Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

Journey Of A Butterfly	By : Mel99Moe Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > Het - Male/Female Views: 5714 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or places of Lord of the Rings/Tolkien. No money is being made. This is for personal enjoyment only.

Chapter List
- 52
- 53
- 54
Chapter 53 - Judgment Day

Terrwyn paced the dirt floor of her cell, wondering where Horphen was. She hadn’t seen him all morning. At least she thought it was morning. Time seemed not to exist in the dark dungeon beneath Edoras. Horphen always visited her at the beginning of each day, but today he had not. Lately he had seemed a little distant during their brief talks. He was hiding something; she just knew it. Leave it to an elf who cannot tell a lie to withhold information and consider it acceptable behavior, she seethed. Her anger was only a front for her true feelings. In all actuality, Terrwyn was fearful of what happened above. Even in the dampness of the dark prison, she could feel a change, the buzz of anticipation like static prickling the hairs on her neck. Her day drew near. “Where are you, Feredir?” she whispered.

After a while, Terrwyn could hear the unmistakable voices of a mob gathering above in the hall. Perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps the King returned and his people were greeting him. Of course, that must be what was going, she told herself. Then the quiet mumbling of the other two prisoners floated to her cell, an Easterling and a Haradrim. Their voices wavered as they prayed to whomever they considered their gods. These two men did not even speak the same language, but they knew. Today there would be a hanging.

Terrwyn sat on her bed, rocking back and forth, her fear building every second that ticked away. The sounds of the people above became louder. They were arguing. She hoped Horphen was among those with raised voices, but she was unsure of just how much he could do for her now. The young woman had never given much thought to the higher beings in power, but now she found herself praying to the only ones that she thought would listen.

“Oh, Queens of the Valar, hear me today. If there is any hope for me, any at all, please let Horphen talk my people into postponing this hearing.”

A few moments later, there was a commotion at the dungeon entrance as six guards marched in, dressed in full armor and weapons. They lined up in the hall, two in front of each occupied cell. They unlocked the doors and went in, grabbing each inmate by the arms and binding their wrists. Terrwyn did as they told her, but she could hear the two foreigners pleading in their own tongues. When the three prisoners were properly bound, the guards marched them towards the entrance, up the stairs and into Meduseld.

The noise was atrocious and the golden hall was filled with people standing shoulder to shoulder, stretching their necks to get a look at the prisoners. First entered the Easterling held by his guards and then the Haradrim. The crowd booed and hissed, but they were not what the people were waiting for.

Terrwyn closed her eyes as the light from the hall seemed blinding after so many weeks housed in darkness with nothing more than a torch for light. As her vision adjusted, she heard the roar of the crowd. She blinked and looked around her. Angry faces met her wherever she looked. They yelled for justice. They called for a show. Gathered in Edoras for a while now, they were tired of waiting and were ready to see what they all came for, an execution.

Terrwyn’s breathing became rapid with panic as she looked around, searching the crowd for a familiar face. She found none, but she did notice that most of these people were not the commoners of the city. They were richly dressed, the most well off people of all of Rohan, East, West and Edoras. They could afford to leave their homes and wait for the day that was now here staring Terrwyn down like an angry bull. They did not care about her story or whether she was innocent or not. They only wanted to be entertained, however grotesque it may be. A triple hanging, now that was worth the wait.

It used to be different. The people of Rohan had always stood together and faced the enemy as a great force. It was clear whom they fought against, orcs and goblins, there was no mistaking. Those days were gone now. The monsters of the dark had all but disappeared. For so many years, they were great warriors and they still were, but without evil present, the people became restless. They looked for a new enemy to hate. They looked for a new form of entertainment to satisfy their fighting souls and they began to look within. Those who threatened their society were now their enemy, even if that person was one of their own.

Somewhere above the noise, Terrwyn picked out a familiar voice. “Terrwyn, oh my dear Terrwyn.”

“Horphen!” she yelled as the elf pushed his way through. Just as he approached her, a guard stepped between them, forcing them to keep their distance. “What is happening?”

“I tried, I made every effort time and again to talk Erkenbrand into delaying for just a little longer, but I have outstayed my welcome. He will listen no more and has called upon guards to keep me at bay. This mob has been gathering for some time now. They demand that things get underway and Erkenbrand has agreed in fear of a riot.”

“And what about Feredir, Orthorien? Has there been any word?” she asked desperately as the guards glared at her. They could bind her wrists and hold her by the arm, but they could not keep her lips closed.

Horphen shook his head. “I expected them to be back before now. Something must have happened to slow their progress.”

“Or they were captured,” she answered in despair.

“They are taking you to the King’s room where the tribunal will proceed,” the elf informed her just as the crowd started pushing him back, swallowing him up like a crazed wave on the shore.

Just before he disappeared, Terrwyn yelled back. “Pray for me now Horphen. It is all I have left.”

* * *

The guards finally maneuvered Terrwyn through the mob to a set of double doors behind the King’s throne. This was his office, used for such hearings among other private matters needing resolve. Each large wooden door had a carving of a horse rearing on its hind legs. They faced each other as if they were about to duel with heavy hoofs. The guards pushed the doors open slowly and the carvings seemed to invite the guests in, but what met her inside made her feel anything but welcomed.

This was a rather large room with a tall ceiling and a long window covered by a thick curtain opposite of where Terrwyn stood. Beneath the window was a grand dark wooden desk, where the King normally sat. Now it was occupied by Erkenbrand. Terrwyn looked to the left and saw two rows of chairs where she found some familiar faces. Among them were Bregmund’s parents sitting in the front row. They glared at her as she stood just inside the room. The mother of the deceased man seemed to smile slightly as the corners of her mouth curled in a wicked grin. Bregmund’s father sat next to her, no emotions at all on his worn face. There were a few other people sitting next to them, but Terrwyn did not know who they were and figured they were family of some sort.

At the end of the first row, furthest from the King’s desk, sat the two men who had been in the stables that night. Terrwyn had not seen them since that awful time and their faces brought back so many haunting memories that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the wood floor. The men smiled arrogantly at her, knowing they were getting away with their crimes and sending her to the gallows instead.

In the back row, she saw more people. Some looked familiar, stable hands that worked with her at the time. It was unclear to Terrwyn as to why they were here. They were not in the stable the night of the murder. She scanned the other faces until her eyes came upon someone she knew very well and tears welled up in her eyes. Taldred gave her a sorrowful look and she could tell he wished he were seeing her under better circumstances.

“Terrwyn,” said a loud deep voice. Erkenbrand stood behind the desk and started the proceedings. “You are here today for this tribunal, not to prove your innocence but to discuss your execution. The evidence against you is enough to establish your guilt and responsibility for the death of one of our citizens. Your own words have helped to condemn you as you admitted to having stabbed and murdered the deceased man known as Bregmund.

“Out of self-defense, my lord,” she answered.

“How is it self-defense when you were found with the missing jewels that my son was rightfully trying to take back,” Bregmund’s mother shouted.

If this were to be Terrwyn’s end, she would not go without a fight or her side of the story being told. “The jewels were a gift from Alric. I did not know they were stolen, but I know who took them. Bregmund planned this all along. Those two,” she said pointing with her nose to the two thugs sitting at the end of the row. “They were there too and they are equally as guilty, but they will not speak. Go on, tell them how you put your filthy hands on me and held me down as your precious son . . .” Here she turned back to the parents. “. . . tried to rape me and kidnap me.”

“More lies,” Bregmund’s father added. “Why would my own flesh and blood steal from me? He knew if he ever needed anything, all he had to do was ask.”

“And would you have given him these jewels?” Terrwyn asked. “Had you have known he was making trade agreements with the Southrons, these jewels for a bit of land outside of the rule of Rohan, would you have handed them over so easily?”

“She is sick and twisted, believing her own lies,” the mother cried.

“But don’t you want to know what your sweet Bregmund planned on doing with that land? A brothel, kidnapping young women, girls, maybe even boys for all I know. He would trade the flesh of the innocent for liquor and weapons, information, slaves, and whatever else would make him rich.” Terrwyn’s eyes widened with hate for all of the things Bregmund said he was going to do. “I was to be his first servant and had I not defended myself, he would have taken my innocence from me, my dignity and my pride. I was alone with no one to protect me from your loving son. It was his own fault that he died that night when he tried to take something that was not his to take.”

“That is not my son that you speak of,” the father of the deceased said. “He was good and kind. He would not have hurt a fly and if you--.”

Suddenly, Taldred stood up. “None of you were there that night. I saw her while she was still in the stable, blood covering her hands, tears streaking her face, eyes blackened and bruises covering her arms and legs. She said she was attacked and I believed her.”

“And you . . . everyone knew of your feelings for her. She would have told you anything and you would have believed her,” the mother spoke up again. “And curious how she escaped on you watch,” she said accusingly.

Taldred’s eyes fell upon Terrwyn and she could tell by the look on his face what he was about to confess. She shook her head, trying to tell him not to do this, but he closed his eyes and turned to Erkenbrand. “My lord, it is true that Terrwyn escaped during the time she was in my care. I was to transport her from the healing rooms to the prison cells, but . . . she did not do this on her own.”

“Taldred no!” Terrwyn cried.

The young Rohirrim guard went on. “I helped her. I was the one who saw to it that her horse was ready as well as a pack. I gave her the disguise to wear and told her to go to Halfirien. Then I rode out and caught up to her escorting her to the Firien Woods.”

Erkenbrand leaned back in his chair as if in disbelief. “Why did you do this? One of our own guards helped an accused murderess to escape. I could have you hung for this.”

“I did it because I knew she was innocent. As I said, I saw her after she killed Bregmund. At first, I thought it seemed suspicious with the jewels and all, but when I looked into Terrwyn’s eyes, I saw the fear. What woman would fight three men unless it was self-defense, my lord?” Taldred paused, running his hand through his sun bleached hair. He needed to regain some of his composure, feeling that he was speaking in a raised voice. He calmed himself and continued. “I knew how it looked, Lord Erkenbrand and I could not stand to watch her go through anymore of this nightmare. I know it was wrong, but I believed her and I would have done it again if given the chance.”

“You are a traitor,” yelled the mother. “You are no better than her!”

“I will take care of this matter later,” Erkenbrand interrupted. “For now this hearing is about the woman. I have heard what everyone has had to say and though Taldred disobeyed our laws and took advantage of his position as a trusted guard, he has brought up a matter that I cannot seem to put aside. He was a witness to that night and though he did not see the actual crime, he saw the results. I have to take into account the condition in which the girl was found, not typical of a ruthless murderer.”

Suddenly, after being silent through the hearing, one of Bregmund’s friends stood. He was the short fat man that had been in the stable that night. “Well I was a witness during the time that it happened. We both were,” he added as the other taller and skinnier man stood next to him. “She attacked Bregmund when he approached her about the jewels. If she had any wounds, it was because our friend was just trying to protect himself from her. She was like a crazed animal, I say. We were both rather frightened of her.”

“Lies . . . the both of you, lies!” Terrwyn shouted at them. “You were the one’s holding me down while Bregmund tried to . . . tried to . . .” She couldn’t bring herself to say it as her memory came flooding back to her, his rotten liquored breath on her neck, his dirty hands roaming over her virginal body.

At that exact moment, Bregmund’s father shot out of his chair and went to the desk where Erkenbrand sat. “I am through with this hearing. It makes no sense to me. She is guilty of her crimes and has admitted to it already.” He pointed to the large wooden doors. “Do you not hear the people’s cries? They want what they came here to see. I say we hang her and be done with it.” He marched to the doors and threw them open. The guards brought their swords out from their sheaths and watched as the mob outside began to crowd around the doors. Then they turned to Erkenbrand, awaiting their instructions.

Terrwyn was frightened by all the angry faces that searched the inside of the office until they saw her. “Murderer,” they yelled. “Get on with it. We want a hanging.”

There was nothing Erkenbrand could do. The ire of the mob in the hall began to grow to a dangerous stage. Nothing was said at the tribunal that he had not already been heard. Terrwyn murdered this man, had the jewels in her possession and escaped her arrest. Taldred’s admission was no proof that she was innocent and the word of the two men that witnessed the killing was the strongest evidence against her. Now the people waiting in the hall were becoming anxious, their restraint almost depleted as their yells and demands went unanswered. Without King Eomer there to calm the crowd, he knew it would only accelerate to an uncontrollable level. Some of the people in the hall tried to push past the guards when they heard Bregmund’s father demand justice. It was time to make his ruling.

“After hearing from both sides on this matter, I have made my decision. Terrwyn, I formally pronounce you guilty of murder. Your hanging will commence immediately,” the temporary ruler announced.

The room went into an uproar as Bregmund’s parents claimed their prayers were answered. The two men that had been present in the stable that night began calling her names and chuckling to themselves. Taldred and a few others protested the decision. When Taldred tried to approach her, he was caught by one of the guards and restrained. Erkenbrand demanded he be held for further questioning in his involvement of the prisoner’s escape. Still, he demanded that she was innocent, but his pleas went unanswered.

A few of the people outside the room heard the ruling and spread the word quickly through the crowd. More guards appeared in the hall and tried to separate the crowd making a path in which Terrwyn could be escorted. It was a long walk from Meduseld to the gallows and they would not stall any longer.

Terrwyn was in shock and showed no emotions. A part of her had accepted this outcome a long time ago. She remembered Limil and Curuven’s advice to stay true to herself and tell her story. That was exactly what she did. That was all she could do, but for one more thing. Just before the guards led her from the room, she turned to Erkenbrand. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she had her final say. “You have made your decision, but know this. You are sending an innocent woman to her death. You will always wonder whether you made the correct choice. I heard the doubt in your voice. You will always wonder.” Her words were swallowed up by the roar of the people as the guards led her away.

* * *

Orthorien pulled on the reigns and halted the horses as Edoras came into view. His elven hearing detected the sounds of yells off in the distance. He could see movement upon the highest part of the city, like ants gathering to perform some task in unison. While he concentrated on this, he had not noticed Feredir now releasing one of the horses from the wagon.

“What are you doing?” he yelled to the dark elf.

“It has started, Orthorien. Terrwyn is not safe anymore. I must get to the city and stop this.”

“But what about Hathmund? You will need him and I cannot drive the wagon with only one horse,” Orthorien argued.

“Release the other horse and follow quickly. Hathmund is well enough to ride. I cannot spare another moment.” As he finished speaking, the horse was freed. It bobbed its head sensing Feredir’s anxiety. The dark haired elf wrapped his fingers in the grey horse’s mane and leapt upon its back in one swift movement. He dug his heals into the beasts sides causing it to cry out. As if the animal knew the urgency of the moment, it took off at great speed charging toward Edoras.

Orthorien watched his brother ride off without him or Hathmund. “Damnit Feredir,” the older elf cursed under his breath before leaping from the wagon seat and releasing the second horse, but there was a problem with the yoke around the horse’s neck and it would not come loose. Hathmund helped him and they worked as quickly as they could when suddenly a large group of Rohirrim riders surrounded them. Orthorien abandoned what he was doing and stood tall and defensive under the bright sun as he eyed these men, unsure of what they might want. He had no time for this, he thought to himself. The golden warrior was about to threaten them and insist that they be left alone when he noticed Hathmund gasp and drop to one knee, bowing respectfully to these riders.

“My King, long has it been,” Hathmund announced and Orthorien felt a sense of relief. Eomer, the King of Rohan had returned, and not a moment too soon.
- 52
- 53
- 54
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Journey Of A Butterfly