The Vampire & Her Witch

It was one thing to decide that the Lothian Court would convene to judge Abbot Recared and the Inquisition and very likely other things as well. Actually doing it, however, took some very tense juggling.

”I’m willing to pull back my men and sheathe their swords,” Ashlynn said magnanimously. ”We’ll continue to hold the doors and guard our prisoners, but everyone else can return to their seats,” she said, nodding at the knights from Dunn, Iriso, and Fayle baronies. ”I’ll just need a table for the rest of my people,” she said, pointing at the table where the Inquisition once sat. ”That one should do with a bit of cleanup.”

”Do as you please,” Owain said, waving his hand at it as though he couldn’t be bothered to think through the details. ”Let’s get this farce over with.”

”Jocey,” Ashlynn said in a softer tone as she approached her sister. ”I’m sorry, but this has to be done,” she said, reaching out to take Jocelynn’s hands in her own and looking directly into her sister’s moist, seafoam eyes. ”Ollie will keep you safe, I promise. Just leave the rest to me.”

”Ash, we, we can run, can’t we?” Jocelynn asked hesitantly. ”I, I don’t even care what happens to him or this place. If we can run before anything happens to you again... I, Ash, I can’t, I can’t lose you again,” she said softly as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. ”It was all my fault and I can’t...”

”Hush,” Ashlynn said, enveloping her sister in the softest hug she could manage. ”I promise, nothing here can harm me,” she said, glancing over Jocelynn’s shoulder at High Priest Aubin, who seemed to be almost giddy as he watched Ashlynn giving her sister the comfort she so desperately needed.

”But we can’t run,” she said, pulling back and gently wiping the tears from her sister’s face. ”There’s more that you don’t know. You’ll learn soon. Until then, just hang on for me.”

”Mmm,” Jocelynn said as she struggled to regain her composure before Isabell arrived at her side along with the visibly pregnant Samira.

Ashlynn stepped away from Jocelynn, leaving her to have a moment to reunite with Samira while she dove back into the logistics of seating the court.

Even though the ’High Table’ was composed of multiple sections, each of them was both massive and heavy, and moving it all into place on the dais required the work of several servants.

Initially, the servants who had been standing at the sides and back of the hall were hesitant to come forward, but after Ashlynn suggested that she and Ignatious would just have to move things themselves, the head chamberlain looked mortified enough to order his staff into motion.

While the staff dragged the heavy sections of the table into place and collected chairs to set out for each of the barons along the table, Ashlynn gestured for Morwen and Cadeyrn to follow her as she climbed the short series of steps onto the raised dais.

”What are you doing up here?” Owain asked, frowning at Ashlynn as she approached him. ”You wanted to convene the court, and the court will convene, but that has nothing to do with you.”

”It has everything to do with me,” Ashlynn corrected him before turning to her handmaiden and squire for the evening. ”Fetch my chair and set it at the center of the table,” she said, pointing to the delicate, smaller throne that had been freshly upholstered in Blackwell cerulean blue.

”No,” Owain said, standing up from his seat on the heavy oak throne at last. ”No, you aren’t taking my place at the center of the court! Don’t think a few knights will let you trample over...”

”When did I ever say that I would be alone at the center of the table?” Ashlynn said sweetly. ”You can place your throne next to mine. It’ll be nice and cozy, won’t it?”

”While we’re at it,” she added, turning away from Owain before he could respond. ”There aren’t nearly enough chairs for everyone who will sit in judgment today. I only count enough for nine barons and Sir Hugo,” she said, frowning at the head chamberlain.

”M-my lady? Er, your Grace?” He quickly corrected himself. ”Will High Priest Aubin or High Inquisitor Ignatious be joining the Court as well?” he asked, clearly confused as he tried to understand who else could be missing.

”Your Worship?” Ashlynn asked lightly, turning to face the High Priest.

”I’ve already said that I’ll defer to the High Inquisitor in this matter,” the old priest said, looking slightly lost as the Great Hall rearranged itself around him. During the ceremony, he’d acted as both Owain and Jocelynn’s officiant and would have been the one to anoint them both as Marquis and Marchioness before joining the newlyweds at the High Table for the feast.

Now, however, as events shifted, he didn’t seem to have a place to be.

”Join me then,” Ignatious said, seeming to appear from nowhere at the old priest’s side. ”I’m certain that Lady Jocelynn would find your presence comforting, and if we’re needed for the proceedings, we can always stand then.

”That...” Aubin said, furrowing his brow as he hesitated.

”No matter what you do, people will believe you have chosen a side,” Ignatious said, sensing the reason for Aubin’s hesitation. ”Any baron would welcome you to their table while they sit in judgment, if only for the honor of hosting you and appearing to have your blessing. If you somehow stand apart, people will see you withdrawing your support for Owain rather than choosing not to decide.”

”Don’t worry about the others,” Ignatious said, offering the old man an arm to help him down from the dais. ”The truth is written in the stars and in your heart, and the truth is that you are welcome with us and we expect nothing from you.”

”Right, quite right,” Aubin said, accepting the youthful-looking Inquisitor’s help graciously. ”Perhaps you and I can also speak a bit,” he said hopefully as they descended the stairs from the dais. ”Your name is uncommon, but nearly a hundred years ago, there was another High Inquisitor by the same name, and I wonder...”