Princeps

55

On Lundi night Quaeryt did not get to the villa until late, because he had to stay at the post late and offer words of farewell, as chorister, before Zhrensyl’s pyre was lit. He did the best he could for an officer he scarcely had known, as he tried to explain later to Vaelora.

Then on Mardi, Quaeryt spent the morning at the Civic Patrol station, conducting five hearings, four of them minor, requiring either confinement for a week or a few strokes of the lash, and a theft and assault requiring both a flogging and a branding. In that instance, the man convicted had grabbed the coin box in a public house while the two sons of the woman who owned it were within yards and then tried to beat the older woman with a chair he picked up.

Quaeryt almost felt guilty ordering the punishment of a man that foolish, yet someone that stupid was likely to do the same thing again … and again, and then find himself facing beheading, still wondering how it had all happened.

That evening, when he finally reached the villa, Vaelora informed him that she still hadn’t located a proper table for the villa’s formal dining chamber, let alone matching chairs, and she continued to fret over the lack of social interaction and the invitations they had not received.

“We were invited more places when you were just a princeps in Tilbor.”

“Tilbora wasn’t mangled by an eruption,” Quaeryt pointed out, even while he silently shared her concerns. “And factors and High Holders expect us to entertain, and we can’t. Not yet. You saw that in Tilbora.”

“I didn’t realize just how much you’d have to do for the city, dearest.”

“Neither did I.”

On Meredi, Ghaelt reported that the laborers had begun to dig the foundation trenches for the new governor’s building, and that there appeared to be no problems, but that it would be several days before he could be certain of that. Jhalyt reported that the tariff collectors had taken in over a hundred golds in the first few days of Mayas, and that cheered Quaeryt somewhat, given how many shops and factors had vanished under the ash and lava.

Jeudi morning, he made certain he was at the Civic Patrol station by seventh glass.

Pharyl greeted Quaeryt even before he reached the long duty desk. “Good morning, Governor.”

“You have that look, Chief. What is it?”

“We have another problem.” Pharyl walked beside Quaeryt, back to his study.

“Besides a dead patrol recruit?” Quaeryt closed the door behind them.

“An interesting case of theft and assault also took place on Samedi evening. I’ve scheduled it after the murder hearing.”

“Is there anything about the murder that won’t come up in the hearing?”

“Besides the fact that Caesyt is the advocate? No. There’s something else, but I shouldn’t bring it up until the hearing. I’d like you to hear it without my opinions.”

“What else can you tell me that won’t come up in the hearing?” Quaeryt asked.

“This fellow Cauflyn in the second hearing … he’s a hired tough. He keeps order in Hyleor’s pleasure house. One of them. The one that’s less than a block from the southern market square.”

“What was he doing away from it on a Samedi night?”

“It wasn’t night. It was a couple of quints before fifth glass, too early for much business, when he tried to grab the felter’s wallet.”

“That doesn’t make sense. He’s got a job.”

“It does if you’ve pissed off your boss.”

“But you said he has an advocate. That makes even less sense.”

“I’m guessing. Cauflyn’s been in a cell since Samedi. Where else in Extela would he be safe from Hyleor’s other toughs? Already, people know the patrol isn’t what it once was and that Hyleor can’t buy someone out of gaol. If Cauflyn thought Hyleor was out for his neck…”

“Where else could he have a chance of being safe?” said Quaeryt. “That means whatever he did was enough to cause Hyleor to want his neck, and he had to hurry. Otherwise…”

“That was my thought. Because Caesyt is defending both of them, there has to be a connection.”

“It could just be that Hyleor wants them both free … for very different reasons.”

“That’s possible, but I don’t know.”

Neither did Quaeryt, and he had the feeling that regardless of how the hearing turned out, he still might not ever know.

After finishing with Pharyl, and waiting until just before eighth glass, Quaeryt walked into the hearing room and to the dais, seating himself behind the table desk, and setting the two files before him. A good fifteen locals were in the chamber, including a younger woman whose red eyes suggested she had been crying, and several hard-faced men.

“The justicing hearing in the city of Extela, the province of Montagne, will commence. I am Governor Quaeryt, acting as justicer. This hearing is the matter of Jubyl Jonsyn, charged with the murder of Shannar Fhandsyn and assault.” Quaeryt looked to the stocky advocate standing by the bench for the accused. “Are you representing the accused?”

“Yes, Honorable Justicer.”

Pharyl stepped forward. “Chief of the Civic Patrol, representing the city of Extela.”

“Very well. Bring in the accused.”

Two patrollers marched in Jubyl, his hands in restraints, and positioned him directly before Quaeryt. The tough bore an expression close to a smirk, and his eyes kept flicking to Caesyt.

“You are charged with murder and assault upon a civic patroller. How do you plead?”

“Guilty to assault,” replied Caesyt. “Not guilty to murder.”

Quaeryt nodded and waited for the patrollers to escort Jubyl to the backless bench at the side of the hearing chamber.

“Do you have an opening statement, Chief?”

Pharyl stepped forward. “The offender willfully stabbed a young patroller recruit who had not even raised a truncheon. He continued to stab the victim viciously and in such a flurry that no one could get to the patroller before he was close to death. By the laws of the land, that is murder. In addition, because the man he attacked was a patroller, by definition that is assault against those who enforce the laws.” The chief stepped to the side.

“Advocate?”

“I do have a statement, Honorable Justicer.” Caesyt stepped forward. “Jubyl had drunk too much, but he is not a killer. As you will see, he was not in his right mind. Because he was not, I will prove that he did not commit murder under the laws of Telaryn and Extela.” With that, the advocate nodded and stepped back.

“You may proceed, Patrol Chief.” Quaeryt was concerned about the brevity of Caesyt’s statement, wondering exactly what it foreshadowed and what sort of legal trickery might be forthcoming.

“Patroller Dienn, please come forward,” said Pharyl, turning toward the benches at the back of the hearing room, on which several patrollers were seated.

A muscular, stocky man, Dienn rose and stepped forward with short quick steps.

“Please tell the justicer what happened outside Shyan’s Cafe last Samedi evening.”

“Justicer, sir, Haellen and I were patrolling the south side of the square, and young Shannar was with us. Seemed to be two men yelling at each other outside Shyan’s, but neither one had any weapons out. No clubs, no knives. Just two fellows shouting. They were shouting loud enough to upset folks, and we walked toward ’em. I had my truncheon in hand ’cause you can never tell. So did Haellen. I told Shannar to get his at the ready, but I didn’t look back. When we got near, one of the two fellows who was shouting turned and ran down the alley. Didn’t see any sense in going after him. No one looked to be hurt. No one was complaining. Then Jubyl yelled something about the Tilborans coming after him, and he pulled out a pig-sticker and ran at me. I was ready to cold-cock him, when he turned to one side and gutted young Shannar. Then slashed his neck. Got him two or three times before Haellen and I could stop him. So much blood that we didn’t even have time to call for a healer before Shannar was gone.”

“What did Jubyl do after that?” asked Pharyl.

“Not a thing. We’d hit him hard enough on his thick skull that he was stretched out on his face. He didn’t wake up until after he was celled at the station.”

“I have no more questions,” said Pharyl.

“Do you have any questions, Advocate Caesyt?” asked Quaeryt.

“I do.” Caesyt stepped forward. “You said that Jubyl yelled that the Tilborans were coming after him. What else did he say?”

“That was all.”

“Did he say it more than once?”

“He yelled something like that a couple of times. Might have been three.”

“Did he seem to recognize you … as patrollers, that is?”

“He charged us. Usually that means an offender knows we’re after him.”

“He never said anything about patrollers?”

“I didn’t hear anything like that,” admitted Dienn.

“No more questions.”

“Patroller Haellen, forward,” announced Pharyl.

In effect, Pharyl asked nearly the same set of questions of the second patroller, and in turn so did Caesyt. Haellen’s answers were similar to those of Dienn.

Once both had completed their questioning, Pharyl nodded toward Jubyl. “Have the offender step forward.”

“You have heard the words of the patrollers,” began Pharyl. “Is what they say true?”

“No. I didn’t stab no one.”

“Everyone saw you stab Shannar.”

“I just waved my knife. He stepped into it. Nothing I could do. He was stupid. He shoulda known better.”

“Jubyl, did you know the man you stabbed?”

“I didn’t stab no one.”

“You just said that you did.”

“No, sir. I said I waved my knife. He stepped into it. That’s not stabbing.”

“Did you know the man who died?”

“No.”

“You didn’t know that he was the younger brother of one of the guards at the pleasure house where you sometimes work?” pressed Pharyl.

“I object to that question, Honorable Justicer,” interjected Caesyt immediately, although his voice remained smooth and level.

The younger brother of one of Hyleor’s guards? For a moment, Quaeryt was silent before saying, “Please rephrase the question, Chief Pharyl.”

“Yes, sir.” Pharyl turned back to Jubyl. “Is not Bennar Fhandsyn a guard at the place where you sometimes work?”

“I know Bennar.”

Bennar Fhandsyn? Quaeryt knew he’d heard the name before. He just didn’t remember where or when.

“Did you know his brother Shannar?”

“He never talked about a brother.”

“Did you know Bennar’s brother?”

“I might a’ met him. I don’t remember.”

Quaeryt was convinced those statements were lies, even if there happened to be no way to prove that.

Pharyl asked more questions, but Jubyl’s answers never varied, and finally the chief stepped away and inclined his head to the advocate.

“Jubyl, you have said you were waving your knife and that the patroller walked into it. Why did you have the knife out?”

“Because there were Tilborans coming for me. That’s why. A fellow’s got to defend himself. He’s got that right.”

The faintest look of disgust crossed Pharyl’s face.

“Advocate,” interjected Quaeryt, “if you would please clarify any past connection to Tilborans … or not … as the case may be.”

“Why did you think the Tilborans were coming for you?”

“They’re everywhere. They didn’t stay in Tilbor.”

“Why not?”

“I donna know. They just are. I saw ’em. I did.”

“Have you ever seen any other Tilborans?”

“I told you. They were near the square. They were after me.”

“Did you take out your knife to attack them?”

“No, sir. I was just showing what they’d get if they came after me. Then that fellow patroller walked into it.”

After another half quint of questions, Caesyt said, “I have no more questions.”

Quaeryt turned to Pharyl. “Do you have any more questions or any other witnesses?”

“I have a few questions, Honorable Justicer.”

Quaeryt nodded.

“Jubyl, there are no records of your serving in any regiment posted to Tilbor. Why do you say that Tilborans were after you?”

“Because they were. They were.” Jubyl’s eyes went from side to side.

“What would you do if one of these Tilborans moved toward you?”

“A fellow can defend himself.”

“Would you kill one?”

“If he tried to attack me.”

“No further questions.”

Both Caesyt and Pharyl looked to Quaeryt.

“Do you have a closing statement, Chief Pharyl?”

“I do.” Pharyl paused for a moment. “Jubyl stabbed Patroller Shannar. That is without question. More than a score of people saw it. Jubyl claims he was waving his knife to keep away Tilborans. He has never been to Tilbor. The advocate for Jubyl will claim that the offender did not know what he was doing. Just a moment ago, Jubyl made a clear statement that he would attack only if attacked. That shows the ability to decide. He decided to kill Patroller Shannar. He did so. He is guilty and should be found so.”

Quaeryt looked to Caesyt.

“Despite what the chief of the Civic Patrol has said, Honorable Justicer, Jubyl had no intent to kill, nor was he in his right mind. The fact that he is convinced he served as a ranker in Tilbor demonstrates this. Under the laws of Telaryn, a man not in his right mind cannot be convicted of deliberate murder if there was no intent to accomplish such. Therefore, while Jubyl may be guilty of involuntary assault, he cannot be guilty of murder.”

Caesyt inclined his head politely and stepped back.

For just a moment, Quaeryt was more than puzzled by Caesyt’s comparatively matter-of-fact defense. He wants him executed. But why? So no one can find out who hired him to kill Shannar and why? Even if the advocate did want that, Jubyl was still guilty of deliberate murder. “Bring the offender forward.”

Caesyt stepped back slightly from Jubyl once Jubyl stood in front of the dais, effectively leaving the man standing alone.

In more ways than one.

Quaeryt had to clear his throat before he spoke. “Jubyl Jonsyn, this hearing finds you guilty of one count of murder, and one count of assault in resisting the Civic Patrol. You are hereby sentenced to death by beheading.”

Jubyl twisted toward Caesyt. “You said you’d get me off! You said … you bastard!” His voice rose to a shout. “I did what you wanted…”

Three patrollers moved around Jubyl, one immediately applying a gag.

“This hearing is concluded,” Quaeryt announced. “There will be a break of one quint before the hearings resume.”

Slightly more than a quint later, Quaeryt was back on the dais, with almost the same onlookers-except for the young woman who had been crying. Shannar’s sister, lover, wife? Or Jubyl’s? No one had said, and unfortunately, it didn’t matter. Either way, she had lost someone she loved.

“This hearing is the matter of Cauflyn Coersyn, charged with theft of six silvers and assaulting a factor and others following the commission of the theft.” Quaeryt looked to the stocky advocate standing by the bench for the accused. “Are you representing the accused?”

“Yes, Honorable Justicer.”

Pharyl stepped forward, inclining his head to Quaeryt, then stating, “Chief of the Civic Patrol, representing the city of Extela.”

“Very well. Bring in the accused.”

Two patrollers marched in Cauflyn, his hands in restraints, and positioned him directly before Quaeryt. Quaeryt could see purplish yellow bruises on the left side of Cauflyn’s face and several scabbed-over cuts or scratches on the right side and on his neck. The muscular and brown-bearded man did not look up at Quaeryt.

Caesyt stepped up beside Cauflyn, who started to lean away from the advocate, then caught himself.

“You are charged with two counts, one of theft and one of assault. The first count is that of taking by force the wallet of the felter Heryd, and the second is of assaulting him. How do you plead?”

“Not guilty, Honorable Justicer.” Caesyt’s voice was as oily and smooth as Quaeryt remembered.

“A plea of not guilty is entered.” Quaeryt nodded to the patrollers.

The patrollers led Cauflyn to the backless bench below and to the right of Quaeryt and sat him down.

The first witness was the felter himself, an older and almost frail-looking white-haired man, whose shaking hands suggested too many years close to too many liquids not best for the health. Heryd’s words told a longer version of Pharyl’s summary, and Pharyl asked questions, the answers to which filled in many of the details.

Then Caesyt began his questions.

“Felter Heryd … is it not true that Cauflyn only held the coin box for a few moments before throwing it to the floor?”

“He threw it to the floor … that’s for sure. My boys were coming after him.”

“They were in the back of the shop, weren’t they?”

“That they were.”

“And there was no one between Cauflyn and the door, was there?”

“I couldn’t say.”

“Was there anyone else in the front of the shop besides you and the offender?”

“No, sir.” Heryd’s voice trembled as much as his hands did.

“So he could have run out the door with the coin box?”

“I suppose so.”

“But he didn’t, did he?”

“No,” replied the felter grudgingly.

“Did he hit you at any time?”

“He wrenched the box from me.”

“But did he hit you?”

“No, sir.”

Pharyl called the felter’s two sons and began to question them. As questioning went on, Quaeryt couldn’t help but note that both were very slight and slender, like their father. Quaeryt thought both of them together might not weigh as much as Cauflyn.

After Pharyl finished questioning the sons, Caesyt began his interrogation, offering variations on the same questions he had with Heryd.

After that, Pharyl called several patrollers, who recounted their stories. Under Caesyt’s questions, they had to admit that Cauflyn hadn’t actually attacked them, which suggested to Quaeryt that the felter’s sons had been overenthusiastic in capturing and holding Cauflyn for the Civic Patrol, before the patrollers had taken him to the patrol station and confined him. That, again, raised the question as to why the strong, large, and heavily muscled Cauflyn hadn’t simply broken free and fled.

“Cauflyn Coersyn, step forward,” ordered Pharyl, who waited until Cauflyn faced Quaeryt before continuing. “Would you please tell the honorable justicer what happened on the night of Samedi, the thirty-fifth of Avryl?”

“I’d been to Sazyl’s, and I’d had a tankard or two. I wasn’t feeling that steady, and I went out for some air. I came back. I thought I was in Sazyl’s. I wasn’t. I picked up this box. Then I realized it was a coin box. For a moment, I thought about taking it. Then I dropped it. Those fellows tackled me and beat me, and the patrollers came and took me away.”

Quaeryt listened carefully while Pharyl questioned Cauflyn again and again, but Cauflyn said little more than he had in his first statement.

He’s trying to get a light punishment, but he doesn’t want to be released soon. That was Quaeryt’s feeling. The tough didn’t want to give Quaeryt an excuse for losing a hand or worse, but he wasn’t trying to slant his story in the way so many of those Quaeryt had heard over the last weeks had done.

Caesyt persisted in trying to show that what Cauflyn had done was little more than disorderly conduct.

When all the questions had been asked, Quaeryt turned to Pharyl. “Your closing statement.”

“Cauflyn Coersyn entered the shop of the felter Heryd, seized the coin box, and attempted to take it. When he saw the felter’s sons coming for it, he dropped it, and they caught him. Whether he dropped the coin box or not does not matter. He took it with the intent of theft.”

“Your closing statement, Advocate Caesyt?” said Quaeryt.

“Cauflyn Coersyn was confused. He likely had stopped by a public taproom or cafe. He went into the felter’s thinking it was someplace else. He took the coin box, then realized it was not his and dropped it. The most with which Cauflyn can honestly be charged is being disorderly in public. He made no attempt to escape, even when he was struck and could have. He struck no one, and there is no testimony here that even mentions assault, and that being the case, I move that the assault charge be dropped.”

“Honorable Justicer…” interjected Pharyl.

“Yes.”

“Cauflyn seized the coin box with force. Use of force in the case of theft or attempted theft is assault.”

“Advocate Caesyt, your motion is denied.”

Quaeryt looked to the patrollers flanking Cauflyn. “Bring the accused forward.”

Caesyt stepped back slightly and then moved beside Cauflyn once he stood in front of Quaeryt. Cauflyn did not even glance in the direction of the advocate.

Quaeryt announced, “Cauflyn Coersyn, this hearing finds you guilty of one count of assault and guilty of one count of theft. You are hereby sentenced to five strokes of the lash and branding on your right hand, followed by incarceration for one to two weeks, at the discretion of the patrol chief. This hearing is declared closed.”

“Honorable Justicer, I request an appeal.”

“On what grounds, advocate?”

“On the grounds that merely holding a coin box and dropping it is not theft. On the grounds that the accused offender took the coin box from a shelf that was easily accessible and not from the felter. As such, no force was applied, and without force, there is no assault.”

“This time, you failed to make your case, advocate. Your appeal is denied.”

The advocate looked stunned. “You’re … deciding … now?”

“I have, advocate.”

“Appeals must go to higher authority, Honorable Justicer.”

“They did. They went from the justicer to the governor.”

“Such arbitrariness is not usually a feature of law in Telaryn, and those who act arbitrarily must answer to the High Justicer of Telaryn. I will be informing him of the particulars of this case.”

“That is indeed your right, advocate,” replied Quaeryt mildly.

“It might be best … for all involved … were I not required to file such a report. The events detailed in such a report might well be construed as illustrating the lack of judicial procedures in the province of Montagne.”

“That is your decision,” replied Quaeryt, before declaring in a louder voice. “This hearing is now concluded. Return the prisoner to custody.” He stood. “Good day, Advocate Caesyt.”

Quaeryt said nothing more until he left the hearing chamber and he and Pharyl were alone in the chief’s study with the door closed.

“You didn’t have to incarcerate him, you know?” Pharyl smiled.

“You know why I did.”

The chief nodded. “So that we can hide him in the wagon and drive him to the river piers some night when no one’s watching.”

“Any man who will commit a crime for a flogging and branding to escape Hyleor deserves at least a chance to get away.”

“He was one of Hyleor’s guards. He’s not exactly the spirit of righteousness or an advocate for the Nameless.”

“No. That’s one reason why it’s not unjust to brand him. Do you think Jubyl knows something … and that’s why Caesyt didn’t try very hard to defend him?”

“That’s possible,” said Pharyl. “It’s most likely that Hyleor was afraid Shannar knew something and would tell the Civic Patrol, and that it would get to you. With Jubyl and Shannar dead, no one else who knows is likely to say anything. If you’d released Cauflyn, he’d be dead before midnight, if not sooner. I’d say he knows too much as well.”

Who else … Quaeryt shook his head as he remembered where he’d heard the name Bennar Fhandsyn before.

“Sir?”

“You remember when the pimps staged that attack on the flour wagon?”

“I heard of it. I wasn’t there.”

“The one who we captured and held for a while. He said that the attack had been set up by Bennar, who worked for the spicer … The spicer had to be Hyleor.” Why didn’t you connect all that sooner? Because there’s more than one spice factor? Or because you’re trying to do too much?

“So Hyleor was behind that as well.”

“It’s nothing we can prove in a hearing, but that’s two more dead men and a dead pleasure girl.”

Pharyl offered a sour look, then shook his head as well.

Quaeryt wondered if he’d ever know the entire story … and how long he’d have to worry about Hyleor and what the so-called spice factor was really doing.