NTI-Basic Law: Calise Desseren

[Milo L'Evienne]

Timestamp: Summer, Imperos, Era X

A young human, round of face with a bright red mop of curls, sat fidgeting behind a large desk in a small room, waiting for his new law student to arrive. For what seemed the fourth time in the past half candlemark, he skimmed a finger down a sheet of parchment till it stopped abruptly and tapped distractedly on the surface of the desk, repeating the name to remind himself of her name. Calise Desseren. Yes, that was it. A half elf, he’d been told.

Malachy Pratt appeared to be in his early twenties, with an endearing, sympathetic look about him. Not unattractive, no leading man, but somewhere squarely in between. Tall and broad shouldered with legs that folded uncomfortably beneath the desk…large hands that never ceased their moving, either shuffling through papers or tapping a nervous tempo on the desk. A little clumsy, if one were guessing. Light brown eyes were set in a guileless freckled face and from the looks of him, he possessed a great deal of intelligence, but not necessarily the bravado one might expect considering his build. Indeed, he was quiet spoken to a fault, nearing shyness. Almost cripplingly so when faced with a large crowd. Malachy’s tendency towards distraction and nervous energy made him a poor candidate for passionate arguments in a court of law. In other words, he tended to freeze. But his knowledge of the law and friendly disposition made him an ideal instructor for one on one classes.

The door to the room in a far corner of the institute stood open. The room was small and well lit, containing the one large desk and several chairs with writing tables in front of it. A corner classroom, so windows lined two walls and near one of those windows was a small table, stacked neatly with tablets of parchment, ink pots and quills. A few rugs were strewn on the floor to soften the sound of footfalls and in the presence of the warmer weather, the windows were left open to let in fresh air and the far off sounds of students passing here and there as they strolled the institute’s grounds.

All that remained, was for Malachy’s new student to arrive.

[Calise Desseren]

Calise rubbed at her eyes as she made her way back to the Institute of Technology, feeling altogether grumpy and out of sorts. It was a gorgeous summer morning, complete with clear skies, birds chirping, all sorts of flowers blooming and whatnot. She would have liked nothing better than to be in bed, sleeping til afternoon like she normally did during summer. There was nothing that irritated her more than ‘morning people’, those insufferably perky souls who actually enjoyed waking up early. Calise sighed, knowing that she’d just have to get used to waking up early - or at least earlier than she was used to.

Still, she supposed it had its good points. Calise couldn’t think of too many at the moment, but maybe once her head cleared up she’d make something up. She passed through the main room like a zombie, flashing Esmerelda an absent smile before heading down the hall. Down the hall, to the left, she recalled fuzzily. Room… 34B, was it? Calise chewed on her lip as she walked down the hallway, wondering if she’d gotten lost. She’d been fairly certain that Esmerelda had said turn left yesterday, but it was taking an awful long time… Aha!

The room was clearly marked 34B, much to Calise’s relief. She lingered outside a moment, taking the time try and appear as alert as she could. A few arm pinches and light slaps to the face later, she took a deep breath and opened the door, armed with a friendly smile.

The man seated at the table nearly vibrated with edgy energy, and wasn’t quite what Calise had expected. For one thing, she’d imagined that her law instructor would be someone a bit more elderly, perhaps with an imposing, dignified air about him. But here he was, a fresh-faced youngster who seemed to be infinitely more approachable. Calise wasn’t sure whether she was relieved or disappointed.

No matter her thoughts, her smile stayed in place. Calise stepped forward, until she reached his desk. A very… large desk, she observed. It made the room look a bit cramped. Cozy, she corrected herself. Best to think positive.

“Serale, sir,” she greeted him politely. “I don’t think I’m in the wrong room, but… were you expecting a law student? Calise Desseren?” Cal glanced up at him again, still unsure about whether she’d walked into the wrong room entirely.

[Milo L'Evienne]

Ss…erale,” Malachy replied with some difficulty when Calise approached his desk, somewhat taken by surprise. He was expecting her of course. But despite the young man’s ease when debating or discussing matters of law, he was not so confident in social situations. Especially when presented with a pretty lass. Or any lass. ”I was,” the young human added when he collected himself. ”Expecting you, I mean.” He smiled apologetically, the flush on his freckled face giving away his lack of ease. It might be an unsettling observation to someone looking for a confident instructor, passionate about his chosen field, someone that might engage in spirited debates. But he was all of that, Calise would discover, once he ventured into the subject of Law. It would prove a transformation as radical as the difference between darkening and brightening.

The room indeed seemed cramped. It would’ve seemed even more so, if not for the many windows. Malachy had his own theory of why he’d been assigned the smallest room in the institute, far removed from the others. He was one of the youngest by far, to have achieved his study and position, a condition likely resented by many of the older instructors. A theory yes, but it wasn’t like him to say so. He was far too polite.

”So you’re here to study Basic law then,” he said with a nod, deliberately folding his fingers inward to keep them tapping on the desk again. ”My name is Malachy Pratt, and despite what the other professors might tell you, I’m not one of the students, still wet behind the ears...But will be your instructor for the course,” he said, grinning more easily. ”It’s nice to meet you, Miss Desseren. You can choose whichever of the writing tables suits you and if you have need of quills, ink or parchment, you’ll find them on the table by the window. I’ll be providing any reading materials you’ll need,” he offered, gaining more confidence by rapid degrees as he slipped into his role of instructor. No more halting speech or rapping fingers, no more distracted fidgeting when faced with teaching one on one. Once she’d settled in, he asked, ”So Miss Desseren, what do you know already of the law? Have you done any reading on your own, or had any prior experience in law or politics?” It was a question he always asked, finding it advantageous to know just how much prior knowledge a student had, to better chart his course of instruction.

[Calise Desseren]

Calise smiled back, although privately she was feeling a little disappointed. Not that it was Malachy’s fault, not at all… He seemed like an awfully nice person, albeit nervous, but he just didn’t seem like the kind of teacher she’d been hoping for. The blushing and the youthfulness… it made Calise wonder if she’d been assigned to some student teacher instead of a real, experienced instructor.

Still, once he began explaining a bit more about the class he relaxed, almost visibly. Calise couldn’t help but grin at his introduction, a bit guiltily since she would’ve mistaken him for a student herself. She glanced over at the table with the writing implements, relieved since she didn’t have any of her own. Taking a quill and an inkpot, as well as a few sheets of parchment, she settled herself into a seat close by the window, so she’d be able to easily get more parchment if needed.

At his question, she glanced up. “Well, to tell the truth, I only really know the most common laws – not to steal, speak only the truth, and so on,” Calise admitted. “As for reading about it…” She fidgeted with the feather on the quill. “I… I tried reading some of the Articles of Imperium in the local library at home… if you could call it a library, they only have three books there,” Calise muttered. “In any case, I didn’t get very far since some of the other children started teasing me. As for prior experience…” She frowned slightly. Things were sleepy enough at home, with only the occasional thievery that was dealt with easily enough. They’d had a murder once, which was still big news… but that had happened at least 6 eras ago. “No, I can’t say I have any experience in neither law nor politics,” she answered with an apologetic smile. “I suppose that means you have a lot of work to do, huh?”

[Milo L'Evienne]

”Actually, no,” Malachy told her with a wide, humor laced grin. ”It tends to make things easier, since there are no preconceived notions to argue. Only new ones.” With some difficulty, the young man unfolded his legs from beneath the desk and stood, only then displaying his full height. Broad shouldered, he was over six feet tall and looked more like a farm raised lad or aspiring soldier, than a scholar. It was a wonder he’d fit the desk and indeed he didn’t especially. It made him feel at times like the grown up forced to sit the children’s table at holiday gatherings.

”I do understand the teasing though, Miss Desseren. I was a scholarly youth, advanced in some areas beyond my peers. It brought it’s own sort of isolation. But none of that here. During this course, I won’t only encourage, but will expect that you will feel free to question, argue and debate points of law. I assure you, no one will hold your opinions against you, expressed in the process of learning. While the law is written, and intended perhaps to be straight forward, men and women are infallible in their interpretation and maintenance of it. There are countless situations that affect this. Rank, station, wealth, personal greed, compassion… Opposing ends may read the same article and interpret it differently. In fact, they might be tempted to defend or prosecute the very same case on an identical article, one against the other. Without this, I’m afraid law would be quite boring indeed.” Saying so, he leaned over and pulled a sheet of parchment from his desk and handed it to her, before leaning against his desk. She’d see that it was a copy of the Annarian Code. ”The foundation of Law. Without it, the rest would not exist, or perhaps be made up as we went along,” he added with a light shrug. Some folks seemed to do that anyway to suit themselves, despite the Code.

”The requirements for the completion of Basic Law and Politics include the history leading up to the Articles of Imperium, the rights and responsibilities of each citizen, and an overview of the political structure and Imperial Senate. Also, the study of Proclamations I through III and their attending articles, along with the Annarian code. But,” he added as an afterthought,

”In addition, we will also be giving some attention to the articles of law themselves, though not as in depth as might be done in Intermediate law. In this area, I will be providing some work outside the classroom that will require you to make use of these articles to apply them to specific scenarios. Tasks, I hope, that you will enjoy and find quite challenging.”

”Do you have any questions before we begin? And I have a last one of my own as well. What is your purpose in pursuing the study of Law? Do you have an interest in lawyering, or will you pursue a political position? Or is it simply the pursuit of knowledge, commendable in itself.”

The Laws of Justice (Annarian Code)

The Sacred Three shall be Thine Primacy:
Citizens of the Allerian Empire must be committed to upholding the laws and participating in their communities to maintain the local and larger order through justice's pursuit.

Thou Shalt Swear Fealty to the Empire:
Subjects of the Empire must swear fealty to the Crown and to the institutions of law and government which represent it, obeying the directives and orders of their elders and superiors without question in exchange for the protection that this nation offers its citizens.

Take not what is not Thine:
Thievery in any form in the Allerian Empire is strictly prohibited; citizens shall respect the integrity and value of the associations and possessions that each possesses.

The Truth shall be Thine Liberator:
Subjects of the Allerian Empire shall speak only the truth, and shall nor purger themselves before the State.

The Weak shall be Defended:
Those of limited means, spirit or capacity, either physical, mental or otherwise, shall be protected from those stronger than they are who prey upon their weaknesses, in the name of Justice and Righteousness.

The Law is Common and Public, not Thine to Monopolise:
Allerians shall not take the law into their own hands, or dispense with Justice in their interpretation. Powers which are limited to the State alone - the power to kill, incarcerate and eject through banishment - shall never be exercised by a Citizen without approval from the Imperial Government, or in the pursuit of Honour.

Mankind's Cruelty must be Vanquished:
Life is inherently selfish and self-serving, for benevolent or malevolent intent, and as such, all citizens and subjects shall place forth an effort to vanquish the cruelty and evil present in us all. Those under trial must prove that they are Innocent, for their Guilt has already been established through Nature's predestination.

Thou Shalt comport Thineself with Honour:
Subjects and citizens shall act in Honour, to do pride to family and friends, and to ameliorate through success, prosperity, benevolence and temperament the very gifts of consideration and respect inherent in life's creed.

[Calise Desseren]

Calise nodded, somewhat relieved that her ignorance might actually be a benefit. Better to know nothing than to know the wrong things, she supposed. She blinked several times as Malachy stood up from his desk, surprised at how tall the man was. Even standing, she would be dwarfed by him, and looking up at him from her seated position required some craning of her neck. Tall and broad-shouldered… two of the things she liked best in men. But in a teacher?! A teacher. Keep cool, Calise, ice cold… She’d never had to worry about developing little crushes on her teachers before – but that was because they’d all been crusty old men or middle-aged spinsters. And she wasn’t about to start now, in any case. She crushed any stirring interest with the mental heel of her boot.

“You don’t exactly look like a victim of teasing…” Calise commented with a wry smile. “Unless the bullies were more bold than they were intelligent. But in my experience, they tend to target people who can’t really fight back.” She focused on the latter part of his speech, surprised again. Was this the blushing, fumbling man who’d greeted her barely minutes ago? It seemed she’d been wrong in her initial judgment, as first appearances normally were. Despite his youth, it was obvious that he was both knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, a fact that made her sit up in interest.

She’d always been a bit embarrassed to admit to anyone that she was interested in law. It just didn’t seem like a very… feminine subject. After all, one didn’t win the boys with policy discussions and debates. Nevertheless, she’d always had a fascination with the duality of law, how subjective it could be at times. Most people seemed to think that the law was the law, set in stone, with only one way to interpret them. Hearing Malachy speak made her realize anew the flexibility of some laws, all due to different points of view.

Calise accepted the sheet of parchment, scanning it briefly. She was familiar with the Annarian Code in practice, but she’d never seen the formal document before. There was something about fancy wording that just made it seem more official. She listened with half an ear as he ran through the requirements of the course, but glanced up when Malachy mentioned ‘tasks’. “Really? You mean, I’d actually get to use law in a real-life situation?” It was a thought that intrigued Calise, to have an actual application of what she was learning.

“Well… I’m studying it just for the sake of knowledge now. I’ve always had an interest in law, but never a way to study it – so I figured I should indulge myself with a class when I have the chance. As for occupations in those fields…” Calise couldn’t imagine that anyone would give her, a normal girl, enough power to reach those positions. “It sounds interesting, but I doubt that I would ever have the opportunity,” she shrugged with a smile. “As for questions of my own, I do have a few questions about the course itself. About what time would it run to, and is the class everyday? Also, is there anything in terms of homework? I suppose I should’ve asked Esmerelda some of these before I came,” she added apologetically.

[Milo L'Evienne]

”I don’t, do I?” Malachy commented with a smile as he settled himself comfortably on the desk. ”That said, they never did much but taunt from a distance. And after I grew a bit, only behind my back. Quietly,” he added, the smile turning into a broader grin. His ease had increased tenfold, even with banter having little to do with law. Long as it was in the context of getting to know a student, he might evade the nerves that threatened elsewhere. It was surprising to some, the difference that came over him in the classroom. Socially inept he might be, but this was Malachy Pratt’s domain and he was more than comfortable in it.

When she asked about the tasks he had planned, he shrugged thoughtfully, drumming his fingers along the edge of the desk with little awareness of the restless habit. ”In part, I suppose you might view it that way, though it’s likely not what you think. I’ll only be asking you, hopefully in a challenging way, to utilize what you’ve learned along the way. But that comes later,” he said, declining to say more on the subject of future tasks.

”There’s nothing wrong with study for the sake of knowledge alone. It’s a priceless commodity. Besides, who’s to say you won’t have the opportunity? There are countless of those, no matter your name or background. You’ve only the determination and skill to cultivate Miss Desseren.”

”As for your questions, we will meet here for two candlemarks each brightening, save the first two of each cycle. If the time conflicts with other obligations, I might move your classes to afternoon. It’s completely up to you, as I have an opening then. In addition, I will occasionally adjourn class for two added brightenings, so that you might do research or prepare a paper. Any resources required, I will supply. This actually relates to your question about tasks,” he added with a smile as he stood to stretch his legs. ”While you might want to review what you’ve learned of an evening, the tasks I will assign should be considered homework, to complete while class is adjourned for several days.”

”Now,” he said, settling behind his desk and having a seat again, ”we’ll get on with your lessons. You see in front of you, the Annarian Code. Without it, we might be grappling blindly to govern the Empire, so it is a natural place to begin. It might be viewed as a foundation in the name of Law, Order and Justice, as decreed by Anna the Strict. An outline of sorts for the laws and proclamations that are refined in more detail, by the Articles of Imperium. The details might be analyzed from varied directions, interpreted and utilized differently by an advocate or inquisitor to benefit their own aims. You might manage to argue the details well enough. Even rearrange a few of them. But the foundation is inarguable, so long as the decree by Diana stands."

”So have a look over these and take note of any questions you might have. Ask them of me when you’ve done, then I will have one for you,” he warned her with a smile.

[Calise Desseren]

She nodded silently as Malachy outlined the times of the class, considering. Calise knew that she’d have to get a job sooner or later, and she didn’t want it to interfere with her classes. 2 candlemarks wasn’t that bad, as it still left her the rest of the day to work and study for up for the next class.

When Malachy mentioned it, Calise turned her attention towards the Annarian Code once again. This time she studied it more in depth, taking her time to read through it more thoroughly. To her, the Code seemed fairly straightforward, setting down the basic rules of behavior for citizens and so forth. Frankly, she wasn’t quite sure what kinds of questions she could ask, or what Malachy would ask of her.

Calise decided to focus on the one somewhat vague term she’d found in the Code. “Well… Honor,” she began. “That seems a little broad to me. According to this code, wouldn’t be lawful for a man to kill another, just for honor’s sake? It just seems too … broad of a term,”[/color] she finished lamely, not knowing exactly how to express herself. “In the way that people could twist it to suit their needs…” Calise shrugged helplessly. “I can’t quite say what I mean to,” she admitted sheepishly. “But do you understand what I mean?”

OOC: Oy, short

[Milo L'Evienne]

”A good question,” Malachy replied with a thoughtful nod as he settled himself more comfortably behind the desk, long legs stretched out to the side. ”And yes, I understand what you mean. It’s not an unusual thing to wonder about. The condition of Honor, of an honorable act, is too often manipulated as a defense for a criminal act. And where a citizen is innocent of an act that he’s been accused of, it’s also too often used when there are other avenues and articles for defense that might well be as effective, and not so vague. My answer to the question might well get rather complicated, but more simply put, we must define Honor, sometimes again and again in regards to each specific case and it’s attending circumstances, to judge it a worthy defense, or not. For instance,” he said after a brief pause while long fingers drummed idly on the surface of the desk.

”You have a young woman who is walking home after dark, and is dragged into the shadows by an assailant, who intends to violate her. Another man happens by, witnesses the scene and attempts to stop the attack. There is a scuffle and in the midst of it, the assailant is killed with his own knife. If the savior were even to be tried at all, it would be a case well defended by self defense, The Weak shall be Defended and Honor. Few would argue that the man’s act was honorable, in defense of the woman. But,” he added, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

”Change the circumstances just a bit. When the would be hero comes upon the scene, the attacker flees, though his intent was clear. Instead of allowing him to just disappear, our hero pursues him. Perhaps he has in his mind that the man will surely be a danger to others. The same scuffle occurs, but away from the scene of the original attack. But the result is the same, the death of the assailant, by his own blade. Here is where many might still argue that our hero’s actions were honorable, and many would agree. But others would claim, and have a rather valid case, that because he pursued the man instead of alerting a city watch and giving them a description, that he took the law into his own hand. The Law is Common and Public; not Thine to Monopolize. So in this case, Honor must be defined by drawing the conclusion; What is Honor, and what is vigilante justice?”

”Right,” he grinned and stood, pushing his chair under the desk before resting his hands on the back of it. It was rare, the young man stayed in one place for long. ”I’ve a question for you to answer, and then I believe we’ll adjourn for the day. The second principle of the Annarian Code-Thou shalt swear fealty to the Empire. What does this mean to you, considering current events? Perhaps, in regards to Jaedaxia and her separation from the Empire. Briefly, on what grounds would such a stance be defendable, or not, in your mind?”

ooc: no worries. Mine tend to have to be long, simply for the purpose of getting all the info and law stuff in there. Besides, I do tend to ramble on. And, you’ll be getting some stuff to do later on that will require a few frighteningly long posts.

[Calise Desseren]

Calise nodded absently as she jotted down a few notes on the blank parchment, namely about honor as a valid defense depending on case by case, and the examples that Malachy had made in order to express his point. It was interesting that a situation that could’ve been easily defended with honor became so much more complicated by changing just one factor. It also made her worry a little about how complicated these tasks he was going to give her could be.

She glanced up to watch her instructor again, feeling rather… stationary compared to him. Sitting, then standing, walking around the room, leaning forward, leaning back – it was obvious he was a rather restless man. Just watching him move around was a workout. Still, it was more interesting than staring at a seated professor drone out a lecture.

Even though he stated the second principles aloud, Calise glanced down at her copy of the Annarian Code anyway. Subjects of the Empire must swear fealty to the Crown and to the institutions of law and government which represent it, obeying the directives and orders of their elders and superiors without question in exchange for the protection that this nation offers its citizens. And Jaedaxia… Calise frowned as she thought. Jaedaxia’s actions seemed absolutely contrary to the second rule.

“Well…” she started after a few minutes of silence. “This rule seems to denote a sort of exchange – protection from the nation in return for loyalty of the subjects. If Jaedaxia believes that it has no need of protection, then…” She waved a hand in the air. “I don’t see why the law would have to apply to them. They wouldn’t be under the protection of the nation, and therefore wouldn’t need to swear loyalty.”

OOC: ‘Frighteningly long posts’? Now I’m really looking forward to this thread, lol. And why must you make me think? WHY?!

[Milo L'Evienne]

Thinking? Oh, there will be thinking. ;-)

After a brief moment spent digesting her answer, a small grin tugged at the young instructor’s features. With a shrug, he finally replied. ”No doubt there are a fair number of Jaedaxians wishing it were so. Unfortunately, it’s not. You’ll find as you become more familiar with the law, that for the presence or absence of very small, seeming insignificant words, each directive and proclamation takes on a different meaning entirely, than what might be first assumed. On the contrary, those very words, or lack of them, may prove to be a defense for actions taken, as well as a means of prosecution for others. Words like either, or, and, might…In this case, must. 'Must' swear fealty to the empire and to the institutions, etcetera. It might be read as an option, but in truth, is not. It’s not a matter of-if you choose to swear fealty, we will give you this. It is a matter of-you will, and in return, you will be given these things. Even in the absence of a ruler that has endured the rite of succession, as in the case of Julos, it is to the Empire that fealty is sworn to. The Crown should be viewed as one and the same, even when we’re not completely sure who is rightly wearing it,” he added with a good natured shrug.

”Still,” he added as he reached behind him to sort through a folder. ”Where the Annarian Code may leave room for interpretation in this particular matter, the articles define it.” Pulling out the piece of parchment he was looking for, he stood and walked to her desk, handing it to her and then pointing to a particular section. ”A preview of Proclamation I, which we will be covering next brightening in more depth. But here,” Malachy continued, sweeping his finger down the page till it rested on a bold title. ”Proclamation I, Title II, Power of Imperium, Article four, Origin of Imperium, sections one, two and three.”

”In short, it’s sometimes the words most easily passed over, that make the largest difference when interpreting the law. Or sometimes, manipulating it,” he said after giving her some time to read the passage. ”Watch closely for those,” he warned her with a wide, good natured grin. Walking back to his desk, he closed the leather folder he’d been working from and glanced out the window before turning back. ”I believe this is a good place to stop for the day. I believe I’ve managed to keep you a little longer than expected. Next brightening, we’ll have a closer look at Proclamation I,” he concluded, seating himself behind the desk.

Title II ~ Power of Imperium

ARTICLE 4
Origin of Imperium

Section 1: The Nation of the Allerian People, and all sovereign lands and territorial possessions, protectorates past present and future, and any administrates thereof, is proclaimed the Allerian Empire, or Imperium Allerianum. The Allerian Empire shall exist in all perpetuity and be indissoluble. The Sovereign Integrity of the Allerian Empire, and of the powers that guide it, shall be known as the Imperium.

Section 2: Any lands or islands that are formed or that may appear in Alleria's territorial waters, in whole or in part, shall form an irrevocable part of the national territory of the Empire.

Section 3: The territory of the Empire extends into the atmosphere above the lands and waters. This territory is sacred and inviolable. It shall not be ceded, reduced or broken up. This territory is claimed, occupied and administered by right of history and shall never be abandoned.

[Calise Desseren]

Calise grinned a bit sheepishly while Malachy shot down her argument. She was wrong, but she had a feeling that she’d probably be wrong for many of her lessons to come. Law was turning out to be a rather tricky course of study. Still, she’d come here to learn, and it was quite obvious that she had a lot of learning in front of her... so she couldn't complain. In any case, this first lesson had been an eye-opener. For one thing, it was clear that Malachy knew law well, which made her feel more secure about future instruction.

Despite Malachy’s explanation, she couldn’t help feeling a little discontent. And truthfully, she rather liked her interpretation of the Code better. “I suppose it’s a bit of a moot point to be arguing this, but shouldn’t loyalty to the state be an exchange between citizen and government? After all, the government needs citizens to be… well, to be in existence, and people need a government to give them order and enforce laws.” She absently tapped her fingers on the copy of the Proclamation that she’d been given, having glanced over it briefly. “It doesn’t seem…well… it just doesn’t seem very fair,” Calise added tentatively. She was going to say tyrannical, but that didn’t seem very tactful at all.

She rose to gather her belongings – which consisted of the copies of the Annarian Code and Proclamation I that Malachy had handed to her, plus the skimpy page of notes that she’d taken. She frowned a bit at her empty bag. She’d been planning to look over both documents that night, but she didn’t have anything with which to take notes with. Glancing at her instructor, Calise tried her wide-eyed puppy-look, which was known to work well on parents and adults. “Uh…would it be alright if I took some of the writing supplies as well? I haven’t had a chance to buy any of my own yet…”

[Milo L'Evienne]

”It’s never a moot point to argue law, Miss Desseren,” Malachy assured Calise with a grin that despite the breadth of his shoulders and his height, appeared rather boyish. ”There’d be no lawyers otherwise and we instructors would be out of a job. Argue away. But, it is an exchange, more or less. We are guaranteed protection under the law, in exchange for declaring fealty. Though in most cases, it’s an assumed condition. By virtue of being born within the borders of the Empire, we assume fealty. Barbari and public officials must take an oath as a formality, but the assumption is no less binding. It may seem unfair, but think of the chaos that would ensue if citizens were allowed to decide whether or not to support the Crown and follow the law. Provinces would separate or engage in civil war. Cities within provinces would disagree and feel free to do so. You can see the effects already in the Herald, due to the question of who the rightful emperor is. Without the tie that binds us, fealty to the empire, there’d be no order. Law provides justice, which leads to order. With everyone free to make their own choice of whether to make the exchange or not, there’d never be a thing acc