[NOBLE] Trials

[shibrogane]

There's a letter in your mailbox asking you to come to the Court at 9am on a Thursday. Aside from the fact that it's an incredibly inconvenient time, it otherwise seems like a normal request--it's on what seems like printer paper, but there's a definite feel of magic about the whole thing.

Upon arrival, Noel and Noah--still in their black robes, still looking like sexy Fabio--direct you to the old hall. It's a Courtroom now, bench and all. Where the defendant should sit, there's a caged chair, closer to an antiquated French courtroom than the modern American. Silk waits, in her black military uniform, dark hair swept back into a chignon.

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The Semblance of Unity

Smerdle

azuredreams

iloveyouDIE

Melancholies

cibarium

 

[azuredreams]

It feels like a summons, almost like one would get for jury but not quite. There is a distinct feel of magic to it, though Jeremiah is forever grateful that there isn't scent or taste to the letter.

With the changes they know of the summons isn't out of place, nor is what the old hall has become. Not so strangely Jeremiah feels more at ease here immediately, the familiar feel of an actual Court reassuring even if it is not the kind he is used to from work.

Silk is acknowledged, Jeremiah not saying anything. It is simply a respectful greeting without words when he arrives with Algie.

(Nevermind that the timing meant he had to leave work, though hopefully would be back after not too long, but then so did Preacher, which meant there was a moonwalker meeting as well.)

iloveyouDI3

 

[iloveyouDIE]

It was a relief to get a summons that was simple, seemingly normal, and didn't make anyone end up in the bathroom because they could taste it. Alg was actually comforted by the simplicity of the summons and while the court lacked the splendor of the previous incarnation there was a strange beauty in this as well.

At the very least it was a space they had all worked towards making and that in itself made it a bit more special and a bit less foreign.

The Professor was with his husband as always, nods of greeting and smiles given to those present, and then simply quietly waiting for anyone else.

azuredreams

 

[Smerdle]

Rabbit hadn't actually been to court since things had changed. He'd heard they had, he'd met with Oroh and seen how she'd... evolved, but he hadn't had the time or courage to show up himself. He knew he would have to, and he'd asked his fetch to make an appointment to force him to, but this meeting had come first. In a way he was glad. Learning about what was to come would be easier if he wasn't alone.

When he first walked through the portal, he didn't quite know what he was seeing. A jury box, a bench, a cage; it looked like a courtroom, but he couldn't fathom why they were meeting in one.

Algernon and Jeremiah received careful little waves before Rabbit folded his arms, unconsciously trying to take up as little space as possible.  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance had thanked the two burly fetches and stepped into the room. She hadn't had very much time to explore the court and it was by pure chance that this meeting fell on one of her days off. Her eyes strayed to the cage for the.. would the defendant sit there? She wondered if it was some form of magical shield, although it was certainly garish.

"Thank you for the summons, Silk." The fetch was taking her new role very seriously which was excellent, Temperance thought, and she hadn't expected anything less from the efficient woman. Temperance smiled at Rabbit and moved to stand near him. Mercer x2 were largely ignored, though briefly acknowledged; they made her uneasy.

"Did you meet with Silk yet, Rabbit?"

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

He smiled back, his arms loosening their grip on his torso as he waved again. Rabbit often thought about checking in on Temperance, like maybe it was his extended duty or something, but he saw her at these things and she seemed to be taking good care of herself, so why really. He did have a question or two about what had gone down with Pax, but now kind of wasn't the time.

"Oroh made me an appointment, but I've been... well... I don't know. I'll do it soon." Though technically this was a meeting with Silk, right? Maybe it would count. "How've you been?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[cibarium]

Julian scanned the room quietly, a bit bitterly amused by the new state of the court. Of course it was a courtroom now. Where was that when he was out parasite-wrangling? It would've been so much easier to compel Ixodi to make a defense here instead of having to decide its fate on the fly alongside the recently-possessed, then maybe they would have gotten a full version of its story.

Oh well. That would just be shelved alongside the other items in his growing collection of questionable life decisions.  

[The Semblance of Unity]

"You should meet with her, Rabbit. That is - if you want to do this, um, sort of thing." She gestured to the courtroom. At least Oroh seemed to still like Rabbit and was willing to do things for him. Then again, Hart had made her the appointment with Silk, as well.

"I've been well - I'm trying to get things started on a clinic since most of my old work, even though it wasn't much, got shuffled off into nothing with the restructure." She shrugged. "A small clinic here, maybe, or a larger one in the outlying town. How are Sy and Nev?"

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

He kind of still didn't know what this sort of thing was, but he wasn't giving up being a noble just because there were courtrooms involved all of a sudden. He'd just adapt, or try to at least. Rabbit nodded, looking around the space again.

"Oh. Yeah. That sucks about the clinic. If you need... I dunno... some extra magic or something to rebuild, I'll definitely help. And the kids are good." In danger of being murdered, but good. "I'm trying to teach them some magic too. Get them flying. Proper growing up stuff for people-birds, or at least I assume so." He tried to watch Julian out of the corner of his eye as he spoke, voice low. He'd seen that guy at some of their other meetings, but he was the only one Rabbit still knew nothing about. He didn't think Temp or Jer or Alg would kill the sirens, but that guy... He might.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[Melancholies]

An awkward time indeed, if only because Shiloh hated waking up early. Still, for Court (which he took seriously) he made the exception, though he didn't look any less like he'd just rollies out of bed. His clothes might have been neat and ironed (thanks Jamie) but his hair was a nest of unruly curls.

He didn't speak to anyone, his eyes glazed and glossy when he walked in. Seeing Noah and Noel was exactly what he didn't want to kick off the whole meeting, but here he was, gloomy and looking like his jaw was too tense. Truth was he was fighting back a yawn.

Temperance got a glance at least, and so did Rabbit, and so did Julian for the matter if only because it'd been a while... but the Mercers he pointedly ignored.

So this was about what was left of the Nobles, wasn't it? Everyone else had largely fallen out of contact or faded away. Maybe they didn't even exist in this universe. Who knows.

Quote:

he sleepy

 

[azuredreams]

Rabbit received a wave in return, Jeremiah inclining his head in greeting. Temperance got the same, though the polite ignoring was not missed. At some point, he wondered- No, it was a thought for later.

Shiloh, on the other hand, and his ignoring was something that would have to be discussed at a later point. Algie was likely ignored by proxy (and was he ignored by Temperance by proxy because of Algie?). Still- it was a thread that needed to be repaired, if only because things had been said and there were misunderstandings all around.

Just not now.

Now it was time to settle and wait, though Jeremiah's fingers did flick in greeting towards Julian. He had not seen him much since he had returned from his time as Lady's tithe.

Quote:

just bolded all the mentions, easier than tagging.

 

[shibrogane]

Lady scooted in and took a seat by the wall, and with that every Noble to have come through the other side of the end of the world was present. Silk cleared her throat and said, "Thank you for coming," and her voice carried throughout the large room in a way that it wouldn't have in the old ivory hall. "This is the new Court, created from the will and intentions of yourselves and your peers." She gestured: the Judge's bench, the jury box, the rows of seating behind the defense tables. "I've called you all here today to assign advocates for our first case, the trial of Lord Ezra for his attempt to derail the creation of the new Charter, and to ensure you're all aware of your new status and what it means. If you have already met with me, you will know this information. Please be patient while I explain to those who have not."

She turned to Rabbit, Julian, and Lady.

"The noble courts were once judge, jury, and executioner," said Silk. "Now, you're none of those things. Your duties are to advocate for those other beings who approach you, and to assist where you are needed. When a warg identifies a threat and a moonwalker contains it, you and your peers will be entrusted in ensuring that the threat has been adequately assessed and fairly tried.

"Should there be interpersonal or territorial disputes between Otherbeings, you are entrusted with the power to mediate these discussions between them. If a fair conclusion cannot be reached through your own work, you may choose to bring a case to trial, and have it overseen by a Judge, who will direct your searches for the truth of the matter. You are not permitted to serve as a Judge.

"Finally, you're tasked with assisting the fetches with regaining their lives on the other side should they so wish it. You'd be responsible for creating a space for them in your world. How you do that is up to you." She pulled out a small book from within her double-breasted jacket. "Your fetches are no longer obligated to serve you. They may choose to, if they wish, but it is their decision in the end. Do you agree to these tasks?"

Lady shrugged. "Sure," she said, "I guess."

She crossed the room to Silk and, taking the offered pen, signed her name. (Those who came after her to add themselves to the Book of Names would see she had signed Tate Spektor, which was odd on multiple levels, including "spektor" being the masculine form of her surname.)

"You will be assigned an office here in the Court should you wish them. If you'd like more space, that will be allotted at a different time. If you'd like more than one or two extra rooms, however, please go into the town and acquire your own space within it, then return to me to register your right to the space."

Silk waved a hand, and a chair slowly arose from nonexistence behind her. She took a seat.

"I require an advocate for Lord Ezra for the trial," she said. "If none of you will volunteer, he is not permitted to be tried pro se, and so he will be allowed his freedom. His tithes and their tithes are not permitted to be his advocate. I also require an advocate for the, for lack of a better word, prosecution." She pulled out another small book. Where the ******** were they coming from. "Nobility, who among you will speak for your peers?"

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The Semblance of Unity

Smerdle

azuredreams

iloveyouDIE

Melancholies

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Julian listened attentively to Silk's description of the new Noble duties. It was a lot of magical community service. Part facilitator, part lawyer, part rehabilitator.

"Yeah, I'll do it," he answered, signing the book next. Seeing the name Lady had chosen for it made him kind of curious, but he wasn't going to question her about it. Instead he stood next to her while Silk continued her exposition. Too bad he hadn't brought any orange juice.

Ezra's case being brought up made Julian frown and glower at the ground. He never liked the guy -- even when Eve and Leila had been trying to get to know him -- and frankly, it pissed him off a little that derailing the new Charter was the only thing he was to be tried for here. There was a lot more for him to answer for than just that, and as far as Julian cared the tragic backstory didn't make a damn difference.

He raised his hand, waited for a reasonable pause, and asked a question. "This means advocates are responsible for collecting evidence and witness testimony for the court, right? Sorry if that's stating the obvious."  

[shibrogane]

"Yes, and also presenting it to the Judge," said Silk. "The Judge may also direct you to examine certain aspects of the case. You're an investigator as well as an advocate."

cibarium

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh was quiet as Silk continued to talk, their conversation back in her office still fresh in his mind. He knew all of this already, but it was still good to reiterate. At least Lady was here—he offered her a small wave—and with the speech in full swing, Shiloh could say with certainty that yes, this was all that was left of the Nobility. It made him feel a little wistful.

It almost made him feel like a survivor.

"Well there aren't many of us in the 'his tithes and their tithes' category." Almost no one here was from the Spinel Lady end of things, and Hux being Aodelle's black sheep wasn't present either, so "I'm still willing."

An uneasy glance went over to Algernon.

iloveyouDIE

stares @ u