#earthrunes

"Your Pardon, Baroness." His hand to his heart.

"Sir August, please elaborate."

Again, her eyes never leaving the boggan.

"The Right of Demesne, The Right of Rescue, possibly The Right of Life."

"Interesting, please elaborate in the manner which you believe he violated these laws?"

"Additionally, with your permission My Lady, I do not accept that this man is a lawyer; what bar did he pass? I do not accept that he is the prisoner's lawyer. What retainer has been exchanged for his service? How was he summoned? And I do not accept that this man sets the definitions of justice in your Demesne. With respect, My Lady."

He does not answer, or look at, the boggan, but watches the Baroness.

She folds her arms haughtily. "I do note that he, himself, never used the word 'lawyer' in my hearing...and I agree that your authority to argue the redcap's case is suspect. If you have no proof of representation, you will leave immediately."

"I am so very glad you asked," He pulls out papers, one mortal, the other a fancy scroll.

Inish moves forward to recieve them, "it would appear he is a lawyer, by mortal standards..." Looking at the first

August will take the documents when Inish has received them, and examine them to his satisfaction.

She has not made any move to touch the documents, letting the others peruse them.

The next one? "Recognition by the Parliament of Dreams as my rights to act as an advocate. As you know, it is reinstated under High King David's return, and valid."

August knows scribing, and..these look legit

He nods. "These are for our record?" Asked, but a statement.

"And your authority to act as representative for the accused, specifically?"

"I would allow a copy to be made of the parlimentary letter, but you understand if I'll hold onto that one. I hope."

A look at the Baroness, "He's my client, Baroness. Now, I realize his actions are terrible, disgusting, but it is my sacred trust to see to his rights as an accused, and at the very least try to mitigate his punishment. Now, earlier, your knight, and I'm sorry Sir I can only assume you are Sir August? " A pause, then continues "brought up right of demense, life and one other? Details please"

August nods and tucks it carefully under his arm. "I will copy and attest to it."

He waits for the Baroness's instruction.

A slight smirk. "Are you asking to try his case before me now, Mr. Layton? We should have witnesses, I believe."

"No, Baroness, but I do believe it is necessary for formal charges to exist for one to be tried at all. "

She narrows her eyes at him. "I was thinking more in terms of a simple interrogation. That would settle the question you pose."

"The Right of Demesne, The Right of Rescue, possibly The Right of Life? I believe were the words." A look to Sir August, "Court was not in session, nor were they at a hold. The Right of Rescue? As my client seems not to be the one who put the cchildling in danger, had anyone had told him there was a changeling trapped there, he might have turned her free himself. And, of course, the right of life? Well, no. No Kithain died. Not even chimerically."

A pause, Mr Layton smiles,"ah! you wish to question him. I would like to be present for that."

"My Lady, I object to the premise that a trial is needed at all."

Quietly.

A pause, and Coradel steps back a few paces to murmur to August.

"You object to justice, Sir? You are , I hope aware that there are those in this fief who have reformist, even modernist leanings? I had hoped to count on House Fiona's well known respect for commoners and their rights to come into play here." A bow to the Baroness at that last.

August bows to the Baroness and leaves the room.

She turns back to the boggan. "You will find, Mr. Layton, that attempts to shame me must be far more substantial than that if they are to work. Will I defend the rights of childling pooka not to be abducted by the type of business run by this creature? I will, indeed."

"As you should," he says, "And have. I do not diminish for one second the heroic thing you and your allies did in rescuing a childling. Indeed,Baroeness. I confess to being as pleased and filled with admiration as the next. But I have seen what mortal 'systems' have done to people, how the poor are punished for crimes while the rich walk. How corrupt police make up stories to make sure a criminal of one crime goes down for crimes he didnot do. We can, we should, we must be better I think. this man is scum, true. But he also is ,oddly, innocent of the crime you would punish him for. Does this mean nothing?"

"I believe you are mistaken in that final claim, so its 'meaning' is debatable. But now I am curious about something else...If he is your client, who is paying you to represent him?'

August returns, with a slight shake, in the negative, of his head.

"Confidentiality is needful, Baroness. While I am sure you are not the sort who would threaten those funding me, I hold to my honor as best a humble boggan lawyer may"

A bit of a frown at August's gesture, but returns her attention to the boggan. "No matter. For you, the question rests on whether or not Norm knew the kitten was a pooka. That matter should be resolved simply enough. However, you also said that we have the 'wrong man' in custody. Who, then, do you believe is the right man?"

"The mortal who took the child. Though, I admit, my point was more 'that's the one who did the crime'"

"And not at my client's knowing direction, or so i would suggest before the lady Baroness."

She turns and moves away to consult with August once more.

Another nod after an exchange of murmurs, and she turns back to the boggan. "I am curious, though, about your opinions on the Right to Life, Mr. Layton."

"While hestitant to grant you proverbial ammo, I do consider it important, of course. The life it saves could be my own, or more importantly, a loved one, but personal feelings can cloud my judgment. In this regard? Thank the Dreaming no one died. Now, one could be at the most strict, and say blood was spilled, but my client tells me he was the one who got cut-repeatedly, and was himself mostly attempting to flee. If I may observe? Norm is a bit of a coward. but even cowards have rights"

"Mmm. So...if he had threatened the girl directly, in full knowledge of her fae nature, that would be a more certain case in your mind?"

"If he had, I'd certainly have to consider switching to plea bargaining. i'd say I'd also lose respect for him but I don't really respect him now. "

August is shaking his head.

((As disapproval or as a signal, August?))

((Both))

Coradel doesn't seem to notice the signal, her expression and tone growing quite arch. "So...if he had, say, leveled a gun at the girl and said the words, 'Fuck the escheat' and 'Fuck you' while preparing to fire at her...?"

August goes quite still.

OOC Carry on. AFK

"Then I would say the Escheat says 'No Kithain shall spill the lifeblood of another Kithain.' and, he did not. And that must be taken into account. Even mortal authotiries recognize the difference between attempted manslaughter and successful."