Order in the Court - RPLOG
Participants
Date
29/9/476
Log
Tis a fine evening, a bit chilly as fall weather settles in. Thankfully, the tropical clime of the city buffers it from the worst of winter's touch. Not that anyone in the court room could take too much notice of it. It's a mild gathering of about twenty souls seated in the wooden benches provided, facing the council, the king at the center on raised daias with his gavel at ready.
Sveta watches the scene from the viewing gallery, a little apprehensive after having last been here for Eldric's trial. Still, the announcement sounded important enough for her to leave her studies and tinkering - the goshawk settles down in one of the seats and sets to reading a book, waiting for the proceedings to begin.
Well fed, a good drink, and a slightly chilly night. A nice way to end a weekend, especially with something involving the king. Eager to hear the Good King's words, Dio peers down from a gallery not too far away from Sveta, chuckling a bit to himself after thinking over the multiple court and other sessions he's been through in the past few weeks. However, the lion seems a little bored, idly thumbing his fingers here and there in an attempt to entertain himself.
Alef sits in the gallery quietly as council begins, wearing mended robes she seems somewhat at ease, though awestruck to see the Good King in person. holding a cup of warm tea she got before coming into the Court Room.
Leian's tail twitches slowly as she wanders in, never having been in such a room before, she seemed a bit nervous about it while she approached a seat and took to it, tail laying behind her through the back of the chair, hanging low to the ground
The proceedings start simply enough, with various people stepping forward to air their concerns to the council, most given ruling fairly swiftly, for good or ill, until the king's scribe, Mione, the mouse, lifts his pad and skews his whiskers, "The next supplicant is an accused. A misses Petra, apostate." At his words, the accused is led in. A rather shapely chipmunk descended female is led in, head high and eyes straight as they seat her before the council. The word 'apostate' gets the crowd murmuring, perhaps already deciding her guilt.
Sveta looks up as the proceedings begin, acknowledging Dio, Alef and Leian and giving the second a stern glance at bringing food into the courtroom before turning her gaze to the proceedings. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly important about this chipmunk...but perhaps that'll change once the charges levelled against her are laid.
Unfortunate, the immediate image some get when they mention an apostate. But in such a society, it wasn't very surprising. But what he was more curious of course was the supposed crime itself, which would of course reveal itself in time. As he awaits, the lion spots Sveta and shuffles his way towards her and looks closely at her book. Interested in her reaction, Dio puts a finger to one of the pages and attempts to flip it over.
Alef finishes the cup and puts it down, the mention of a apostate gets her attention, listening to the murmuring and nodding quietly, watching the proceedings with interest.
Leian's ears twitch a bit as she sits quietly, listening in on what she can of the events as they unfold before her, tail swaying idly behind her
"Miss Petra, do you understand why you are here?" asks Mione, leveling a gaze at her with one cocked brow.
She returns the gaze, defiant, "Because I reached too high."
Mione hrms, "I was hoping you would spare me from reading the charges, madame, but since you insist," he says, not sounding pleased with it. "The accused is charged with 'indecent activities', 'assault', and 'complete disregard for the sanctity of the body'. Do you challenge these charges?"
Sveta suppresses a chuckle and shakes her head, turning to Dio. "Ah, one of THOSE things again, I'm expecting. Selena tells me all about those in the Shanties...although I'm sure there're plenty in Mange Square and even more in the Castle District, although those go by other names..."
Dio looks over at Alef and Leian, giving them a little wave to goad them over. He didn't look like he'd bite, did he? He certainly hoped not! "Oh... Oh my, some interestin' charges there," he says with a quiet breath and a small smile. "The lass don't sound like she's feelin' too guilty now. Wonder how she's gonna defend 'erself." Even now, the lion still attempts to dig a finger between one of the pages of Sveta's book, trying to flip it over once more and maybe make her lose her place if she didn't take it away in time.
Alef looks confused by the wording of the charges, but then overhearing from a neighbooring being makes her blush, noticing duo's wave she waves back abit. with court in session she makes no move to stand and move to the two. unsure if doing so would making a major faux pas. staying seated and watching the proceedings, pritty sure the outcome is foretold already though.
"He wanted it," she says, growing agitated, "He came to me. If he wants to complain about it, where is he? He didn't even have the courage to be here today," she says in an almost shout.
Mione shakes his head, "The wronged have no obligation to appear before court unless called upon. Very well, let it be known that Miss Petra challenges her accusations. Let us begin with a simple retelling. The court already has the wrong's testimony. Would you care to share your own? We are polite people, I will remind, so please keep unseemly portions to a minimum." Mione passes a sheaf of papers to a guard, who hurries over to the council members and the king, handing each a paper.
Sveta shushes Dio, chasing his wayward hand away from her book and stowing it away before he can get up to any more mischief. "Well, my dear Lion of constant pestering...we'll just have to wait and see, shall we? It has to be pretty important for the Good King himself to preside, yes?"
Foiled! And so close... Oh well. Dio shrugs his shoulders and removes his invading hand, putting it back to his side. "Fer such... charges," Dio comments, "It's strange how the king is 'ere. I wonder if the 'wronged' was a royal o' somethin'. Now that'd make an interestin' tale would it not, Bird o' Literary Pursuits?" The lion couldn't help but chuckle, but he attempts to keep it low along with his voice.
Alef rubs her chin, curious who this wronged party might be, must be someone in rather important for the king himself to precede over the court, her attention focused on the proceedings.
Leian's ears fall back a bit as she looks up with a tilt of her head at the preceedings, tail twitching furthe rbehind her " Hard to say where this will go, with all thats been going on, inside and out of the city.. Wonder whats to be done now?"
Petra grouses a moment before raising her voice, "He saw me walking down the street, and I saw him. He looked lonely, so I offered him somewhere warmer and cozier to be," she says, frowning, "We get comfortable, sharing drinks, things get a bit hot, so we retire, and we're getting to know each other and he's suddenly crying like a mewling cub," says the chipmunk, "I figure he's just into strange things. I've seen worse, so I keep going until we're both done, and he's gone before I wake up, and here we are."
Sveta coughs. Crying like a mewling cub? Now that isn't quite something that one happens to expect during such an act...hmm. "Oh, it would be my dear lion of boundless inquiry. It would be indeed. And quite embarrassing to boot, if what we're hearing is the truth."
Did cubs really have such a distinct crying sound? Scoff! But only comedically. "Wonder what kinda evidence they're gonna bring out," Dio comments, rubbing at his chin in thought. "If we get down to it, maybe we'll get to see this 'wronged' lad. Maybe we should bet on it?"
