by C. R. Daems
"Yes, Judicator Jola. He is a thief." Kedge smiled.
Jola felt the truth of his statement. "A one-silver fine, Lord Kedge. You will confine your remarks to the question asked."
"He is a thief and deserved the beating, Mistress," Kedge said, this time without the smile. Again, Jola felt the truth of the statement.
"An additional five-silvers fine, Lord Kedge, for ignoring my warning." Jola held his stare for a moment, and then turned to Jessup.
"Freeman Jessup, did you steal anything from Lord Kedge?"
"No, Mistress, I swear I did not," Jessup said, with his hand over his heart.
"Liar!" Kedge shouted. Jola felt the grate of falseness from Kedge's outburst, and felt her viper wind its way to the top of her head. For a better look at the fool? You would think an educated man would be smarter than to lie to a judicator.
"Another five-silvers fine for interrupting the proceeding, and an additional ten silvers for lying. Lord Kedge, it will be far less expensive if you stick to the truth." Jola kept her tone calm and smooth. How many silvers was it going to take to subdue Kedge? She would have worked all month for one silver when she was on the streets.
"Captain, was there anything found on Freeman Jessup that belonged to Lord Kedge?" Jola said.
"Mistress, he had three silvers, which Lord Kedge claimed were stolen from him," the captain said. Jola was beginning to believe the thief was more honest than the nobleman was.
"Did you steal those silvers, or anything from Lord Kedge?"
"No, Mistress, I swear I did not," Jessup again touched his heart.
"Swearing is a nice touch, Freeman Jessup, but unnecessary. If you lie, I will know it. Now, did you intend to steal from Lord Kedge?"
"Yes, Mistress, but I changed my mind. He seemed too sober and mean." She nodded. He was telling the truth.
"I told you he was a thief," Kedge said.
"You must be a rich man, Lord Kedge. An additional ten silvers for continuing to interrupt me. That is thirty-one silvers, in case you are not counting. Would you like to double it?" As she paused to let that sink in, her viper decided to make its grand entrance. It slithered down her neck and over her breasts into her lap, where it rested its head on her knee, pointing toward Kedge.
"No...Mistress." Kedge watched the viper's progress, his eyes widening.
"Freeman Jessup, if you did not attempt to rob Lord Kedge, how did you anger him?" Something must have started this whole chain of events. Surely, Lord Kedge didn't go about the city looking for thieves to beat.
"I turned away to survey the room. When I decided to leave, I accidentally stepped in front of Lord Kedge. He shoved me, and I wound up on my ass-pardon, Mistress. I shouted 'who do you think you are' before I realized he was a noble. He came over and kicked me until I blacked out," Jessup said in a low but steady voice.
It was the truth, but Jola wanted to understand everything that had happened. Perhaps he had provoked the nobleman somehow. "Did you attempt to defend yourself?"
"No, Mistress, I was on my back on the floor. And I thought defending myself would make matters worse." Jessup kept his eyes downcast.
Again, she sensed truth. "Lord Kedge, do you deny Freeman Jessup's account of the events that led to you beating him? Before you answer, think carefully," Jola said in a normal, conversational voice. However, it was spoiled when her golden viper's head rose up a hand's length, weaving back and forth as if in warning.
"No...Mistress. He got in my way, so I pushed him. When he shouted at me, I kicked him several times," Kedge said, straining to keep his voice under control. He opened his mouth to continue, but he restrained the impulse with obvious effort.
"Captain, what were Freeman Jessup's injuries?" Jola said. She had established Kedge's guilt, and the why of the incident. It only remained to determine the punishment.
"Besides many bruises, he had two broken ribs and three teeth knocked out."
"Thank you. I have enough for a decision now," Jola said as she looked to Sister Tenzen, hoping she would be the one to sentence Kedge. Am I a coward, or afraid of being biased against the nobility? Tenzen, however, without hesitation nodded for her to continue. Jola stood, her knees shaking, as she prepared to administer her first judgment against a noble. But he's just a man accused of a crime.
"Let me preface my decision with a few remarks. My ruling is not final until confirmed by senior Judicator Tenzen. Also, Lord Kedge has the right to appeal to the king's representative, Princess Regina. As a judicator, I can only judge the case before me on the merits of the events as they relate to the charges. Therefore, although I and others may suspect that Freeman Jessup is a thief, he is not on trial. This case is about one man beating another." She paused, meeting the eyes of people in the crowd before glancing toward Kedge, Jessup, and finally Regina and Tenzen.
"Let it be known to all citizens of Pyxus that Judicator Jola has resolved, subject to Judicator Tenzen's review, beyond any man's right to question the issue before me involving Lord Kedge and Freeman Jessup," Jola chanted. "I decree the following:
"First, Lord Kedge is to pay the king the thirty-one silvers he was fined during the judgment.
"Second, Lord Kedge is to pay Freeman Jessup fifty silvers for injuries suffered.
"Third, Lord Kedge is to receive five strokes of the cane for his unprovoked and brutal attack on Freeman Jessup.
"So say the Judicators of Pyxus."
Tenzen rose from her seat as her viper's head emerged from beneath her robe. "I confirm the ruling by Judicator Jola."
Kedge darted forward and threw himself to his knees. "Princess Regina, I appeal to you. This ruling is unfair. The man I beat is a common thief."
Princess Regina rose. "I agree Freeman Jessup is a thief, and if we catch him stealing, he will be punished. However, you were charged and have been found guilty of injuring a man for no other reason than that he stepped into your path and had the nerve to be upset at having been knocked down. I believe the ruling is fair, Lord Kedge."
The princess's voice carried across the courtyard.
"Neither the king nor I want to return to the days when nobles were above the law."
This time the crowd remained quiet.
* * *
"Well, you did well on your first major judgment. I admit that you have a unique style. Do you do it on purpose?" Tenzen said as they walked toward the training ring an hour later.
"No. Each case is a fascinating story. I become so immersed in trying to recreate the events that I forget where I am. The fines, I learned from Sister Kassandra when she tried my case for attacking a freeman. It seems an effective way to maintain control of the trial." Jola smiled as she thought back to the incident.
"It is effective. I believe Lord Kedge would have been far more vocal and disruptive if the fines hadn't begun to get expensive. It could have taken violence to control him. I'm glad it didn't come to that. I'm looking forward to our trip. It should be interesting." Tenzen paused. "How are you doing with my brother?"
"Poorly, but I don't think he will give up easily," Jola said, and laughed as she watched Tenzen's facial expression change from relaxed, to shocked, to concerned.
"You're not that bad, Jola. You just need more practice," Tenzen said, in obvious defense of her student.
"Sister, have you come to supervise our session?" Besnik said with his usual relaxed smile, as he met them at the side of the practice ring.
"Jola claims she is doing poorly, brother," Tenzen said, in a way that sounded more like a question than a statement.
"It depends upon the amount of time she has to prepare. If she has more than a minute, she would be competition for a skilled swordsman. With less time, she would be a fair match for most. We're working on shortening that," Besnik said, and laughed. "Leave her here for two seasons and she will be competition even for you."
One of Regina's guards approached as Jola began getting dressed for practice with Besnik.
"Judicator Tenzen, Princess
Regina would like to see you and Judicator Jola at your convenience."
"Tell the princess we will be there directly," Tenzen said, raising her eyebrows. To Jola, she said, "We need to go to the castle now."
Tenzen was silent and tense as Jola followed her into the castle and into the princess's office.
"These are troubled times, Judicator Tenzen," Regina began when the door closed behind them. "One of your sisters, Arcelia, arrived here this morn in distressing condition. The healer is examining her as we speak. I've been assured she will recover fully, given time and rest. I want you with me to hear her story." Regina paused before continuing. "Because of the seriousness of the situation, my father will join us."
* * *
The two judicators went down on one knee after entering the king's private meeting room.
"Rise," King Nicolas said. Regina, Aquila, and Arcelia were already in the room, sitting at the round table. Tenzen immediately went over to Arcelia and carefully hugged her. Arcelia had bandages on her arms and her face was white, lips tight as though she were in pain.
"Excuse us, Your Majesty. We forget our manners," Tenzen said.
"I understand, Judicator Tenzen. Please, everyone be seated. I would like Judicator Arcelia to repeat what happened to her before we discuss what must be done."
Arcelia nodded to the king and began to speak from where she sat.
"Your Highness, Princess, Prince, my sisters, Sister Lubica and I were on the road from Gotter to Warring when we were blocked by six riders who appeared to be nobles. They were young, well dressed, and riding warhorses. They told us judicators were not welcome in Essam. I killed one when I tossed my viper at him, hoping that Lubica could escape. Instead she tried to come to my aid and they cut her down." Arcelia's voice broke with a sob and she closed her eyes for a moment, until she was able to go on. "I killed another trying to reach her. When I saw it was too late, I kicked my horse to a gallop and managed to escape."
Tenzen pressed her fingers to her mouth, distress clear on her face. "I am thankful that you were able to do so, sister. On warhorses, they might well have ridden you down."
"I don't know why they let me flee. They seemed more interested in stopping us from entering Essam than killing me."
A grim silence fell over the room.
Eventually, King Nicolas spoke, his voice low and tense. "I will not tolerate Pyxus reverting to the old days, when the nobility was above the law. What the fools don't realize is that the Seven Provinces' Treaty saved them. The commoners could tolerate no more abuse. Without the Sisters of Astraea, we would have been annihilated." His voice rose, and he slammed his fist down on the table. "I would crush these people. But I don't know whether it is merely a few young discontents or a plot to overthrow the kingdom. I hate to ask the judicators to get involved, but I can see no other way of discovering whether this is a widespread plot."
"You are right, Your Majesty. The people responsible would only hide from your troops," Tenzen said. "If Jola is willing, we will continue pretending to be on a normal training circuit for a new judicator. Using that as an excuse, we could tour the provinces, collect information, and report back to you with our findings."
Jola reached up to touch her viper. It curled lovingly around her hand, which she then touched to her face. It was a gift that made life worth living; a gift that made her a Sister of Astraea.
Her heart beat hard and she wasn't quite sure if it was from excitement or fear. "I'm willing." She nodded.
"Would you like an escort?" Regina said.
"No, thank you. I think it would be more informative if we were traveling alone. Besides, an escort would appear to be a violation of the treaty, and may invoke dissention where there was none before," Tenzen said.
As they left the chamber, Tenzen said to Jola, "Pack tonight and we'll leave at first light."
CHAPTER FOUR
Tyrol Province
Jola couldn't help her grin as they rode away from the capital. Their stay in Lappin had been beyond her wildest dreams. She could have floated to the next town.
"Sister Tenzen, where are we going now?" Jola asked, trying to sound calm, instead of giddy and excited to be moving on to a new adventure.
"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you? You haven't stop smiling or talking since we left Lappin." Tenzen chuckled.
"Oh, yes. I never imagined that it could be so wonderful to be alive or that life could be so good." This was a life with wonders she had never imagined, and she had her own personal tour guide.
"I find it interesting that many people who have always lived a privileged life believe that they are ill-treated and their lives are wretchedly inadequate. Conversely, you who have been ill-treated and have known real misery believe your life's good. I wonder if their depression comes not only from expecting good things to happen to them every day but also from their preconception of good and bad-while your happiness comes not only from finding good things that happen to you but from your preconception of good and bad. It's a great reminder of how much our preconceived notions influence our thinking and our lives."
"But Sister Tenzen, good and bad can't just be our preconception of things. Aren't we supposed to see and punish objectively bad behavior?"
"Actually, no. Our responsibility is to punish people who break the law, are caught, and brought to trial. You didn't punish Freeman Jessup, yet he's certainly a thief. Your previous bosses in the fish processing plant were cruel, and they weren't punished for that. Religions define actions as evil that aren't crimes by Pyxus's law. No, Jola. Good and bad are very relative," Tenzen said. "Speaking of Freeman Jessup, did the fact that you were once a thief influence your verdict?"
Jola rode silently for several minutes, trying to untangle her feelings from that trial and answer Tenzen's question. She did feel prejudiced against the nobility. Was she favorably disposed toward thieves and commoners? Would she favor harsh sentences for nobles and lenient sentences for commoners? She hoped not. She reached up to stroke her viper, which coiled around her hand. I want-no-we wantequal justice for nobles and commoners alike. She brought the viper lovingly to her lips. It flicked its tongue against her lips before winding itself around her neck.
"No. To me, each judgment is a wonderful, new story that I get to explore. I think of the people in the story as actors. Some of those actors are what they appear to be. Others are just pretending. I don't know who's who until I've come to the end of the story. Jessup the thief would be a different story. Besides, Jessup's a professional thief, not a small child trying to steal enough to stay alive." Jola remembered her meager thefts-scraps of food or rags to cover her body. "Do you think I did wrong?"
"No. I found your verdicts fair. But if I'm going to guide you during your apprenticeship, I need to understand your reasoning. To be fair, your logic must support the facts and your verdict." Tenzen paused for a bit. "You have an unorthodox approach, but your results have been balanced and fair. And to answer your earlier question, we're headed for the Iron Hills settlement, which should take us nine days."
* * *
During the first four days, they passed only a couple of coaches and a horseman. Those they did see were traveling to Lappin. Tenzen continued to stop early each night for sword practice. Jola was enjoying their sojourn. They were welcomed in the villages they passed, and spent some time in each talking with farmers and shop owners. Where the villages had inns, they stayed to eat and sleep. If village inns weren't available, they ate by a small fire and slept in the tent that Jola had become proficient at helping Tenzen set up. When Jola thought about what might happen when they arrived at the next town, she just shrugged. Street rats seldom worried about yesterday or tomorrow. Yesterday was gone and couldn't be changed, and tomorrow might never come.
The longsword practice was, however, welcome; if trouble arose, Jola wanted to be sure she didn't let Tenzen down or cause her to get hurt. Besides, she enjoyed the time with Tenzen, a beloved older sister, and the beauty of their deadly
dance.
Jola concentrated on mastering the viper's, or Naga's, advice-don't focus on your opponent, don't move until action is required, and don't tense up. That took a clear mind, empty of distractions. She could achieve that state, but she required too much time-time she might not have in a real fight. When Tenzen gave her time, at least a half minute, she could parry her sister stroke for stroke. When Tenzen attacked quickly, she usually lost badly. Jola giggled as she imagined the scene. Sir, please wait while I prepare myself to fight you. I'll just be a minute or so.
Jola was determined to reduce that time to seconds, and devised a way to practice as she rode. Whenever an animal, bird, or stranger appeared, she strove to clear her mind.
Sunset had just tinted the western sky rose and gold on the fifth day when they crested a ridge and saw a clearing in the forest where the rutted road passed by an inn. A couple of shops and a handful of houses surrounded the place. Two log-laden wagons pulled into the yard and their drivers shouted for the stableboy. Several roughly clothed men jumped off and tramped through the doors.
Tenzen dismounted and tied her horse at the rail, nodding for Jola to do the same. Inside, the clamor shrank to a low roar and the innkeeper greeted them with a smile.
"The mill workers from north of town come in about this time, Mistresses. Let me show you to a table where you can hear yourselves think."
"Thank you, and would you have your stableboy see to our mounts and packhorse? We'll stay the night if you have room," Tenzen said.
"Yes, I'll see to it."
The taproom where he led them was reserved for gentlefolk, which included anyone not a laborer at the mill, from what Jola could see. The tables were long, with settles instead of chairs, and the rushes were none too fresh-but at least the noise was less.
The innkeeper had just set bowls of steaming mutton stew and a basket of dark bread in front of them when a small group of guards came in.
