Logs:Legal Counsel
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| RL Date: 27 July, 2015 |
| Who: Celestra, Dee |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Dee seeks Celestra's expert advice on the no doubt upcoming interrogation. |
| Where: Lakeside Grove, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 17, Month 5, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Morning and evening are crisp, but the afternoon is bright, fair and cloudless. |
| Mentions: E'dre/Mentions, Hattie/Mentions, Ka'ge/Mentions, Lilah/Mentions |
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Lakeside Grove, Fort Weyr Hardy mountain trees cluster together on the far end of the lake, providing a shady retreat beneath high, spreading branches. Right along the edge of the trees, several stone picnic tables are set up to welcome fresh air diners. Here and there within the grove, tumbled boulders from ages ago provide places to sit for those taking a break from a walk around the shore. Toward the Bowl wall, the trees grow more closely together providing a somewhat secluded spot for a private conversation or quiet contemplation. It's possible that Dee's green firelizard simply isn't as well-trained as Ka'ge's brown. It might jut be that Dee likes to do things her own way. Regardless of the reason, when contact finally comes from the weyrling girl, it's in the form of a note asking if their next drawing lesson might be at one of the tables at the Lakeside Grove if the weather was nice the following day at lunchtime. That it is a bright, cloudless, rainless day in the Fortian spring is fortunate for the meeting. Dee is settled at one of the stone tables with a fist-sized rock holding down individual pages that must be her practice in the vast accumulated time since their first chat. She's contained nerves, her shoulders tense and eyes not on her art at all, but searching the path from the lake shore for the familiar face of the harper she's expecting. It was perhaps a lucky thing that Celestra so happened to be off that following day upon receiving the note from the young goldrider. And a day without rain. Perhaps luck really was with her that day. There had been no objection to the outdoor lesson request and so when the time came, the young Harper made her way out to the grove at the arranged time. Her own sketchpad and charcoal are, of course, also brought along on this rare dry day, though the ground is still slightly damp from the previous day's rain. Upon spotting the young girl at the table, Celestra's blue eyes take in her set shoulders from behind. As she gets closer, she offers Dee a small smile before letting her gaze flicker to the pile of paper and back up again. "Good afternoon, Dee." she greets easily, helping herself to a seat at the table and placing her items down before her. She says nothing at the moment, thought she suspects there's more to their lesson today than it would seem. There's short-lived relief in Dee's expression as she catches sight of the harper on the approach before directing her attention to the pages as if that was what they were here for. A facade only, of course, since the first thing Dee says to the journeywoman is, "We're not really here to draw today, ma'am." If she didn't suspect before, it's more than obvious now; perhaps subtlety is not always Dee's strong suit. She does, however, shuffle the papers as if she was going to show the harper the sketches which show practice and limited improvement, but nothing in the way of realistic people, yet. "Ka'ge said I should speak to you before Weyrwoman Lilah speaks to me." That's not exactly what was told her, but that's what she's going to say was told her, and she'll look convincing about it too. As the younger girl speaks, Celestra's suspicions are confirmed and she merely nods, though the shuffling does cause her gaze to shift briefly once more. Glimpses of attempted practice. A quick observation shows very slight improvement from the last time, but then again, Celestra doesn't blame the girl for not practicing more. Especially with everything else that was going on. "I'd suspected as much. I've been wondering when you would come to me about it all. Though," And she pauses mometarily to cross one leg over the other, eyes drifting back down. "I was under the impression Ka'ge wants me to be present when you speak with the Weyrwoman." Blue-eyed gaze come back up to meet Dee's hazel ones. "That is what Ka'ge wants, yes." Dee says the words carefully, and yet she cannot escape the slight emphasis on the boy's name. "But I don't think it will be possible. Not unless you're to sit in with every weyrling Weyrwoman Lilah questions, and the others, too, when she gets 'round to them." The weyrling says it like it's only a matter of time, but in a way that is resigned to that much. After a breath, "I think it would be best if you advised me-- prepared me for that discussion." The one Dee knows is coming. As keen as Celestra is, she certainly does not miss the emphasis on the other weyrling's name, which results in the lift of one of her brows. Though her unworded question is answered quite promptly by the young goldrider. A singular nod of understanding and a soft 'ah'. "I see. In that case, I'll do my best to... 'prepare' you. First, however, would you be so kind as to elaborate in regards to your involvement? I'm not sure what Ka'ge told you... but he really didn't reveal much. And I would prefer to fully understand the situation before I can really help you." Her fingers lace together, placed neatly before her as she watches Dee. "Ka'ge thinks that I can't speak for myself," is additional explanation offered silently to that lifted brow, the hurt touching the gold weyrling's face as she looks down to the drawings, offering over another to keep up the pretext. When she looks back up, she seeks to meet Celestra's gaze. "I'm responsible. For all of it. I was at the landslide. I made the plans. I recruited people to help me. I'm at fault for all of it. If telling Lilah that would save everyone, I would in a heartbeat." Then she looks back toward the barracks, looking briefly pained, "Only, I think leaving Fort would kill Taeliyth." Drama is the realm of teenagers and Dee uses it now to effect, though it may not be wholly exaggerated given the way queens have been known to become attached to their homes. Hands unfold so that one can take the offered drawing, eyes flickering over it and yet not quite taking in the image as Celestra listens to Dee's confession of her involvement. Her strayed attention is short-lived, as her gaze meets that of Dee's as the younger girl searches for it. She watches those hazel eyes drift to the barracks, following them before seeing the pained expression in the Dee's face. The Harper's own turns sympathetic. The dramatic end to that explanation does not escape her and the edge of her lips quirk ever so slightly. "I have read that they become attached, but I have not yet read anywhere that a gold has ever simply gone between after leaving their home weyrs. Transfers of golds were common in the past when one Weyr became overburdened with too many." This tidbit is merely used to perhaps reassure any of those dramatic thoughts. Celestra then leans back slightly, the edges of her lips curling into a frown. "Still... It is probably safest you do not simply say those same words to the Weyrwoman. Despite the unlikelihood of your Taeliyth dying," a wince, it was such a harsh word, "The consequences are sure to be dire, indeed." One hand seems uneasy, fingers drumming the table in succession absently. "This Weyr is not overburdened," Dee points out, "even if they mightn't want to be burdened with me after this comes out." The weyrling's emotions are kept in check by the same resignation that reigned before. This will come to pass, she's sure, now it's only a matter of managing the damage. "What should I say instead?" is asked instead of pursuing some useless argument about her dragon's feelings and how it might affect her health. "No," Celestra agrees, "But a transfer is likely... once your Taeliyth is old enough." And then silence as the Harper considers Dee's question. How should the weyrling go about it... "First, I believe you should go to the Weyrwoman instead of having her come find you. Even with the current interrogations. It is better for you to come forth willingly. Usually," And the word is heavily emphasized, "The outcome is marginally better." Another pause as she further contemplates. It is much harder to tell someone to say something than to just say it yourself... A glance at Dee, staring hard. "You... can be rather blunt with your words. For example, instead of simply saying you are responsible for everything, you should elaborate. I would think the Weyrwoman would want further explanation, perhaps? Instead of simply agreeing to be punished, for I feel that it is going to happen regardless, you should justify your actions. Do not, I repeat, do not mention that it was because you felt the Weyr was not doing it's part. That is sure to end very badly." "I was going to," Dee says of going to the Weyrwoman once the harper has finished speaking, although clearly something changed. The young woman then repeats, "Elaborate. Justify my actions. Don't blame the Weyr." These items are added to her mental notes as she slides over another page. "Eliyaveith promised Taeliyth she would not send us away, but with dragon memories, I don't suspect she remembers, and I'm not sure she'd ultimately get any say." Her fingers curl the very edge of the page in expression of her unconscious worry. "The most important thing is that the others who are involved are safe. If someone's to be punished, it should be me. I'm the one they can least afford to lose, though I know I'm not expendable." She bites her lip. Celestra simply nods as Dee repeats after her, idly taking the newly slided page without even really looking at it. Her fingers continue to tap. Tap tap tap. "Eliyaveith may influence her rider's opinion on what to do... though, as you say, ultimately it is still the Weyrwoman's decision." The tapping stops and the harper absently runs a hand across the page of the paper, smoothing it out unnecessarily, brows furrowed. "You may have a hard time covering for those who assisted you... they may not come out wholly unscathed, as much as you may not wish it." She says matter-of-factly, though still frowning. It's a tricky business for these weyrlings. "If I was there, I could potentially direct the interrogation in a particular manner... but seeing as you would prefer for me to not be there, I can only advise on how to go about it. How the Weyrwoman will react or what she will say... I can not possibly surmise otherwise." A soft sigh. "Don't you see?" Dee's brow dips in mild frustration. "You or Ka'ge." She sighs softly before explaining, "I Impressed to Taeliyth. If I'm not exiled or transferred away for what I did, then I'm the one who will, without anyone there to fight my battles for me or direct conversations in a particular manner, be dealing directly with Weyrwoman Lilah as my direct superior daily, for possibly the rest of my life. She's not so many turns older than I am and when Eliyaveith rises, that role is usually for life. It's bad enough that I'm starting out with all of this," a hand gestures to the drawings, but that's not what she means, "if I start with someone else between us... how will that ever teach us to get past this, if I get to stay at all? And if I don't, then what difference does it make to anyone else whether I spoke or someone did for me?" Dee's voice remains calm throughout her explanation with the implacable certainty of youth. Obviously, she's spent a lot of time thinking about this. Again, Celestra's expression is somewhat sympathetic and she reaches over a hand to put it over the younger girl's, if she doesn't pull away, of course, and pats it lightly. "I do see you have given it quite a bit of thought." She pulls her hand back and folds both hands together again. "You are in a delicate position, and I can see why you want to take it upon yourself to do everything alone. I can simply give you my advice, which I have given, and simply hope for the best, in that case. Should you need someone to talk to, an open ear, if you will, I will be here. If you need my help, I will be here. I cannot say I can assist you much in dragon-related matters, but I have read much on them, I will also be here. Needless to say, you may, in fact, have to deal directly with the Weyrwoman when your Taeliyth rises, but until then, you are still learning. You should not be ashamed to seek help when you feel the need." "Do you suppose-- shouldn't we be allowed to have someone represent our legal interests in determining punishments once Weyrwoman Lilah has it all sorted?" Dee asks in a way that sounds a little like a blurt. "Couldn't that someone be you? To make sure that she's-- I mean, I don't know that there is any higher authority than the Weyrwoman in her own Weyr, but she's only acting now, and the Weyr Council could be asked to intercede if she's being unusually harsh or cruel, couldn't they?" The words tumble out in a rush, "And being only acting Weyrwoman, she wouldn't want them to get involved in case they felt weyrwoman Hattie should take back up the Senior's knot, right?" She's given in a lot of thought. "So shouldn't she want to work something out with you so none of us took it to the Weyr Council?" "Ah...well." Celestra is obviously taken aback with the blurting but recomposes herself, as much as she can anyway. "The Weyrwoman is technically the highest authority. The Weyr Council is usually involved when it comes to matters that affect the Weyr as a whole. I am not so sure this would qualify... but they may intercede in the event she steps out of line in terms of punishment, as you pounted out." The harper shifts her legs, uncrossing them and crossing them again beneath the table, hands pulling idly at the papers before her. "Whether or not she is acting Weyrwoman or the Senior Weyrwoman, she currently has almost absolute say, though she should discuss with E'dre, as well, as he is the acting Weyrleader." Once again her brows knit together. "I can, as you say, represent your legal interests should worse come to worse. But let's hope it doesn't get that far...hm?" "But they wouldn't actually need to intercede, really, wouldn't she just need to think it was a possibility? Law is a part of HarperCraft. You could offer to advise her as one of the posted crafters. It is protection for her as much as it is for us." Dee's hazel eyes are imploring, wishing the harper to see things her way. The rest, of E'dre, and scope of Lilah's authority is tucked away for future reference, no doubt. Again, fingers go Tap! Tap! Tap! "Hmm... yes. There doesn't seem to be anyone here that has really been involved with law at the Weyr..." Celestra keeps tapping, thinking. She obviously thinks of something as her eyes light up and the tapping stops. "Ah, I'll write to my Master in regards to the lack of a Law authority here... I've experience enough in the field to be of use, I would think. I doubt he would reject my idea... once I get an official letter from him, I can present it to the Weyrwoman. Understand this is the best way to go about bringing up the idea to her... correspondence shouldn't take long, I would hope. My Master is usually quick to respond to my letters." Her expression is none so grim this time, at least, looking rather hopeful for their current situation. "How do you think that sounds?" "I--" Dee begins only to have her eyes go distant. "Plum," she swears despite the innocence of the word and without an answer to the harper she's scrambling to her feet, gathering the sheets hurriedly to her chest. "I have to go. Taeliyth-" but that's all the explaining she does before she's half jogging half-running back toward the barracks, with only the barely remembered, "Thank you!" over her shoulder for the journeywoman. |
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