Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

This new footage appeared to show a fabric store. There was a Ma’shorkan woman in it wearing a long dark cloak with a hood, but the hood was thrown back and the camera had clearly captured her face. She had her breasts covered, but she was wearing a bright yellow Seal of Independence on her arm, where anyone could see it. Other women were milling around the shop too, all of them shopping and chatting about the fabric.

“Ah, so your client is an Independent Female, I see,” Magistrate Harsher muttered, frowning with apparent disapproval.

“Yes, your Justness, my client is an Independent Female,” the Defender answered. “But that has no bearing on this case. As you can see by the time and date stamps on the bottom right corners of both of these images, she was in this fabric shop surrounded by witnesses who will swear to her whereabouts at the exact time the fruit stand was robbed of a single piece of fruit.” He spread his hands. “So it logically follows that my client could not be the fruit thief as it is impossible for her to have been in both the fruit stall and the fabric store at once.”

This seemed like an open and shut case to Selena. How could anyone refute the video evidence, the multiple witnesses, and the time stamps on both of the images? But Magistrate Harsher was still frowning at the viewscreen.

“Tell me, Defender, are all the witnesses to your client’s innocence females?” he asked.

“Well, yes, your Justness,” the Defender said, sounding a bit uneasy, Selena thought.

“And is the owner of this shop also an Independent Female, like the defendant?” the judge demanded.

“She is, your Justness,” the Defender admitted.

“Then you have no reliable witnesses to call forward!” Magistrate Harsher declared triumphantly.

“But, your Justness,” the Defender protested. “The vid evidence from both of the security cameras clearly shows—”

“Footage taken from a camera at a female-owned shop!” the judge interrupted him. “Which I find to be inadmissible in my courtroom.”

“But, your Justness—”

“The sentence stands!” Magistrate Harsher declared. “The defendant shall be sent away for ten thousand lifetimes of hard labor for theft. Also, any financial assets she has acquired as an Independent Female shall be seized by this court and distributed to pay court fees and to reimburse the plaintiff in this case for the loss of his valuable property.”

“But—” the Defender began. Beside him, the Ma’shorkan woman who was the defendant began to cry—a soft, hopeless weeping that tore at Selena’s heart.

“Enough—next case!” Magistrate Harsher declared and blew a blast on his silver bugle.

Selena’s heart sank as the clerk took her by the arm. If that poor woman, who had a good Defender and clear evidence that she hadn’t committed a crime couldn’t beat the case put against her, what hope did she have herself?

“That’s you—the next case,” the clerk whispered. “And look—your Defender and some witnesses are just now entering the courtroom. Come, you must join them.”

Looking up, Selena saw Jess and Tolern entering the courtroom from the other side entrance. And beside them, was Valen.

Her heart, which had dropped down to her shoes, began to pound.

Valen came—he came for me!

But would anything the big Kindred said make any difference in her case?

Selena didn’t know, but she supposed she was about to find out…

72

The look of hope and fear on Selena’s lovely face was both wonderful and terrible to see. Valen wanted badly to take her in his arms the moment he saw her—wanted to hug her and comfort her and swear he would do everything in his power to get her out of here.

But that would be breaking the dignity of the Court which would be a very bad idea—especially in Magistrate Harsher’s courtroom. It was well-known that he despised females—especially Independent ones, whom he thought were reaching above their station. Showing any kind of kindness or affection to Selena would only prejudice the already narrow-minded and intolerant judge against her further.

So he only nodded coldly to the curvy little Elite when the clerk led her over to the marble bench where they were to sit. He gave her a stern look and ordered,

“Sit down, be quiet, and let me do all the talking.”

“All right.” She nodded, eyes wide, and settled herself on the bench beside Jessica, who immediately put her arms around her friend. Selena hugged her back and it was clear she was trying hard to keep from crying. Valen hoped grimly that she could manage it—if there was one thing Magistrate Harsher hated, it was an emotional female.

“All right now. Special Prosecutor, state the facts of this case,” the Magistrate said, frowning down at them all.

“Your Justness, this female came before you yesterday. She was accused by two very credible witnesses—palace guards, no less—of stealing from Royalty and of attempting to lessen the mass of our beautiful Ma’shorka Centra,” the Prosecutor said smoothly. “You handed down an extremely fair sentence of a hundred thousand lifetimes of hard labor at Hammerdown Prison. However, the defendant asked to have her own Defender, because she didn’t trust the Court Defender, though he had done an excellent job for her. Your Justness, in your infinite mercy, agreed that she might have another hearing before you today with the Defender in question, which is the Kindred, Valen, sitting over there.” He pointed at Valen, who gave a curt nod of acknowledgment.