A Murder in Morrowind Finale (Part 2)

“Now, onto our next suspect.” I said, “Many of you know of my investigation into the High Priest.”

There was a loud hiss and I winced. This would not be easy.

“Indeed, a priestly amulet was found in Cassius’s grip. What’s more is, not a few days before, he and Friune Hlera almost came to blows. Care to tell us why sera?”

Friune couldn’t have frowned more. He remained silent. “No?” I said, “Fine, I will. Tell me sera, whose amulet do you wear now?”

“My wife’s,” He touched it briefly, “As I expla-“

“-Don’t lie to me priest!” I yelled, “Just because I’m an outlander you think me so stupid. Do you really think I wouldn’t be able to tell between a man and woman’s amulet!”

Friune gasped and gaped silently. Yes, he had underestimated just how long I had been in Morrowind. Men’s amulets were more gaudy and showy, while women’s amulets were more akin to the minimalist one that I now fished from my pocket for all to see. I held it up, the amulet that had been found so tightly grasped in Cassius’s last moments

“You thought yourself clever!” I said, “You’d hide your wife’s recent loss of her amulet and blame it on yourself. This served but to confuse me; but why would you tell me that the amulet we found was yours? Why would you risk your life like that? And most importantly, why did Cassius have your wife’s amulet?”

Renara looked at me confidently now. No longer did she shift her gaze. I think she knew what I had found out. Friune was taken aback and I could see his mind racing as he tried to come up with an excuse. There was none. I had caught him in a lie and now my plan was put into action.

“Yes, this is your wife’s amulet. She’s the only priestess in the temple who’s missing hers.” I said, “And it wasn’t lost or torn. It was held tightly, as if it meant something to him. Faerdae mentioned that he had acquired a special Tribunal amulet just for Cassius. At the time I had thought that this amulet was meant for him. Until Deerkethus fished those pins from your pocket. Until I came to the temple. Until I saw your wife.”

“Inquisitor please…” He said quietly. He was defeated.

“Friune Hlera,” I started slowly, “Your wife…is a supplicant of the Divines is she not?”

“No, please Inquis-“

Renara snorted and stood up triumphantly. She strode over and stood in the circle before the gallows, giving a scowl at everyone present as she stared with her hands on her hips. I could see by her makeup streaked tears that at last she was free.

“-Enough Friune. It’s true Inquisitor.” She admitted proudly, “I am a devoted worshipper of the Nine Divines!”

There was a gasp from the audience as she admitted everything. I was in a way proud of her. Years of kowtowing and scraping beneath her husband had almost reduced her character to nothing. It must feel good to be finally true to herself.

“You and Cassius,” I said confidently, “It was more than religious, yes?

“Yes! I will openly admit that as well, before the Nine and everyone!” She cried and raised her hands to the sky, “Cassius and I were lovers!”

More gasps and outcry from the crowd. Friune looked near to fainting. The magistrate and Falvis glared daggers at me but did nothing to quell the crowd. I glanced around nervously at the crowd; she was getting a little too into the swing of this, and her proclamations of apostasy was no doubt repugnant to others. I could see by her wide-eyed expression that she positively drunken with revelation.

After several moments the chatter died down and we continued.

“And the amulet?” I asked.

“The amulet was a symbol of our love. A gift from him to me,” She answered, “A symbol of what we shared.”

“Then how did Cassius come to possess it? And why would Friune try to say it was his?” Falvis said with a restrained tone.

“My husband had insisted I leave Cassius and like a thief he stole it from me.” Renara pointed a finger at Friune, “He couldn’t have it known that I left him and converted to the Nine. No one will ever follow him with that cloud over his head!”

“Hence the argument that was seen between the two. And the reason that Cassius possessed it.” I said, “No doubt he tried to goad Cassius into leaving you alone and returned the amulet.”

Friune stood dejectedly at the ground. His time as high priest had ended. No worshipper of the Tribunal would respect a man who couldn’t even keep his own wife faithful. Faithful in more ways than one.

“How did you know?” Friune asked in a voice that was almost imperceptible.

“As I said.” I answered, “Your amulet was a dead giveaway. I played the part of an ignorant Outlander when you mentioned the amulet. You didn’t think I’d notice the difference between a man and woman’s amulet. What’s more is the fact that this amulet is special in other ways. I noticed upon further inspection a peculiar mark on that back, one that belongs to a cult of Mara common to Chorrol. Only Cassius would’ve known that mark. I knew then that rumors of his…conversion…to be unfounded.”

Renara nodded and stared her husband down.

“Too also was the signs your wife was making. You said it was a warding sign. I realized later that it was a communique. Your wife was signing a blessing of Mara.”

“Praise be.” She agreed with me and made the sign once more.

“I gathered the nature of the relationship first when Deerkethus picked the rose pins from your pocket. The Roses of Chorrol. A gem common to the Chorrol region and often given to lovers. Not to mention the implication of Mara’s symbol on this amulet. The amulet of Mara is only given to one’s intended. Since your wife was conveniently missing hers I then was able to put two and two together.

"What’s more is the lie you told of Cassius attacking her. I believe you hit her Friune.”

“I didn-“ He started but was stopped by a sharp look on his wife’s face.

“Smart, to keep your mouth shut.” I growled, “I noticed bruises on the back of your hands when we first met. Cassius had no such wounds himself. You’re a liar and a wife beater.”

“I…I…” He glanced around the crowd for some friendly face. There was none. Instead, an eerie silence had overtaken the square. He grasped at his robes and bit his lip so hard that blood began to seep out. With a cry he threw his long sleeves over his face and he ran towards the nearest exit. Several crowd members formed a barrier and pushed him down roughly back into the square. He began to weep openly and curled himself into the fetal position. Renara stared down, hands still on her hips and shook her head.

“Pathetic.” She said, “Cassius was more a man than you’ll ever be.”

“But is he guilty of murder Inquisitor?” The magistrate said.

“No your honor.” I answered, “He may be a liar and abuser, but I’ve determined that the weapon belonging to him was a poor quality display piece and not matching the shard found in his wound.”

“Yes your honor.” Renara sighed, “Pains me as it is, my husband is innocent. He wouldn’t have the nerve to kill a man. He’s a coward you see. Besides, he wasn’t meditating that night.”

“Oh?” He replied and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

“Indeed.” She sighed, “He snuck out the temple and gathered flowers for me. A futile apology for hitting me, as if that would absolve him of his sins.”

“Ah yes,” I said, “We had noticed fresh flowers in the vase in your room. An attempt to win you back perhaps?”

“A futile attempt.” She said, “He’s hit me before and tried the same thing.”

“But when we confronted you about the bruise you lied for your husband.” I asked, “Why lie?”

“The heart is not so easy to deduce Inquisitor,” She sighed, “For all his…faults…I still loved him in his own fashion. He said that his abuse would bring shame to our house and I, the fool I am, believed him.”

“One last question my lady,” I asked Renara. It was good to actually speak to the woman without her husband’s cloud over her head. I judged her to be much more pleasant and affable than before. “Why hide the symbol of Mara? Why not leave your husband and be done with everything?”

“Dunmer law, Inquisitor.” Renara sighed, “Another month and I would’ve been married to Friune for ten years. Dunmer law grants a divorcee an eighth of their partner’s estate in instances of domestic abuse, growing to a third in marriages lasting more a decade or more.”

“Ah, money then.” I grinned, “I should’ve known.”

“Indeed.” She frowned, “We were going to take that money and escape to anywhere. Someplace where he could escape his addiction’s and…vices…a place where we could start again new.”

“So you knew of his…nature.” I gulped. It was hard to admit to what Cassius had become.

“I did. Call me a sucker Inquisitor, but I have always liked the broken ones.” She nudged Friune with her foot. “Cassius swore he was done with that. I suppose my husband’s action had reawakened the demons within him. He was so close too…”

Friune wept openly and refused to be acknowledged. It was peculiar to see such a haughty man brought down to the state of trembling invalid. Renara snorted, nodded, and looked at her husband. He remained a weeping mess on the ground, ineffectually covering himself with his long robes as a child would with a blanket. Eventually she gathered enough patience to help him off the ground, and with a parting of the crowd they left for their home and whatever fate awaited him.

“Is there anything else Inquisitor?” The magistrate sighed and tapped his foot. I could feel eyes like daggers pointed at me. I had denied them of their blood today and the Dunmer were a thirsty lot. I had promised a neck for the gallows, and I would deliver.

“My next suspect,” I said and pointed out. “Is Falvis Halon!”