Chapter 678: Eamon’s Tale
It took a few moments for everyone to settle back down before Eamon began his tale again. Many people, whether they were members of Ashlynn’s group or people who had come with the Guild Masters and Owain’s knights, were still whispering to each other in hushed tones as the grizzled hunter began to speak again.
"Like I was saying," Eamon said. "Lord Owain ordered us to accompany Sir Broll to hunt down Sir Ollie and Lady Ashlynn and we caught them near the fall of night. But that’s when Lady Ashlynn told us all who she was, and what Lord Owain had done to her and how, erm, how Sir Broll had helped to conceal the crime. Then she challenged him to a Trial by Combat right there in the forest with the Holy Lord of Light to bear witness," he said, glancing nervously over his shoulder at Ashlynn as he spoke.
"You’re telling us that Lady Ashlynn defeated Sir Broll in single combat?" Sir Rain said, staring at Ashlynn before frowning at Eamon. "Sir Broll was a stronger fighter on foot than I’ve ever been and even skilled swordsmen struggled to overcome that powerful ax of his. How did a little lady like Lady Ashlynn manage to defeat someone like him?" Rain asked incredulously.
"Meaning no disrespect, Lady Ashlynn," he quickly added as if worried that offending her would provoke her into sending Marcel to take his sword away from him or something worse.
"I can speak to that if your lordship wishes," Daithi said. "I was there that night as well and I was in command of the men serving under Sir Broll," he explained. "I watched the duel from start to finish and I agree with Sir Rain, Sir Broll was a much more skilled fighter than Lady Ashlynn."
"Then how did she win?" Sir Rain asked, leaning forward on the wagon’s tailgate and looking intently at the constable. "Are you telling us it was divine providence from the Holy Lord of Light, favoring the righteous in a sacred trial by combat? Those laws are ancient and even I know that they’re the last resort of a guilty man!"
"Ancient or not," Daithi said, standing his ground and refusing to back down to the blustering knight. "The laws are still on the books and Lady Ashlynn won the duel. Sir Broll over committed and got his ax stuck in the ground and Lady Ashlynn severed his hands clean off. He’d have bled to death even if she didn’t deal a killing blow," he said.
"Your lordship might not believe," Eamon added with a gleam of religious fervor in his eyes. "But I saw a miracle that night. Whether it was divine providence that trapped Sir Broll’s ax or that lent its might to Lady Ashlynn’s sword, she proved her virtue with her very next orders."
"Orders?" Sir Hugo asked, confused as to who exactly Lady Ashlynn would have had to issue orders to. Sir Ollie? Or was the hunter implying that his men submitted to her command as soon as Sir Broll fell? "What orders did she give?"
"Sir Ollie said we almost caught them, but Lady Ashlynn had soldiers of her own waiting in the woods. She could have commanded them to kill us after the duel but she didn’t." Eamon explained. "She took us all as captives and brought us away instead of killing us."