection for her son. Lady Wyn stood to her left, wearing clothing that was clearly Aupanan, with breaches and a shirt versus the dresses that the rest of the women wore. Wyn didn't have Nerini's distaste of dresses, but she wasn't about to be caught in one today. And the looks from the Ladies of Sellexu had changed from a haughty derision to something close to envy.
"Lady Emeltra C'Ar of Cavatine, you stand accused of attempted murder through poison of High Lord Shiar, while under a diplomatic mission and welcomed with friendship to this court." King Caelur pronounced, motioning to the women in front of him. "Lady Lyana D'Ilnza and the Regent Mother, have been elected to your trial."
"You will either find me not guilty, release me and allow me to continue my relationship with High Lord Shiar or he will die. I have nothing further to say on the matter" The woman stated simply, shrugging as if her life was not on the line. "I alone hold the secret of what grips him, and I alone can keep it at bay. If I die, he dies."
"You admit guilt. And refuse any effort to help mitigate the damage you have done?" Victoria stated blandly. The Queen mother moved towards the woman, and everything about her, from her expression to the firm steps, was merciless. "You intend to bargain with the Court, the Regent of Sellexu?"
"The Court fears me." Emeltra smirked and motioned to the male courtiers and the King on his throne, before looking to the woman in front of her. "It has no choice."
"The facts of the charges are as follows. You administered a poison to High Lord Shiar, which his body has become addicted to and you used it to control his mind and influence him to your gains. Once caught, you have let him suffer as opposed to releasing him or helping him. I give you one more chance, cooperate. Save my brother and you will be shown mercy." Lyana said firmly, stepping up beside Victoria. Wyn recognized barely restrained anger in Lyana's expression, a far cry from the shy girl Wyn had met less than a year ago.
"I cooperate, when you restore him to his Lordship and freedom and allow both of us to leave the Courts." Emeltra said coolly, staring her down. "It's all or nothing."
"Enough." Caelur said from his throne, waving his hand in dismissal, though his anger was hidden in the coolness of his voice. "You are found guilty. Your countrymen have asked we given them leave to administer justice themselves. But Sellexu does not forgive treachery. You are sentenced to death." Emeltra paused, her expression darkening in fear and anger for a brief moment, before she broke into a small smile. "I enact the Sellexu law that says I can fight a champion of the court, and if I win through combat, I can have my sentence suspended and will be exiled from the lands of Sellexu for my natural life."
The court stilled at her words, men murmuring that they knew Cavatine women were trained in the art of knife fighting. Whereas that wouldn't necessarily be a problem against sword fighters, if she had the ability to use deadly poison without detection, which man would step forward to fight her?
If there was no Champion, the King himself would have to fight her, risking himself or a forfeit, which would allow her to leave unscathed. For all the brave talk of the Sellexun fighters, there was a hesitation in the crowd as each fighter weighed his own chances of survival. They were afraid for their lives, let alone the success of this trial.
"Sellexu honours its laws. You will have your combat." King Caelur said, standing and moving as if to draw his own sword. The women moved away from Emeltra, and the space in the throne room widened to allow it.
Wyn saw concern on some of the faces of the court, though there were more who merely looked relieved that they would not be called on to fight. Wyn almost grimaced at the distaste of it, knowing that they would let their King risk his own life and then attempt to clean up the mess afterwards.
"My weapons of choice are my knives, they have pearl handles, and were seized when I was arrested." Lady Emeltra said smugly, tying her hair up out of her features as she watched the King hungrily.
"Regency, you can't." Lady Lyana said, shaking her head and letting out a breath, as the knives were handed to her from one of the palace guards. "No man can, it's too dangerous, I believe she will use whatever poison she used on Shiar, that she has it on her person. Despite being searched."
Lyana then looked to one of her brother's men at arms and motioned to him, and he nodded. The man was holding the swords she had just begun learning to use, and he began walking them towards the front of the throne room for her.
One of the odd laws of Sellexu, was that, unless Knighted, no-one but a courtier could fight in such a challenge. Shiar's men Caelur's guards, could only stand by and watch whatever was about to go down, helpless.
Emeltra's smile grew even more smug as she was handed her knives from Lyana, winking to the girl. "So, I will end the D'Ilnza line in one day... quite a turn of fate. I've watched you train child, you will lose. And then your brother will die."
Lyana blanched, before stubbornly reaching out for her swords, doing her best to harden her expression. Though Lyana's hands shook, she did not falter or respond to Emeltra, and Wyn knew that the girl would do what she could to help her brother. The master at arms paused, clearly torn, and not wanting to allow her to fight and thus holding them out of her reach. It was in that delay that Wyn took her chance.
Lady Wyn moved out from where she had been standing silently, turning to bow to Caelur who stood on the top step, hand on his hilt, watching the exchange with a great deal of consternation. She could see from his expression that he wanted to overrule Lyana's volunteering for champion and was wracking his brain for the precedent to allow him to do so. The convoluted rules of Sellexun court meant that he couldn't turn down a Champion without any other option.
He could only overrule it by endangering himself and Wyn wouldn't allow him to do that, any more than she was willing to allow Lyana to.
With a steadying breath, she forced her voice to come out calmly. "King Caelur, while old laws are being enacted today, to deal with treason and murderers, I wish to enact an even older law. The one that allows any noble openly accepted as members of the Court while on diplomatic duty, to represent Sellexu's Regent in an open trial, combat or otherwise."
Caelur paused, watching her for a long moment, his jaw setting hard. "Lady Wyn Lac, of Aupana. You offer to risk your life for a matter that does not affect your diplomatic mission to Sellexu. You agree to carry out the justice decreed by myself, Regent King of Sellexu?"
Wyn glanced to the Queen mother and then Lyana who had blanched an even paler shade of white. With a nod, she turned to look back to Caelur firmly. "Aupana and Sellexu have ended a long history of hate and misunderstanding between our two Courts. Queen Regent Rael has sent her assurances that she accepts your judgements, and her support in dealing with any threats to your security and safety. I agree to serve as Champion of the court out of my friendship with Sellexu, High Lord Shiar, and in the service of Peace and Justice."
Emeltra had gone pale in surprise, during Wyn's speech, and stuttered in surprise. "I don't accept these terms."
Lady Wyn smiled and turned around to face the woman as she drew her own swords with a flourished spin. "Unfortunately, according to Sellexu law, the accused's only rights are in selection of their weapons and their mode of execution."
Wyn couldn't tell if the room actually went silent or if it was a symptom of her clearing her mind and falling into stance. She heard only Nerini's voice in her head, guiding her through breathing and reading the woman's body language and stance.
Emeltra frowned, glancing around as if looking for a way to escape, her expression wrought with fear. Wyn was ready when Emeltra narrowed her eyes and ran suddenly at Lady Wyn, slashing at her with her knives. Wyn shifted out of the way, catching both blades with one sword and punched the woman in the face with the hilt of the other. Following through with the momentum, she checked Emeltra with her shoulder. The blow forced the air from the woman's lungs out violently. Wyn slashed down viciously with her one blade, cutting the woman along the thigh before breaking away. Wyn took a few steps back, letting Emeltra turn towards her in a stumble, the woman making a low noise of pain as she glared at Wyn.
"Also, according to Sellexu law, the accused will either fight to the death or surrender at any point in the fight. At which time their sentence will be dealt with through a method of the Court's choosing, such as hanging or decapitation." Wyn motioned the woman forward, though Emeltra didn't move, instead the woman just glared at Wyn with rage.
After waiting a moment, Wyn moved in, slashing one knife out of the woman's hand, punching Emeltra in the face once more and spinning around behind Emeltra as the woman attempted to slash at her with the other hand. Wyn brought her blade up to cut along the woman's back as she moved. Wyn then sent her stumbling to her knees with a well-placed kick to the back of her thigh."
Wyn watched the woman bow on the ground, slipping in her own blood as she struggled to stand with one knife clutched in her hands.
Wyn offered in a low growl. "I assure you, I know how much High Lord Shiar is suffering, and I am not above doing my best to make you feel that pain before I let you bleed to death in front of his sister, court and Regent."
Wyn herself did not even know if she was capable of hurting someone some viciously, but the anger that was racing through her veins told her she could. It was that anger that was behind her voice as she spoke. Emeltra let out a cry of rage, though her expression was wrought with fear, drawing a stillness to the room.
Wyn waited calmly, spinning her blades as she glared at the woman who had wrought so much pain and suffering for her friends.
Emeltra shook her head and threw her knife away from her, scrambling on her hands and knees towards the dais as she cried out. "I submit, I surrender. I submit to the jurisdiction of the Court and his Regency for his leniency"
Wyn moved easily in front of the woman, kicking her in the face and sending her sprawling onto her back, dazed. She stalked toward the dazed woman, raising her swords and preparing to continue the fight.
"The Court accepts her surrender." Caelur forced the words out slowly, as if he knew that only he could release Wyn from her duty to execute the Court's justice.
He let out a breath and nodded to Lyana who ran to Emeltra and kneeled beside her, placing her hands over one of the wounds. Lyana would heal her, and hopefully find out more about how to help Shiar. Wyn remained standing over the two of them, swords drawn. Her expression did not soften until Lyana stumbled away and Emeltra was carried away to the dungeons, no longer bleeding. Only then did she step backwards and finally sheathing her swords. Already courtiers were filing out the room, either fleeing from her or perhaps everything that had happened.
"You have done Sellexu a great honour, child." The Queen Mother smiled firmly, reaching over to cup her cheek for a moment and brushing Wyn's hair out of her eyes. "You are a quick study and do your own country proud as well."
Wyn smiled carefully at that. "I am just glad you told me about these rules, I don't think I could have stood by and watched, and don't know what sort of mess I would have caused otherwise."
"Lady Wyn." Caelur murmured from behind her, drawing both of them to look in his direction curiously.
His expression was an odd one that she could not decipher, and he waited for his mother to kiss him on the cheek and walk towards where Lyana sat along the wall, giving them as much space alone as could be had in the open court.
After a moment, Caelur inclined his head slightly, his eyes searching her face for a long moment before he spoke. "You did more than you needed to."
Wyn paused in confusion. "No, I did exactly what I needed to do, your majesty." She offered him a bow and a self-deprecating smile. "You are my friends, I couldn't let that smug woman hurt any more of you."
"Sellexu loves you." He said softly, then appeared to catch himself and simply nodded towards the door. "The courtiers, they will spread word of this, of what you did. Already you've impressed them, and now you've defended their King, their honour, and them personally, for no gain but friendship."
"I didn't do it for any of that, your highness." Wyn shook her head, glancing to Lyana for a moment. "I did it for Lyana. I just hope she found something useful. And I kept you safe, too. I couldn't let either one of you take the risk, not when I was pretty sure I could beat her."
"Caelur. I told you to call me Caelur." He said, smiling to her, reaching up as if he was going to caress her cheek, stopping mid-gesture before he took her hand and kissed it. "Thank you."
Wyn blushed just slightly and shook her head, letting her hand drop as he straightened, watching him before she admitted softly. "There was a part of me that didn't want you to stop me, Caelur."
"There's part of me that didn't want to stop you either. You were magnificent" He grinned a little more brilliantly. "Just remind me not to make you angry."
"Well, there's angry, and then there's trying to kill my friends and gloating about it in public angry." She smiled and winked to him, though the truth of it strained her jest. "It would be a bad day if you killed any of my friends."
Caelur shook his head definitively. "I would never. Come. I think we can dine privately, just the four of us, to ensure Lyana eats well before going back to Shiar."
Wyn took his offered arm and they walked over to Victoria and Lyana. There, Wyn put her arm around the woman's shoulder and led her toward where they would dine that evening.