The World Walkers: Quiar: The Case of the Counterfeit Enchantments (part 6)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 4, continued
Part 5
Part 5, continued

Lucille sat at the back of the meeting room, with Bertram next to her, waiting for everyone to arrive. Peric was already sat at the front of the room, in white robes, looking entirely different to the friendly mouse she had met on her first day, so she could fulfil his duties. She still wasn’t entirely sure what he did, but the town council seemed much more relaxed than the World Walkers Council and that could easily mean he did more than one job. Six other council members sat next to him, also wearing robes, which appeared to be the professional clothing of choice in Sheepshank. It was strangely reassuring as that was what the Council members wore when they met on Athare.

Bertram had been Lucille’s guide to understand who was who. There were three sheep, hardly a surprise as they had created the town; two horses, one who’d apologised to Lucille for the abuse she’d suffered on her first day and told her she was going to make certain it didn’t happen again; another mouse; two ravens, one who’d stopped to talk to Bertram for a few moments about the arrested raven; a cornsnake; a firefly; and, surprisingly, a pup bird. For the next three years the elected mayor was another sheep. It had been the sheep who’d tried to make certain that one of every race was on the council, and only the seagulls had turned them down saying that the ravens could be their voice, even if they did other work as well, like the pup bird, so that everyone felt they had a say in how Sheepshank was run. It was one more thing that Lucille loved about the town.

Having such a mix of races did mean that all the meetings had to be scheduled around sunset so everyone could get there. The firefly, who’d arrived just after they had, looked a little sleepy, but had taken the time to greet everyone who was already there. He had even talked to Lucille for a few moments, asking after her health, and slowly she was beginning to feel even more that Quiar really was a world she was going to travel to regularly. She knew that they viewed her as a good contact to have, because of what she was, and she had thought she’d be much more uncomfortable with it than she was. It made sense. They needed her and if she could help them, especially after the way Bertram had helped her and Peric had made certain she knew what was happening, she was going to everything she could.

Aulus walked in, followed by the pup bird. Smiling at the mouse, Lucille patted the seat on the other side of her as she’d saved it for him, feeling he had as much right to be at the meeting as she did. He tentatively smiled back, glanced up at Peric, and then took the seat.

“It’s all fine,” she said, unable to stop herself from giving him a sideways hug. “I cleared it with Peric and he agrees that you should be here because it was your record book that was stolen.”

“You’ve been a good friend to me, Lucille.” Aulus squeezed her hand gently with his paw. “I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I’m glad I did.”

“Pure luck,” Bertram replied. “It just so happened that the Council Moonjumper who visited this time actually is a person as well as a Moonjumper.”

Lucille shook her head, even though she was smiling, because she understood exactly what Bertram meant. A lot of the Walkers she knew were Walkers first and people second, but that was something she’d never quite managed. Being a Walker was all she’d ever wanted and yet that didn’t stop her from being herself, from letting herself fall in love with the worlds she visited, even though that was something that was frowned upon. It was understandable. Getting too involved was a bad thing for a Walker, so most kept themselves distanced from everything but what they were viewing.

“Good evening,” a female voice said, making Lucille jump.

“Good evening,” she replied, as she looked at the speaker. She declined her head when she saw it was the pup bird. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Lucille.”

“We all know who you are, Moonjumper.” The pup bird didn’t sound nasty when she said that, but more amused. “You quickly became a person of interest when you entered Sheepshank. It’s been fascinating to see how you’ve affected the town and I’m glad you came.”

“Is there a reason you’re glad?”

“Your arrival has triggered changes that meant we could capture the imported of the counterfeit charms and, if what I’m hearing is correct, the majority of inhabitants believe that you would speak for us if the Council became angry in any way with the Quiaran people.”

Bertram stiffened beside her. “I would.” Lucille’s reply made Bertram relax again. “Luckily I’ve met some people I like and respect here, so if the Council did have any problems with Quiar I’d do my best to make thing better. I’m not certain why there would be any reason for the Council to do anything, to be honest they don’t often do much when it comes to the worlds themselves, but if something were to happen I would speak for you.”

“You’re going to be good for us.” The pup bird declined her own head in a sign of respect. “If you ever need any help from the pup birds just ask for Serafina.”

As the pup bird walked off Lucille looked at Bertram. “I know that I can be useful to you, Bertram. It’s not a problem.” She glanced at Serafina again. “How are the pup birds viewed here?”

“Mostly…” He shook his head. “I feel a little guilty saying this, but they’re pitied more than anything, because this isn’t their home. The sheep wanted a pup bird on the council because it gives them a voice and Serafina does have higher than average magic, so she does have a place there really, and having her as an ally could be a good thing.” He shrugged. “Peric likes her.”

“If Peric likes her then I guess I’m onto a good thing.”

Three sheep walked into the room at the same time, one obviously the mayor as he was wearing the chain of office, and headed up to the front of the room. Following them were the other mouse and the raven, who were talking to each other quietly. Completing the group the cornsnake slithered in moments later. Lucille recognised her as the Chief Constable, who’d taken time out of her busy schedule to talk to Lucille about what she thought the Council would want them to do about the raven and the possibility of the counterfeits travelling to other worlds. It had been illuminating and she’d really appreciated it, so she smiled at the snake. The snake smiled back, making her way over.

“Good evening, Lucille.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Ethelinda. How have things been going?”

“Changes are slowly being made, in an attempt to make certain we have more constables patrolling during the night hours. We could really do with a nocturnal race here, and I know everything has been done to tempt them to settle here, so all I can do it keep bribing my officers with extra pay.”

“We’re having another go,” Bertram said, “but I can’t promise you it’s going to work. I don’t know what it is about Sheepshank that deters them, because if we could work that out we might be able to do something about it.”

“You can only do your best and I do appreciate it.” Ethelinda looked up at the table where the rest of the council were gathering. “We’ll talk more after this is over.” She sighed. “Who’d have thought a raven would be importing counterfeits?”

As Bertram echoed the sigh Ethelinda made her way over to sit between the raven and the firefly. “It was too easy to suspect the seagulls,” he said quietly. “We all made mistakes with this.”

“You couldn’t have known, Bertram.”

“I call this meeting to order,” the mayor said, tapping his hand on the table. He waited for everyone in the room to quieten down. “Today we are gathered to decide the fate of the raven, ???, and to decide what we are to do with the information she has given us about the crime syndicate who sent the counterfeits to her.”

Two cornsnakes, one being Inspector Sigurd, brought Dubrana into the room. She’d been shackled carefully so she couldn’t escape and no damage was being done to her wings. Lucille watched her carefully, to see if she looked at anyone, but she kept her eyes on the floor as though she was doing her best to look like she regretted her actions. From what Peric had said Lucille couldn’t help thinking that she was at all sorry for what she done or the trouble she’d caused.

“Dubrana do you know why you are standing in front of us today?”

“Yes,” she said.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I made the wrong choices and I know I have to pay. Of my own free will I gave told you all I know about the crime syndicate and my contact within them because it was the right thing to do.”

“In order to get a lenient sentence,” Bertram muttered.

“I throw myself upon your mercy,” she finished, as Lucille smiled at Bertram.

“She doesn’t regret her choices,” Peric said, “but, if her story is true, then her choice was to import the counterfeits or die. I don’t believe anyone would chose to die.” He shook his head. “The problem is it felt like she was lying in certain parts, which could have been embellishment to make us sympathetic to her plight or it could have been because she was understating the real danger she was in. Without searching her mind I won’t know for sure and she didn’t agree to it.”

Nodding, the mayor looked at the two ravens. “She’s tarnished our race,” one said. Her voice was angry, but calm. “If she were to agree to Peric’s mind reading I might feel differently, if she were telling the truth about her reasons, but not permitting it makes us both think she was lying about everything.”

“A story is just a story if there’s no proof behind it,” the other raven continued. He shrugged. “I know that Peric could destroy her mind if he read it without her agreement but I can’t help thinking it would be worth it to know exactly why she did what she did.”

Peric shook his head. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that.”

“Neither would I,” the mayor replied. “We must use the evidence we have to make a decision. Ethelinda, what do you think?”

“We have two choices. Banishment, which I think would be the wrong choice if her story is true, or imprisonment.” Ethelinda glanced over at Lucille. “To make the decision we need to know more about the crime syndicate and what repercussions may occur.”

The mayor also looked at Lucille and then at Peric. “This goes beyond our jurisdiction. Everyone in Larnach could be affected by this and we now have evidence of that. Peric, I have a job for you.”

“What is it?” Peric asked, sounding as disconcerted as Lucille felt.

“What we know about the syndicate needs to be passed onto someone who can track down someone higher in the chain and I the best way to do that is for someone to travel to Seahorse Port. As you know the most about the case I want you to take the file, so you can help them with anything they might need, while we keep Dubrana under house arrest.” The mayor turned to Lucille. “Lucille, it would be helpful to you also to find out more and I’m sure Peric would appreciate having you there with him.”

Ethelinda was the first to speak. “We have enough constables to keep Dubrana under house arrest,” she said.

“I…” Peric sighed. “If Bertram would be permitted to accompany me then I’ll go to Seahorse Port.”

The mayor smiled. “I wouldn’t expect you to go without him. The two of you make a good team.”

Breathing deeply Lucille made a choice that she knew would affect the rest of her life, one way or another. “I’ll accompany them.” She managed to summon a smile for the mayor. “You make a good point about me needing to know more about the syndicate, because the more information I can give the Council the better they’ll be able to make a decision as to how to deal with the threat.”

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

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[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>Peric was already sat at the front of the room, in white robes, looking entirely different to the friendly mouse she had met on her first day, so she could fulfil his duties.<<

I think that should say "so he could fulfill" above.

>>and, surprisingly, a pup bird.<<

*laugh* I actually did not see that coming. It's very hard to surprise me in fiction. I treasure writers who can do it even occasionally.

>>she was going to everything she could.<<

That should say "to do" above.

>>we could capture the imported of the counterfeit charms <<

That should say "importer" above.

>>I’d do my best to make thing better. <<

That should say "things" above.

>> the fate of the raven, ???, <<

I think that should say "Dubrana" above. I like the names in this episode!

>> Of my own free will I gave told you all I know <<

That should say "have told" above.

>>and I the best way to do that is for someone to travel to Seahorse Port.<<

That should say something like "I think" above.


On the whole, I really enjoyed this. It makes a good transition between the first part in Sheepshank and the next in Seahorse Port.