As the smith stumbled behind his warder, he began to rehearse his speech to the court. Outright confrontation would, he now realised, be treated as contempt; a more circumspect approach seemed eminently desirable.
'Enter!'
Loras, freed of his fetters, stepped into the hall, feeling his heart beating faster and the hairs standing to attention on his arms, legs and back. He knew he might have only one chance to get his point across; one chance to have his voice heard. He did not want to waste it.
He heard a soft click as the door closed behind him.
'The Conclave admits the prisoner, Loras Afelnor, of the village of Lower Frunstock,” Rithel intoned; the officious, hectoring Voice who had so badgered him two days before.
Bang-bang!
'The Conclave is in session, by order of the Lord Dominie of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Magic-users, Sorcerers and Thaumaturges,” Rithel declared, unseen in the shroud of darkness that hid Loras’ accusers from him. “I request permission to read from the closing records of the Conclave's last session with the prisoner, Lord Dominie.'
Loras knew his chance might be slipping away from him; as he remembered it, the Conclave had ended his last session with a concerted call for the death sentence. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lord Horin's voice forestalled his incipient protest.
'The Chairman begs the Conclave's indulgence. After diligent reading of the moments of the previous session, I believe that certain Guild Laws of conduct may have been overlooked in the Conclave's desire for swift justice. The prisoner will be allowed to speak freely in his own defence, as required by Guild Law 1.6.12.'
Loras felt as if his pounding heart would leap from his chest, to jump around the floor like an angry, red frog. He felt sure that the hateful Rithel would spout some formal reason for why such a motion might be disallowed, but the Prosecutor held his tongue.
For some reason, Lord Horin seems to be on my side, thought Loras, hardly daring to breathe. They will not go against his wishes… will they?
'Is there any counter-argument?'
A long moment passed, seeming like an age, before the unseen gavel rang out again.
'So stipulated,” Horin said. “The Conclave offers the prisoner the right to offer a defence for the charges laid against him, if any. Speak, prisoner.'
Loras took a deep breath; so deep that he began to see bright sparkles behind his closed eyelids.
'The prisoner begs the honourable Conclave's indulgence,” he said, opening his eyes. “As has been stipulated, Law 1.6.12 of our… of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Magic-users, Sorcerers and Thaumaturges may have been unwittingly overlooked. The prisoner respectfully suggests that Guild Laws 28.1.19 and 1.6.14 also pertain.'
Almost before the former Questor had finished speaking, Lord Horin said, “The Chairman moves that the prisoner's statement be entered into the record as fact. The Chairman also moves that the prisoner be allowed further freedom to continue in his defence, before unwitting transgressions of the Law are discussed.'
'So moved,” another, unseen Inquisitor grunted. Rithel held his counsel.
Horin banged his gavel. “Prosecutor Rithel?'
Loras heard Rithel curse a little under his breath.
'So stipulated, Lord Chairman.” The Prosecutor's words sounded as if they had been ripped from his mouth, and Loras suppressed a smile. Of course; the Conclave might pretend to be a democratic assemblage, but only a foolhardy mage, or one devoid of ambition, would go against the Dominie's wishes.
'Go ahead, prisoner… if you must take up more of the Conclave's valuable time,” the Prosecutor muttered.
'Thank you, Honoured Justice,” Loras said.
He cleared his throat. “Before I begin, gentlemen, I wish to know in full the charges against me, so that I can offer a pertinent defence. I have already been tried and convicted for the attempted murder of a Guild Prelate, but I have a right under Guild Law to hear the new charges against me.'
'You were stripped of Guild membership, prisoner, as you well know,” Rithel snapped. “You have no right-'
'Then why am I being tried according to Guild Law?” Loras demanded, clenching his fists. “This court has no powers over the affairs of Seculars!'
After a brief silence, the former Questor heard a sudden, frantic confusion of mutters and whispers from behind the curtain of darkness. The only words he heard were “…damned House-lawyer…'; “…a mage or a Secular…'; and “…need a stipulation one way or the other…'
As the hubbub came to an abrupt halt, Loras heard Dominie Horin's familiar drawl: “It is moved that the prisoner be granted temporary but full Guild status for the duration of this Conclave, and that that the trial be conducted in accordance with Guild Law. If found ‘Not Guilty’ on all charges, prior and present, this status will be confirmed. Should the prisoner be found ‘Guilty', penalties will be assessed according to the dictates and severity of the Laws of the Guild.'
'So moved.'
'Prosecutor?'
'Stipulated, Lord Chairman,” Rithel said, with a deep, theatrical sigh.
Loras heard the rustle of a scroll being opened, and the Prosecutor said, in a dull monotone, “Charge One: that the prisoner did wilfully breach the conditions of his prior sentence on entering Guild demesnes-to wit, the grounds of Arnor House. Charge Two: that the-'
'I wish to offer a defence for the first charge, before others are discussed, Lord Chairman,” Loras interrupted.
'This is intolerable!” Rithel mumbled, but he nonetheless confirmed the Dominie's seconded motion to allow this request.
'Speak, prisoner.'
'Questor Loras,” the smith said, suppressing a smile.
'What?'
'The Conclave has granted me full Guild status, Prosecutor,” Loras said. “I should be addressed as either Questor Loras or as ‘Firelord'.'
'Your pardon, Questor Loras,” Rithel growled, sounding as if he were suffering from severe dyspepsia. “Please offer your defence, if any, to the first charge.'
'Thank you, Honoured Justice,” Loras said, in a courteous voice, emboldened by this minor but significant victory. “My defence is simple; in confirming that I held no Guild status from the time of my prior conviction, the Conclave has determined that I could not be held accountable for any breach of Guild Law.'
Rithel's response was immediate and fiery; “It was a condition of your prior conviction, delivered before you were stripped of your Guild membership, pris… Questor Loras!'
'It was not, Prosecutor Rithel,” Loras shot back, his voice as smooth as the scarlet silk he wore. “The very first condition of my sentence was that I was hitherto stripped of all rights and status within the Guild. Feel free to consult the Arnor House records, if you doubt me. Only after that pronouncement, after I had been deprived of my Guild Ring, were subsidiary conditions pronounced. Since they were delivered only under Guild Law, I was no longer bound by them. I move that I be declared ‘Not Guilty’ of this charge.'
'You cannot ‘move’ anything,” Rithel's disembodied voice intoned. “You are not a member of this Conclave!'
'I apologise, Brother Mage,” Loras said. “I suggest that I be declared ‘Not Guilty’ in regard of this charge.'
'Your defence is noted, Questor Loras,” Lord Horin said. “What is the next charge, Prosecutor Rithel?'
'Charge Two: that Questor Loras did, with malice aforethought-'
'My apologies, Lord Chairman, gentlemen of this Conclave,” Loras said in a firm, loud voice. “I respectfully wish to decline that any further charges be heard until the question of my Guild status and, therefore, my culpability at the time of the alleged offences, is defined. This may be of primary importance to my defence.'
