A Question of Counsel

by Archer Kay Leah

  Vant's eyebrow lifted. "I… suppose," he replied.

  Lira paused, the quill hovering above the page. "Go on. Tell us what happened and we'll translate it into language the Councilmen expect. You can read it and sign it. No one will know the difference."

  "You really don't mind?" Aeley asked.

  "Not in the least." Lira smiled, her eyes bright under long lashes. "I'm here for you." Her gaze locked onto Aeley's for a long moment, in a silence that ignored Vant's presence. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks. Was she flirting?

  "Well," Aeley started, turning to Vant. "I was here, attending to my duties after the inauguration. Trying to settle in and making sure Father's burning was seen to, and the estate. I knew Allon wasn't happy about losing the election, but there wasn't any indication he'd do anything. He disappeared to his estate and I didn't expect to hear anything. Well, maybe some threatening letters, but that's nothing new."

  Vant nodded as he listened. He reached for a blank parchment and the second quill. The tip scratched the page erratically as Aeley continued.

  "The next thing I know, we have one of his servants show up here, going on about how Allon's planning to take out a village. He didn't know when, but he knew it was Oly Valley. He didn't know the exact plan, but he knew it was bad. Deaths expected, mostly, though you never know with Allon. He thinks he's clever, and expects the world to give him whatever he wants. When he doesn't get it, he takes it out on anyone he can, however he can. And he's got idiots who actually believe in him, willing to do whatever—"

  "You need to refrain from embellishing the story with personal feelings," Vant interrupted. "Your credibility wanes the more personal it gets. Use only facts."

  Aeley sighed. "Fine."

  "What did you do when the servant told you?" Lira inquired.

  "I assembled soldiers from my Guard and pulled more from villages close by. The rest stayed here to make sure it wasn't just a distraction. Then we left. I wanted to beat Allon to the village, but he attacked them before we got there. Ran into a messenger just as we entered the Valley. That's when I found out he took women and children. Burnt some of the place down. Traitor," Aeley muttered.

  "And your response was to what, pursue him? Punish him?" Vant asked.

  "Well, no. And yes." Aeley stared at the ceiling. "I don't know. I just wanted to stop him. He's always causing trouble and I have to clean it up. I couldn't just let him get away with it this time. He killed people. Innocent people. He kidnapped others who he should've just kept his grubby, little, filthy paws off—"

  "You're doing it again," Lira said in a gentle voice.

  "Sorry. I just can't—" Aeley crossed her arms. "You don't know what it's like with him. There's nothing nice to say. No defense. He hurts people. He's chaotic. That's what he offers the world." She leaned forward and raised her folded arms to the table. "I took my small army of guards, Republic soldiers, and a militia to his estate. We sacked it. Killed his guards before they did any more damage. The militia got the women and children. I found Allon in the rubble. He had some guy running around trying to blow us to the Four. Most of us got out, except three of my men. Mayr and I arrested Allon and dragged him back here. Handed him over to the Council when they came around. That's the end of the story."

  "Why did you attack? Why couldn't you just go there and talk it out with him in a more peaceful manner?" Lira shifted in her seat as if she expected the question to start an argument.

  "What does it matter? He committed a crime. I stopped him from committing more."

  "Well, the Council reserves the right to decide he's been treated unfair—"

  "The Councilmen do not necessarily accept a crime with another crime," Vant interrupted Lira, his tone flat. "If your decision seems—"

  "Shh," Aeley scolded, partially because it was rude, but mostly because the more Lira talked, the more Aeley's headache subsided. Vant's voice only encouraged it to continue. On instinct, she touched Lira's free hand resting beside the stack of papers. She shuddered, but did not recoil. The idea of Lira's dainty hand traveling over her naked skin induced lingering warmth below her belly. "Carry on."

  "Your decision has to be justified," Lira said. "They have to know there was just cause to attack and kill; to put him in that position. I'm not trying to cause you trouble, but they could ask. They may not. It doesn't hurt to include in this document that you had reason. And you did, right?"

  Aeley pulled her hand back. "Considering he wouldn't respond to anything less than attack, yes. He prefers violence. Playing nice gets you nowhere, because he likes causing pain. No cost is too high. I knew if we went in without willing to fight, we'd lose and no one would be saved. He doesn't give in. He also knows I won't give into him."

  "So you argue your actions were completely justified on the grounds you felt there was no other viable alternative to saving lives?" Vant asked.

  "Yes," Aeley answered. She pointed at his parchment. "Write that down, exactly. I don't want there to be any mistake. I'm not sorry about what I did." Just sorry that I'm reminded of it every single day. I might have saved the mercenary, but I didn't do any good for myself.

  Vant's lips moved while he wrote. When he finished, he slid the parchment towards Lira, who wrote as she read his hastily-scribbled notes.

  Aeley gazed at Lira. The hem of her neckline curved downwards, decorated with thin, red threads twisted and knotted in an elaborate pattern. Beyond that, the gown was a shield of modesty wrapped around her thin form. It challenged Aeley's imagination, making her curious. She needed to know more about her. What was below the surface of propriety?

  "Finished."

  Hearing Lira break the silence, Aeley blinked. Already?

  Lira slid a small stack of parchment across the table. It bore Aeley's words, disguised by formality. As she read, a faint, pulsing ache filled Aeley's head every time she saw Allon's name. Reaching the end, she took the quill Vant held towards her. When she signed her name, it felt like her heart was tumbling to her stomach and hitting every rib on its way. She hated what it represented. The truth hurt more than the lies.

  Holding out the quill and document, she surrendered them to Vant. He rolled them with careful hands and fastened them shut with a yellow cord before offering them to her again. Aeley accepted them without words, her glance alternating between her testimony and the High Council's scroll.

  "If there is nothing else," Vant started and stood, "I have another appointment to attend."

  "No, that's fine. I was just going to offer you something to eat. But by all means, go." Aeley stood and touched his arm. "Thank you, really."

  "Never a hesitation. I will see you later." Vant kissed Aeley's cheek and left the room.

  "I should go, too," Lira said, slipping her quill into its thin, wooden case. "Before we get into a rant about the justice system being so—" Her fingers paused in midair.

  "Did you want to talk about it?"

  Lira shook her head. "It’s nothing. Ignore me. It’s best if you do. I’m less trouble then." She collected her things and walked around the table. "I have some errands to see to before going home."

  Dare I ask what any of that meant?

  "I understand. Please." Aeley raised her arm towards the door, but stopped. There was an opportunity to pursue. "Wait. Just one thing before you leave."

  "Yes?"

  "I have to go to the Council in three days. I suppose it's more like two. I'd hate to go alone, especially since my mouth's bound to run off." Aeley swallowed, her mouth dry. "Since you seem to understand this, would it be too much to ask you to maybe join me? You don't have to, but I just thought—"

  Lira's smile twisted a knot in Aeley's belly. "No, it's fine. Of course I will. Can't have you sabotaging the hearing. I know he deserves what he gets."

  "Really?" Aeley fought the sigh of relief wanting out of her chest. "Great. I'll… see you then?"

  "Absolutely. I'll come early. We can make sure you have everything before you leave." Lira dippe
d her head and hugged her stack of parchment close. "I'll just go for now."

  Lira walked away, her skirt swaying back and forth. Aeley watched the back hem of her gown disappear around the corner.

  In between the anxiety of seeing her brother and the headache of the hearing, there was finally one good reason to obey the High Council's call.

  Chapter Two

  The dreams. By the Four, the dreams. Please don't make me babble about them. We can't get into it.

  Waiting for the carriage, Aeley watched Lira fan her hair around her shoulders and tug on her shawl. Though it was a cool autumn morning, not all of Aeley's shivers were due to the breeze. The meeting with Vant inspired her dreams to twist around her desires. Instead of focusing on Allon and her anger, the images revolved around Lira and an intimacy that Aeley could not ignore. She refused to mention the dreams to anyone, including Mayr. He would taunt her without mercy if he knew of her attraction to Lira. It was bad enough she'd woken in a sweat more than once. For certain, she could say nothing to Lira. Anything else would make the ride awkward.

  "There it is," Mayr said.

  Aeley turned when he raised his arm, his tattoos and scars hidden by his long sleeve and leather brace. Drawn by two grey horses, the small, closed carriage slowed before them. Mayr opened the door and gestured for them to enter. Lira obeyed without hesitation, climbing the small steps and sliding across the black cushions.

  "After you." Mayr's hand slid across Aeley's back and gave her a gentle push towards the steps.

  "No, after you. No need to be formal. It's a meeting, not a ball," Aeley argued, digging her boot into the dirt.

  "That's fine, but I'm still not getting in."

  "What?"

  "I'm sitting up front with the driver."

  "Why? It's not like she's going to bite—"

  Mayr rolled his eyes. "I know that." Turning into her, he lowered his voice. "I'm giving you the chance to bite her."

  Aeley caught herself before she fell back. "What?" What was the proper response? Slap him? Stare like a mortified idiot?

  With a sigh, Mayr leaned closer and murmured his words. "I've been watching you. Something's going on. Should've seen your face when she walked in on breakfast. Stared at her like any guy would. Nervous, fidgety. Not at all like you."

  "That's not—I'm not—she's just—" Aeley bit her tongue and twisted her heel. How could he call her bluff when she did not understand it herself? Her face warmed, the rest of her body feeling hot under her light cloak. If he noticed, had Lira noticed, too? Oh, by the Blessed Four… this could be a long ride if she did.

  "If you like her, you like her. Either way, I'm not getting in for the same reason I wouldn't let you bring the gaffa nectar. This is a perfect chance, so don't be stupid." Mayr stepped back. "Now get in."

  Aeley gathered her cloak around her and climbed into the carriage. When she sat on the cushion across from Lira, the door slammed closed. The carriage rocked before jolting and rolling forward. She pushed back the curtains around the windows to watch the dirt paths and trees. Staring at the brightly-coloured leaves calmed her, almost making her forget about the bumps in the road.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Lira shuffle on the seat, flattening the folds of her dark gown and pulling her burgundy shawl tighter around her shoulders. One of us should say something. When Lira drew further into the corner, Aeley took a deep breath. Guess it's supposed to be me.

  Crossing her legs, she leaned towards Lira. "Thanks for agreeing to come with us."

  Lira's gaze softened with her wistful smile. "You're welcome, though I won't lie and say it's not a surprise." She raised her hand, faint blotches of ink still staining her skin. "Not that it's bad—just unexpected."

  "It's fine. I get it. This gives us time to get to know each other. We don't know each other at all—"

  "Well, you don't know me."

  "What? What does that mean?"

  Lira shrugged. "It doesn't really go both ways. I know some things about you."

  "Really?" Aeley suppressed a grunt of disbelief before fighting back a laugh. "How?"

  "The things I heard from your father notwithstanding, I've seen you here and there. Heard other things in passing. Some I've figured out on my own." Lira stared at her hands and rubbed her knuckles. "I've even seen you in the villages. We were in the same village square once, a couple months ago."

  "You're joking."

  "No. You were there with the magistrate, giving a speech and riling the crowd."

  Falling back, Aeley squinted. "I don't remember seeing you."

  "I tend to be good at being invisible."

  Hardly, Aeley wanted to argue. "As good as you are at speaking your mind, apparently."

  "Sometimes. Sometimes not good enough."

  "Maybe we should talk about some of the other things you’re good at."

  "Or not. I’d hate to bore you before the meeting. What? You don’t want to talk about yourself?"

  "Don’t you?"

  Lira leaned into the corner, pulling her tightened fists under her shawl. "Ask me what I know about you. You’d be surprised."

  "You’re evading the question."

  "And so are you. I asked you first, meaning you should answer. I hear it’s the polite thing to do." Past Lira’s sweet smile was a hint of sarcasm. "You wouldn’t want to break with etiquette now. Not so close to the Council. We need to make sure you’re in proper form. It’ll make Allon look that much worse. Not that he needs help, I’m sure. But aren’t you the least bit curious how much I know you?"

  Aeley watched Lira carefully. There would be no winning the argument, not while Lira pushed her away. If she wanted to know more about her, she would have to wait. "So, what do you know about me, then?"

  "I know your father adored you and couldn't stop saying how proud he was. And I know he'd be incredibly happy the people chose you for their next leader, not because it keeps the title in the family, but because you're the right person. We can put our trust in you." Lira's lips twisted, her grey eyes glimmering with what looked like amusement, laced with a touch of darkness. "I also know you're tougher than he was, not likely to withstand the issues like he did—certainly not likely to allow your brother to get away with breaking the laws. Korre was quiet, but you're not. He preferred to avoid confrontation, but you never have."

  Confrontation. Aeley almost laughed. Was that the polite way to say she had been in too many fights growing up, leaving behind broken noses and too much bruised pride? Maybe it was because her mother died when Aeley was three years old, stealing away the model of ladylike demeanor she was expected to idolize and imitate. Maybe it was because she preferred a soldier's life to playing the dainty wife for some Grand Family's heir, proving loyalty at the tip of a sword instead of idle chatter. Or maybe it was because her life's destiny was to keep Allon from destroying their family with his poor choice in friends and bad decisions.

  If only he'd not been able to run around doing whatever he wanted all those years, taking things that didn't belong to him and lying. If only Father had punished him. If only Father had had the courage… No, stop. That's unfair. He did the best he could.

  "You could say the same about Allon," she muttered.

  "True. You share a boldness and restlessness. More like your mother, your father always said. But you're not one in the same. Allon is chaos; you are order. If you weren't, we wouldn't be going to see the High Council. Not like this."

  Aeley stared at Lira. Her tone was harsher than expected.

  "What? Surprised someone noticed?"

  Aeley blinked away the half-formed responses flooding her mind. "A little." A lot, coming from you. "Guess I've just been caught up in cleaning all his messes to really think about it. That's why I started training to begin with. Someone needed to keep him in his place. Dead would be better."

  She stopped and curled her tongue behind her teeth. Why had she said that? Sure, I meant it, but now? With her? So much for being charming.
r />   "And I have no idea why I said that. Ignore me," Aeley said.

  "What? I don't deserve the honesty?"

  Aeley gripped her knee. "What? No. That's not—"

  "Relax. I'm just joking. Sometimes I do that, often at the worst times." Lira drew a hand through her hair and coiled curls around one finger. "You wanted to know more about me, so you should probably know. Though if you prefer your scribe to be serious, I could try—"

  "Goddesses, no." Aeley thrust up her hand. "It's… refreshing."

  "'Refreshing'? I've never been referred to as that. Are you trying to flatter me?"

  "I’m just being honest. Everyone's been trying to keep everything like it used to be, saying the same things they always said to my father and treating me the same way they always have. But it's nice to have something different. Sometimes I think things have been the same for too long. It's just not natural. Maybe it's why things have fallen through the cracks. We need to have change. I can't keep doing the same thing, over and over again. I need more than this," she whispered.

  "As Tract Steward, or as a woman?"

  "You really cut straight through things, don't you?"

  Lira pulled away from the corner and slid towards Aeley until their knees touched. "There's no point dancing around something if there's truth to be discovered in the answer. That, and I'm curious about why your confidence is shaken. When I saw you in the village square, you were strong. People hung onto every word and talked about it for days. Your vigour, tenacity, and inner strength—none of it escaped anyone. Seems a bit lacking now. So is it the position or is it personal?"

  "Everything," Aeley mumbled. She leaned back and gazed out the window. The answer came quicker than she wanted and was more truthful than she intended. Except the candid honesty felt natural in this enclosed space with Lira, who seemed to know more than her silence let on.

  Focused on the grey-and-white houses outside, Aeley considered her next words. "I want to find my own way. It can't always go back to my father. He's gone and I'm not him. I need to redefine myself, or find that part of me that I know is in there and put it into whatever I do. It's for the rest of my life, if I want it. Right now, it seems like forever. I'm buried with the same old issues that I remember my father dealing with."