The Tribunal and the case of the Unknown Pregnancy Before Marriage

The Tribunal was seated on a dais that had fifteen steps leading up to the top. If one were facing them, on the left was Vivec. Half gold skinned, Vivec was bare from the waist up, save for a belt of thick leather and gold buckles that crossed from his hip to the opposite shoulder, where rested a shoulder guard made of chitin. These matters of Judgement were not interesting any more; once delighted to partake in this process, Vivec now found himself slightly bored. He had, therefore, split himself in three. While he sat here, he was also writing poetry in his private chambers, and observing the difference in the flight of birds and of bats.

On the right sat Sotha Sil. His red eyes were the only thing that could be seen behind the golden mask he wore. Heavy robes of dwemeri metal and ebony rested on his body. Only his hands were free, showing the long nails of someone that did no physical labour. Sotha Sil was in fifteen places, reading the few scraps of poetry that Vivec had shared with him for critical analysis, on Artaeum speaking to the Loremaster there, taking the form of a Nede drawing the Architecture of the White-Gold city, and many other places beside; also he was here, listening.

In the middle was Almalexia, dressed in red cloth with gold thread spelling out words of Mercy, and adorned with gold jewelry. Her skin was golden still, as a symbol of the Mother, and she rested her right hand on the Mask of Mercy. She had long been the Leader of House Indoril, and thus was used to things like Court. Of all the Tribunal, she was the most interested in the matters being brought to their attention, and thus the other two mostly left the talking to her.

High above and around were seats, and Dunmer old and young sat there, from everywhere in Morrowind. They listened to the plights, the arguments, they saw the evidence, and they whispered or yelled amongst themselves. On occasion one of them would stand and speak loudly to all the court, the Tribunal beneath them, the Dunmer that had come to push their case, and to their fellows. They would speak about their thoughts, and about what they thought should be done. Some of the Dunmer sat there out of excitment to be part of something like this, others sat out of a sense of civic duty, a few out of a stubborness. One or two had come to try to sway the course of things in their favour; at least one Hlaalu was whispering into the ears of others. This was the High Council.

A member of House Indoril, a staunt soldier that had long served under the flag of St. Nerevar the Captain, walked into the room holding a spear of iron and chitin. Behind him walked a Dunmeri couple. The woman was many months pregnant, and had swollen eyes from crying. No tears now rested on her face. The man had a bitter expression. The two were obviously poor.

The man took the position on the left, facing Vivec. He was the accuser, the accoster, the prosecutor. The woman stood on the right, facing Sotha Sil. The mystery of her innocence, should it be in question, would be revealed by the Tribunal.

"You have come to the Court of Judgement," Almalexia said in a grand manner, her voice filling the chamber. "State your grievances, and prepare yourselves to be Judged." As always following this proclamation, the room was silent. Once in the Godplace, Vivec had burst to laughter; the worries of the Dunmer were sometimes too silly to be taken so seriously.

"My name is Methel," he man started, speaking briskly, "and this is my wife Inera. We are of the House S'than." The Court Scribe wrote this down silently with magic, pressing ink to parchment telekinetically, concentrating on keeping a perfect account while also being completely silent.

"We were married a few months ago," he continued, "and when she was pregnant, we were both very happy. Until," and here aggression entered his voice, and his eyes narrowed, "we visited a Wise Woman who told me the child isn't mine!"

The High Council was filled with whispers and talking. Twice before something like this had appeared in the Court of Judgement. The first time, the man had been cast down, as he had been wholly inattentive toward his wife. That she had been unfaithful had not been deemed the crime. The second time, the woman had been cast down, as she had simply not acted as a married woman should. The man in that particular case had been noted to have done everything a husband should to please his beloved.

"Now my, wife," continued Methel, glaring sideways at the woman, whose breath had become slightly staggered, "has not been unfaithful to me. The baby is from when she had lain with some passing soldiers, before we got married. I still love her, and we could be happy. If she got rid of the pregnancy."

"I will not," Inera stated clearly, despite the threatening feeling of tears forming, "get rid of my child. It is as much of a part of my family, my life, as my father, and my mother, are. As much as my husband-" she paused, as a sob tickled the bottom of her throat. The pause became silence from her, as titters came down from the High Council

"You're unwilling to raise a child not your own?" Almalexia asked Methel.

"I am not," Methel stated bluntly. "Aside from the fact that it has nothing to do with me, I can't afford to raise the children I hope to have and this," venomously, "this whorespawn."

Vivec stirred in his seat. In his private chambers, Vivec had jumped up, holding a broken quill in his hand. In the sky far from Mournhold, he had stopped in mid air, with an ugly expression his face. His attention was now completely on the man before him. Whether or not Methel felt the divine gaze resting on him, he betrayed not.

"Whorespawn?" Vivec asked calmly.

"Whorespawn!" affirmed Methel, his fists shaking. "She has no clue which man is the father! I have no clue!" shouted Methel, turning toward his wife, "how many soldiers she bedded that night! WHORESPAWN!" he shouted again.

"Calm yourself," Almalexia ordered calmly. Methel, hearing the order, became still for a moment before putting his fists down and turning back to face the Tribunal.

"Perhaps you could let the child be born, and give it to an orphanage?" came the question from the High Council. Inera shook her head, while Methel stood silently.

"If," Vivec asked, "you didn't have to worry about cost, about food or drink, for this child or yours, would you raise it as your own?"

"No," Methel replied coldly. "Inera must- the child..." Methel closed his eyes for a moment. "I will not raise it. Nor will I suffer it's birth. She must get rid of it."

"I can feel it's heartbeat!" Inera wailed, turning to her husband. He did not turn to face her. "It's alive and I cannot kill my own heart!" At this, Methel's face became twisted again by anger and he turned his head toward her.

"Your heart belongs to me," he said, "or so you swore." He turned back to the Tribunal as his wife wept. "So what will you do? What is your Judgement?"

In the Godplace, the Tribunal conferred. The space behind Vivec was red and tumultuous with rage. He and Almalexia spoke quickly and reached an agreement. This time, they did not ask Sotha Sil what he thought. They knew they were in the right.

In the mean time the High Council had argued with itself. Some said that the wife belonged to the husband, and should submit to him. The counter point was that if the wife belonged to the husband, the husband belonged to the wife. A Telvanni said that neither were slaves so the talk of "belonging" to one or the other was a moot point; many agreed with this line of thought. A few thought the man was being unreasonable. Some said the woman should find a new one. A large group were yelling about the duty a wife owes to a husband. A voice or two quietly asked about the rights of the unborn, which had done no wrong.

"Silence!" called Almalexia as she stood up. The command was obeyed. "The Tribunal has decided to pass Judgement." Inera and Methel, both silent and still, waited for the Goddess to speak.

"Inera," Almalexia said, "you are innocent of any wrong doing. Your pregnancy was not caused by unfaithfulness. Methel," Mercy continued, turning to the man whose expression had become sour, "you can ask Inera to get rid of the child, but you have no claim on the child, and further as a good husband, you should not seek to get rid of it. It means much to her, and if you love her, you will not break her heart and spirit over this.

"Go!" Almalexia ordered, sitting down again. "Live lives devoted to each others' happiness."

In the Godplace, the Tribunal met again. Vivec asked if they thought that Methel would not seek to force the pregnancy to end. His rage was great, after all. Sotha Sil replied that the man was not happy, but would obey. He remarked that Almalexia's closing words were well chosen. The Goddess preened, as Vivec vowed to make sure that the child was raised fairly. Sotha Sil told Vivec to keep the man away from intoxicating drink until the baby had been born, and that all would be well. Don't be too heavy handed, Almalexia said. Of course, Vivec replied. He was the master of being .... subtle.

^(edited because I screwed up a few letters. a instead of e, etc.)