Pathways

by Mercedes Lackey

  It was a lovely building, with a garden behind a low wall in front of the house. Levron took the stepping stone walk to the ornate front door and knocked.

  “Yes?” A neatly clad man faced Levron. “May I help you?”

  Levron bowed his head briefly. “I’ve come to interview Mistress Caromina on authority from Judge Perran, voice of the Son of the Sun and Vkandis Sunlord.” As he said this, he gestured to the gold badge on his shoulder. “Your mistress has been informed that I will be here this morning to speak with her.”

  The man glanced at the pin and stepped aside. “Mistress Caromina will see you now. She’s been waiting to speak with you.”

  Levron followed the man into the house, refusing to be impressed by the implied wealth displayed. Colorful hangings graced the walls, and the floor was covered with a deep-piled carpet.

  Mistress Caromina received the two men seated in a high-backed chair. She was an attractive woman, her black hair gathered at her neck and falling across her shoulders. Her gown gathered light from the open window at her side, evidence that it was most likely silk.

  She gestured to a chair facing hers. “Please be seated. I take it you wish to speak with me about the suit brought against this house.”

  “That is true, Lady,” Levron said. “With any luck, our conversation should be brief if you answer the questions I have for you.”

  Her black eyes hardened. “I’m aware you are the judge’s assistant. Have you worked with him very long?”

  “Long enough so that he trusts me with my findings, Lady,” Levron replied. “Surely you don’t question the authority I bring with me to question you.”

  Caromina drew a quick breath. “No. You must understand my position. My husband is a merchant of impeccable honesty. He would be here for this trial had he not been absent on business. Therefore, I stand in place of the head of household and will answer any questions you ask.”

  Levron nodded. “My thanks. I need to know more about your son, Brock. From what I’ve discovered, he has the reputation of being a troublemaker.”

  “Pffft!” Caromina lifted her chin. “He’s high spirited, that’s true. Sometimes the other boys in town find that intimidating.”

  “But he has been called to task in school, has he not?”

  “He and other boys. It wasn’t always his fault.”

  “I’ve been told that Brock was guilty of breaking a window in one of the shops a few blocks away,” Levron said. “Is that true or not?”

  “He was accused of that,” Caromina acknowledged. “His father paid to have the window repaired but denied Brock was the boy who threw the rock.”

  “There have been other instances of Brock being accused of petty destruction of property, have there not?”

  Mistress Caromina drew herself rigidly upright. “Who is spreading tales about my son? Who?” She darted a cold glance to her left, out the window at the neighboring house. “Is it that . . . that woman who is suing me? She surely is responsible for those statements.”

  “Not only her, Lady. Those statements have come from other people as well.”

  “I suppose she’s behind most of those rumors. She’s never liked Brock. For some reason, she has always looked askance at him.”

  “Has Brock fought with Jerret recently?”

  Caromina eyes wavered. “They had a minor altercation.”

  “And this is the reason the suit has been brought?”

  “It’s bad blood between our two houses. A minor thing that’s been blown completely out of proportion.”

  “But a broken leg is surely not a minor thing,” Levron pointed out.

  Lips thinned, Caromina looked away.

  Sudden movement behind her chair caught Levron’s attention. Two gold eyes caught the light as an orange tabby cat peered up at him.

  “Is he yours?” Levron asked, pointing at the cat.

  Caromina jumped to her feet. “Davan!” she cried. “Get in here! That ratty old cat is in the house again! I want it out of here now!”

  Davan, the man who had greeted Levron at the front door, ran into the room with a broom and swiped behind Caromina’s chair at the cat. A few prods with the broom, and the cat fled across the room and jumped out the opened window.

  “That nasty thing!” Caromina said, her face flushed. “I wish someone would get rid of it!”

  Levron stared at the window the cat had jumped through. “Who owns the cat?”

  “No one! It comes and goes, though I hadn’t seen it lately.” Caromina sat down again and waved a hand at Davan. “You may go. Try, if you can, to keep that beast out of the house.”

  “Yes, Mistress. I don’t think the cat will be back. Brock won’t—”

  “That’s enough! Leave us!”

  Davan bowed and left the room.

  Levron cleared his throat. “If there’s nothing else, Lady, I’ll take my leave. You’ve answered most of the questions Judge Perran wanted me to ask. Thank you for the privilege of your company.”

  • • •

  Outside, Levron wiped his forehead. The interior of Caromina’s house had been more than warm. He glanced up, hoping to see a few clouds that might dim the sunlight, but the sky was a clear, uncluttered blue. Now, on to the next interview.

  The house next door was slightly smaller than Mistress Caromina’s, but it was well kept and also boasted a neat garden in front. Levron drew a deep breath and knocked on the door.

  Instead of a servant, a tall woman faced Levron, her hair piled high in a bun. Her gown, while not as rich as the one Caromina wore, was still of quality.

  “I’m Levron, assistant to Judge Perran. I’ve come to speak with the mistress of this house.”

  The woman nodded. “I’m Hannah. Please come in.”

  Levron followed the woman to a corner of the large entry room. Two chairs waited by an open window. Hannah gestured Levron to one and took the other.

  “My thanks,” Levron said. “Judge Perran wants me to ask you a few questions before we go to trial. Is your son here?”

  “No. He’s at school.”

  “Have the two boys, Brock and Jerret, been involved in fights before?”

  “Hardly at all,” Hannah replied. “You must understand, Jerret is not a fighter. He was sickly when he was young and never attained his full growth. Brock, on the other hand, is a big boy. Most of the boys in town are afraid of him.”

  “Why is that?”

  “He tends to boss the other boys around. His family is well known, and if complaints are made to Brock’s father or mother, they stand up for him.”

  “And your husband?”

  Hannah glanced down at her hands, which lay crossed in her lap. “Reyard died more than a year past. Fortunately, we had enough savings and ties with other merchant families that we are not suffering.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss. Have you and Mistress Caromina been at odds for a long time?”

  “I would say so. When we were young, she had eyes for Reyard, but he chose me to be his wife.”

  “And this caused animosity between you?”

  “Yes. I think she’s always held Reyard’s choice against me.”

  “What is her opinion of Jerret?”

  Hannah smiled slightly. “She doesn’t care much for him. Says he’s a bookworm and would blow away in a strong wind. It’s true that he studies more than the other boys and that he loves animals.”

  “Oh? I saw an orange cat in Mistress Caromina’s house. She didn’t seem pleased that the cat was there. Is that your cat?”

  “No. I don’t know who he belongs to. He started coming around about a half a year ago. Jerret pets him and makes sure he has food and water.”

  Levron remembered a cut-off comment Mistress Caromina’s servant had made regarding Brock. “Has Brock been mean to the cat?”

&
nbsp; “It wouldn’t surprise me,” Hannah said. “He doesn’t seem to have much regard for anyone or anything other than himself.”

  “The injury suffered by Jerret at the hands of Brock, was that something witnessed by others?”

  “Yes. But Mistress Caromina swears the other boys are lying. She says Brock could not have injured Jerret.” Hannah’s face hardened. “That’s the way it always is. Between Brock’s father and mother, you’d think the boy was innocent as the first dawn.”

  “So, there have been complaints raised to them before that they deny?”

  “I’m afraid so. If anything goes sideways in town, most folks look to Brock.” She met Levron’s eyes. “Please don’t think that I’m saying these things to prejudice Judge Perran. I’m merely telling you what has happened in the past. It’s nothing new that Mistress Caromina would defend her son. She does it constantly.”

  “I see. Why exactly did you bring suit against Brock’s mother?”

  Hannah glanced up at the ceiling. “I want that boy to be brought to justice. Jerret has a broken leg, suffered during that fight with Brock. I’m not seeking a monetary award; the Healer’s fee was reasonable.” She shook her head. “I’m fed up with the fact that Brock is never held accountable for his misdeeds.”

  Levron nodded. “I’ll make certain Judge Perran hears everything you’ve told me. Nothing more can be done until the trial itself. I thank you for your honesty.”

  • • •

  Perran watched Levron pace up and down the room, a troubled expression on his assistant’s face. “What’s bothering you?” he asked.

  “Mixed feelings,” Levron replied, stopping by Perran’s chair.

  “And by that you mean?”

  “It’s hard for me to set aside my personal feelings. Of the two mothers, I would not hesitate to grant truth of the matter to Hannah. Yet there was something about my interview with Caromina that didn’t set right with me. Brock seems to be a bully. Evidently he’s also been cruel to a cat that lives around Jerret’s house.”

  “I see. And, of course, I can’t let any personal feelings sway my judgment in any way. You know that.”

  “I do. I don’t envy you. I would find it nearly impossible to ignore any opinions I have after gathering information necessary to make a judgment.” A rueful smile touched Levron’s lips. “That’s why you’re the judge and I’m not.”

  Perran laughed. “Wise of you to acknowledge that. However, there have been many times when I’ve depended on your observations. Truth can come clad in many colors. All I can do is judge the trial with information gathered by you and by questioning the two boys.”

  “We’ve not conducted a trial like this in . . . well, it’s been quite a while.”

  “Yes. However, I don’t think having the two mothers come before me would be best. From what you’ve gathered, Brock’s mother would defend him in any case. As you told me, Hannah isn’t seeking a monetary award, which means she’s not bringing the suit out of greed.”

  “I think she’s more interested in stopping Brock’s behavior. Even those who support Mistress Caromina have allowed that her son has been a problem.”

  Perran leaned back in his chair. “I’m not used to questioning children,” he said. “But I suppose that’s why I’ve been given the task of making judgments. I can’t always be presented with situations I’m comfortable with.”

  “The trial is this afternoon,” Levron said, stopping by the open window. A breeze made the heat slightly more bearable. “I don’t envy you having to sit there in your robes. The town hall will be packed, I’m sure.”

  Perran raked a hand through his hair. “The perils of my position. Perception is important. While everyone is aware I’m the voice of the Son of the Sun when passing judgment, it certainly doesn’t hurt to look the part.”

  • • •

  Levron’s estimation of the crowd gathered in the town hall proved correct. He stood behind the judge at the entrance to the large room, adjusting his own tunic and glancing at the gathered town folk.

  Timar, Perran’s senior guard, called out loudly, “All rise! Judge Perran is present at these proceedings. All honor to the Voice of the Son of the Sun and the words of Vkandis Sunlord.”

  The crowd stood and faced the aisle down which Perran walked, followed by Levron and the two guards. At the end of the room a large table had been placed, an impressive chair for the judge behind it, and a smaller chair set to one side for Levron. The two guards stationed themselves against the wall, arms crossed.

  As usual, Perran’s appearance caused a quiet sigh from the assembled crowd. His black robe made the heavy gold chain of his office appear even brighter. A handsome man, Perran’s face held no discernable expression. From this moment on, he was speaking for the rule of law set down by generations of judicial representatives.

  Two chairs sat opposite the judge’s table. The boys had taken their places, and they now fixed their attention on the judge. Levron could immediately see the difference between Brock and Jerret. Brock stood nearly two hands taller than Jerret and outweighed the slighter boy. Jerret, his right leg encased in a cast, had leaned a cane against his chair.

  “Today I stand as judge in this matter,” Perran said, his voice easily reaching the rear of the room. “The words I say will be based on my judgment of the case brought before me. Let me remind all present: The outcome of this trial depends on what has been discovered, what is said, and the answers I receive. I have been granted the power to make my judgment by the Son of the Sun and the laws of Karse. Once my judgment has been made, it is final.”

  A low murmur ran through the gathered town folk. Now it was more than apparent that the proceedings and its outcome were fixed by the laws of Karse and the power of the Son of the Sun.

  “So.” Perran leaned forward in his chair, his arms crossed on the table before him. “I’ll outline the case brought before me. From eyewitness accounts, a disagreement broke out between the two boys before me: Brock and Jerret. No one can say for certain what instigated the conflict, though the outcome is undisputed. Jerret suffered a broken leg and had to be seen by a Healer, who set the limb and told the boy to rest the leg before trying to walk, using the cane you all can see that he brought with him. Now I’ll begin my questioning. Brock, you will stand. And remember, anything you say had best be the truth. I’m sworn to Vkandis to hear only that.”

  Levron saw a slight change in Brock’s expression. Until Perran had called out his name, the boy had appeared, if anything, bored by the proceeding. When the judge had called his name, a brief tightening of his jaw evidenced slight unease.

  “You and Jerret are neighbors, are you not?”

  “Yes, Lord.”

  “And from what I’ve been told, you don’t think too much of Jerret, do you?”

  “No, Lord.” Brock squared his shoulders. “He’s not anyone I would be friends with.”

  “Which doesn’t mean you should fight with him, does it?”

  “He annoyed me,” Brock said. “Called me a bully.”

  Perran nodded. “Does the name ring true?”

  “Just because he’s better than me at school doesn’t give him the right to make fun of me.”

  “And how does he do that? Does he call you names?”

  Brock shook his head. “No, Lord. It’s the way he looks at me. He’s soft. He’s always been soft! Doesn’t like to play rough and tumble. Doesn’t like the fact that I don’t pay attention to books, art, and animals.”

  Perran caught Levron sitting up straighter in his chair, a curious expression on his face. What was it that Levron had said about Brock being cruel to a stray cat?

  “I see. And because he’s ‘soft’ and reads a lot, cares for animals, and likes art, you think he’s less than you?”

  “Look at him, Lord,” Brock said, gesturing at Jerret. “What use is he goin
g to be if he can’t stand up to some teasing?”

  “An interesting observation. It takes all kinds to make Karse great, young man.” Perran leaned back in his chair. “Now I’ve been told you have quite a history of getting in trouble here in town.”

  “No more than anyone else,” Brock replied, lifting his chin. “If anything goes wrong, I get blamed for it.”

  “And yet you have been disciplined because of recurring problems, haven’t you?”

  Brock’s eyes wavered. “It’s not always my fault. You can ask my father and mother.”

  “I’m sure they would speak very highly of you. I’ve also been told that you like to order other boys around and, when they don’t do what you ask, you lose your temper.”

  “That’s not true! If I lose my temper, it’s because they don’t listen to me.”

  “So, you took offense at what Jerret said and started a fight with him?”

  “Why should I have to put up with someone like him questioning me?”

  “I see. Also, it’s been reported that you’re not only lording over the other boys, but you’ve been cruel to animals.”

  “If you’re talking about that mangy cat that Jerret takes care of, I might have kicked him a time or two. Ratty old thing got in the house one day, and I didn’t like it.”

  Levron noticed Jerret stiffened in his chair and shoot a dark look in Brock’s direction.

  “But kicking the cat isn’t the only animal you’ve been cruel to, is that right?”

  “My Lord! Please!”

  A woman stood who had been sitting directly behind Brock. She glanced left and right, her face gone white.

  “I assume you’re Mistress Caromina,” Perran said, his voice gone very cold. “By what right do you disturb these proceedings?”

  “It’s unfair, Lord, to ask my son whether he’s been cruel to animals in the past. How does that have anything to do with this ridiculous suit brought against my son and my house?”

  “Sit down, Lady,” Perran snapped. “When you have attained a judgeship and have been given rights attendant to it, perhaps you might argue with me. Until that time, you will keep silent and refrain from disturbing these proceedings. Do you understand?”