Council Session
#35 of Dragon Hunter Saga
On the morning of the next council session as I am watching the children practicing with Ecthelon, Starburst lowers his head down toward my eye level. He watches the children for a moment and comments, "nice to see that boy Jason coming along nicely since being made to do guard work." I agree, as in the last few weeks after finding out that the children staying with me get training before school. Well, he went up to Samuel and asked to please be allowed to train with other children. Samuel came and asked me about it and we agreed that the boy could do so on a trial basis at first.
That period was to end two weeks ago, he is still here; because after the first day he went up to Timothy and apologized. He had spent most of the first day watching what Timothy did during the training session, and realized that Timothy was a very good fighter for a child.
Starburst looks to me, "so before we head to the council chambers I have a new resident for you to meet she is a Dragon. However she is a very rare type, so rare I imagine no one knows they exist." He tilts his head and a small green colored Dragon flies down from Starburst's shelter.
"This is Leaf, she is a Nature Dragon. They do not grow very big, she is four centuries old. There is probably about a hundred of them world wide, the population has started increasing in the last few years. With many more places where there is no humans in residence, they tend to thrive. The Matriarch has no power over them as she thinks they are beneath her."
The small Dragon flies up to my face, and starts flitting around while talking swiftly; "Greetings Hunter. My people have tended to stay away from humans to avoid being easily killed, however your guardian here has stated if I lived here my people would be protected." I nod my head slowly stunned, the little Dragon; which is what it was. Take Starburst and miniaturize him and color him a sparkly green color. Leaf continues, "I would like to claim residence in the greenhouse if possible. As if I ever manage to convince someone to partner with me it would be the best place to raise children for my kind." I nod my head and she keeps talking, "I can also possible encourage some dryads to be born from the fruit trees there if your people are willing to work with them to retrieve the fruit of those trees. If they can work out an exchange, the dryad has a vegan diet; work with that."
I wave my hand, "easy Leaf. I am sure that Harriet would be excited to have you live in her greenhouse, and to have dryads take up residence. It's alright, you're safe here. So will you be joining us at the council session today or the next session?" The Dragon stops flitting about and pauses in front of me and responds in a relieved sounding voice. "Thank you Hunter, I believe I shall wait till the next one. I would like to go and settle in the greenhouse, I have been traveling for the last year and I am tired." I nod my head and raise my eyebrow to Starburst, he responds. "I have already sent word to Harriet, she is excited at the idea. Now I will tell you this, if dryads appear they will probably be equivalent to a human toddler for a few decades. Trees grow slowly and being the dryad is the spirit of the tree, it will age accordingly."
He turns to Leaf a moment, "just don't wake up a Bonsai tree without warning someone alright? We would not need an old woman wandering about yelling at people for no reason." He looks back at me as Leaf flutters away, "my father's family has protected her kind for a very long time. I knew she needed a home and once we came here I sent word to her, they fly very slowly over a distance. She will need the next month to rest from her journey, I am happy she made it here safely." He gets a thoughtful look, "we should warn our traders to watch out for her kind. They are very easily harmed, and that is why there is only a hundred world wide. They tend to have litters of young, but only once every hundred years are they capable of doing so. I would hope we find her a partner soon as I believe her time is due within the next year."
I stand indicating we should head to the council chambers, as it was getting close to the time of the session to start. We arranged for the sessions to fall during the time of day the children are in classes. This way we would not have to worry about any children seeing anything that was brought up that they didn't need to see.
I take my seat and once all of the other members sat down I announce, "we have a new Dragon resident in the city. Her name is Leaf, she is a special type of Dragon that has some control over nature and plants. As she just spent the last year traveling to get here she requested to not join this session so she can rest. She is moving into the greenhouse, and before you ask; she is smaller than Cheshire." The Druid perks up at this, "I have lore on them passed down from ages ago. It use to be considered a blessing for one to take up residence on your farm, so she will definitely be a welcome addition here; I will go introduce myself after the session."
I hear murmuring from the other members, agreeing after what the Druid said and I give him a slight nod in thanks. Jake then walks into the room letting the crowd of observers inside, "are we ready to start this morning then?" His eyes twinkle in my direction then, "the first order of business is a complaint. Issued by Jane Lorance, she has a complaint against Hunter Gwen's body guard Shadow and Ecthelon the Arms Master." Upon hearing this was the first order of business I nod at Gilorndir to take control. He stands up and addresses the room, "very well. Are all three parties present?" Jake steps back and waves at the door and in first walks the older woman then came in Shadow looking amused. Which, if you know Shadow, is never a good thing to see. Then came in Ecthelon also looking amused, alright; these two are planning something.
The woman stands on one side of the room and the men on the other side, she looks furious and starts speaking. "How dare you have them come in here while I tell you what happened it's not FAIR!" Gilorndir waits till she stops shouting which is what she was doing at the end, and responds. "First Madame, this is not a court. Today this is the council session, after a decision is made here and only then can you expect a trial. During a court day, while testifying during a council session you do not have the option of giving testimony in private. Do you still wish to continue?" He then looks at the woman, who speaks.
"Of course I do what they did was wrong! Why does their boss get to sit in judgment over it?" The people who knew Shadow chuckle, and Gilorndir waits to respond till after the sounds stop; and he slowly gives an answer. "Madame, Hunter Gwen is the Hunter representative on the council. Unless you would prefer to have a child stand in her place I suggest you not complain. As to Hunter Gwen being their 'boss'," he chuckles himself. "I gather you have never interacted with the bodyguard Shadow previously, he has no 'boss' he does things that suit him when it suits him." Shadow tilts his head slightly in agreement. Gilorndir continues, "and Ecthelon is a rather old elf. I have been given permission by the King due to this case to announce his true age, the king is not happy to reveal this to humans due to issues they have had to this news in the past."
The Druid gives Ecthelon a long look, "you are one of the old ones then." Ecthelon nods his head and the Druid goes white, Gilorndir nods his head. "Ecthelon is 2,563 years old, the elven culture determines that the old ones are given leeway in our society. This is due to the fact they hold the most knowledge of the world. While he is not the oldest of our people, you will rarely meet one; they tend to remain in our own cities due to incidents that led to Ecthelon being the last of his family line." He gives the woman a glare now, "so as you can see Madame. There is no way a mere human could be the 'boss' of an elf that aged."
Gilorndir waves a hand at Jake and sits down, Jake stands in the front of the room and starts reading off of a piece of parchment. "Jane Lorance, declares that Shadow and Ecthelon harmed her while she was at the Hunter compound due to her former commanding officer ordering her to spend the day there training. She also states the two threatened her with the fact they threw knives at her." He turns to Jane, "is this accurate?" She nods her head and Jake says, "you must vocally respond for council records." She flushes, "yes they are accurate."
He turns to Shadow and Ecthelon, "do you agree this occurred?" Shadow gives the woman a look and speaks, "no as aside from tossing the knife I never touched her." Ecthelon nods at Shadow's statement, "I agree with Shadow. Aside from that one statement it is correct from the woman's perspective."
Jake turns to the woman again, "are they speaking the truth? Please note there was a great many people present and I can call any of them in to speak of what happened." The woman flushes again and speaks softly, "yes the man is right. He only threw a knife at me, it's still NOT RIGHT!"
Jake looks up to Gilorndir who nods his head and Jake walks to the door and lets in one of the guardsmen who had been present during the altercation. The woman gets red faced again, "I told you the truth why do you need to bring in anyone to say anything?" Jake pauses and Gilorndir stands then speaks, "because Madame. Again this is not the court day, this is the council day. We decide how to proceed to anything that is presented, and we decided beforehand that we wish eyewitness testimony first."
He sits down after nodding to Jake, who brings five of the guardsmen in all of whom gave the same telling; from different perspectives. Enough to know it wasn't the people collaborating their stories. The woman was visibly getting more angry as they people kept on coming in, after the fifth Jake asks. "Do we need more of these brought in?" Gilorndir stands and answers, "no; that was sufficient." Gilorndir then turns to the woman, "so what can you say for yourself. Right now every member of the council wants to chase you around the city with a sword in hand. I can only imagine what the observers think of you." The woman gets red faced again, "it is NOT FAIR! They have no right to treat me in that manner. It is INHUMANE, to treat people this way. I was thrown from the guards over this! Do you know how hard it is to get work in this city full of freaks?" The gathered people gasped when she said that.
Gilorndir frowns as he then sits down slowly and bows his head. "Freaks you say? No one is making you remain in this city Madame." The woman starts ranting now, "and go where? Every other 'city' in the world with humans in it are mud filled hovels. I want to live a good life, without having to fight freaks for a few scraps."
I see Gilorndir's shoulders rise and fall as he sighs deeply, I also see Shadow grasp Ecthelon's shoulder. Gilorndir then slowly lifts his head and says in a cold voice, "then as the representative of the council I have no choice. Jane Lorance you are banished from the City effective immediately, this city is about living together in harmony. You obviously have no desire for such a thing." He waves a hand and two guards come forward and take her out of the room shouting.
Shadow and Ecthelon then settle themselves in the observer seats and Jake lets in the next petitioner. It was Moonbeam, Jake again walks to the center of the room. "Moonbeam here is requesting the return of Flower the young minotaur to his people." I nod to Jake and look down at Moonbeam, for a chance he had a serious look on his face. He speaks, "Not COOL Dudette. That little Dudette needs to come with me and my compadres so we can make sure she is cared for right." I hold a hand up and contact Cheshire who wasn't in session today. {Can you tell John we need Flower briefly? I believe he is waiting to hear if she needed to come or not.} I get an affirmative from Cheshire, so I address Moonbeam.
"Good to see you Moonbeam, sorry I did not know you were about as yet I hope you enjoy the gift the city left for your people." He nods his head but it was obvious he was upset, I continue. "Moonbeam, from what I understand about your people. You believe every person is allowed to make choices about their lives themselves?" He nods his head again speaking, "of course Dudette. It's all about being free man!" I smile and respond, "what if Flower wishes to remain with the city? She already wishes to become an ale maker," Moonbeam blinks and scratches behind his right horn. "Well, Dudette I'd have to hear the little Dudette say it herself."
I wave my hand as Flower walks into the room with an unhappy look on her face, and then she see's Moonbeam and she speaks. "Moonbeam I know why you are here, I want to stay in the city. After what happened to me I don't feel safe traveling in the wagons anymore." I could see frowns on the gathered faces and I saw Moonbeam's face fall, he walks over to her and hugs her. "Dudette what happened to you was bad, but if you want to stay; then I can't stop you." He lifts her head and winks at her, "I'll just have to bring you fun ingredients then Dudette."
Moonbeam then turns to the council and speaks again, "thank you. The little Dudette is safe and happy, you Duuuudes are the best! Now I am late for having some, um; medicine! Later Dudes!" He walks out and I let Flower know she needed to return to the classroom.
Jake walks to the center of the room again smiling again, "Hunter Gwen. Can I please have you step down to here please," I stand up curious and walk down to the center of the room. Jake nods to a guard at the door and announces, "the next is a public declaration by Zander the centaur." I was surprised, I didn't even know he was back in town with his herd as yet. No one had told me, Zander steps into the room flanks by two other centaurs. He introduces them as the new herd leader and his partner, he then steps in front of me and takes my hand.
"I Zander former herd leader of the Swiftfoot herd pledge to guard you for the rest of my days, to keep you safe though your travels in this world. I will stop all of the obstacles that wish to take you down, my life is yours Hunter." I blink in more surprise, {see I told you}; spoke a feline voice in my head. I stammer out a reply as Miresgalsell steps forward with another ring box, "I accept Zander." He takes the ring and a guardsman breaks into the chamber.
"The bandits are attacking the gate, and they have a tank!" I give Zander a look and he shrugs, "this is your fault you know; you had to suggest they might have a tank. Now look."