The Unicorn's Judgement
Summary: The unicorns are called to pass judgement for a crime
Warnings: Mentions of rape
The square was crowded when the sun began to rise. The rays of light widened and spread to cover the square in an orange glow. The people blinked in the sunshine and parted to allow two figures, both men, into the center of the square.
The first one had a dark, canvas bag over his head and his hands tied behind his back. The second had one large, hairy hand on the first man's back and he continuously pushed the first man forward. The man's other hand was holding an axe.
The people called out insults as he gave the first man one last shove and he fell onto the dusty ground. He shook as the ax-man dragged him upright and yanked the bag over his head. The man blinked, eyes darting around the square. The ax-man placed a hand on his neck and forced him down until his forehead was touching the ground. He nodded to a man, in monk's robes, at the very front of the crowd.
The man nodded back.
"Bring her," he said as he made his way to the wooden stand on the far edge of the square. As he was stepping on it and straightening his collar, a tall woman stepped out of the crowd. She was followed by another man and a woman, both taller than her. The couple behind her nodded at the man, squeezed her arm and stepped back into the crowd.
The woman looked at the shuddering man on the ground. She took a small step away and flinched. Then, she turned to the man on the box and bowed.
"My lord," she said. Her voice trembled a little.
The lord gave her a short nod.
"Lady Catherine," he said in a voice that boomed across the now-quiet square. "You have accused this man," here, he pointed at the man on the ground, "Thomas of rape?"
The crowd booed and muttered angrily amongst themselves. Lady Catherine took a deep breath and straightened.
"I have my Lord." She said. Her hands did not shake. The man on the ground, however, let out a wail.
"I didn't. You have to believe me. Please!"
"Silence! You will speak only when spoken to." The Lord thundered and gestured for the guards at the back of the crowd to restrain him.
The guards stepped forward and hauled the man upright. His head fell back and he blinked. His eyes were red rimmed and a little bit wet. He whimpered as the guards dug their fingers into him, holding him in place.
"We have heard both of your stories," the Lord said. "And now we gather here to pass judgment." He nodded to a woman at the very edge of the forest that surrounded the village. "Summon The Keeper."
The crowd started whispering to themselves. Never before had their village had any reason to call The Keeper of the unicorns before. Several people started to turn their heads, looking for this myth.
"I am already here," came a voice from the square's right. The woman at the edge of the forest, whom the man had nodded to earlier, strode to the center. Behind her followed the unicorns, each a shimmery silver, with spiraled, ivory horns and a symbol on their left flank. They nickered and spread out behind her.
The woman acknowledged the Lord by tilting her staff in his direction. Then, she turned to face the crowd.
"People of Arista, you are all here to witness the unicorns judgment. The unicorns are creatures of magic. They will only touch those that they have deemed pure. Today, they will touch the one that they deem pure of body and that will be their judgment." She stepped aside and the unicorns moved forward.
They circled the group in the center, nickering and neighing to themselves. Their nostrils flared occasionally and finally they tossed their heads and turned back to the woman.
"Have you made your judgment?"
The tallest unicorn neighed in answer, stepped forward and curled its broad body around the shuddering man.
The crowd gasped and the Lady whirled around.
"What is the meaning of this?" The Lord snapped as he stepped off the box and grabbed the woman by lapels of her shirt.
She glared at him. "Unhand me!"
He let go, but did not step back. She straightened her shirt and stepped back.
"You said they were both virgins before this correct," she asked.
The Lord nodded.
"Well then, it's simple. The Lady Catherine is no virgin."
"The Lady would not lie," the Lord said and gestured towards the guards.
"For the unicorns, virginity is something that is willingly and freely given, not taken. The Lady Catherine was not raped."
"What?" The Lord gasped and turned to look at the Lady. Cathrine was scowling, her mouth set in a mulish line.
"Is this true?" The Lord demanded.
She lowered her head. "Yes, my Lord."
"The unicorns do not lie Lord Aster. Everyone knows that."
Lord Aster nodded. "Guards seize her," he gestured to Catherine, "and throw her in jail." He turned back to the Keeper. "What do I do about this?"
The keeper shrugged. "My work is done, the rest is up to you Lord Aster." She whistled and the unicorns came trotting back. She inclined her head towards the Lord. "Goodbye Lord Aster." Then, she strode back into the forest.
Warnings: Mentions of rape
The square was crowded when the sun began to rise. The rays of light widened and spread to cover the square in an orange glow. The people blinked in the sunshine and parted to allow two figures, both men, into the center of the square.
The first one had a dark, canvas bag over his head and his hands tied behind his back. The second had one large, hairy hand on the first man's back and he continuously pushed the first man forward. The man's other hand was holding an axe.
The people called out insults as he gave the first man one last shove and he fell onto the dusty ground. He shook as the ax-man dragged him upright and yanked the bag over his head. The man blinked, eyes darting around the square. The ax-man placed a hand on his neck and forced him down until his forehead was touching the ground. He nodded to a man, in monk's robes, at the very front of the crowd.
The man nodded back.
"Bring her," he said as he made his way to the wooden stand on the far edge of the square. As he was stepping on it and straightening his collar, a tall woman stepped out of the crowd. She was followed by another man and a woman, both taller than her. The couple behind her nodded at the man, squeezed her arm and stepped back into the crowd.
The woman looked at the shuddering man on the ground. She took a small step away and flinched. Then, she turned to the man on the box and bowed.
"My lord," she said. Her voice trembled a little.
The lord gave her a short nod.
"Lady Catherine," he said in a voice that boomed across the now-quiet square. "You have accused this man," here, he pointed at the man on the ground, "Thomas of rape?"
The crowd booed and muttered angrily amongst themselves. Lady Catherine took a deep breath and straightened.
"I have my Lord." She said. Her hands did not shake. The man on the ground, however, let out a wail.
"I didn't. You have to believe me. Please!"
"Silence! You will speak only when spoken to." The Lord thundered and gestured for the guards at the back of the crowd to restrain him.
The guards stepped forward and hauled the man upright. His head fell back and he blinked. His eyes were red rimmed and a little bit wet. He whimpered as the guards dug their fingers into him, holding him in place.
"We have heard both of your stories," the Lord said. "And now we gather here to pass judgment." He nodded to a woman at the very edge of the forest that surrounded the village. "Summon The Keeper."
The crowd started whispering to themselves. Never before had their village had any reason to call The Keeper of the unicorns before. Several people started to turn their heads, looking for this myth.
"I am already here," came a voice from the square's right. The woman at the edge of the forest, whom the man had nodded to earlier, strode to the center. Behind her followed the unicorns, each a shimmery silver, with spiraled, ivory horns and a symbol on their left flank. They nickered and spread out behind her.
The woman acknowledged the Lord by tilting her staff in his direction. Then, she turned to face the crowd.
"People of Arista, you are all here to witness the unicorns judgment. The unicorns are creatures of magic. They will only touch those that they have deemed pure. Today, they will touch the one that they deem pure of body and that will be their judgment." She stepped aside and the unicorns moved forward.
They circled the group in the center, nickering and neighing to themselves. Their nostrils flared occasionally and finally they tossed their heads and turned back to the woman.
"Have you made your judgment?"
The tallest unicorn neighed in answer, stepped forward and curled its broad body around the shuddering man.
The crowd gasped and the Lady whirled around.
"What is the meaning of this?" The Lord snapped as he stepped off the box and grabbed the woman by lapels of her shirt.
She glared at him. "Unhand me!"
He let go, but did not step back. She straightened her shirt and stepped back.
"You said they were both virgins before this correct," she asked.
The Lord nodded.
"Well then, it's simple. The Lady Catherine is no virgin."
"The Lady would not lie," the Lord said and gestured towards the guards.
"For the unicorns, virginity is something that is willingly and freely given, not taken. The Lady Catherine was not raped."
"What?" The Lord gasped and turned to look at the Lady. Cathrine was scowling, her mouth set in a mulish line.
"Is this true?" The Lord demanded.
She lowered her head. "Yes, my Lord."
"The unicorns do not lie Lord Aster. Everyone knows that."
Lord Aster nodded. "Guards seize her," he gestured to Catherine, "and throw her in jail." He turned back to the Keeper. "What do I do about this?"
The keeper shrugged. "My work is done, the rest is up to you Lord Aster." She whistled and the unicorns came trotting back. She inclined her head towards the Lord. "Goodbye Lord Aster." Then, she strode back into the forest.