Retrieve the Kingdom

Court Issues

Tension filled the court. Every person has racing hearts for their own particular reasons. The feeling of nervousness filled every person’s mind. Each has its own guilt. 

Every person is in their own space, thinking of their own thoughts. Andrei was thinking about what will happen and what will be the result of this trial. He wishes that everything will go well. But, since the law enforcement is already screwed up for the past few years, Andrei’s expectation will be failed. 

Why would he expect something that is already tainted with mischief, betrayal, and greed? Everything they do what already selfish, for their own good. “If you get benefited, you do it”, their secret motto. Almost detouring from the path of the original motto, “People have rights, and adhere to what is right.” 

The court session started by telling the description of the case. What happened that preceded to this event, the involved persons, who are in this room, and every detail that was reported to the jury. 

“Law Councilor Claro of Hastey was accused of unconsented touching and harassing of Archduke Bermin’s wife, Lady Naia of Gumpel. This was particularly believed to have occurred on the 20th of December, in the current year of Eshecaea. According to the investigations, the lady was in the office of the councilors that day. The defendant, sir Claro was in his office. The victim entered the wrong room and that’s where everything fell out of its place. Defenseless, the lady was touched on parts that need consent. It was also stated that the victim was kissed, which is against the law of marriage.”

Andrei was familiar with this peak of formality in the court, but he has never really witnessed a court session. He has before, but it was just a peek to know what this building does when he was a child. It was a weird first-timer familiar feeling. He was a bit uncomfortable with the level of formality, he was not ready for this. 

“The victim may now say her side, promising that she will say the truth under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, Adale.” Lady Naia stands up to her seat. “I, Lady Naia of Gumpel will say the truth under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, Adale.” The judge signals her to proceed. 

“I was in the office of the councilors that time because I will visit my loving husband, Archduke Bermin of Eshecaea. I was going home that time from my business on Mottram and I decided to go home with my husband. I came from a stressful business trip, so my sense of direction and my realization time was a bit delayed. It was really a tiring trip. As I entered the building, the only thing in my mind was going into the office of my husband. Then, I thought Law Councilor Claro’s office was his, so I entered abruptly. I was embarrassed by entering and said sorry a couple of times. It was…” 

Bermin comforts her, she is getting uncomfortable speaking about what happened. “Then?” The judge asked. “I-I am sorry… I can’t do this.” The lady resisted, she can’t take her seat abruptly as respect. “How can we get through this if you will not describe the situation? The event?” 

“Excuse me, but, my wife is uncomfortable talking about the event. Don’t push her over, don’t creep her out.” Bermin already spoke up, he didn’t mind if he broke any law in this court. “Archduke Bermin, she needs to finish her statement. She needs to describe her situation, what Claro did, and what she felt—” 

“Wait, wait. That’s too much, judge. You didn’t know how awkward it is for her!” Bermin is starting to lose his peace. “It’s awkward because maybe it’s not true.” It was enough to trigger Bermin as the lady stopped him from saying anything, “Fine, I’ll say it if you want.” 

She described what happened, almost every detail, the archduke stopped her as he starts noticing something. “Are you making her say this because of the investigation purposes?” 

The judge snapped back in the reality, “Of course! This is a piece of crucial information.” The archduke stands, “Don’t joke on me, try looking at the mirror while you fantasize my own wife, MY OWN WIFE, judge.” The archduke’s fists were clenched, and inside he is gritting his teeth. 

The judge laughed, “Don’t jump on conclusions, Archduke Bermin. I am not, and who says I am? You are getting paranoid. And you are wasting a lot of my time. Let the lady finished her statement, and we will go through this, alright?”

“She is already finished, she had enough. You don’t know how she feels when she is describing this. This is not a laughing matter or fantasizing matter. If you fantasize harassment, rethink your life decision, Judge Marion.”

“Woah, now you are calling my name? That’s just disrespectful, I don’t care if you are the archduke, but this is a violation to my rights.” Bermin snickered, “Well, let’s call it quits because you violated my wife’s rights on saying no on your favor. She doesn’t want telling more about what happened, so let her.” 

“That’s the point of this trial, sir Bermin. To know what happened, if she wouldn’t say anything about it, this would just end up like in the investigation, just theories, and whatnot.” 

It made Bermin even angrier, “You call this trial? In just the first time you asked her what happened and tell exactly what she felt and what Claro did prove that this, not a trial, if you are gonna make my wife satisfy your pleasure then I will not even consider continuing this case anymore, or even, I can fire you at any time.” 

“You can’t do that—” “I can and I will if you proceed to do this. I have the power over the workforce of this kingdom, especially on the law. You, the judge, you are under me. If you are not doing your job nice and clean, then it’s better to clean you out of this building.” 

“A lot of people are witnessing these threats from you, sir Bermin. You are already abusing your power. Threatening me that you will get me out of my position, that I am taking care of for years! Isn’t that bad, sir Bermin? Isn’t that unfair? A person who has been serving the nation for all of his life will just be kicked out because of petty reasons. Not because you are the archduke, it doesn’t mean that you can lead this court session. I am the judge, and you are just one of the witnesses of this crime.” The judge smirks, making Bermin want to punch his face. But he calmed himself and tried to fight him with grace and formality. 

“You also did, Judge Marion. Not because you are the judge, you can just let my wife speak what she doesn’t want to speak. You studied the laws of Eshecaea, right? The script she has written over her years of leading the tribes of this kingdom. The script has been rewritten and changed over the years. I supposed you learned that, you learned every phase of the script. One of the written rules and also commonly spoken rules, don’t force anyone to obey you. And my wife has the right to say no. And this is the problem that we are conversing in this trial right? The problem of consent. The power of no. And you just violated that, right in front of people. Isn’t that bad, Judge Marion?”

The judge fell silent. He can’t say anything about what Bermin just used to contradict him. He fixed himself, “You may now take your seat, sir Bermin. Law Councilor Claro of Hastey, please stand and say your statement, promising you will say the truth under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, Adale.”

Claro stood up, a bit hesitant. The king was right, Bermin is a very determined dangerous man. He was the second most powerful person in the kingdom anyway. If the king is using his power to make things go at his will, his brother, without a doubt, will do that too. One example is how protective he was with his wife. 

“I-I… I, Law Councilor Claro of Hastey, will say the truth under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, Adale.” The judge signaled him to proceed. “I am one of the law councilors, the ones who approved the laws that are proposed to us, the ones who research and see the flaw of some laws and improving them. Hence, I will not disobey the scripts that the past leaders have written, and will adhere to it till I took my last breath.” 

“He will take his last breath someday…” Bermin whispered in anger. The lady comforts him. Andrei was scared of his uncle and at the same time, he was amazed. He can’t think what he will do more just to save his loved ones. He was scared to be in danger now, not because of the impending doom of death, but how will his uncle, which seems his father now, will react to it. 

“Bermin, don’t be like that. Don’t say anything about that. Don’t be like your brother…” The archduke sighed as he calms himself down. Even he doesn’t want to hear Claro’s voice, he is stuck to listening to his statement that will not even matter anyway. Naia’s statement is already enough, even the description, it’s already enough for him. 

Claro’s statement went well without interruption since Bermin decided to let the court session go smoothly so this can be resolved once and for all. “The victim’s side brought of what said to be the witness. Councilor Vogel of Driessen, will you please stand and state what you’ve witnessed, along with that, you promise you will say the truth under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, Adale.” 

The witness was startled a little bit, it was strange that he seemed spook of his turn. “I… I… I, Councilor Vogel of Driessen, p-promised to…” He was constantly caressing his neck and Andrei noticed that he was squinting in pain. “To say the truth… U-under the name of Eshecaea and the honor of the god of justice, A-adale.” 

“Are you alright, sir Vogel? Do you still want to proceed?” The judge asked him as he quickly nods, “O-of course! This case will not go silent! I-I… I… I witnessed it… Not really… But… I was the one that,” Vogel took some deep breaths, he was like panting, he continued. “I-I… I was the one that saved the lady… She was screaming for help… Since… Since Claro’s office and the nearby offices were busy… I-I… Was one of the neighboring offices. I heard the scream of a lady…"

“Excuse me but, are you sure you are alright, sir Vogel? You seem anxious and nervous. Are you telling the truth? Or you were threatened by someone in this court? Are you really the one who helped the lady?”

Vogel nods, “I am just… A bit not okay this day… Your honor… But I am fine! I can carry this away… I-I can…” Andrei was a bit concerned, he looked at his aunt and uncle, they were too. They were confused about what is happening and what is the problem. Bermin called one of his servants to call a doctor which she immediately did.

“Do you know what is happening to him?” Naia asked Bermin who just sighed. “I wish I do. I am just deducing what it is. It might be a sign of heart attack, or it’s just an impending doom of asthma.” 

“And then… And then…” Vogel suddenly holds his chest and fell to the ground. He was catching his breath as everyone tried to help him. 

His head finally rests on the floor and took his last breath.