| Saturday 26th August
I was at the Rose, talking too VanQa (well, not talking exactly, because she’d lost her voice and had to mime or write things down) when Kaelyn turned up and told me the duke wanted to see me. As we thought we’d figured out a way to get her voice back, I left her with Kai, and trudge up the road to Trinsic.
The duke was there at the gates, but more or less left it to Pierre to do the talking. He admitted that my previous judgement was (in his words) demeaning and that someone of my rank should not have to do chores like a common criminal. Well, indeed. Considering the times I’ve aided the guards against the real criminals, and arranged trainings for them, I’d expect them to come up with something a bit less humiliating.
Of course, humility is a virtue here, whereas pride is one of the three principles of Raza. The Britannians will never see eye to eye with us on such matters.
So, I was told the sentence had been changed from cleaning the jail to a fine, just as it was before. Only now the fine was 25,000 crowns! That’s the amount I had to pay after we invaded Trinsic. Decking a lad who needed it is hardly a misdemeanour of the same magnitude.
Ulran had arrived by that point and said he wanted to talk to me before I made any decision. Not that I’d have made the decision right there on the spot. 25,000 is a lot of money, and way out of proportion for what I did.
I said I’d think about it as it would need to be discussed with the general.
I returned via the Rose to see how VanQa was doing, whilst Ulran returned to Strongholt. I’d been gone so long that VanQa had gone to Ilshenar with Kai to the pool we talked about and had already returned. To my relief, she had got her voice back. Though quiet, she will be able to chant the words of power needed for her to cast magic, and that will aid her against the drow who has been stalking her.
Kai bid me good night, as he was off on one of his nocturnal training jaunts, but agreed to spend some time with me this night, which I am looking forward to.
Once I returned to Strongholt, I saw Ulran had already spoken with the general and the pair of them were going back to Trinsic to sort it out.
I accompanied them, and was ushered into the jail for an audience with the duke.
Duke Irvyn likes to believe he is a man of honour, but the words “sanctimonious” and “patronising” sum him up best.
He and the general argued for some time, and eventually settled on the original fine of 1,000 gold, provided that I apologise to the guards involved. Since the girl, Natalie, was not present, I apologised only to John, saying that I was sorry I had deceived him into thinking that I intended to clean the upstairs jail, and should have just walked out.
Of course, I had my reasons for not simply walking out. Had I done so, the guards would have tried to stop me, and then I would have had to defend myself. That would have resulted in a much more serious incident.
Still, ye live and learn.
The general has decided that our special relationship with Trinsic is over. We will no longer bear arms openly in Trinsic and will aid the guards only if they ask. He decreed that we should always aid Kaelyn, as she treats us honourably, but will leave it to our own discretion whether we aid any others.
It’s about time. Our relationship with Trinsic availed us nothing. They did not aid us in our wars, nor did they treat us any better for it. Yet they gained our protection and our training.
We will remain neutral to them from now on.
Their loss. |