Tarns of JusticeThese are relevant references from the Books where the Tarns of Justice are mentioned. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban At the time of the attack, the assailants had sealed off the Court of Complaints and Petitions itself, this to impede any immediate succor from reaching the Ubar and his handful of cohorts. Recognizing this temporary impasse, and being unclear as to the extent of matters, frantic officials, while summoning and organizing a relieving force, had ordered the ringing of the alarm bars. The door to the vesting room, despite its adornment with symbols of the Tarns of Justice, had not been constructed to resist an onslaught of bodies, benches, and steel. It was soon demolished, its frame, too, broken away, and blades met blades. "The anniversary of the Restoration of Marlenus looms," I said. "It will be followed by days of festival, Masters," said Iris. "I am sure," said Seremides, "that Marlenus will use the occasion to announce the capture and delivery of Talena to Ar." "Will her tortures then begin?" asked Xenon. "I do not think so," said Seremides. "I do not think that would satisfy Marlenus, no, not enough, and not so soon. He would want visibility, and spectacle, something to satisfy and celebrate the triumph of the Tarns of Justice." "Should Talena be torn to pieces," said Seremides, "the Tarns of Justice would be cheated. They could not seize their prey. They would have opened their talons in vain." "It seems Talena is doomed," I said. "When the Tarns of Justice are hungry," he said, "they feed." "And Talena remains at the mercy of the Tarns of Justice," said Clitus. "As she should," said Thurnock. Then a hero arrived on the scene who, after many disappointments, hardships, and battles, with men, weathers, animals, monsters, and such, located and captured the fair fugitive, and returned her, a terrified prisoner, to Ar, where the Tarns of Justice were eagerly waiting to grasp her in their talons. This hero was the noble Geoffrey of Harfax. "Of course," said Hemartius. "Just before the arrival of the great tarn. Do you think that it is one of the legendary Tarns of Justice?" "Thus," said Decius Albus, "Talena of Ar is an enemy of the state and an archcriminal, fittingly to be surrendered to the talons of the Tarns of Justice." "No, dear fellow citizens," said Decius Albus, holding up his hand. "Do not be hasty! Let not the Tarns of Justice descend too eagerly! You must deliberate, carefully, patiently, thoughtfully, and earnestly, before rendering a verdict." "It is expected that the verdict will be officially rendered tomorrow, and the tortures will begin." "So soon?" he said. "Yes," I said. "The Tarns of Justice fly swiftly," he said. "It is expected," I said, "that Talena will be subjected to days, perhaps weeks or months, of torture, followed by a prolonged execution." "Sometimes," he said, "the Tarns of Justice fly slowly." Slowly, step by step, Marlenus ascended to the high bench, decorated with the blazoned emblem of two tarns, presumably the Tarns of Justice. "They will awaken, confused, to shouting and the clash of arms," said Hemartius. "They will not understand what is going on. They will believe what they are told. Assuming that Marlenus is quickly done away with, Decius Albus may claim he has intervened to protect the Ubar, his intervention unfortunately too late, against a usurpation by guardsmen and Taurentians, perhaps disgruntled by, even outraged by, this afternoon's developments in the Stadium of Blades, the escape of Talena from the Tarns of Justice." |
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