Demandred's trial
by sidious

Four weeks before Tarmon Gai’don a circle of thirteen Aes Sedai just happened to stumble across Demandred whom they shielded and took prisoner. After placing him in a wagon with bars, they Travelled to Tar Valon so that he could face trial as a Forsaken before the Amyrlin Egwene al’Vere.

Demandred is standing in the middle of the floor of the Hall, shielded by six sisters and restrained by another in bonds of Air. The Hall has convened above him and the Amyrlin faces him from above, flanked by her Keeper, Sheriam.

Sheriam : She comes, she comes …
Egwene : We have come here for the trial of one of the Forsaken, Demandred, whom we captured while on an expedition in Ilian. Demandred, what say you?
Demandred : Do you know who I am? I was a prime counselor, you savages. I ruled the world and only one man ever matched me. I’ll kill all of you for this insult.
*murmers and giggles from the Hall*
Egwene : You are in no position to negotiate or intimidate, Forsaken. You are shielded and at our mercy. If guilty, you will be gentled and executed at sunrise.
Demandred : Pfft … ignorant wenches.
Egwene : Nynaeve, you can confirm that this is Demandred?
Nynaeve : Yes Egwene. Apart from seeing him once in Tel’aran’rhiod, there is the obvious clue, he is a channeler of great strength. We’ve had to use our most skilled Reds to hold him.
Demandred : skilled … untrained children.
Egwene : You will hold your mouth, sir, or it will be held for you.
Elaida : Mother, let’s link and still him now. This … man … has tested us to our limits.
Egwene : No Elaida. He is man who can channel, and he is one of the Shadowsworn. Worse than any darkfriend. He will be tried and punished accordingly. Romanda, your counsel?
Romanda : Thank you, Mother. I believe that the evidence is on our side. He is obviously Demandred, and sentence should be passed immediately.
Elayne : Unfortunately it is not that simple, Romanda. Two months ago we revoked the laws regarding the gentling of male channelers. There are no laws to govern gentling men anymore.
Morvrin : I concur, Mother. Clearly we are at a crossroads.
Egwene : Hmmm… who is the seat of rebuke?
Daigian : I must protest once again, Mother. Why should I have to defend this loathsome man?
Egwene : Because you happened to walk in on Romanda, Nynaeve and Sharina debating the issue yesterday and strength in the Power entered the picture.
Daigian : I … uh …
Egwene : Quickly, sister. What say you?
Daigian : *sighs* He apparently did some good deeds before he turned to the Shadow, and wrote some telling books.
Demandred : That’s it? That’s my defense? I’ll kill all of you!!!
Egwene : Silence, Forsaken. Does anyone else speak in his defense?
*tumbleweed crosses the floor*
Sharina : I think he should be sentenced now mother.
Egwene : But under what law?
Carlinya : I think perhaps we could find a clause in the Shadowspawn law which would allow us to kill him.
Alanna : I concur.
Vandene : I concur and defer.
Nynaeve : I concur and never defer.
Sharina : You defer to me.
Nynaeve : Ah. Right. I concur and defer.
Sharina : I defer to the seat of rebuke.
Diagian : *mutters*
Nynaeve : What is going on? Where are we?
Egwene : That’s four deferences with one veto siding with the seat of Rebuke?
Morvrin : I agree mother. We are at a crossroads.
Nynaeve : What is going on?
Egwene : Hush, Nynaeve. You’re embarrassing the Yellows. Elayne?
Elayne : It is simple Nynaeve. Imagine a hedgehog crossing the road and an eagle swoops down to snare it. At the same time an elephant swings its trunk and the eagle is crippled. It is much the same here.
Nynaeve : Right… so why can’t we make the eagle invulnerable to harm?
Elayne : What?
Nynaeve : Aren’t we the eagle?
Carlinya : I thought we were the elephant.
Elayne : We’re the hedgehog! My mother would expect me to see this when I was three. Nynaeve – all you need to know is that we don’t have laws against Forsaken.
Carlinya : Correct. No one ever made a law because they never thought we’d catch one. It seems the eagle cannot be tamed.
Elayne : Will you stop already. Demandred’s the elephant.
Verin : Interesting.
Demandred : *groans*
Moiraine : Morvrin, can we kill him using a technicality in the Shadowspawn law?
Morvrin : Yes Moiraine. Shadowspawn are defined as any creature allied with the Shadow – and he obviously is. We can kill him, but we cannot shield him or gentle him. This presents obvious difficulties. Once again …
Egwene : Yes I know. A crossroads.
Elaida : We could take him to an open field and release him. And kill him while he’s running away.
Egwene : We could, but he might kill us even with a circle of thirteen. And it’s inhumane, even for a Forsaken.
Verin : I concur. Aes Sedai are always humane.
Cadsuane : I concur. I deplore uncivilized behaviour.
Moiraine : I concur.
Nynaeve : I defer.
Egwene : Not right now, Nynaeve. Please do us all a favour and learn the rules of the Hall of the Tower before the next meeting.
Nynaeve : Yes mother *sulks*
Egwene : Can’t we make a new law now?
Verin : Oh no, mother. That would be strongly against custom. Very strongly, I must say.
Cadsuane : Yes, and we cannot tolerate that. New laws can only be made twice a year at the Laws and Customs sitting.
Nynaeve : But this is a special case!
Cadsuane : Unfortunately not, Nynaeve Sedai.
Sharina : I concur.
Alivia : I concur.
Nynaeve : I defer. *red in the face*
Egwene : Well done, Nynaeve.
Elaida : This man touched tainted saidin. Even though it is clean now, he touched it at one stage, and that is still illegal!
Egwene : Bravo, Elaida. Well done. We can use that technicality.
Demandred : Ha. Unfortunately for you, because I tied my soul to the Great Lord I haven’t ever channeled the taint. He protects me with special filters.
*gasps all around*
Egwene : Shit.
Romanda : *sigh* We have no laws to convict or hold him mother. He … must be … released.
*moans all around*
Egwene : Yes. Observing our unbreakable laws and customs is what is important. That is what makes us Aes Sedai. That is what is important.
Cadsuane : I concur.
*everyone concurs*
Egwene : Pevara, open a gateway to Ilian and expel him through it unshielded. We are sorry for your unjust arrest, sir.
Demandred : Uh…
Pevara : Right away, mother *Demandred is released and the gateway closes*
Romanda : Pity. Onto our next matter, mother. Rand al’Thor.
Sharina : Yes Mother. I strongly push to have him shielded and brought here to answer our questions.
Verin : I concur and defer.
*concurs all around*
Egwene : Do we have laws for this?
Cadsuane : This is a special case, mother.
Egwene : Yes, I agree. Pevara, you will take thirteen sisters and bring him here unharmed but shielded and bound. Carlinya, modify that law to suit out defense.
Carlinya : Right away mother.
Egwene : We are adjourned.