It was after the lunch break on the first day of hearings that soone ca forward with an issue that actually needed to be taken care of by Wolfe.
"Your Majesty, I have a grievance that I believe only you can bring satisfaction on. The Guardian of my region has taken my daughter as a concubine, against the will of her family. That is in direct contradiction to the laws governing secondary brides in the Funho Region, forrly the Kingdom of Funho." The man announced.
"Is the Guardian in question present today? If so, please join the complainant on the carpet." Wolfe requested.
It was silent for a mont as the Guardians looked around for the one on in question, then a large Stone Troll stepped onto the carpet.
His voice was a slow grating noise like the sound of a rock slide. "The man in question is not present, but I am the Guardian of the Funho Region as a whole. He is my subordinate."
Wolfe nodded.
"Explain to the situation as you understand it, starting with the Guardian, and then clarified by the father of the bride."
Both parties looked startled. That was the opposite of how it usually went. Normally, the senior was given more ti to prepare their defence and listen to everything that the complainant had to say.
But Wolfe suspected that this was going to be sowhat different from what it sounded like.
The Rock Troll nodded. "If you will give a mont. Ah, yes, here it is. On the third of this month, I was given a notice of marriage by the Woodland Brownie Guardian for the town of Vartir. He is a Rank Three Fae assistant Guardian, and according to my records he has no other wives, so the contract was filed based on the signatures of both parties."
Wolfe nodded. "Was this matter brought to you previously?"
The Rock Troll shook his head. "I live in the capital city of Quiros, a few hundred kilotres from the mountain town of Vartir, where this man’s family resides. The wedding notice was only filed a week ago, so I have not made a personal visit since."
So, it was a bit of a rush job, but it was a reasonable concern.
"Alright. Sir, what makes you believe your daughter did not elope to beco the legitimate bride of the local Guardian?" Wolfe asked.
"She is the fifteenth girl from the surrounding villages that has been claid with the sa explanation. Many don’t know the laws, but I worked many years in the castle. All wives beyond the first must be with the permission and approval of the family.
No matter what he calls them, you can’t have concubines without a bride, and the fifteenth you have claid can’t be the first wife the mont she arrives."
Wolfe nodded, as did the Stone Troll, who spoke next. "That is similar to Fae law as well. If you wish to use a Fae contract to claim brides, you may only have one, and the others must be released. I had no other wedding contracts filed, but if he was claiming them as Fae contracted brides, they must be released if he wishes to keep this one."
Wolfe nodded. "This is what I will do today. The regional Guardian will look into the situation and inform as well as the family of all of the won about the situation and the legalities surrounding it.
If an official censure is required, the matter will be brought directly back to a Pentacle mber or myself for adjudication."
Wolfe really did need to appoint Continental Representatives for his ho continent after the pair who had been doing the job retired. But he was also going to need an additional position of circuit court judge until all of the regional laws could be unified.
The wedding laws didn’t go against Witch or Magi standards, so they hadn’t been changed yet. However, it did sound like soone was trying to find a loophole.
That wouldn’t do. If there were loopholes, there would be corruption, and corruption where it involved stealing brides from poor workers would only lead to violent conflict.
Wolfe was certain of that because if need be, he would be the violent one.
Risa stepped forward and gestured for the pair to follow her. She would take on the case herself. A demon would certainly not be soft on the Fae Guardian if he was actually breaking the rules, and it did sound like he was breaking both Fae and local laws.
Once they were gone, a woman completely covered in cloth, more than one layer, from what Wolfe could tell, stepped forward with a soldier guiding her.
"There are no windows in this room." The man whispered.
She lifted her veil, and Wolfe saw the pale skin and red eyes of a Vampire.
"King Noxus, I would like to file a land complaint. The Nicolette Company of Region Four of the Polar Continent has torn down my house and claid my entire property for their new factory without permission or paynt." She insisted.
She held up a stack of docunts that were a bit soggy, and then flushed a little in embarrassnt. "My apologies, your Majesty. I had them in a sealed box, but it wasn’t up to the depths that I descended to."
Wolfe nodded. "I take it you had the Ocean Fae bring you to a portal, so you could avoid the light?"
The Vampire nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Is there anyone from the Nicolette Company here?" Wolfe asked.
Overlord Damien looked embarrassed as he stepped forward. "Your Majesty. That is a company run by my people. We did not see any signs of life in the area, and our magic found nothing living nearby."
Wolfe sighed. "Except, a Vampire is undead, so life detection magic wouldn’t find anything, would it? I will give you both a chance to work out the details to the satisfaction of both parties.
I expect an answer one way or the other before the end of dinner. If no solution can be reached, the factory must co down, and the house rebuilt.
But I do hope that the two of you can co to an arrangent if the property isn’t an ancestral ho."
In the past, a Vampire would have had no right to complain, and they would likely have been staked and left in the sun if they dared to try. But now, they were considered citizens, like every other intelligent being.
Reviews
All reviews (0)