The aftermath of King Michael's death plunged Narnia into a maelstrom of accusations and uncertainty. The once-calm corridors of the castle now echoed with whispers of treachery and murder. Amidst this chaos, the kingdom's laws demanded swift and unforgiving justice for regicide. The primary suspect, Robin Denisos, the King's Hand, stood at the center of the storm, accused of the most heinous crime of all.
In the grand courtroom, adorned with heavy tapestries and banners of the Six Kingdoms, Robin Denisos was led in shackles of steel and iron. The case file, a tome of accusations, lay ominously on the judge's bench beside a small golden scale of justice. The air was thick with tension as all eyes turned to the accused. High Priest Oberyn and the Great Council presided over the proceedings, their faces stern and inscrutable.
The trial began with the new Hand of the King, a formidable figure whose stern demeanor commanded respect and fear alike. He called the first witness to the stand, a wise and learned sage known for his knowledge of poisons.
"State your name and profession," the Hand commanded.
"I am The Wise, advisor to the court and keeper of the royal apothecary," the witness replied, his voice calm and measured.
"You examined King Michael's corpse. Was it without question poison that killed him?"
"Without question," The Wise confirmed. "This was found on the body of Dontas Hollard, the King's fool. He was last seen with Elsa Legolasa, who wore this necklace. Residue of a most rare and terrible poison was found inside."
The new Hand's eyes narrowed. "Was this one of the poisons stolen from your store?"
"It was," The Wise replied solemnly. "The Strangler, a poison few in the Six Kingdoms possess. It was used to strike down the most noble man the gods ever put on this good earth."
"Thank you," the Hand said, turning his attention to the next witness. "Now, we call Melissa to the stand."
Melissa, a woman of regal bearing, stepped forward, her eyes blazing with barely contained fury.
"Do you swear by all the gods that your testimony will be true and honest?" the Hand asked.
"I swear it," Melissa replied, her voice steady.
The new Hand fixed her with a piercing gaze. "The Hand of the King, Robin Denisos, said something to you before the Battle of Dansuswater. Can you repeat it for the court?"
Melissa's expression hardened. "He said, 'I will hurt you for this. A day will come when you think you are safe and happy, and your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you will know the debt is paid.'"
The courtroom murmured in shock, the tension rising.
"And when did he say this?" the Hand pressed.
"Shortly before the battle," Melissa answered.
High Priest Oberyn interjected. "Robin said, 'The debt is paid.' What debt?"
Melissa's eyes flickered with a mix of anger and sadness. "I discovered he'd been keeping whores in the Tower of the Hand. I asked him to confine his salacious acts to the brothel where such behavior belongs. He wasn't pleased."
The Hand nodded. "Thank you, daughter. Lord Jesus, do you remember the precise nature of this threat?"
Lord Jesus, an elder statesman with a grave expression, stepped forward. "I'm afraid I do, my lord. He said, 'Perhaps you should speak more softly to me then. Monsters are dangerous, and just now, kings are dying like flies.'"
The Hand's eyes narrowed. "He said this to you at a meeting of the Small Council?"
"Yes," Lord Jesus confirmed. "After we received word of Peter Legolasa's death. He didn't seem gladdened by the news. Perhaps his marriage to Elsa Legolasa had made him more sympathetic to the northern cause."
"You're excused, Lord Jesus," the Hand said, turning his attention back to Robin. "Do you have any questions for the witness?"
Robin, his face a mask of controlled fury, stepped forward. "Just one," he said, his voice cold. "You once said that without me, this city would have faced certain defeat. You said the histories would never mention me, but you would not forget. Have you forgotten, Lord Jesus?"
Lord Jesus met his gaze without flinching. "Sadly, my lord, I never forget a thing."
The Hand intervened. "The crown may call the next witness."
A young woman, her face pale and eyes wide with fear, was led to the stand. Robin's eyes widened in recognition and sorrow. It was his former lover, Ezould, whom he had abandoned to marry a woman from the North to forge an alliance between Narnia and Freljord.
"State your name," the Hand commanded.
"Ezould," she replied, her voice trembling.
"Do you swear by all the gods that your testimony will be true and honest?"
"I swear it," Ezould said, her voice barely audible.
"You know this man?" the Hand asked, pointing at Robin.
Ezould's gaze flickered to Robin, then back to the Hand. "Yes," she said. "Robin Denisos."
"How do you know him?"
"I was handmaiden to his wife, Lady Elsa Legolasa," she replied.
"This man stands accused of murdering King Michael. What do you know of this?"
Ezould's voice trembled as she spoke. "I know he's guilty. He and Elsa planned it together."
The courtroom erupted in chaos, the audience shouting and gasping. The Hand pounded his gavel, demanding silence.
"Continue," he ordered.
"She wanted revenge for her father, her mother, her brother," Ezould said, tears streaming down her face. "She blamed their deaths on the king. Robin was happy to help. He hated Michael, he hated the queen, he hated you, my lord. He stole poison from the Grand Maester's chamber to put in Michael's wine."
High Priest Oberyn leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "How could you possibly know all this? Why would he reveal such plans to his wife's maid?"
Ezould's voice was barely a whisper. "I wasn't just her maid. I was her whore."
The Wise gasped. "I beg your pardon, you said you were his..."
"His whore," Ezould repeated, her voice stronger now.
The Hand's eyes darkened. "How did you come to be in his service?"
Ezould's voice broke as she spoke. "He stole me. I was with another man, a knight in your lordship's army. But when Robin arrived at the camp, he sent one of his cutthroats into our tent. He broke the knight's arm and brought me to Lord Robin. 'You belong to me now,' he said. 'I want you to fuck me like it's my last night in this world.'"
The audience erupted in laughter, mocking and cruel. The Hand banged his gavel furiously. "Silence, SILENCE!"
High Priest Oberyn's voice was cold. "And did you?"
Ezould looked down. "Did what?"
"Did you fuck him like it was his last night in this world?" Oberyn asked.
"I did everything he wanted," Ezould said, her voice a monotone. "Whatever he told me to do. I kissed him where he wanted. I licked him where he wanted. I was his property. I would wait in his chambers for hours so he could use me when he was bored."
Robin's voice, filled with pain, cut through the silence. "Ezould, please don't."
Ezould's eyes flashed with defiance. "I'm a whore, remember? That was before he married Elsa. After that, all he wanted was her, but she wouldn't let him into her bed. So he promised to kill King Michael for her."
The courtroom erupted again, the noise deafening. Robin's voice rose above the din.
"Sir, I wish to confess," he said, his voice strong.
The Hand looked at him, his eyes hard. "You wish to confess?"
"I saved you," Robin said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I saved this city and all your worthless lives. I should have let Darth Vader kill you all."
The Hand's voice was cold. "Do you wish to confess?"
"Yes," Robin said, his voice breaking. "I'm guilty, guilty? Is that what you want to hear?"
"You admit you poisoned the king?" the Hand pressed.
Robin's voice was filled with bitterness. "No, of that I'm innocent. I'm guilty of far more monstrous crimes. I'm guilty of being no one."
"You're not on trial for being no one," the Hand said, his voice rising in anger.
Robin's eyes blazed with fury. "Oh yes, I am. I've been on trial for that my entire life."
"Have you nothing to say in your defense?" the Hand demanded.
Robin's voice was a whisper. "Nothing, but this. I did not do it. I did not kill Michael, but I wish that I had. Watching your vicious bastard die would give me more relief than a thousand lying whores. I wish I was the monster you think I am. I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you. I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it. I will not give my life for Michael's murder, and I know I'll get no justice here. So I will let the gods decide my fate. I demand a trial by combat."
The courtroom fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. The Hand of the King, the High Priest, and the Great Council exchanged glances, the gravity of Robin's demand settling