Justice - Jaana and the Goblin
Crystal clear water splashes and around the spot where the hook of the fishing pole meets the water little, circular waves are born. The little boy laughs, pleased by the gently waving movement of the small boat, pleased by the tickling sunrays that conjure up uncounted sparkling jewels on the smooth surface of the water. His father leans back, and the little boy follows the example. For a while nobody talks, allowing the sunrays to tickle their noses, relishing the moment, just waiting for the fish to bite. After a while, though, the patience of the little boy leaves him and is replaced with the juvenile eagerness for action. The father smiles when his son tries to pull back the fishing pole without having captured something. "Fishing takes patience," he says with a wide grin. "They only bite when they want to." He strokes the hair of his son, who pouts a little. "But it is so boring to wait all day!" The man grins again, well aware where his son is heading to. "Shall I tell you a tale while we wait for something to bite?" The little boy nods excitedly and quickly adds: "Yes, please! Tell me the tale of Jaana!" The man nods, and having told this tale about the virtue Justice often already it does not take him long until he finds the right words to begin with...
You know that the fellowship of the Druids is dedicated to the Virtue of Justice, and that Druids are from ancient times the custodians of the High Court of the lands. It was also very common for Druids at that time to wander the vast lands of Britannia in the name of the King, it is told that some even reached the Lost Lands on their journeys, to act as judgees and agents of the high court. It was their lot to deal with the cases that did not require the attention of the high court, because, as you unfortunately know, their are still too many people who do not dedicate their lives to the virtues, and who therefore run into trouble and commit lesser crimes.
But I digress - at that time of which I speak, Jaana was such a Druid. She was a young woman, strong and fearless, loving her self-chosen life of travel, and so it seemed to be a good idea for the elders to give her a large and wild portion of the land. She travelled about between nearly a score of small towns and villages, some of them still cannot be found on even the best and most detailed maps of the lands, and visited each of two or three times a year.
Now it happened that one of the larger towns in this region - a rather grim looking, walled mountain fortress - was suffering under a fierce and ongoing battle with a certain tribe of goblins that lived in those parts. The reason for the battle was nothing more than the control and security of a nearby mountain pass. Now, although this might seem like only a little thing to us, this pass was of great importance to both, the inhabitants of the town and the goblins, as it brought trade and goods to the one party, and plunder to the other. Although for a long time the goblins had been satisfied with just plundering passing by caravans and merchants as often as they could, things had drastically changed when a goblin chieftain of exceptional wit and ambition, who for years bedveiled all humans who passed his territory, became more and more powerful amongst the goblins and eventually gained control over the tribe.
Due to these happenings the fights went on and on, and it got more and more dangerous to cross the pass without being robbed or killed or both. So, one day it came to pass that a patrol of men from the town happened upon a small band of lightly armed Goblins, whom they immediately engaged and quickly vanquished. It seemed like fate had smiled on them as none of the humans was killed or even injured badly, and happy about their victory they could not trust their luck when they found the chief of the goblins who was the source of all their tribulations, still living and helpless in their custody.
Joyful shouts and chants on their lips they bore their captive back to the mountain fortress, rejoicing and looking forward to a good drink at the Inn, and they were very confident that the Goblins of the mountains must soon fall without their leader, and that then, eventually and thanks to the eternal mercy of the Gods, the pass would be safe and in civilized hands again. So when the goblin chief was brought to their town the heart of the mountain people jumped, and to celebrate their victory they commenced a huge feast. The air was full of the smells of roasted meat and spices, accompanied with the innocent scents of cooked vegetables and baked pies. They ate and ate, drinking ale out of huge, rather ordinary mugs and when the hour got later and later the ale was replaced by jugs of strong mountain liquor. So, even more than they ate, they drank, and they celebrated and were happy and I might add that there was only scarcely seen a fiest like that in the walled mountain fortress, and the hard life of the mountains certainly leaves its traces within the people who populate such areas.
Amidst all the revelry, the chief topic of discussion was how to best dispose of the captive enemy of the people, and as the impromptu festival continued, the plots for the unlucky goblin's demise became ever more elaborate and impractical.
It was in such a mood that Jaana the Druid was seen approaching the town. The message of her arrival quickly spread through the town when suddenly a shout that it would be most amusing to set their bestial captive to a civilized trial and to execute him formally under the King's justice, and the single voice was soon accompanied by others, and eventually they decided that this was how things would be done, before Jaana had even reached the gates of the town.
When Jaana arrived she was immediately confronted by a grinning and redolent mob, which informed her with slurred mock solemnity that a notorious murderer had been captured and was to be brought to Justice before her.
Jaana, in the meantime, found it a bit annoying and even rude that while the entire town was obviously celebrating and far-gone in merriment, she was asked to mete out high justice before she was even offered a cooling mug of small beer, let alone a slice of bread and a wedge of cheese. Nonetheless, she singled out a townsman who seemed more in the possession of his facilities than his compatriots, and pressed him for a summary of the case.
Although by far not as drunk as other inhabitants it took a while until the whole story was told, and with her calm voice Jaana had to ask a lot of questions until she thought that the whole truth had been reveiled to her. Eventually Jaana tried to dissuade the people, saying:" Look you, there is not call here for the King's Justice. This creature was taken in war, and war is governed by Honor and Valor, but Justice has no part in it. Had you killed your enemy in battle, that would have been and honourable deed. Even now if your city fathers choose to put him to death on their own recognizance, that would be an act of Compassion, for it would secure the safety of travellers, and the children of this town. Do what you wilt, and I will tell you if your course is lawful and Just, but there is no need for any trial of this creature, and I will not demean my station by holding one."
Some of the townfolks saw the truth and wiseness behind Jaana's words and were moved by it, but many others, addled by drink, insisted loudly on a trial. Some young rabble rousers in the town even started to blame Jaana for refusing their community their lawful right to protection under the King's justice. And so, only a few minutes after her first statement, Jaana was again confronted by a mob, this time even more excited and angrier than before, and they literally demanded a trial for the goblin they had captured. Jaana sighed silently as she knew that any further argument would be both dangerous and fruitless, and as a Druid she was also well aware that she could not lawfully refuse the King's Justice to the people, because, although there were certainly more appropriate solutions for the matter, once demanded Justice had to prevail. With a flowing movement Jaana drew her hood of justice over her head and ordered the goblin to be brought before her, and as he arrived she said, and although she was mildly angry about the happenings her voice was calm, as well as her mind. "This creature has been rendered up to the law, and its life now rests in the pleasure of Justice. Therefore let no one raise hand against him until lawful judgement is rendered." Then she ordered to bring the goblin to a strong room, and set that most sober and severe guards - who still were terribly drunk - she could find at the door to take care for the prisonee, and the trial was set for the following morning.
When the first sunrays kissed the cold stone that was seemingly everywhere in the town the creature was brought before Jaana again, and routined she called the King's Court of Justice to order. While the sun wandered up to its zenith she sat silently for many hours, listening attentively to evidence, as the people of the town recounted the many townspeople slain and plundered at the claws of the goblin and his tribe, and it was a terrible catalog indeed. When all the evidence was collected Jaana turned to the goblin, asking him in a friendly, but very reserved manner if he would like to testify in his own defense. But the creature chose not to do so and only spat in fury, making some grumbling noises, and it will not surprise you to hear that none of the inhabitants of the town who had suffered for so long under the brutality of the goblin tribe wanted to speak up for the goblin chief.
At last Jaana raised her hand in token of binding judgement, and pronounced: "This creature has broken no laws. It pursued a course of warfare against your town after its nature and the custom of its folk. This is not an act that can be condemned under Justice. It must be freed."
A whisper went through the crowd, and Jaana could see the shocked faces of the people who were amazed about the unexpected outcome of the trial. But when the first surprise had settled, the inhabitants of the town got very angry about those words, and began to shout out condemnation of Jaana's ruling, and to call for the summary execution of the goblin despite the judgement. But Jaana stood up and threw back her hood, she stood inmidst the shouting, furious mob like a rock inmidst the wild see, and nothing in her face or her pose gave away only an idea of fear or uncertainity. When she started to talk again the gravity of her wrath was obvious, and her voice was so severe and full of authority, that the crowd was immediately silenced again. "There will be no lynchings here!" the Druid ordered. "I gave you a choice yesterday to put this creature to death lawfully, but you would have your show-trial, and so you submitted it to Justice. Now it belongs to Justice indeed, and if it is in any wise harmed in contravention of my word, the full weight of the law shall fall upon this place. Worse, the blessings of Virtue shall be forfeited.
Suddenly the fishing pole of the boy twitches, and with the help of his father he fights to pull the fish on land. In the sunlight it shimmers silvery, and proudly the boy presents his great catch to his father before he throws the unlucky fish into a bowl prepared for exactly that reason. A bit clumsy he throws out the fishing pole again, and after a few fruitless attempts eventually the water of the lake is calm again, only aroused by the gentle breeze that cools down the father and his sun in the glaring sunlight. For a while there silence reigns, only interrupted by the gentle sounds of the water. "And what happened next?" the boy eventually asks, a huge grin of his face as he had been told this specific tale uncounted times already. His father grins too and his hand quickly strokes the hair of the boy. It is hot of the sunlight and feels soft beyond his fingers. He collects his thoughts and resumes the tale where he had left it...
Now the situation got even worse, and some even dared to start to call for Jaana's neck as well. Luckily other townsfolk had sobered up over the night, and now they began to see the shape of their impiety, not to mention that many were afraid to mess with a Druid, and therefore also with the King's Justice. So at length, and I might add that Jaana stood still with a majestic look upon her face all the time while the discussions went on, at length obedience to law and Virtue won out over pasion, and it waws agreed that they must abide by Jaana's judgement. Still, there was great discontent, intermixed by fear, as obviously the release of the goblin chief would certainly be the cause for the renewal of the old war, and further cost lives and property.
So under the cries and sighs of the people the goblin was taken in chains to the mouth of the pass, and Jaana had the key to the chains delivered into her own hand. Then she ordered all the people to withdraw to a distance of five bowshots from wehre she and the captive stood, that none might contrive assassination when the creature was released. The folk obeyed and withdrew, and after assuring that everything was correct and lawful, Jaana unlocked the chains and even gave it a good dagger, as it was not lawful to release any creature into the wilderness unarmed and defenseless against the dangers of the wilds, and by signs and gestures she indicated that it was free to go.
The goblin began to slowly lope away, and below the people cried out in grief. But after a few steps it stopped and looked back at Jaana. An ugly grin that reveiled its fangs distorted its face and an expression of malice was in his eyes. All the goblin could see was a lone, lightly armed young woman, and all of a sudden the creature was overwhelmed by its hatred for humanity and its anger about its capture and the trail, and so it stormed towards Jaana and attacked her viciously. The Druid drew her own blade, and after a short, but though fight, she killed the goblin in single combat, in lawful self-defense, though she took a formidable wound in the process.
And when she came down from the high pass she did not lose a single word to the amazed townspeople, and did not even return to the mountain fortress where she had been treated that poorly to tend her wound, but instead strode down the king's highway, past the town, without a word, carrying her head high and the look in her eyes was cold and reserved. The next time, though, when a Druid came to that town to offer judgement, it was not Jaana. Until that day the people are amazed about such a huge amount of Justice, and maybe even more about the compassion Jaana had exhibited when bringing it to them. And there is none who does not regret the poor treatment they had offered the brave woman or who did not listen to good advice better in the future. Jaana in the meantime travelled the lands to offer Justice to everyone who was in need of it for as long as she could, and to that day bards chant songs about her courage and wiseness. Her fame and her reputation grew, and never again it happened that she was treated that poorly as she had been in this certain mountain town.
