Apollodora VI

18th night of the Month of Ice, 8:22 , after Moonrise

She listens closely as she hides behind the curtains that cover the wall behind the throne.

Dora had not believed it when she had heard, she had wanted to hear from Vyshe Ardashir's own mouth and she had for the first half of the trial. She had not peeked, but she had heard his still trembling voice—foolish, she couldn't help but think when she had heard, to overuse his Asha in such a way, he had arrived to Night Hall with Bari's hand on his shoulder, a smidge away from death—speak of what he had done.

He had spoken of the night he had killed her uncle, how he had been attacked and just defended himself, that he didn't intend to kill Mikhe Drest, just free himself and run. Dora believed it, just enough to cry quietly as the death of her uncle was brought up to the forefront of her mind. She had always seen her uncle become a different person when nomads were brought up, cruel and uncaring, nothing like the man he was with her, gentle and fun, so in the end, it didn't surprise her to know he had attacked a nomad, but it still hurt.

But then, a voice had broken the shouts of the rest of the court and Dora had peeked from behind her hiding spot to see what was going on.

Hilde Gernot was standing, a hand holding a knife up high and everyone staring at her with perplexity. Her face stone and filled with decision, very different of how she often looked a breath away from sobbing, with her meek voice and body language. But like this, she looked like a proper Drest, fierce and rebellious. Then, Dora blinks, a knife?

What? What had happened?!

Before she can get out of her hiding place, a person puts themselves right in front of her, giving her their back. She looks up and finds it's Artemy's back, his hair hanging in a lone braid reaching the middle of his back, his eyes staring at her from over his shoulder, his head gives a short shake sideways. It's a clear sign to stay hidden, and Dora, for the time being, will follow it.

A gurgle makes Dora raise an eyebrow, her brother is holding something in his arms and Dora hopes is not another Caith cub.

With her brother as a better hiding place, Dora is able to hear better to what's being discussed.

"Hilde!" Exclaims the loud voice of Dora's father "Do not say such foolish things! Sit down, this is a serious matter!"

"I do not lie! It was me! I did it! I stabbed him and then I hit him with a stone on the head! I killed him! Not Nima" screams back Hilde and Dora flinches at the tone, it sounded like that hurt to even produce.

"So judge me! Not him!" Continues Hilde "He didn't do anything!"

Dora looks up towards her brother, to judge his reaction. The side of his face she can see is stone cold, frowning and hugging whatever he had in his hands closer to his chest.

"Hilde did it?" She asks in a whisper "why?"

Artemy doesn't answer but Dora continues wondering and worrying. Why would Hilde do such a thing? Her uncle always spoke fondly of Hilde, even when Dora's cousin had started to give him cold looks and ignoring every family member except for Artemy. Dora had always wondered what had happened between them, but uncle never had true answer, always changing the topic or shrugging off Dora's questions.

"What about Enuma?!" Shouts a voice, and it takes Dora a second to recognize it. It's Lady Jeza, interrupting Hilde's plea "He did something to her! She's gone!"

More murmurs rose among the court and Dora is tempted to poke at Artemy to get a reaction. She hadn't heard of the new nomad's disappearance, when had that happened? And since when was that possible? The Yashma was supposed to be impenetrable, their barrier from the outside and what kept them safe. Should they we worried?

"I helped her, she wanted to leave" speaks up the Haruspex, his voice much stronger than before.

"She was not supposed to leave!" Shouts Lady Jeza, voice filled with panic and pain, Dora didn't think Lady Jeza had enough time to get to love her nomad, but maybe she doesn't mourn the loss of a daughter, but the loss of freedom instead.

Firstborns carry a difficult weight on their shoulders, the honor of their family is heavy and demanding. Secondborns have slightly more freedom, no need to carry on the name, but they're often used by the families to make arrangements with other houses. The most free Secondborn in the whole city is probably Dora herself, she is the Infans, advisor to the monarch, marriage is not needed to do her job correctly, her name will always be Drest, even as a Secondborn. Dora knew Lady Jeza didn't want to marry anyone, she had heard the gossip about her and the Aud Heir, how they had courted in the shadows before their families caught them and stopped it before it got too far. The nomad had probably been a relief to Lady Jeza, but with her gone, she was heirless again.

"The nomad…is gone?" Asks father in a perplexed tone, then he mumbles "I didn't know that was possible"

More shouts and murmurs fill the room after the king speaks. And then, before they can continue with the trial—who were they judging now? Hilde or the Haruspex?—a thumping sound startles Dora and the court quiets down.

Dora looks at Artemy and, for the first time since he put himself in front of her, he looks scared, pale and eyes locked on whatever is happening in the courtroom.

"Artemy?" She whispers, but when he doesn't answer, she takes her chance and peeks around her brother and gasps.

The Haruspex has collapsed down on the floor, like a stringless puppet—and that shouldn't wouldn't surprise her, he had been almost dead a few hours ago—but when Dora looks around the room she notices that he is not the only one that has fainted; Every nomad that had attended the trial had slumped on their seats, their worried families buzzing around them in worry, the silence that had overtaken the room soon turning into a panicked frenzy.

Dora's father jumps up from the throne, gaping at the strange phenomenon taking place right before their eyes. Dora stands next to her brother as she watches, not understanding what's going on.

What happened?