(continued from Part 2 Installment 8; Emily in the reception hall of Manse Truvos)

Oh my, it was a show-stopper of a question. The looks of shock that went around the room revealed that I had everyone's attention despite the dry legalese of my discourse.

"Great One," Fassex protested, "I do not see the purpose of this foolery. I will not..."

"Sister," Kamagishi interrupted her loudly, "you will do so or you will leave this trial."

"This is unacceptable and unprecedented," Fassex argued back. Fassex was such a reliable stick-in-the-mud, incorrigible down to the last word out of her mouth.

Before anyone else could jump in, I explained calmly: "The precedent for a poll of opinions during a trial for someone's life was set during the reign of Imstay King's great great great grandfather, Imnestal King, by the Holy Ayusk, then High Priestess of Galt, acting in her office as High Justicar."

Fassex went silent and studied me with a neutral face. I think she realized I had come armed with facts. Then she applied herself to writing down her answer. When everyone was done, Garki got up and collected the pieces of paper without my asking. I smiled at him, thanked him, and sent him back to his seat.

I sorted the pieces of paper and then looked up. The room was silent. "The ten opinions are five who decided it was a murder of a sacred person, four who decided it was sacrilege, and one who opined that there was no crime because there was no intent."

The latter opinion was written in Garki's beautiful calligraphy-quality handwriting. It was an opinion of a young man yet unspoiled by experience or cynicism.

"The Blessed Aylem was never questioned under compulsion as to her intent but I believe beyond a doubt that there was indeed no intent to commit either harm or murder. Blessed Aylem, what were you thinking immediately before you cast the charm that killed me? Great One?" I kept my face as neutral as possible.

Alas, Aylem's panicked face told me I had ambushed her. "I…," she stopped and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I was trying to get it through that thoughtless griffin's head that including you in his acrobatic stunts might harm you since you lack magic to save yourself if you fell. He disagreed with me and I lost my temper with him. I was so angry that I now barely remember casting the charm of a thousand stings on him. I forgot you were standing next to him and you were caught up in the casting." She grimaced, closed her eyes, and hung her head. I hated doing this to her but I needed her admission of no intent to be public.

"Please forgive me for this next question, Jane," I said in English. "Great One, why did you cast a charm fatal to griffins and Coyn during your argument with the Blessed Asgotl?"

Aylem's face was a study in agony. The room was so quiet that everyone heard Aylem take another deep breath and then let it out slowly. "I lost my temper and when I lose my temper, I often lose control of myself."

Come on, Aylem, tell me about living at the Healing Shrine under a healer's care, I thought to myself. She didn't. I think it was too difficult for her to talk about and I was forcing her to do so in public. I felt terrible but I had to make this public or my strategy might fail. This wasn't exactly how I had wanted things to progress, but I needed to run with the balls that came my way. Regardless, I was worried that it would alienate Aylem.

"Given your circumstances, what is being done to address this problem?" I tried to word things tactfully. It was better to phrase it this way than to ask how she was being cured of her mental illness.

"I am living at the Healing Shrine of Mugash under the care of an experienced mind healer, whose only patient is myself," Aylem stared at the floor as she spoke. When she was done, she closed her eyes and then buried her face in her hands. I was such a cockroach for having done that to her.

"Blessed Lisaykos," I looked up at my housemate to see her giving me a death glare. Oh boy, I hoped I survived the day without getting evicted. "Is it your expert opinion that the Blessed Aylem is ill inside her mind?"

The look she gave me next was angry exasperation, "Yes."

"Holy One," I looked at Kamagishi who was studying me with speculation on her face. "Grant me your wisdom on an interpretation, please. Was the Blessed Aylem insane enough when she killed me to be ruled incapable of having the intent to harm?"

"In hindsight," Kamagishi picked her words with care, "I now know that the character defect of her sudden temper is a symptom of her illness. If she came into the Well of Galt for trial for the crime of killing you today, she would indeed receive a ruling from me of no intent because of insanity."

"And last year?" I pushed.

"I would have said she was guilty of sacrilege due to willful ignorance," Kamagishi admitted with a rueful look. "We would have executed her for either murder or sacrilege if the god Mugash the Merciful had not intervened."

"In my hand," I held up the pieces of paper, "is the evidence that the definition of intent requires its own review as to its current and past use in Foskos. More than half of those seated here today may act as judges, so we can assume these results in my hand are the opinions of experts in the law. As such, I expected these experts to agree; however, I see not only disagreement on the nature of Aylem's so-called crimes, but also disagreement on her intent. This is more inconsistency.

"My second legal opinion is that the interpretation of intent is broken in Foskan law since it can change even the identity of the crime committed. My recommendation is to research how intent has been used for the last several centuries and how it has changed with time. Then its application should receive clear guidelines so it is uniformly applied throughout the kingdom.

"I suggest we take a short break before we judge on Oyseray for the crime of sacrilege."

"Why?" Fassex asked. "That crime should be obvious and simple to judge."

"You think so, Holy One?" I asked with as guileless a face as possible. If I could maneuver the right opening, I wanted to expose the failure of Foskan law to properly address Oyseray's earlier crime, which led directly to her current one. Oyseray's crime was obvious but its judgment was not.

*What do you mean, the law failed with her earlier offenses?* Kamagishi mindcasted with a look of deep concern on her face, reading my thoughts. I'm not sure why, but Kamagishi could pick up on what I was thinking without even trying. She was as sensitive to my thoughts as Kayseo was.

"I suggest we take a short break before we judge Oyseray for the crime of sacrilege," I repeated.

Kamagishi stood and looked at me from above with a frown. Then she addressed the room, "we will recess for a quarter bell. Guards, please remove the accused for now."

- - - - -

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Aylem, at the trial recess, Manse Truvos

As soon as Oyseray was out of the room, Fassex was after Emily.

"Just what are you trying to do, Great One?" Fassex leaned in her chair to do a credible job of staring down at the little Coyn while seated. "This is a trial, not a review of the law. The sacrilege charge should be a simple one to handle. All you need to do is question her and sentence her. There should be no question about willful ignorance in this case."

When Kamagishi announced a break, I saw Emily physically relax. Fassex's verbal attack brought her back to tensing every muscle.

"Fassex, please just stop," Emily snapped, eyes closed and her head in her left hand. "I don't have to justify myself t...to you. I know w...w...what I am doing."

"It doesn't look that way to me," Fassex rebutted, with her cheeks in high color. She's always like this when she aims to win a verbal spar. "I have decades of experience here and you have..."

"I have the instructions delivered yesterday from the deity Erhonsay in her aspect as wisdom, and that's all the justification I need," Emily managed to be loud. Her fist was clenched as her head started drooping slowly toward her knees. "Just l...leave it for now."

"The Holy Fassex has a point, Great One," Imstay inserted himself into the exchange at exactly the wrong time in the wrong way. "A review of the law can come later when..."

"Everyone, just go aw...w...w...way and l...leave me a...l…lone for a bit," the tension in Emily's voice was not good and the stutter was starting up, never a good sign.

"Out of my way," Kayseo's voice parted the crowd as she thumped her way with clumsy hurried steps toward Emily's chair. "Out of my way, let me through!"

Kayseo was working on sainthood in my book so I stood up and walked behind Emily to help. I used a touch of Voice, just enough to remind every silverhair in the room who was the most powerful Cosm mage on Erdos, "Let the prophet's healer through. If the Blessed Emily needs some time away from our ungentle selves, then she will have it." Then I glowered at my husband followed by glaring at Fassex. I felt guilty at the fear I saw spring up in both of them but I was in control of myself.

I bent down and spoke as softly as I could in Emily's ear, "Kayseo is almost here. You need out of here, yes?"

Emily nodded, her tearing eyes fixed on her knees. Kayseo finally parted the crowd and arrived at Emily's chair. "Thank you, Great One," she said to me. "Can you get her? I think it would be faster for you than for me with my uneven walking gait. I suggest upstairs to where she is sleeping. I am slow up the stairs so I will meet you there. Is that agreeable, Great One?"

I nodded. Then I bent back over to talk to Emily, "Is this acceptable for you, dear heart? I want to pick you up and get you upstairs to your bed. May I?" I waited for her nod and then had her in my arms as gently as I could manage. I was up the stairs three steps at a time and down the hall to the Lord's bedroom.

I set her down on the edge of the mattress, "Emily, I need to take the sling off. Before I do, I want you to do one thing for me, and that's to keep your eyes closed. I don't want to set off any visual triggers, so keep your eyes closed for now until you can catch your breath and relax." She nodded her agreement. I had the sling, the hat, her shoes, and her gown off by the time Kayseo arrived.

*You're not upset with her?* Kayseo mindcast. I could read her fear that I would upset Emily even more than she was.

*Well, yes, I am a bit upset,* I smiled sadly. *She warned me right before the hard questions and I believe I know what she's doing. She's setting up to dismantle Foskan law regarding slavery and the lack of rights for the other races. My discomfort is nothing compared to that.*

"Y...you're mindcasting, aren't y...you?"

"Well, yes, dear heart."

Emily made a distressed face and opened her eyes to find me, "Aylem?"

I dropped her nightgown over her head so she wouldn't see me and accidentally get scared. I knew the sight of me did frighten her regardless of her attempts to act normally around me. The size and power difference was just too great between us for her to be comfortable, to my sorrow.

"I'm right here but I'm serious about keeping those eyes closed. In a moment, Kayseo will be in her chair and I'm going to put you in her lap for now. Say something if I hurt your sore arm or side when I pick you up."

Even with her head covered, she snagged my sleeve, "Aylem, I really am sorry. I didn't w...w...want to hurt y...you like that, it's just..."

"I think I know what you're trying to do. You want to make a point about gaps in the law. You also want to make an opening to talk about how the law values life. That's what Erhonsay wants you to do, yes? And you want to use me as an example, because my example is dramatic and memorable. Am I right?"

"How did y...y...you know that?" her left hand was still trembling, the poor thing.

"Because I think more like you than I do like any Foskan I know," I wanted to hug her but was afraid of hurting her right side. I continued in English, "You're a Yank, I'm a Brit and we both think the same about many things, like slavery, and rights, and punishments fitting crimes, and all that. Now close those eyes, miss stubborn boffin, and I am not upset with you. I may be upset because that was hard for me, but I understand why you did it." I removed the nightgown and deposited her on the blanket Kayseo already had ready on her lap. She wrapped Emily in it and draped the edge over Emily's head so the little one didn't have to look at our Cosm-sized selves if she didn't want to.

Emily pulled the blanket to cover her head completely. I could tell from the motions under the blanket that she was sobbing silently against Kayseo's stomach. I pulled a chair next to Kayseo's wheelchair and cast the charm of tongues on Kayseo. Then I started to sing the songs that I knew Emily liked. I forgot the door was open.

"Gay go up, and gay go down, to ring the bells of London town.

Bull's eyes and targets, say the bells of St. Margret's.

Brickbats and tiles, say the bells of St. Giles'.

Halfpence and farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's.

Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's.

Pancakes and fritters, say the bells of St. Peter's.

Two sticks and an apple, say the bells at Whitechapel.

Pokers and tongs, say the bells at St. John's.

Kettles and pans, say the bells at St. Ann's.

Old Father Baldpate, say the slow bells at Aldgate.

Maids in white Aprons, say the bells of St Catherine's.

You owe me ten shillings, say the bells of St. Helen's.

When will you pay me? say the bells at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich, say the bells at Shoreditch.

Pray when will that be? say the bells of Stepney.

I'm sure I don't know, says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,

And here comes a chopper to chop off your head."

The blanket came flying off her head, "you know the long version!" Emily was excited.

"Emily, close those eyes," I commanded. "Do you want me to teach the words to you? I know you already know the tune."

"I've heard it once already. I'll remember it now." Her eyes were closed but she was smiling.

"Your memory is something else," I remarked. Her near-perfect memory was frightening, to be truthful.

We sang the London bells song again. I sang the melody and she sang the harmony as a descant. It was fun. Then we sang the fish and chips and vinegar round. We followed up with Dona Nobis Pacem. She taught me an irreverent version of Dona Nobis Pacem sung to the sole word of "meow."

"Consider it a hymn to Galt," she said with maniacal glee.

"Emily! That's blasphemous," I protested.

"I don't think so. The cat god has a huge sense of humor."

*PURRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...PURRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...PURRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*

"Gaaaah," Kayseo uttered a frightened little scream.

"I think the cat god approved," Emily shook her head, smiling and finally relaxed. "Maybe we should find some mid repast. Then I want to consider if I have it in me to face another attack of Fassex this afternoon."

"How about the Coventry Carol, and then I will go in search of food? We'll need to ask Kamagishi to extend the recess, but that should not be a problem."

"Deal."

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