Could've sworn there was a specific word for tree conservation.
adela_sterling The first step is somewhere safe to stay. You have to repress a gasp when they finally come out into the light; they’re pretty banged up, scrapes and cuts all over. They also have the remainders of a black eye.
Sky looks near to tears. No wonder, dear thing; their own sibling, in a state like this…as you take them back to Medicus, you can’t help but notice just how similar they look. And they’re close. Oak is obviously still on edge, but that seems less sharp around them. Even in this situation, they can still provide comfort for one another. Sky, at least, seems very relieved.
When you arrive at Medicus, Doctor Hazel is there, place already prepared for Oak. They settle in, and you leave him and Sky to talk. You’re sure they have a lot to discuss.
“He’s injured?” She gasps, and you wave a hand to get her to quiet down a little. She clasps a hand over her mouth, apologetic.
Yes, Oak is injured, and you had to put him in Medicus for the poor thing to even get his strength for the trial. You shake your head, mournful. And to think they really want the whole case to go ahead, when the defendant is barely even on his feet…
Your customer nods too. She thinks for a second, obviously deliberating.
“Can we push it back somehow?”
You repress a smile. Yes, there’s a way…if you meet quorum and vote against the trial…
The rest of the week is consumed with this. Carefully spreading the word to those you trust not to make a grand announcement of it, keeping an ear out for any news on the case. There are very few new developments, but you hear of several investigations underway. Archivist Elias hasn’t been able to turn up anything in the archives, but the case is probably too recent. And apparently, Glamour and John have been meeting recently. Elias Shaw has been as reclusive as ever.
You visit Medicus, as you do on your way back home recently, and usually find Oak and Sky chatting. Slowly, Oak seems to be recovering. When you sit them down to discuss the details of the trial, they regain some of that fear in their face – but they nod. You take them through it all, and by the end, they’re as prepared as they’re ever going to be.
The day of the trial finally comes. You’d hoped that you could solve this the easy way, with quorum not being met at all, but as more and more people gather in Terminus that seems impossible. Leah very confidently announces that there are more than thirty people present.
“So, to start off proceedings, uhm…” she gathers some cards from out of her pocket. “Yes, a statement from Oak or Oak’s representative, please.” (You ignore the ugly glare she sneaks you when she says that.)
And so you set about doing what you do best. You make your case, carefully and cleverly, on why it would be irresponsible to hold a trial at this point. Apparently the news of Oak being in Medicus has spread just enough, because you catch whisperings about it in the crowd, people looking halfway between angry and worried. What you need is a vote to delay and more time to investigate. To deal with this rashly would be worse than not dealing with it at all, though you are careful to note it will be dealt with. All you insist upon is time.
But before the vote, there’s a few minutes of deliberation for everyone to talk. There’s a couple more questions directed to you, and each one you answer in turn. You wait patiently. You are confident; at least outwardly. There is no space for worry when you are responsible for how this outcome goes.
And eventually, eventually, the vote is done. Leah does her job, collects the votes…
You’ve succeeded. The trial will be delayed, for now, in order to allow time for investigation. You’re half-afraid Aslan will show up to counteract the vote, but no such thing takes place. You breathe a sigh of relief.
For now, you’ve got this in hand.
{[]}