439 Harvest Festival (18)

"Now, I will say this - don't get any ideas into your pretty little head that you're now in danger of something, or that someone is coming to arrest her. Keep her hidden, keep her to yourself, and no one should have any issue. I don't want our conversation marred by you worrying about your wife, causing you to act 'irrationally' and treat me like an enemy; that is the last thing I want, believe me."

"I... my apologies, Magistrate, but... you must understand that even still, I am having... difficulties believing you? I hardly know you, I hardly understand the intricacies and the current whims of the court... why should I believe you on just your word?"

Chuckling, the Boarkin nodded her head and glanced to the side, where she saw her wife chatting quietly with Shelur, the two Orcs standing together a couple steps away from the festivities as they discussed who knows what.

"You're a shrewd woman, Miss Astra. Vienna did say to be careful of that; her general impression of you was that you had many, many layers, some of which... are likely not as beautiful as you are. Others are entirely focused on yourself and your own gain; that's not a sin, and if anything it makes me like you even more. It's good to see my niece hasn't lost her touch at all, and that my daughters still have good judgement. Very well, Miss Astra; I swear on our Goddess that I will not bring you harm lest you do something to bring harm unto me."

Her smile returned to its warm state, and she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as she continued on, leading the conversation even as I led the dance.

"I truly could care less about the whims of a self absorbed, manipulative brat who happened to rope in one of the Princesses. Everyone was taking that report at the time with a large grain of salt, and even more so when she refused to work out a solution that would benefit all sides. I am certain that you have heard about your wife's Dama?"

When I nodded, Magistrate Augustia just nodded, continuing on and leading me to wherever her end goal was; something I was still uncertain of as I listened to her.

"Camara Arbran, a commoner who joined the military and swiftly rose the ranks; a genius with a sword, unparalleled with a spear, a deep understanding of strategies and of her comrades, she was a once in a century talent. Awarded almost every single medal that exists within the Queendom, before and after her tragic demise. A hero, not just for the warriors but also for the people. A living paragon of what can be accomplished by someone who was 'just a lowly Deerkin' with nothing special going for her. No large Noble House, no insane magic, no Goddess' blessing... nothing. Just raw determination and talent.

That was who your wife was sired from, and that is why so many were watching as your wife went to the academy, especially after Camara Arbran's death. Would she be able to live up to that legend, or at the very least, be able to become half of what her Dama was? Because even half would land her the position of General or Castellan, depending on her own desires. And it looked like she was going to do just that; ranked highly in each year in every subject, bested most of her instructors in spars, was adept at leading her fellow students into mock battles against other classes... your wife, Miss Astra, was on pace to become another storied and legendary individual, and yet..."

Trailing off, she let out a sigh and looked to the side, this time staring at the Queen and the Goddess, who were talking amongst themselves with Magistrate Fenkar, the three alternating in their dance.

"Far too many things happened; a higher Noble accuses a promising commoner cadet of something heinous, and they are protected by their status to refuse court until the commoner was brought in on those charges; even then, we couldn't make her utilize a truth serum or make her swear everything onto a Goddess because 'that could be used against her and her family'. Archaic rules at the time, but they were the rules. The law. And so, a promising, brilliant cadet was ruined because of a single woman's idiocy. And there was nothing we could do about it because of the laws. Laws that have changed, but after she escaped and disappeared from the public eye, most forgot about her.

That is what I wanted to discuss. I want to reignite the commoner's faith in our overall government and not just in our Goddess; they aren't interchangeable, they aren't the same thing. They are two different entities, and yet the public treats us as such. It's not healthy for everyone involved, since it enables the Nobility but renders the commoners into this twisted belief that the Nobility works only with the Goddess' permission, which... leads to a myriad of things that aren't able to be discussed so swiftly. Do you understand my ramblings, Miss Astra?"

The Magistrate stared at me expectantly, and I had to bite my tongue from asking her why she would bother telling me that it was her and her peers who failed my wife, why she would ask if I now understood that it was the fault of those around us that had driven Rhefia from her family home, from the life that she had so desperately wanted when she was younger, but...

That wasn't fair to her, wasn't fair to the Duchess or to the Goddess; I only got a small taste of what happened, an appetizer of things I wasn't the most practiced in understanding, so I bit my tongue before nodding, saying "I understand some of it, Magistrate. But... why tell me these things? What is it that you want from me?"

"Oh? Hm... Straightforwardness isn't much of my forte like it is Fenkar's, but... I want to change our Queendom some, want to inspire change and spread the faith evenly, so that everyone understands that they matter inside our Queendom. That is what I want, and to do that... I want to start with your wife. I want to clear up and conclude her trial properly, to give the people closure on what happened to their legend's daughter. To let them understand that we messed up and that we are owning up to it. That is what I want, Miss Astra... Change. I want change, and I want my people to believe in us all, not just in our Goddess, as gracious and wonderful as she is. I want trust between people, I want faith between people..."