Chapter 11: The Trial

Chapter 11 and the climax to Variola

On a cool sunny Saturday in October Tanya waited for her guardian to pick her up. Her hair was still the soft gold she'd dyed it for the homecoming dance. She wore a tan pantsuit, dark pumps, and a simple pale gold blouse. For jewelry she wore one pair of plain silver earrings, the Danann seal ring, and her cobra pendant. Tanya paced the living room floor as she awaited her guardian's arrival.

"I don't understand why you have to testify at this hearing and why I can't go with you", her mother complained, not for the first time.

"I have to testify because Connla and I were witnesses. But-- It involves national security and secrecy. That's why as few people as possible are involved", Tanya once more explained.

"Mr. Danann is allowed to attend."

"He has -- connections."

"What is he anyway? -- CIA? -- FBI? I've always thought there was something mysterious about the Danann family."

Tanya smiled and shook her head. She liked the idea that her parents thought Cormac Danann was some kind of government agent. It would keep their thoughts away from supernatural explanations when weird things happened across the street.

"I think I hear Mr. Danann now", Tanya said as she heard a car door shutting in the driveway.

A moment later Loretta was letting Cormac Danann into her house. He too was dressed conservatively in a brown business suit and a gold-tan shirt with a dark brown tie.

"Are you ready to go, Tanya?", he asked.

Tanya sighed, then replied.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Sir."

"Take care of my daughter, Mr. Danann -- please", Loretta said.

Cormac Danann smiled reassuringly.

"I always try to protect Tanya - though she is headstrong and sometimes makes it difficult. But today it is the terrorist who kidnapped her and my son who faces danger. Tanya will face none."

Loretta smiled but both Lord Cormac and Tanya could tell she wasn't convinced. Tanya gave her a quick hug, then followed Lord Cormac out the door. They got into his Buick and drove west along Cherry Lane, heading for Crystal Lake and the gate on Firefly Island.

"Where's the rest of your family?", Tanya asked.

"Already at Knockma Hill. Everyone will be at this trial."

Tanya and Lord Cormac were silent as they drove to the park and pulled into the drive to Ranger Parker's home. The Sunnyuh met them at the door and took them to the little rowboat.

"I will let you row yourself to the island, Lord Cormac. J.J. is giving us trouble today and I don't want Chris to have to deal with him alone", she said.

"We must find some nanny candidates for you to interview-- soon", the Sidh lord told the Korean fairy.

He and Tanya slipped into the rowboat. The elf rowed with powerful strokes that sent the clumsy-looking boat racing through the clear blue water.

"I'm nervous about speaking in front of the King and Queen - and all those other elves", Tanya said.

"I know. Just tell them what happened and what is in your heart. It is Niall, not you, who has reason for fear."

He pulled the boat up onto the shore of the Island. A brisk hike brought them to the flat rock that was a Faerie gate. It was a potent sign of Tanya's nervousness that she didn't even complain about Faerie gate sickness when Lord Cormac led her through the open gate.

On the other side of the gate was a hillside covered with green grass and wildflowers, bathed in the glow of morning sunlight yet there was no sun in the blue sky. At the foot of the hill was an oak and maple wood whose leaves varied from spring green to the flaming hues of fall. Coran and Deirdre waited for them mounted on two Faerie steeds that seemed all mists and shadows. They led two other horses, a blue roan stallion and a chestnut mare whose mane and tail were like living flames. The flame-colored mare knelt for Tanya to mount.

"It's a bit of a ride from this gate to Knockma Hill", Coran told her.

"Does she have a name?", Tanya asked, petting the mare's arched neck.

"Lady of Fire. She's one of Queen Mab's favorites", Coran said.

Were it not for the task ahead of her, Tanya would have enjoyed the ride through a woods, over a merry creek, past tangled bushes and orchards whose trees bore both ripe fruit and blossoms. But all she could think of was the tribunal and what she needed to say.

Knockma Hill was a pink marble keep built into the side of a craggy hill. They left their mounts with the silver-haired Horsemaster then walked up a wide flight of marble stairs to an oak door protected by rowan trees. Inside the door was a long hallway lit by smokeless torches. The design was like that of the hallway in Lord Niall's castle.

"Are these central hallways standard in Faerie castles?", Tanya asked.

"They're certainly a very popular design among us", Deirdre admitted.

They entered the grand hall, transformed for the occasion from a hall of feasting into a courtroom. Two rows of thin marble pillars, carved with strange beasts, vines, and Celtic knots, marched down the center of the hall. At the far end of the room King Finvena and Queen Mab, wearing formal green and gold gowns, sat on golden thrones. The king's fiery hair and the queen's gold and silver locks were worn long but adorned with thin braids. On their heads sat gold crowns encrusted with jewels. Their aura of power was terrifying even to a girl used to the company of elves.

Banquet tables had been replaced with oak benches. Left of the throne was a railed dock where Lord Niall, dressed in black, sat manacled with elf-silver chains between two fiery-haired guards. Beneath and to one side of the dock was a table where Lady Arlene and Lord Niall's cousin, Sir Fintan, sat, also clad in plain black clothes. To the right of the thrones was a raised dais where witnesses must stand to address the court. Lily Blueeyes sat at a table near the witness stand recording the proceedings on a computer. There were no other court officials. The Queen and King conducted the tribunal by themselves.

It seemed to Tanya that all of Faerie were packed into the crowded benches. She glimpsed the black hair of the Faire-Childes. The white-haired Mac Aedhs sat together. Tanya spotted her neighbors, the Silverleafs and the Moonglows, as well as the Greenwood twins and Dylan's human wife, Jenny. Michael and Heather sat near the Greenwoods. Coran and his sister joined Connla and Lady Nora who sat on a front row bench. Lord Cormac led Tanya to the table where Lady Arlene and Sir Fintan sat. They seated themselves beside Lord Niall's unhappy relatives.

"Why are we sitting here when everyone else is on the benches?", Tanya asked.

It was the grim-faced Sir Fintan who replied.

"Because, Miss Tanya, we are the only ones who will be speaking for Lord Niall. The others, even his kinfolk, will either be speaking against him or not at all, though more than a few of the others hold sentiments about humans similar to his."

Tanya preferred to ignore the implications of other Sidhe with similar sentiments and zeroed in on the fact that her guardian was sitting with Lord Niall's supporters.

"Oh. Then you are also speaking for Lord Niall?", she asked him.

"There was a time when Lord Niall and I were the best of friends. I owe him something for that friendship's sake."

The King and Queen of Faerie stood up A hush fell over the hall. Everyone stood.

"We are gathered today for the unhappy task of trying Lord Niall Mac Aedh of Castle Mac Aedh in the Twilight Lands for crimes against humanity, attempted genocide, and behavior reckless to the best interests of Faerie", the Queen announced in a voice like a clear ringing bell. "Be seated and let the trial begin."

Those who had witnessed the events of Oct. 4 spoke first. Connla and most of the elves who had confronted Lord Niall at the wine warehouse kept their testimony factual and as unemotional as was possible for an elf. Coran gave technical testimony about the potential effects of the deadly strain of variola had it been unleashed on the human race.

Then came a long period of testimony about Lord Niall's history and character. Heather gave an impassioned account of the terror she experienced when he attempted to rape her in the Oldwood near Greenwood Manor. Most of the Mac Aedh Clan apologized and made excuses for not stopping their lord's terrorist activities.

"Except for you and the Lady Arlene, the Mac Aedhs just want to save their own skins,", Tanya whispered.

Sir Fintan nodded.

After what seemed like hours, those who would testify on Lord Niall's behalf had their chance.

Lady Arlene, silver tears running down her cheeks, spoke of her love for her lord and husband and of the gentleness and tenderness he was capable of. Her testimony was eloquent but Tanya knew it meant little because she was his wife and everyone expected her to support him.

Sir Fintan took the stand. He spoke of the good deeds his lord and cousin had done in the past. Tanya was sure his good deeds did not outweigh trying to exterminate humanity.

Lord Cormac took the stand. He bowed to the monarchs and to the seated elves.

"Your Highnesses, Honored Sidhe Lords and Ladies. I remember a young Sidh full of fun and laughter, a Sidh as comfortable with the company of humans as he was with his own kind. When I played jokes on humans I thought were merely mischievous, but which some might have thought malicious, he would rebuke me for giving them such a hard time.

Then came the burning time when the humans of Europe put other people on torture racks and burnt them at the stake for their religious beliefs or because someone thought they were witches. Sometimes they captured and burnt us as well. I remember Lord Niall's beautiful and loving parents who were too trusting of human friends to believe they were in danger. They died horribly, did the elder Lord Mac Aedh and his lady, tortured with weapons of iron by those who knew how to use those weapons effectively on our kind, then burned alive. As you well know we Sidhe are not overcome by the smoke of a hot fire soon enough to avoid the pain of the fire. We feel every fiery torment of the flames until death releases us.

It was then that Lord Niall changed. The fun-loving Sidh lad died with his parents. He became one haunted. When you pass judgment on him, my Queen and my King, please keep in mind the events that led to Lord Niall's obsessive passion for revenge on the human race."

Tanya noticed that even Michael and Heather, whom she knew despised Lord Niall, were weeping. Perhaps her guardian's words would carry some weight with the monarchs as well.

It was Tanya's turn to testify. She walked to the stand with her head held high, but her knees were shaking and her hands were trembling. She bowed respectfully to the monarchs and to the awesome spectators. In a voice that quavered, the seventeen year old spoke.

"Your Highnesses. Honored Sidhe Lords and Ladies. I -- do not ask for forgiveness for Lord Niall Mac Aedh - or - that he go unpunished. But I do ask for mercy. Yes he planned to destroy my people, but he voluntarily aborted the terrorist attack. He destroyed the virus -- all that he had. It is true that he killed five humans, but they were terrorists trying to destroy their own kind. I do believe the world may be a better place without them. And -- he killed at least one of those five men to save my life. -- When I reminded him that the plague he meant to let loose would kill children as well as adults he became physically ill. He could no more destroy the children than any of you could. --------"

Tanya waited as murmurs of comprehension went through the crowded hall, then continued her plea.

"If he had tried to go ahead with the attack I would not be here making this plea. But he did not. I do not believe that Lord Niall Mac Aedh deserves death. Please, temper your justice with mercy, Your Highnesses", Tanya finished, tears spilling down her cheeks.

As she returned to her seat, shaking now with relief, murmuring could be heard throughout the hall. The monarchs conferred in whispers and telepathic messages for a long time. Finally they rose to give their judgment. The room fell silent.

"Lord Niall Mac Aedh, rise!', King Finvena commanded in a voice like thunder.

The unseelie lord rose.

Tanya looked at the prisoner for the first time during the long trial. His face was blanched and drawn, his expression grim. There was no hope in his uptilted eyes. Tanya returned her attention to the monarchs as Queen Mab started to speak.

"Lord Niall Mac Aedh, the crime you attempted to perpetuate has no equal in all the long history of Faerie and of the Tuatha de Danann. We Sidhe fight our enemies close up and personal. We fight duels. We take revenge on those who have wronged us. We fight nasty clan wars. We have fought many a battle with humans but, unlike the humans, we have not attempted genocide nor used weapons of mass destruction. We do not make terrorist attacks on a faceless enemy we have not even met, from a safe distance. That is human behavior, not Sidhe. Yet you, alone among us, almost did just that. For that affront to our very nature you probably deserve to die."

Lord Niall bowed his head, awaiting his doom. His wife wept.

"However �" Lord Cormac Danann has eloquently reminded us of the atrocity that led to your hateful obsession with revenge. I do not believe the death of your parents justifies what you proposed to do. You slew those who tormented them. You had your rightful revenge those many centuries ago. It should have been enough."

Every human and elf in the hall held their collective breath.

"If we do not sentence you to die it is due to the testimony of this human child, Miss Tanya Swift, a member of the race you meant to destroy. As she pointed out, you did voluntarily abort the attack and destroy the virus. Also your concern for Tanya's welfare shows you can care for at least one human. If you can care about Tanya perhaps you can learn to forgive and care about the rest. Finally this child believes there is some good left in you. Therefore we will give you a chance to prove her right.

Our judgment is this. Niall Mac Aedh, you will be stripped of all titles, lands, and business concerns. Your cousin, Hugh Mac Aedh, will become the new Lord of the Mac Aedh clan and the new head of the wine importing business. You will be given sufficient allowance to live on and no more.

Furthermore you are sentenced to five hundred years of exile from Faerie, on pain of death should you attempt to return before that time. You will dwell in the World of Humans where you may not knowingly or willfully bring harm to even one human, not even in self defense, on pain of death. We will find a house for you, and your wife if she chooses to join you in exile, somewhere close to where Lord Cormac Danann dwells so that he may supervise and monitor your exile. Do you accept this judgment?"

"I accept, Your Majesty", the former Lord Niall said in a low voice.

He bowed.

The crowd began to talk. The gossip generated by this trial would go on for a long time.

The two guards led Niall Mac Aedh down from the dock. Lady Arlene gave a cry of relief and flung herself, sobbing, at her husband, embracing him passionately. His manacles prevented him from returning the embrace but Niall rested his head on hers and spoke softly into her ear. After allowing Niall and his wife some time together, Lord Cormac took Tanya's hand and led her to their side. Tanya had to brush tears from her eyes.

Niall looked at the teenager he had once threatened to blind and twice kidnapped.

"Tanya, I've lost almost everything except, thanks to your generous testimony, my life. But I have gained one thing, child. Once I told you that I wished things might have been different, that we might have been friends. I think we are friends now, Tanya Swift."

Tanya walked over and put her arms about the Sidh's slender waist, hugging him tightly.

"I think we are friends now, too, Niall Mac Aedh", she replied.