Redfork Menace

Old Wounds

"When did you first notice someone was sneaking into your side of the borderlands?"

"It would be nearly three moons ago now."

Shanda sat on pins and needles as the questioning started. This was where all of the real opinions would be formed. And where everyone would be trying to rip the other side apart.

"What tipped you off? You stated earlier none of the guards on duty could find proof."

Martyn was questioning Benjicot and he was quite good at it, she thought. Martyn had always been a serious person. Stuck between her and Royce she supposed he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"I knew they weren't arguing over nothing. There was something happening out there, so I started looking. Tracks were covered almost perfectly but I caught sight of the crushed grass in places. After that I just had to wait and watch."

"Anything could've disturbed that grass deer, your own men. It wasn't indicative of an interloper. But let's say, you had a feeling. Why not alert your father to the trouble?"

Benjicot was not his usual cocky, blaisè self. Which she found frustrating. He too was surprisingly stoic as he gave his response.

"As heir to Raventree, I'm entrusted to handle several duties. One of which was finding and fixing the continued guard problem in the borderlands. There was no need to trouble him with the issue until I had apprehended the criminal."

"Exactly my point. You knew of the issue, had the authority to end it and never did. Why did you not take the same actions anyone would have against an interloper on their grounds? You had the right to take their head. Why didn't you?"

By all rights Martyn had him there.

"I saw a flash of hair in the moonlight one night waiting for them to arrive. Your sister's hair, I recognized it. Once I knew she was a lady, I couldn't very well cut her head off could I?"

"And you couldn't contain her? As fearsome as your reputation is, you would think a woman was easy fare for you. But then she nearly ended your life one night, isn't that correct?"

Shanda was considering how she could make this into Martyn's full time job. He was wasted on guard duty when he could be defending people in cases across the realm.

"She caught me unaware, setting traps all around the borderlands. Beyond that I wanted to see if she would lead me back to Stone Hedge. I had plenty of evidence but well, I couldn't exactly go and demand her head. So I put out a written notice, warning her specifically not to return or face the consequences if she did." He shrugged. "How she got on my side of the river didn't concern me. A known spy was nearly in Raventree hall, so I apprehended her."

"And then your father sentenced her to death. How does that add up with your words? You can't chop her head off but your father can?"

"Her head sits firmly still upon her shoulders." Benjicot sneered.

"Because we petitioned Lord Tully! Answer the question, why spare her only to turn around and sanction the same thing later?"

"I do not control my Lord father, his decisions are his own."

***
Shanda skipped lunch, hiding out in some hidden room alone. She didn't go back to her own room for fear of the heir showing up. The longer the trial went on the more agitated he became, even if he was doing a very good job of hiding it in public.

She thought back to the night before when he had very firmly escorted her back to her room after the fiasco in the hallway. He had looked as if he were itching for a fight and she realized it was probably the longest he'd been without one in years. He had followed her inside her room against her vehement protest. There had, of course, been no guard posted to alert.