"All stand!"
The command echoed through the white-painted hall. Gorrit rose with hundreds of others, sun streaming through the open roof onto his face. Courts were built open to the sky so nature herself could witness justice. Today was one of those days he wished for rain—for anything that might stop this.
He looked across the hall. Goland stood in the dock, sweat glistening on his face despite the cool breeze from above. His brother's hands rested on the worn wood, fingers tracing the Cezarian crest carved there—the symbol of justice, peace, and truth. The crest they'd both defended their entire lives.
There were stories of dragons descending on courtrooms after unjust verdicts, carrying corrupt Staffs away in their claws. No one knew if the stories were true. Maybe they were warnings. But no one had ever found the bodies.
Gorrit could still see Goland teaching him to hold a sword. Back when the only thing they had to fear was their village's loathing for fatherless children.
Staff Moore ascended the silver Dias. As he sat, the court followed.
Moore adjusted his glasses and opened his journal. He positioned the case documents carefully. "In light of all the hearings so far, " His pen scratched across the page. "—this court, and the Ethical system, finds Goland, Arch Commander of the Oericles of the Tedi ilk, guilty."
A man from the Innocent section roared, "Yes!" Someone from the Tedi section groaned. The man caught himself, hand flying to his mouth, and turned forward quickly.
The woman behind Gorrit couldn't control herself. She wept openly. Others bowed their heads and murmured.
Moore lifted his gaze. The hall fell silent. He adjusted his glasses and read: "The perpetrator shall be tried by a thousand blades, bathed in a pool of ants, and fried in boiling oil."
A woman screamed.
Gorrit's eyes found Goland. His brother stood still in the dock. Their eyes met across the hall. Goland forced a smile.
Tears burned behind Gorrit's eyes. He remembered being chased from their shelter when they were kids—cold, young, terrified. How Goland consoled him saying, "Don't cry. If you cry, you've been defeated. Tears that stay in help you fight."
Gorrit squeezed his eyes shut. The words resounded in his head. When he opened
them, he stood—right hand to chest, left behind back.
However, Moore wasn't finished. He cleared his throat. The weeping woman fell silent. He continued: "And his body shall know no soil. It shall be a burden to the beasts—their meal."
Gorrit couldn't take it anymore. He didn't care if Moore was done.
He straightened, sharpened his gaze, and said with a voice that carried to every corner of the hall: "Objection to the Staff. I seek redress." The people stirred a noise like a hive of hornets. Goland nodded in disagreement. Gorrit ignored.
Moore took off his glasses and wiped his face with his white handkerchief. "Oericle, contain your excesses." He dropped his glasses on the Dias and closed his book. " there is no redress after a verdict."
Gorrit freed the Oericle stance and rubbed his hand on the seat in front of him."I am aware, Lord Moore. But the law curtails that this judgement will not stand." The murmur ceased, all eyes were on Moore. His fist was clenched, his brows curled.
Deri, a man carrying the royal crest stood holding the same stance Gorrit did. "Are you by any chance challenging the staff?"
Gorrit looked back at him and breathed a sigh, he knew there was no turning back if he continued. But then again, so many eager eyes, one of them a family tie depended on him. Turning around he said, "I'm standing by the law," as his eyes found Moore.
Moore smiled and put on his glasses. His pen tortured his journal once more, "you do realize I could have your head for this disregard," the words left his mouth as his pen stopped it's jiggling.
"Nature would take far more if we hold the laws in contempt, my lord." His face was without expression, his eyes forgot to blink, "there is no verdict without a full hearing."
Moore's smile had a history of being the calm before the storm. This time it also created a calm. The hall was without a sound, Gorrit's hands shook. He held them together tight behind him. Deri freed up his stance, "We have had two hearings in the Tedi ilk and this is the second being held here. What needs to be heard that hasn't?"
Gorrit turned to Deri, "To the honour of the court, I was present at the flooring of the innocent lives. I have information that could change the reins of the case." He then returned his gaze to the Staff.
Goland looked at Gorrit and nearly teared up again. A boy who I taught to hold a sword now fights for me, he thought.
Moore looked at journal and picked his pen again, "Your testimony cannot be considered, for the blood ties that exist. Or do you now forget the law?"
Gorrit's heart pounded against his chest, he tried to respond, but seeing the end of his responses left him stuttering. He looked at Goland and bowed his head. Those eager eyes now filled with tears from a failed attempt, and in that moment, Gorrit feared they might die together, just as they were born.
The court waited for Gorrit to make his argument. However, a man who sat in the Mystic section, robed without a crest but carrying the mystic mark sought to nail him, "He was there, yet we got the news of the massacre from a mere Cezarian." He looked around the hall, his eyes appealed to the crowd "Who knows? He might have planned it all," his voice firm and purposeful.
"Mind your words!" Goland snapped, pressing hard on the dock, looking at him like he was a fly in dung.
"Goland, remember your place. You are not to speak in a Council of Freemen. Thus, His argument will be taken into consideration," the Staff said and Goland Slammed his hand against the dock holding his scream. He breathed heavily and murmured to himself, "it's not fair."
Heads nodded, sighs were released and then silence returned. The matter seemed to be getting worse. Gorrit however continued without considering the threat.
"If indeed I am to be charged with aiding and abetting, I would humbly request you persecute me based on the Old Laws," The crowd roared. This time Moore's gaze was not enough to stop the noise.
"Our Lord would not permit me to grant you such a wish," Moore said.
"But the law states you must honour the wish of a devoted man," Gorrit said and looked at Goland, "the innocents—"
"Lord Moore," Deri interrupted, "the situation seems to be bigger than I thought.—"
"Why would you say that?" Gordian Cut in now standing up and Turning to the staff, "Lord Moore, if your verdict isn't effected immediately the people would mock the law."
Moore put on his glasses and observed the man , "what ranks have you?" he adjusts the Gavel on the Dias "Sit down do not interfere with legal proceedings."
"I am sorry my lord."
"Deri, continue."
Deri bowed "Sir, if you do not grant his wish, people will rebel against the Lord for disregarding the last wish of a devoted man." he then looks at Gorrit and breathes slowly. " however if the court honour his wish, Goland would not be declared guilty, and Gorrit's death wouldn't be associated with the crime—but with abetting. A war between Oericles and Innocents would be avoided. I beg you to reconsider."
"And what makes you believe in the fantasy that we won't come after the faction for abetting?" The man argued.
"The virtue of the Innocents' ethics. They would consider a massacre as a political move; however, abetting would be seen as a compromise of personal morals," Gorrit said. The man seemed to agree, he could say no more.
"This should no longer be a matter of a Cezarian's rights, but of maintaining state peace," Deri added.
The Staff looked down and pressed his hands against his face. The court had people murmuring. Goland didn't want his brother to be punished on his behalf but speaking against it cause more problems. He leaned on the dock, scratching the Cezarian crest with his right hand. Moore raised his head and tore out the sheet from his journal, the matter was beyond him.
He took up the gavel and struck it four times, then once more upon the case file—the Cezarian symbol for adjournment.
Gorrit smiled and sent his fist into the air. He turned to Goland and tapped his chest slowly as court rose. Goland smiled back at him, it was his plan all along, he thought as he repeated the gesture.
All Oericles held their stance: right hand to chest, left hand behind. The common Cezarian bowed their heads. And the Innocents—present only in their legal capacity—departed before the Staff rose to swear the Secrecy of Cause. Goland was taken away. Moore picked his journal and dropped the case file on the piece he tore from it. And went into his chamber. Gorrit, partly fulfilled sat back down.
Slowly, the court emptied, each soul bracing for the rare audience with the Lord himself.
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