FIC: Fair Trial (3/4) [The Dresden Files]
Feb. 22nd, 2009 12:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darktrent182I clenched my teeth, breathing in deeply, some quasi-Latin phrases coming to mind. First, I had to raise a shield around me and Bob. My eyes picked out a Warden who was tensing up, his hand straying towards the sword at his hip.
"If you'll pardon the interruption, Honored Merlin," Simon spoke up from his podium, his accent giving the words added weight. I could see him eying me and Bob. "Don't you think the verdict is a little... much? After all, this is not 1271."
"Harry," Bob's voice, low and quick, cut through the haze of planning, trying to figure out how far away people were to our relative position. "Harry. I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?"
The walking skeleton spoke again, his eyes looking even wider in shock. "Surely, you heard the charges brought against this... warlock?" He gestured at Bob, and the hand still over my fist squeezed hard. "I counted more than one hundred Laws that this fugitive broke, and you think we should be lenient?"
"We will survive this, Harry," Bob whispered. "But first, you need to calm down, and let the Council talk. Throwing magic around isn't going to help anyone."
Simon shook his head. "I am not saying we should be lenient, LaFortier. I am saying that not all the wizards present know all the facts." He arched a black eyebrow at LaFortier. "There is more to this man than the charges brought against him."
"I know you want to lash out," Bob whispered, his thumb stroking the top of my wrist slowly. "But that won't help me. Let them talk. We'll have an opening, and then we can exploit it."
I ground my teeth. "Bob--"
"Be that as it may, gentlemen," the Merlin said sharply, looking pissed off that somebody had decided to take away his dramatic announcement from him. "We cannot allow this situation to continue unchecked."
If there was one way to push my buttons, that was it.
"Hoss," Ebenezar said evenly, not even looking at me. "Simon's already opened the door. Mattie's going to pick it up."
"No, we cannot," Martha spoke up, right on cue. "Considering that the majority of the records about Hrothbert of Bainbridge are only available to the Senior Council, it would be irresponsible to ask the assembled wizards here to pass judgment on a 'situation'," She shot the Merlin an even look, "that they cannot know all the details of. We know that your reputation for honesty and integrity is well-earned, Honored Merlin. Therefore, we ask that the vote be reduced to the Senior Council, so that those who are well-informed may make the best possible decision about this matter."
I could see the muscles in the Merlin's jaw tightening. He'd just gotten the decision taken out of his hands. I felt a little thrill of satisfaction at that.
"I thank you for your wisdom, Wizard Liberty," he said, his deep voice deceptively even. "And while you were not asked to give your opinion, your advice is sound. Gathered wizards, we shall adjourn so that we may discuss this matter in private."
"Surely," Ancient Mai spoke up, her voice almost a purr that felt like fingernails scraping down my spine, "you don't mean to impugn the integrity of this Council further, Merlin? Meetings conducted in secret always leave whispers in their wake."
I looked at her, only to find that there was a hint of a smirk on her lips as she watched the Merlin. Part of me wanted to wipe that smirk off her face, and part of me couldn't help but wonder how helping us would help her.
"If we are to discuss matters which our fellow wizards do not know all of the facts concerning," the Merlin said stiffly, "it would behoove us to adjourn elsewhere so that we can speak on these matters at will."
"If I may speak," Listens-to-Wind said. He waited for the Merlin to turn and acknowledge him before continuing. "The best secrets are ones that are not kept. While the assembled wizards here do not know the facts about this wizard, what will happen to him will affect them as well. If he is to be returned to his previous sentence, all wizards will know of our justice. If he is to live, then they will want to know so they will be prepared should he fall to evil ways again."
The Merlin's eyes narrowed, but he collected himself quickly enough. "I see your meaning, Wizard Listens-to-Wind." For a moment, he glanced at our table. At Bob. At me. "After all, if we allow the accused to live, despite his crimes, he will fall into old habits. The Black is impossible to resist, and the accused had a vicious temper before he was brought to justice."
I could hear Bob murmuring to me, saying something, his thumb stroking the back of my hand, but it felt far away. The Merlin's blue eyes, afraid to meet mine, were staring at me.
His lips, thin and pale, spoke. "If he is allowed to live, he will kill again, and then no one, mortal or wizard, will be safe from him. He has driven forthright and responsible guardians to insanity, even to suicide."
"Harry," Bob whispered in my ear. "I need you safe."
"Funny that you should mention that, Merlin," Ebenezar spoke up, his voice suddenly loud enough to make me jerk back in my seat. "Weren't you yourself his guardian once upon a time? Once when his master had been killed, and again when you needed information from him about how to defeat a warlock?"
I felt a room full of eyes focus on our table.
The Merlin's eyes turned from me, focusing on Ebenezar. "I do not recall giving you the floor, Wizard McCoy."
"I still got it, don't I?" Ebenezar grinned, his teeth a flash of white in the light of the braziers. "If Hrothbert's so evil, how'd you resist the lure of the Black? Ancient Mai watched over him once, too, if I recall correctly."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Ancient Mai wasn't happy at the reminder.
I turned to look at Bob, my teeth clenching again. "She had your skull?"
"Briefly," Bob whispered, staring me in the eye. I could imagine Mai, walking around him in circles, laughing at how the tables had turned. She had been forced away from a free meal, and then the tables had turned in her favor. I closed my eyes for a moment, and tried not to imagine how lovely Mai would look being burned alive.
"The accused's talent for making empty promises is known among his former masters, Wizard McCoy," the Merlin answered calmly. "As is his talent for breaking down the mental safeguards of those he comes into contact with. Regrettably, some of his former masters could not withstand his forceful personality, for whatever reason. Considering my own dealings with the accused, I am in a position to best understand his motives."
I narrowed my eyes at the Merlin. He had no idea of what Bob was capable of. He didn't look like he'd seen into Bob's soul like I had, knew the things I knew. The Merlin was just a vengeful bastard who looked like he wanted to get back at Bob for something. Maybe for Bob trying to defend me when I'd murdered my uncle in self-defense.
"And what about Harry?" Ebenezar asked, pointing a finger at me casually. "He's had the skull in his possession for the past six years, and before that, he was exposed to Hrothbert's influence when Justin Morningway was the skull's guardian. He doesn't seem to have turned evil, unless saving the world from the disciples of Kemmler, a rampaging werewolf, and a warlock using storms to murder people counts as evil."
The Merlin's eyes glittered. "Wizard Morningway was a responsible guardian, and yet, Wizard Dresden was brought to trial concerning his uncle's murder. Is that the recommendation you are presenting before this Council, Wizard McCoy?"
I could feel my blood burning in my veins. The Merlin was fighting this tooth and nail to get Bob dead, no ifs, ands, or buts, and I had to sit here and listen to his crap instead of doing something about it.
"Wizard Dresden was cleared of those charges, Honored Merlin," Martha Liberty spoke up. "As I'm sure you remember, it was ruled as self-defense."
The Merlin turned to address her. "I am aware of the Council's rulings, Wizard Liberty," he said firmly. "Given Wizard Dresden's history with the accused, he can hardly provide an unbiased opinion."
"Then would it not be prudent for you to abstain from the vote, Honored Merlin?" Ancient Mai asked mildly. "After all, Wizard Dresden would be too biased for the accused, and you would be biased against him."
"Unlike Wizard Dresden, I have never broken any of the Laws of Magic," the Merlin said, his tone just as mild.
"With testimony coming such a questionable source," LaFortier added, giving me a look like I had been something he'd tried to scrape off the bottom of his shoe, "it would hardly carry the same weight as the word of a tried and true Senior Council member."
The Merlin nodded to him before turning to the other Senior Council members. "Are there any other objections before we proceed to the vote?"
"Surely, you would give the accused his chance to speak?" Simon asked, glancing at our table before looking at the Merlin. "In my country, it is guilty until proven innocent, but the accused is still given a chance to try to defend himself."
The Merlin turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "The accused has already been convicted of breaking the Laws of Magic on multiple occasions, Wizard Pietrovich. We are deciding whether he should return to the original sentence." He looked at Bob, his eyes narrowing. "Or if it would be more prudent to remove the threat of his presence more... permanently."
My mind was racing. Given how quiet the room had gotten, I started thinking about how to shield Bob and myself. I saw the muscles in Ebenezar's hand tighten around his staff, and I found myself debating if I should hit him with a bolt of flame, or just enough force to push him away from us. My shield bracelet was good, but it was just designed for one person. I'd have to find some way to use it and myself to keep Bob from absorbing too much of the damage. With our table close to the stage and away from the double-doors at the back, we'd have to make our way through the crowd, deal with the idea of being in the middle of a mob.
And there were the Wardens, complete with very sharp, very shiny swords that were rumored to be able to cut through spells.
I felt Bob's hand on mine, and before I could stop myself, my other hand unclenched enough to snap around his wrist. I needed to be able to pull him out of his seat, get him close enough to me.
"Personally, I want to hear what the accused can offer us," Ancient Mai said, her voice loud and clear. My nerves jangled, making my thoughts a bit fuzzy before the panic set back in again. "Due to Captain Luccio's unusual circumstances, Hrothbert of Bainbridge might be in a position to offer us some insight."
I felt a tug on the hand I had locked around Bob's wrist. "Harry."
The Merlin turned to her, eyes still narrowed.
"Harry...." came Bob's whisper.
"Or did you think he was a warlock all his life before he was brought to justice?" Ancient Mai asked mildly, an eyebrow arching.
I heard Bob clear his throat, and he rose from his seat, his wrist still held in my white-knuckled grip. He looked at me for a moment before he very calmly reached down and removed my hand as if I had been barely touching him. He squeezed it for a moment, and then straightened to his full height. He looked at the Merlin, his eyebrows lifted.
The Merlin noticed, and with a look that would have caused crops to wither and cattle to die, he nodded once. "You may speak."
Bob nodded in return, and addressed the seven Senior Council members. "Ladies and gentlemen of the High Council, I am Hrothbert of Bainbridge. I stand before you today not to seek forgiveness for past crimes, but to offer you an opportunity. As the honored Ancient Mai has stated, I was not always a necromancer."
"That much is obvious," Ancient Mai sneered.
Bob visibly bristled, but he tamped it down quickly. "Despite the reasons for my... enforced retirement, I am still in a position to help the Council."
Simon's eyes narrowed. "How?"
"I had been trained as a blacksmith, both mundane and magical, Master Pietrovich," Bob answered him directly. "Captain Luccio's circumstances are known to me, and while it is unfortunate that her abilities have suffered due to her new physical form, I can offer her training so that she may resume her full duties as the Captain of the Wardens."
"There are others just as qualified as Captain Luccio," LaFortier declared, just barely sneering at Bob. "And not as incapacitated as she is."
"With all due respect, Master LaFortier," Bob replied, the bastard's name rolling off his tongue with more grace than the man himself had, "I had been given to understand that with her knowledge and experience, she is the best suited to the position. She has not been removed, as far as I know, and the only thing stopping her from continuing in her duties is her diminished capacity to forge weaponry that the Wardens might use in the execution of their duties. I would like to offer my knowledge of blacksmithing so that she may continue to lead the Wardens in keeping us safe from those that would undermine the integrity of this Council as well as threaten its existence."
"You're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart," Martha Liberty pointed out.
Bob smiled a little. "Of course not, Master Liberty. I've grown rather fond of living."
There was a murmur of laughter at that, but I barely registered it.
The Merlin's eyes flashed. "You would be able to pass on your knowledge of blacksmithing to Captain Luccio if we were to return you to your original sentence."
"With all due respect, Honored Merlin, I couldn't," Bob answered. "Blacksmithing is a physical skill that requires a master to be present until the student has learned enough to be left on their own. Spell-forging is even more intensive, due to the magical energies involved in the process. If I were to become Captain Luccio's teacher, I would need to be present in each phase of her re-training, as it were, to ensure that nothing unexpected were to happen to her."
"And if we allowed you to remain alive," LaFortier spoke up, "what guarantee would we have that 'nothing unexpected' would happen to Captain Luccio under your watchful eye? You would be in a very unique position to ransom our Captain to us whenever you feel we've displeased you." He turned to the Merlin. "This warlock should not be allowed to live, let alone be put in a position to cripple us."
Bob shook his head. "I have no guarantee, Master LaFortier. I myself have scars from accidents I suffered as an apprentice. I can only promise that Captain Luccio will not suffer by my hand while she learns from me."
"You've made empty promises before, warlock," the Merlin said sharply. "Do not expect this Council to be duped so easily by your silver tongue."
That was the last straw. I'd had enough of the Merlin talking about Bob like he was a thing instead of a person, but for him to lie about Bob trying to pull one over on the Council when he was trying to offer help pissed me off to no end. I didn't realize that I'd slammed my fist down on the table until the Senior Council members turned on me.
Before I knew it, I was standing up and yelling in English, "Are you stupid, or is your head really that far up your ass?"
The Merlin looked like Christmas had just come early. "I'm sorry?" he asked. In Latin.
A large hand landed on my shoulder. "Harry."
I tried to shrug off the grip, still glaring at the Merlin. "He's trying to offer you a way out from having to replace your own freaking Captain, and you're going to accuse him of lying? His freaking life is on the line!"
"Hoss," Ebenezar snapped. "Sit. Down."
"Clearly, Wizard Dresden has taken leave of his senses," LaFortier sneered in Latin, and I started seeing red.
"Harry, you're not helping me," Bob murmured. "Sit down."
I glared at Bob, but did as he said. "They want insurance, right?" I looked at Ebenezar. My mind was blurring through possibilities of how to get Bob out of here alive. "Tell them to put the Doom on me. Bob goes evil, I get to die."
"No," Bob snapped, staring daggers at me.
I looked up at him. "They're getting ready to execute you," I snarled, trying to keep my voice down.
"Wizard Dresden," the Merlin spoke out clearly. "If you interrupt these proceedings with another emotional outburst, I will have you removed from this meeting hall."
I clenched my teeth and nodded once, imagining what the Merlin's face would look like after I'd slammed it against a wall a few times. Probably not a safe thought to have right now, but it was better than actually jumping up and following through with it. "Tell them, Ebenezar."
Ebenezar sighed, and cleared his throat. "If it pleases the Council, Wizard Dresden regrets his outburst, but would like to make an offer to this Council, as proof of Wizard Bainbridge's good faith."
Martha, Listens-to-Wind, and Simon looked varying shades of surprised and worried. Ancient Mai's eyes narrowed. The Merlin and LaFortier looked like they were ready to smirk. The Gatekeeper continued to look mysterious.
"What is this proposal, Wizard McCoy?" Martha Liberty asked, sounding like she was trying to give Ebenezar an out.
"If you're so concerned about Hrothbert turning evil again, why not put Harry under the Doom of Damocles? And before you start asking questions about whether Hrothbert gives a damn about Harry, I'd like to remind you that I made a report to the Council after Justin Morningway's supposed return from the dead, which I know all of you heard." Ebenezar sat back in his chair, looking casual, but keeping an eye on the Senior Council.
Ancient Mai snorted. "The reason Hrothbert was sentenced to his skull for eternity was because his lover had been killed. Are you saying that Wizard Dresden means as much to Hrothbert?"
My heart jumped into my throat. I hadn't had time to talk to Bob about where exactly our relationship stood, but if the Council thought we were lovers, Bob could be in even more danger than he was now. Hell's bells, we both would, if the Council tried to manipulate us.
Ebenezar shrugged. "I don't know, but Hrothbert had been Wizard Dresden's teacher when Harry was a kid. Even if the education was half-assed--" At this, he shot a look at Bob before turning back to the Council. "--there's still a bond between master and student that you can't just ignore."
Bob nodded. "Just as I would not willingly harm Captain Luccio, I would not allow any harm to come to Harry." He looked at the Merlin. "From any quarter."
"That alone is insufficient," LaFortier shook his head. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. "You could allow your former student to be killed, only to resurrect him when it suited you."
"Perhaps if Hrothbert were to be put under the Doom as well?" Ancient Mai asked, her lips pursed. "Hrothbert would be unlikely to commit evil if his life was on the line as well. And if we stated that his Doom would be to complete non-existence, and not a return to his original sentence, that would be more of a deterrent."
The Merlin thought about this before slowly nodding. "This would be acceptable. If any evil were committed by either Wizard Dresden or the accused, the Doom would fall on both of them."
"Wizard Dresden has not acted in a way that would warrant the use of the Doom upon him," Listens-to-Wind said, looking calm on the surface. His tone was a different story. "He was cleared of the charge of murdering his uncle, and has acted in the Council's best interests since then."
"Once a man has been tempted by the Black," LaFortier declared, "he will be lured again. While he was 'acting in our best interests', he used questionable means to do so. If he wants to place himself under the Doom for his former teacher, let him. If he wants to court the Black, then let him accept the consequences."
The Merlin nodded. "It is only fair that if both wizards are subject to the Doom, the actions of both men should be subject to scrutiny."
Bob exhaled slowly through his nose. "We're going to talk about this."
"No, we're not," I said in just as low a voice. I reached over and patted his hand before covering it with mine.
Bob stood up again, clearing his throat. "Honored members of the Senior Council, while you are considering my fate, may I know what my situation will be if I were to remain alive by your good graces?"
Ancient Mai's eyes narrowed, but it was Simon Pietrovich who spoke.
"I'm assuming by your question that you have a list of demands?" he asked, his eyebrows lowering.
Bob shook his head. "Stated preferences, Master Pietrovich. I'm certainly open to suggestions." He turned to the Merlin, his eyebrows lifting as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "With your permission, honored Merlin?"
The Merlin looked mad enough to chew nails and spit out paper clips. When he spoke, he sounded like Bob had asked something very reasonable. "Continue, wizard."
Bob nodded, adding a bit of a bow to the Merlin before turning to the Senior Council as a whole. "My needs are simple. I humbly request full access to a fully-stocked forge of sufficient size and quality -- with an adequate, up-to-date insurance policy -- within a one-hour distance of the city of Chicago. Second, I want my choice of lodgings, with a stipend adequate enough and adjusted for inflation so that I may pay my rent, have food, and enjoy other basic necessities needed to live by modern standards. Third, I want the ability to teach Captain Luccio and any others who wish to learn from me in a manner of my choosing, without interference from an outside party. The one requirement I have is that I be given enough time to teach Captain Luccio all that I know. It has been my experience that apprentices learn at different rates. Once I have evaluated Captain Luccio's skills, I can better give a timetable as to when her training will end, should the Senior Council wish to know. When Captain Luccio is no longer my apprentice, I will submit to the Council's judgment as to whether I will continue to live or be returned to my original sentence."
I stared at Bob, my blood turning into ice at that last sentence. Hell's bells, what was Bob doing?
On the other side of Bob, I saw Ebenezar frown for a moment, and then start smirking.
Simon Pietrovich leaned forward on his podium, his eyes narrowing at Bob. "You ask much for a man who is in little position to bargain."
"I merely ask for what I would have were I practicing my craft as a free man, Master Pietrovich," Bob replied. "As I said before, I am more than willing to negotiate my terms."
LaFortier gave Bob a hard look. "You expect us to believe you will tell the truth when our esteemed captain's education will finish?"
Bob visibly checked a sigh, and nodded. "I gain nothing by lying. The Council would be more than capable of eliminating me should I prove uncooperative."
The Merlin bristled. "Unlike the Council of your day, Wizard Bainbridge, we do not attack members of the High Council without due cause."
"My apologies, honored Merlin," Bob said with a small bow. I saw him hide a smile before he straightened back up. "I learned at a young age that the High Council was omnipotent. I apologize for the error."
Ebenezar chuckled before he covered it with a cough.
Ancient Mai, who'd been chewing over what Bob had said in silence, finally spoke up. "The bond between master and apprentice is strong, wizard. When you say that you will submit yourself to our justice when she is no longer your apprentice, will she have to die first?"
The Merlin and LaFortier immediately glanced at Ancient Mai. Martha Liberty, on the other hand, looked like she had been expecting Mai to say something.
I glanced at Bob just in time to see his jaw tighten. He hadn't been expecting that. "That will be unnecessary, Ancient Mai," he said smoothly, folding the paper again and tucking it back into his pocket. "While the best masters consider themselves to be apprentices with years of experience, I mean that when Captain Luccio can learn nothing more from me, her apprenticeship to me will end."
"First, you expect us to think that her apprenticeship will last as long as she is alive, and now you expect us to sit by and allow you to hide behind Captain Luccio's apprenticeship indefinitely?" LaFortier demanded, turning to the Merlin. "Honored Merlin--"
The Merlin turned steely eyes on Bob. "No more word games, warlock. You are not going to have any say in the length of Captain Luccio's apprenticeship."
Bob raised an eyebrow, and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. "Forgive me, honored Merlin, but even you must admit it is highly unorthodox to not allow the master any input on his apprentice's training and progress."
I glanced over at Bob. What the hell was he doing? He was going to let the Council dictate how long he would stay alive? He glanced at me for a moment, and one corner of his mouth curled into a smile.
Only I could've managed to fall in love with the craziest man in the world. And considering some of the stuff I've done before? That's saying something.
The Merlin's jaw quivered with tension, but Bob kept going.
"But, if that is one of the Council's stipulations, I am forced to accept such a condition," Bob said calmly.
"You will not take any more apprentices outside of Captain Luccio," the Merlin ordered. "After all, we would not want your valuable time to be divided among students when you should be concentrating your efforts on the esteemed captain's resumption of her duties."
Bob nodded. "Taking on apprentices can be exhausting work, honored Merlin. I had merely mentioned the possibility should I be allowed to remain alive after Captain Luccio's apprenticeship ended." He gave the Merlin a polite look, eyebrows lifting. "Are there any other conditions you wish to impose? I am primarily concerned about my lodging and the forge."
"We shall have to see what can be done about the forge," the Merlin said grudgingly. "But why wouldn't you be able to lodge there? It would certainly make the commute more tolerable."
"Do you plan for him to forge his own chains, honored Merlin?" Listens-to-Wind asked mildly.
The Merlin looked surprised at the question, turning to the Native American. "What do you mean by your question, Listens-to-Wind?"
"I meant what I asked, honored Merlin," he said, smiling a little. "I do not know the ways of working with the earth, but I know the most powerful creations are labors of love, not the work of slaves." He looked at Bob steadily. "We do not know his craft, honored Merlin. The one who is most familiar with it cannot use her knowledge fully. Hrothbert of Bainbridge committed great evils when he last lived, but we need his help now. I do not see why he cannot have the rest of what he asks. The Wardens are paid for their service to the Council."
"The Wardens are also upstanding wizards who have pledged to protect and serve the High Council until they are no longer able," LaFortier objected. "This warlock has made no such pledge."
"Nor should he," Martha remarked. "We are essentially negotiating his terms of employment, not his lifelong oath to serve the Council."
On the surface, Bob looked mildly surprised by the new development. But there was a look in his eye, a hint of a smile. If Bob hadn't been planning this, he sure as hell had been hoping it would happen. He must have noticed I was watching him, because he looked at me and winked.
"His employment?" LaFortier scoffed. "If we were negotiating his employment, being allowed to keep his life should be price enough for his services."
"Bob," I whispered.
"If you were paying attention, LaFortier," Simon said, his smile wide but his eyes narrow, "you would know that reminding Wizard Bainbridge of his situation would hardly be the best way to motivate him. Listens-to-Wind spoke the truth when he said we needed him. There are things lurking in shadows..."
Bob barely shook his head at me before looking back at the Senior Council. I followed his gaze, and found myself getting quickly confused again. As Bob would say, politics isn't something that I'm good at. Watching wizards who've been at it for hundreds of years was like watching armies on a field of battle, hacking away at each other, always countering each other's moves before they could strike.
"There are always things lurking in the shadows," Ancient Mai said, looking annoyed. LaFortier smiled, but then she added, "This time, we're right to be cautious. It won't always be so dangerous that we need the condemned to save us."
Bob and I traded a look at that. We had guessed that Mai had wanted Bob alive for her own reasons, but this was the second time I'd heard about something on the move, threatening the entire High Council. Things were pretty desperate if the Senior Council was considering letting Bob live, and now that the talk had turned away from method of execution and more toward compensating Bob for his time, I started getting worried.
If something was powerful enough that the Senior Council was getting worried, that meant things were going to get really dangerous, and soon.
I looked up at Bob again. I hadn't wanted to imagine Bob being executed by a Warden on the Council's say-so, and I definitely didn't want to think about him being in the line of fire when whatever monster showed up to threaten every wizard on the planet decided to detour through Chicago first. Knowing my luck, Chicago would be its first stop, and I would be right in the middle of it.
"Strike while the iron is hot," the Gatekeeper spoke for the first time since the meeting had commenced. The other six Senior Council members stopped, and turned to him.
"Gatekeeper?" the Merlin asked, frowning.
"Strike while the iron is hot," he repeated calmly, the voice emerging from his heavy cowl sounding English. "Now is the time we must make our decision."
Ancient Mai frowned at him, but then she nodded slowly, turning back to the Merlin. "We must vote now whether to keep the warlock alive, honored Merlin."
The Merlin looked surprised at Mai's agreement, and then his eyes narrowed. "Very well, Wizard Mai. Considering the history of this wizard," he declared, his deep voice resonating in the meeting hall as he turned to look at the assembled wizards before zeroing in on Bob, "I feel it would be grossly inappropriate to cater to this fugitive's whims and allow him, a warlock who has been tried and convicted of more than one hundred violations of the Laws of Magic, to walk free. While we are a more merciful Council than our predecessors, we still feel an obligation to uphold the wishes of those who came before us." He looked at the rest of the Senior Council pointedly. "I vote that not only should Hrothbert of Bainbridge be returned to his sentence, his existence is forfeit. We need no reminder of the creatures that haunt our nightmares. The wizards of today have learned our lesson from this monster's existence. Let us not say the High Council is not merciful."
I tensed in my seat, quasi-Latin springing to mind.
"It's only the first vote," Bob said gently. For a moment, I thought I saw his hand move toward me, but he left it at his side as he remained standing. Instead, I watched him incline his head politely to the Merlin, all the while wanting to disembowel the Merlin with a spork. The man was a sanctimonious jerk, and he sure as hell didn't deserve Bob bowing to him.
Simon spoke up next, his voice booming in the meeting hall. "I vote in favor of allowing Wizard Bainbridge to live." He nodded once. "Even if our Captain Luccio is not ready when the shadows move, we can still have someone to provide us with some kind of defense."
Bob inclined his head in a bow to Simon, but didn't respond.
"I agree with the honored Merlin, and vote against this warlock's continued existence," LaFortier snapped. "He has shown time and again that he will break the Laws when it suits him, and we have no safeguard against his deceptions."
Bob's eyes narrowed, but again, he nodded politely before looking at the rest of the Senior Council.
"I vote in favor of Wizard Bainbridge's life," Martha declared. "We need Captain Luccio's skill back if the Wardens are to continue functioning. If we have to give Wizard Bainbridge a few civil liberties in order to buy his cooperation, it's a small price to pay so that we are prepared for any threat that faces this Council."
"I second Wizard Liberty's vote," Listens-to-Wind said. "There are none who know the art of spell-forging as well as Wizard Bainbridge and Captain Luccio. We need his skill to face what lies ahead."
Bob hid a smile, and bowed his head politely to the two of them. It wasn't really any surprise that they would vote for Bob -- that's what the meeting at the diner had been about. The vote currently stood three-to-two, with two more waiting to bat. Bob only needed one more vote to stay alive, literally. And as much as I hated to think it, it looked like Ancient Mai was going to keep him from getting dead.
Ancient Mai glared at Bob for a long moment, and then looked back at the Merlin. "Honored Merlin, despite knowing the warlock as I do--"
"No," the Merlin said.
"Excuse me?" Mai asked, her eyes flashing red for a moment.
The Merlin shook his head. "You cannot be allowed to vote in this matter. It was due to your interference in Wizard Dresden's guardianship that the warlock is even alive in the first place, Ancient Mai."
Mai's eyes narrowed. "Just because I have a vested interest in this outcome isn't sufficient reason to deny me my vote, honored Merlin."
"I believe bringing your personal vendettas to this Council is more than sufficient, Ancient Mai," the Merlin declared, his eyes narrowing at her. "You acted without the Council's consent in order to return Hrothbert of Bainbridge to life. You have not broken any of the Laws of Magic, but you have come dangerously close to imperiling this Council as a whole."
Ancient Mai looked like she'd been slapped. If it weren't for the fact that Bob's life was now hanging in the balance, waiting on one last vote, I would have started laughing. She recovered quickly, drawing her haughtiness around her like a shield, her eyes narrowing. Finally, after a long silence, she nodded once. "Due to my vested interest in this outcome, honored Merlin, I must recuse myself."
After that challenge the two of them had traded, I couldn't say I was surprised. Ancient Mai always acted in her best interests, and for whatever reason, keeping Bob alive now worked for her. They weren't going to invite each other over for tea, but they needed each other, as much as I didn't want to think about it. Intellectually, I knew that.
But, something in Ancient Mai's eyes bothered me. I just wished I knew what it was.
A hush fell over the room as the rest of the Senior Council turned to the last member.
The Gatekeeper was a guy pretty close to my own height. Every time I had seen him, he'd always worn a heavy black robe, with the hood up. Like I said before, he sounded like he was English, but it could have been the cowl muffling his voice. As it was, his hood turned to the Merlin.
"The last vote falls to you, honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said. "What is your vote?"
The Gatekeeper stood silent, not moving. Hell's bells, the man didn't look like he was even breathing.
The silence stretched.
"Honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said, sounding annoyed. "What say you? Should Hrothbert of Bainbridge remain alive, or return to his sentence?"
Again, the Gatekeeper said nothing.
I could feel my muscles tensing, the adrenaline starting to give me more energy. The Gatekeeper had always been a mysterious guy. There was no way to know which way he was going to vote. I glanced at Ebenezar, but Ebenezar was staring at the Gatekeeper, just like everyone else in the room. Ebenezar was distracted. If everyone was too busy waiting for the Gatekeeper's vote, it could buy me some time if he decided to vote against Bob.
"Gatekeeper," the Merlin said again, his jaw tightening. "Need I remind you that Hrothbert of Bainbridge has broken the Sixth Law at least twice that this Council is aware of. He has shown a propensity for violence in pursuing his goals. Once he falls to the Black, he will need to be stopped, and the world can ill-afford another Kemmler."
I ground my teeth hard enough for my head to start pounding. Kemmler had been an amoral psychopath who'd been Bob's guardian before Justin had gotten his skull. I'd learned that from interrogating Bob before having to stop Kemmler's disciples from trying to become minor gods. Considering what award-winners Kemmler's disciples had been, and what little Bob didn't want to tell me about the man himself, I wasn't pleased that the Merlin was equating Bob with Kemmler.
"Harry..."
I looked up at Bob, who shook his head at me. "Bob."
"Just listen," he whispered.
The Gatekeeper still hadn't spoken.
"Honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said, his voice sharp. "How do you vote?"
"I vote to preserve the Council, honored Merlin," the Gatekeeper said.
It's funny how your perception changes when adrenaline takes over. It felt like Time had stopped, that everyone was standing still. Bob stood next to me, staring at the Gatekeeper. Ebenezar had been leaning back in his seat, watching the Senior Council members. The Merlin had started to smile, his eyes flashing in victory. The people around us were watching, attention still on the stage. Ebenezar was going to be my biggest obstacle, and then there were the Wardens that were circulating throughout the room. I saw the flash of steel as a sword cleared its sheath out of the corner of my eye.
I needed to move fast.
The Merlin turned to the assembly, but then something happened.
The Gatekeeper kept talking.
"And so, I vote that Hrothbert of Bainbridge keep his life, until such time that the matter needs to be reconsidered."
I blinked. So did the Merlin.
The smile froze on his face, and then melted away to leave a faintly horrified expression that made me want to jump on the table and start dancing.
I looked at Bob. Bob blinked, and then looked down at me, his blue-green eyes wide.
"The vote stands at four to two, in favor of Wizard Bainbridge," Martha Liberty announced.
She said something else, but I was too busy staring at Bob to care.
He was alive. Hell's bells, we were alive.
The rest of the meeting went by in a blur, though it must have adjourned shortly afterward, because soon Bob and I were headed back to my Jeep, and I was helping Bob with his seatbelt.
I got in, started the car, and soon we were on the road. When Bob leaned back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes, his hair glowed in the sunlight.
***
Back to Part Two.
Continue to Part Four.
"If you'll pardon the interruption, Honored Merlin," Simon spoke up from his podium, his accent giving the words added weight. I could see him eying me and Bob. "Don't you think the verdict is a little... much? After all, this is not 1271."
"Harry," Bob's voice, low and quick, cut through the haze of planning, trying to figure out how far away people were to our relative position. "Harry. I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?"
The walking skeleton spoke again, his eyes looking even wider in shock. "Surely, you heard the charges brought against this... warlock?" He gestured at Bob, and the hand still over my fist squeezed hard. "I counted more than one hundred Laws that this fugitive broke, and you think we should be lenient?"
"We will survive this, Harry," Bob whispered. "But first, you need to calm down, and let the Council talk. Throwing magic around isn't going to help anyone."
Simon shook his head. "I am not saying we should be lenient, LaFortier. I am saying that not all the wizards present know all the facts." He arched a black eyebrow at LaFortier. "There is more to this man than the charges brought against him."
"I know you want to lash out," Bob whispered, his thumb stroking the top of my wrist slowly. "But that won't help me. Let them talk. We'll have an opening, and then we can exploit it."
I ground my teeth. "Bob--"
"Be that as it may, gentlemen," the Merlin said sharply, looking pissed off that somebody had decided to take away his dramatic announcement from him. "We cannot allow this situation to continue unchecked."
If there was one way to push my buttons, that was it.
"Hoss," Ebenezar said evenly, not even looking at me. "Simon's already opened the door. Mattie's going to pick it up."
"No, we cannot," Martha spoke up, right on cue. "Considering that the majority of the records about Hrothbert of Bainbridge are only available to the Senior Council, it would be irresponsible to ask the assembled wizards here to pass judgment on a 'situation'," She shot the Merlin an even look, "that they cannot know all the details of. We know that your reputation for honesty and integrity is well-earned, Honored Merlin. Therefore, we ask that the vote be reduced to the Senior Council, so that those who are well-informed may make the best possible decision about this matter."
I could see the muscles in the Merlin's jaw tightening. He'd just gotten the decision taken out of his hands. I felt a little thrill of satisfaction at that.
"I thank you for your wisdom, Wizard Liberty," he said, his deep voice deceptively even. "And while you were not asked to give your opinion, your advice is sound. Gathered wizards, we shall adjourn so that we may discuss this matter in private."
"Surely," Ancient Mai spoke up, her voice almost a purr that felt like fingernails scraping down my spine, "you don't mean to impugn the integrity of this Council further, Merlin? Meetings conducted in secret always leave whispers in their wake."
I looked at her, only to find that there was a hint of a smirk on her lips as she watched the Merlin. Part of me wanted to wipe that smirk off her face, and part of me couldn't help but wonder how helping us would help her.
"If we are to discuss matters which our fellow wizards do not know all of the facts concerning," the Merlin said stiffly, "it would behoove us to adjourn elsewhere so that we can speak on these matters at will."
"If I may speak," Listens-to-Wind said. He waited for the Merlin to turn and acknowledge him before continuing. "The best secrets are ones that are not kept. While the assembled wizards here do not know the facts about this wizard, what will happen to him will affect them as well. If he is to be returned to his previous sentence, all wizards will know of our justice. If he is to live, then they will want to know so they will be prepared should he fall to evil ways again."
The Merlin's eyes narrowed, but he collected himself quickly enough. "I see your meaning, Wizard Listens-to-Wind." For a moment, he glanced at our table. At Bob. At me. "After all, if we allow the accused to live, despite his crimes, he will fall into old habits. The Black is impossible to resist, and the accused had a vicious temper before he was brought to justice."
I could hear Bob murmuring to me, saying something, his thumb stroking the back of my hand, but it felt far away. The Merlin's blue eyes, afraid to meet mine, were staring at me.
His lips, thin and pale, spoke. "If he is allowed to live, he will kill again, and then no one, mortal or wizard, will be safe from him. He has driven forthright and responsible guardians to insanity, even to suicide."
"Harry," Bob whispered in my ear. "I need you safe."
"Funny that you should mention that, Merlin," Ebenezar spoke up, his voice suddenly loud enough to make me jerk back in my seat. "Weren't you yourself his guardian once upon a time? Once when his master had been killed, and again when you needed information from him about how to defeat a warlock?"
I felt a room full of eyes focus on our table.
The Merlin's eyes turned from me, focusing on Ebenezar. "I do not recall giving you the floor, Wizard McCoy."
"I still got it, don't I?" Ebenezar grinned, his teeth a flash of white in the light of the braziers. "If Hrothbert's so evil, how'd you resist the lure of the Black? Ancient Mai watched over him once, too, if I recall correctly."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Ancient Mai wasn't happy at the reminder.
I turned to look at Bob, my teeth clenching again. "She had your skull?"
"Briefly," Bob whispered, staring me in the eye. I could imagine Mai, walking around him in circles, laughing at how the tables had turned. She had been forced away from a free meal, and then the tables had turned in her favor. I closed my eyes for a moment, and tried not to imagine how lovely Mai would look being burned alive.
"The accused's talent for making empty promises is known among his former masters, Wizard McCoy," the Merlin answered calmly. "As is his talent for breaking down the mental safeguards of those he comes into contact with. Regrettably, some of his former masters could not withstand his forceful personality, for whatever reason. Considering my own dealings with the accused, I am in a position to best understand his motives."
I narrowed my eyes at the Merlin. He had no idea of what Bob was capable of. He didn't look like he'd seen into Bob's soul like I had, knew the things I knew. The Merlin was just a vengeful bastard who looked like he wanted to get back at Bob for something. Maybe for Bob trying to defend me when I'd murdered my uncle in self-defense.
"And what about Harry?" Ebenezar asked, pointing a finger at me casually. "He's had the skull in his possession for the past six years, and before that, he was exposed to Hrothbert's influence when Justin Morningway was the skull's guardian. He doesn't seem to have turned evil, unless saving the world from the disciples of Kemmler, a rampaging werewolf, and a warlock using storms to murder people counts as evil."
The Merlin's eyes glittered. "Wizard Morningway was a responsible guardian, and yet, Wizard Dresden was brought to trial concerning his uncle's murder. Is that the recommendation you are presenting before this Council, Wizard McCoy?"
I could feel my blood burning in my veins. The Merlin was fighting this tooth and nail to get Bob dead, no ifs, ands, or buts, and I had to sit here and listen to his crap instead of doing something about it.
"Wizard Dresden was cleared of those charges, Honored Merlin," Martha Liberty spoke up. "As I'm sure you remember, it was ruled as self-defense."
The Merlin turned to address her. "I am aware of the Council's rulings, Wizard Liberty," he said firmly. "Given Wizard Dresden's history with the accused, he can hardly provide an unbiased opinion."
"Then would it not be prudent for you to abstain from the vote, Honored Merlin?" Ancient Mai asked mildly. "After all, Wizard Dresden would be too biased for the accused, and you would be biased against him."
"Unlike Wizard Dresden, I have never broken any of the Laws of Magic," the Merlin said, his tone just as mild.
"With testimony coming such a questionable source," LaFortier added, giving me a look like I had been something he'd tried to scrape off the bottom of his shoe, "it would hardly carry the same weight as the word of a tried and true Senior Council member."
The Merlin nodded to him before turning to the other Senior Council members. "Are there any other objections before we proceed to the vote?"
"Surely, you would give the accused his chance to speak?" Simon asked, glancing at our table before looking at the Merlin. "In my country, it is guilty until proven innocent, but the accused is still given a chance to try to defend himself."
The Merlin turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "The accused has already been convicted of breaking the Laws of Magic on multiple occasions, Wizard Pietrovich. We are deciding whether he should return to the original sentence." He looked at Bob, his eyes narrowing. "Or if it would be more prudent to remove the threat of his presence more... permanently."
My mind was racing. Given how quiet the room had gotten, I started thinking about how to shield Bob and myself. I saw the muscles in Ebenezar's hand tighten around his staff, and I found myself debating if I should hit him with a bolt of flame, or just enough force to push him away from us. My shield bracelet was good, but it was just designed for one person. I'd have to find some way to use it and myself to keep Bob from absorbing too much of the damage. With our table close to the stage and away from the double-doors at the back, we'd have to make our way through the crowd, deal with the idea of being in the middle of a mob.
And there were the Wardens, complete with very sharp, very shiny swords that were rumored to be able to cut through spells.
I felt Bob's hand on mine, and before I could stop myself, my other hand unclenched enough to snap around his wrist. I needed to be able to pull him out of his seat, get him close enough to me.
"Personally, I want to hear what the accused can offer us," Ancient Mai said, her voice loud and clear. My nerves jangled, making my thoughts a bit fuzzy before the panic set back in again. "Due to Captain Luccio's unusual circumstances, Hrothbert of Bainbridge might be in a position to offer us some insight."
I felt a tug on the hand I had locked around Bob's wrist. "Harry."
The Merlin turned to her, eyes still narrowed.
"Harry...." came Bob's whisper.
"Or did you think he was a warlock all his life before he was brought to justice?" Ancient Mai asked mildly, an eyebrow arching.
I heard Bob clear his throat, and he rose from his seat, his wrist still held in my white-knuckled grip. He looked at me for a moment before he very calmly reached down and removed my hand as if I had been barely touching him. He squeezed it for a moment, and then straightened to his full height. He looked at the Merlin, his eyebrows lifted.
The Merlin noticed, and with a look that would have caused crops to wither and cattle to die, he nodded once. "You may speak."
Bob nodded in return, and addressed the seven Senior Council members. "Ladies and gentlemen of the High Council, I am Hrothbert of Bainbridge. I stand before you today not to seek forgiveness for past crimes, but to offer you an opportunity. As the honored Ancient Mai has stated, I was not always a necromancer."
"That much is obvious," Ancient Mai sneered.
Bob visibly bristled, but he tamped it down quickly. "Despite the reasons for my... enforced retirement, I am still in a position to help the Council."
Simon's eyes narrowed. "How?"
"I had been trained as a blacksmith, both mundane and magical, Master Pietrovich," Bob answered him directly. "Captain Luccio's circumstances are known to me, and while it is unfortunate that her abilities have suffered due to her new physical form, I can offer her training so that she may resume her full duties as the Captain of the Wardens."
"There are others just as qualified as Captain Luccio," LaFortier declared, just barely sneering at Bob. "And not as incapacitated as she is."
"With all due respect, Master LaFortier," Bob replied, the bastard's name rolling off his tongue with more grace than the man himself had, "I had been given to understand that with her knowledge and experience, she is the best suited to the position. She has not been removed, as far as I know, and the only thing stopping her from continuing in her duties is her diminished capacity to forge weaponry that the Wardens might use in the execution of their duties. I would like to offer my knowledge of blacksmithing so that she may continue to lead the Wardens in keeping us safe from those that would undermine the integrity of this Council as well as threaten its existence."
"You're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart," Martha Liberty pointed out.
Bob smiled a little. "Of course not, Master Liberty. I've grown rather fond of living."
There was a murmur of laughter at that, but I barely registered it.
The Merlin's eyes flashed. "You would be able to pass on your knowledge of blacksmithing to Captain Luccio if we were to return you to your original sentence."
"With all due respect, Honored Merlin, I couldn't," Bob answered. "Blacksmithing is a physical skill that requires a master to be present until the student has learned enough to be left on their own. Spell-forging is even more intensive, due to the magical energies involved in the process. If I were to become Captain Luccio's teacher, I would need to be present in each phase of her re-training, as it were, to ensure that nothing unexpected were to happen to her."
"And if we allowed you to remain alive," LaFortier spoke up, "what guarantee would we have that 'nothing unexpected' would happen to Captain Luccio under your watchful eye? You would be in a very unique position to ransom our Captain to us whenever you feel we've displeased you." He turned to the Merlin. "This warlock should not be allowed to live, let alone be put in a position to cripple us."
Bob shook his head. "I have no guarantee, Master LaFortier. I myself have scars from accidents I suffered as an apprentice. I can only promise that Captain Luccio will not suffer by my hand while she learns from me."
"You've made empty promises before, warlock," the Merlin said sharply. "Do not expect this Council to be duped so easily by your silver tongue."
That was the last straw. I'd had enough of the Merlin talking about Bob like he was a thing instead of a person, but for him to lie about Bob trying to pull one over on the Council when he was trying to offer help pissed me off to no end. I didn't realize that I'd slammed my fist down on the table until the Senior Council members turned on me.
Before I knew it, I was standing up and yelling in English, "Are you stupid, or is your head really that far up your ass?"
The Merlin looked like Christmas had just come early. "I'm sorry?" he asked. In Latin.
A large hand landed on my shoulder. "Harry."
I tried to shrug off the grip, still glaring at the Merlin. "He's trying to offer you a way out from having to replace your own freaking Captain, and you're going to accuse him of lying? His freaking life is on the line!"
"Hoss," Ebenezar snapped. "Sit. Down."
"Clearly, Wizard Dresden has taken leave of his senses," LaFortier sneered in Latin, and I started seeing red.
"Harry, you're not helping me," Bob murmured. "Sit down."
I glared at Bob, but did as he said. "They want insurance, right?" I looked at Ebenezar. My mind was blurring through possibilities of how to get Bob out of here alive. "Tell them to put the Doom on me. Bob goes evil, I get to die."
"No," Bob snapped, staring daggers at me.
I looked up at him. "They're getting ready to execute you," I snarled, trying to keep my voice down.
"Wizard Dresden," the Merlin spoke out clearly. "If you interrupt these proceedings with another emotional outburst, I will have you removed from this meeting hall."
I clenched my teeth and nodded once, imagining what the Merlin's face would look like after I'd slammed it against a wall a few times. Probably not a safe thought to have right now, but it was better than actually jumping up and following through with it. "Tell them, Ebenezar."
Ebenezar sighed, and cleared his throat. "If it pleases the Council, Wizard Dresden regrets his outburst, but would like to make an offer to this Council, as proof of Wizard Bainbridge's good faith."
Martha, Listens-to-Wind, and Simon looked varying shades of surprised and worried. Ancient Mai's eyes narrowed. The Merlin and LaFortier looked like they were ready to smirk. The Gatekeeper continued to look mysterious.
"What is this proposal, Wizard McCoy?" Martha Liberty asked, sounding like she was trying to give Ebenezar an out.
"If you're so concerned about Hrothbert turning evil again, why not put Harry under the Doom of Damocles? And before you start asking questions about whether Hrothbert gives a damn about Harry, I'd like to remind you that I made a report to the Council after Justin Morningway's supposed return from the dead, which I know all of you heard." Ebenezar sat back in his chair, looking casual, but keeping an eye on the Senior Council.
Ancient Mai snorted. "The reason Hrothbert was sentenced to his skull for eternity was because his lover had been killed. Are you saying that Wizard Dresden means as much to Hrothbert?"
My heart jumped into my throat. I hadn't had time to talk to Bob about where exactly our relationship stood, but if the Council thought we were lovers, Bob could be in even more danger than he was now. Hell's bells, we both would, if the Council tried to manipulate us.
Ebenezar shrugged. "I don't know, but Hrothbert had been Wizard Dresden's teacher when Harry was a kid. Even if the education was half-assed--" At this, he shot a look at Bob before turning back to the Council. "--there's still a bond between master and student that you can't just ignore."
Bob nodded. "Just as I would not willingly harm Captain Luccio, I would not allow any harm to come to Harry." He looked at the Merlin. "From any quarter."
"That alone is insufficient," LaFortier shook his head. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. "You could allow your former student to be killed, only to resurrect him when it suited you."
"Perhaps if Hrothbert were to be put under the Doom as well?" Ancient Mai asked, her lips pursed. "Hrothbert would be unlikely to commit evil if his life was on the line as well. And if we stated that his Doom would be to complete non-existence, and not a return to his original sentence, that would be more of a deterrent."
The Merlin thought about this before slowly nodding. "This would be acceptable. If any evil were committed by either Wizard Dresden or the accused, the Doom would fall on both of them."
"Wizard Dresden has not acted in a way that would warrant the use of the Doom upon him," Listens-to-Wind said, looking calm on the surface. His tone was a different story. "He was cleared of the charge of murdering his uncle, and has acted in the Council's best interests since then."
"Once a man has been tempted by the Black," LaFortier declared, "he will be lured again. While he was 'acting in our best interests', he used questionable means to do so. If he wants to place himself under the Doom for his former teacher, let him. If he wants to court the Black, then let him accept the consequences."
The Merlin nodded. "It is only fair that if both wizards are subject to the Doom, the actions of both men should be subject to scrutiny."
Bob exhaled slowly through his nose. "We're going to talk about this."
"No, we're not," I said in just as low a voice. I reached over and patted his hand before covering it with mine.
Bob stood up again, clearing his throat. "Honored members of the Senior Council, while you are considering my fate, may I know what my situation will be if I were to remain alive by your good graces?"
Ancient Mai's eyes narrowed, but it was Simon Pietrovich who spoke.
"I'm assuming by your question that you have a list of demands?" he asked, his eyebrows lowering.
Bob shook his head. "Stated preferences, Master Pietrovich. I'm certainly open to suggestions." He turned to the Merlin, his eyebrows lifting as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "With your permission, honored Merlin?"
The Merlin looked mad enough to chew nails and spit out paper clips. When he spoke, he sounded like Bob had asked something very reasonable. "Continue, wizard."
Bob nodded, adding a bit of a bow to the Merlin before turning to the Senior Council as a whole. "My needs are simple. I humbly request full access to a fully-stocked forge of sufficient size and quality -- with an adequate, up-to-date insurance policy -- within a one-hour distance of the city of Chicago. Second, I want my choice of lodgings, with a stipend adequate enough and adjusted for inflation so that I may pay my rent, have food, and enjoy other basic necessities needed to live by modern standards. Third, I want the ability to teach Captain Luccio and any others who wish to learn from me in a manner of my choosing, without interference from an outside party. The one requirement I have is that I be given enough time to teach Captain Luccio all that I know. It has been my experience that apprentices learn at different rates. Once I have evaluated Captain Luccio's skills, I can better give a timetable as to when her training will end, should the Senior Council wish to know. When Captain Luccio is no longer my apprentice, I will submit to the Council's judgment as to whether I will continue to live or be returned to my original sentence."
I stared at Bob, my blood turning into ice at that last sentence. Hell's bells, what was Bob doing?
On the other side of Bob, I saw Ebenezar frown for a moment, and then start smirking.
Simon Pietrovich leaned forward on his podium, his eyes narrowing at Bob. "You ask much for a man who is in little position to bargain."
"I merely ask for what I would have were I practicing my craft as a free man, Master Pietrovich," Bob replied. "As I said before, I am more than willing to negotiate my terms."
LaFortier gave Bob a hard look. "You expect us to believe you will tell the truth when our esteemed captain's education will finish?"
Bob visibly checked a sigh, and nodded. "I gain nothing by lying. The Council would be more than capable of eliminating me should I prove uncooperative."
The Merlin bristled. "Unlike the Council of your day, Wizard Bainbridge, we do not attack members of the High Council without due cause."
"My apologies, honored Merlin," Bob said with a small bow. I saw him hide a smile before he straightened back up. "I learned at a young age that the High Council was omnipotent. I apologize for the error."
Ebenezar chuckled before he covered it with a cough.
Ancient Mai, who'd been chewing over what Bob had said in silence, finally spoke up. "The bond between master and apprentice is strong, wizard. When you say that you will submit yourself to our justice when she is no longer your apprentice, will she have to die first?"
The Merlin and LaFortier immediately glanced at Ancient Mai. Martha Liberty, on the other hand, looked like she had been expecting Mai to say something.
I glanced at Bob just in time to see his jaw tighten. He hadn't been expecting that. "That will be unnecessary, Ancient Mai," he said smoothly, folding the paper again and tucking it back into his pocket. "While the best masters consider themselves to be apprentices with years of experience, I mean that when Captain Luccio can learn nothing more from me, her apprenticeship to me will end."
"First, you expect us to think that her apprenticeship will last as long as she is alive, and now you expect us to sit by and allow you to hide behind Captain Luccio's apprenticeship indefinitely?" LaFortier demanded, turning to the Merlin. "Honored Merlin--"
The Merlin turned steely eyes on Bob. "No more word games, warlock. You are not going to have any say in the length of Captain Luccio's apprenticeship."
Bob raised an eyebrow, and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. "Forgive me, honored Merlin, but even you must admit it is highly unorthodox to not allow the master any input on his apprentice's training and progress."
I glanced over at Bob. What the hell was he doing? He was going to let the Council dictate how long he would stay alive? He glanced at me for a moment, and one corner of his mouth curled into a smile.
Only I could've managed to fall in love with the craziest man in the world. And considering some of the stuff I've done before? That's saying something.
The Merlin's jaw quivered with tension, but Bob kept going.
"But, if that is one of the Council's stipulations, I am forced to accept such a condition," Bob said calmly.
"You will not take any more apprentices outside of Captain Luccio," the Merlin ordered. "After all, we would not want your valuable time to be divided among students when you should be concentrating your efforts on the esteemed captain's resumption of her duties."
Bob nodded. "Taking on apprentices can be exhausting work, honored Merlin. I had merely mentioned the possibility should I be allowed to remain alive after Captain Luccio's apprenticeship ended." He gave the Merlin a polite look, eyebrows lifting. "Are there any other conditions you wish to impose? I am primarily concerned about my lodging and the forge."
"We shall have to see what can be done about the forge," the Merlin said grudgingly. "But why wouldn't you be able to lodge there? It would certainly make the commute more tolerable."
"Do you plan for him to forge his own chains, honored Merlin?" Listens-to-Wind asked mildly.
The Merlin looked surprised at the question, turning to the Native American. "What do you mean by your question, Listens-to-Wind?"
"I meant what I asked, honored Merlin," he said, smiling a little. "I do not know the ways of working with the earth, but I know the most powerful creations are labors of love, not the work of slaves." He looked at Bob steadily. "We do not know his craft, honored Merlin. The one who is most familiar with it cannot use her knowledge fully. Hrothbert of Bainbridge committed great evils when he last lived, but we need his help now. I do not see why he cannot have the rest of what he asks. The Wardens are paid for their service to the Council."
"The Wardens are also upstanding wizards who have pledged to protect and serve the High Council until they are no longer able," LaFortier objected. "This warlock has made no such pledge."
"Nor should he," Martha remarked. "We are essentially negotiating his terms of employment, not his lifelong oath to serve the Council."
On the surface, Bob looked mildly surprised by the new development. But there was a look in his eye, a hint of a smile. If Bob hadn't been planning this, he sure as hell had been hoping it would happen. He must have noticed I was watching him, because he looked at me and winked.
"His employment?" LaFortier scoffed. "If we were negotiating his employment, being allowed to keep his life should be price enough for his services."
"Bob," I whispered.
"If you were paying attention, LaFortier," Simon said, his smile wide but his eyes narrow, "you would know that reminding Wizard Bainbridge of his situation would hardly be the best way to motivate him. Listens-to-Wind spoke the truth when he said we needed him. There are things lurking in shadows..."
Bob barely shook his head at me before looking back at the Senior Council. I followed his gaze, and found myself getting quickly confused again. As Bob would say, politics isn't something that I'm good at. Watching wizards who've been at it for hundreds of years was like watching armies on a field of battle, hacking away at each other, always countering each other's moves before they could strike.
"There are always things lurking in the shadows," Ancient Mai said, looking annoyed. LaFortier smiled, but then she added, "This time, we're right to be cautious. It won't always be so dangerous that we need the condemned to save us."
Bob and I traded a look at that. We had guessed that Mai had wanted Bob alive for her own reasons, but this was the second time I'd heard about something on the move, threatening the entire High Council. Things were pretty desperate if the Senior Council was considering letting Bob live, and now that the talk had turned away from method of execution and more toward compensating Bob for his time, I started getting worried.
If something was powerful enough that the Senior Council was getting worried, that meant things were going to get really dangerous, and soon.
I looked up at Bob again. I hadn't wanted to imagine Bob being executed by a Warden on the Council's say-so, and I definitely didn't want to think about him being in the line of fire when whatever monster showed up to threaten every wizard on the planet decided to detour through Chicago first. Knowing my luck, Chicago would be its first stop, and I would be right in the middle of it.
"Strike while the iron is hot," the Gatekeeper spoke for the first time since the meeting had commenced. The other six Senior Council members stopped, and turned to him.
"Gatekeeper?" the Merlin asked, frowning.
"Strike while the iron is hot," he repeated calmly, the voice emerging from his heavy cowl sounding English. "Now is the time we must make our decision."
Ancient Mai frowned at him, but then she nodded slowly, turning back to the Merlin. "We must vote now whether to keep the warlock alive, honored Merlin."
The Merlin looked surprised at Mai's agreement, and then his eyes narrowed. "Very well, Wizard Mai. Considering the history of this wizard," he declared, his deep voice resonating in the meeting hall as he turned to look at the assembled wizards before zeroing in on Bob, "I feel it would be grossly inappropriate to cater to this fugitive's whims and allow him, a warlock who has been tried and convicted of more than one hundred violations of the Laws of Magic, to walk free. While we are a more merciful Council than our predecessors, we still feel an obligation to uphold the wishes of those who came before us." He looked at the rest of the Senior Council pointedly. "I vote that not only should Hrothbert of Bainbridge be returned to his sentence, his existence is forfeit. We need no reminder of the creatures that haunt our nightmares. The wizards of today have learned our lesson from this monster's existence. Let us not say the High Council is not merciful."
I tensed in my seat, quasi-Latin springing to mind.
"It's only the first vote," Bob said gently. For a moment, I thought I saw his hand move toward me, but he left it at his side as he remained standing. Instead, I watched him incline his head politely to the Merlin, all the while wanting to disembowel the Merlin with a spork. The man was a sanctimonious jerk, and he sure as hell didn't deserve Bob bowing to him.
Simon spoke up next, his voice booming in the meeting hall. "I vote in favor of allowing Wizard Bainbridge to live." He nodded once. "Even if our Captain Luccio is not ready when the shadows move, we can still have someone to provide us with some kind of defense."
Bob inclined his head in a bow to Simon, but didn't respond.
"I agree with the honored Merlin, and vote against this warlock's continued existence," LaFortier snapped. "He has shown time and again that he will break the Laws when it suits him, and we have no safeguard against his deceptions."
Bob's eyes narrowed, but again, he nodded politely before looking at the rest of the Senior Council.
"I vote in favor of Wizard Bainbridge's life," Martha declared. "We need Captain Luccio's skill back if the Wardens are to continue functioning. If we have to give Wizard Bainbridge a few civil liberties in order to buy his cooperation, it's a small price to pay so that we are prepared for any threat that faces this Council."
"I second Wizard Liberty's vote," Listens-to-Wind said. "There are none who know the art of spell-forging as well as Wizard Bainbridge and Captain Luccio. We need his skill to face what lies ahead."
Bob hid a smile, and bowed his head politely to the two of them. It wasn't really any surprise that they would vote for Bob -- that's what the meeting at the diner had been about. The vote currently stood three-to-two, with two more waiting to bat. Bob only needed one more vote to stay alive, literally. And as much as I hated to think it, it looked like Ancient Mai was going to keep him from getting dead.
Ancient Mai glared at Bob for a long moment, and then looked back at the Merlin. "Honored Merlin, despite knowing the warlock as I do--"
"No," the Merlin said.
"Excuse me?" Mai asked, her eyes flashing red for a moment.
The Merlin shook his head. "You cannot be allowed to vote in this matter. It was due to your interference in Wizard Dresden's guardianship that the warlock is even alive in the first place, Ancient Mai."
Mai's eyes narrowed. "Just because I have a vested interest in this outcome isn't sufficient reason to deny me my vote, honored Merlin."
"I believe bringing your personal vendettas to this Council is more than sufficient, Ancient Mai," the Merlin declared, his eyes narrowing at her. "You acted without the Council's consent in order to return Hrothbert of Bainbridge to life. You have not broken any of the Laws of Magic, but you have come dangerously close to imperiling this Council as a whole."
Ancient Mai looked like she'd been slapped. If it weren't for the fact that Bob's life was now hanging in the balance, waiting on one last vote, I would have started laughing. She recovered quickly, drawing her haughtiness around her like a shield, her eyes narrowing. Finally, after a long silence, she nodded once. "Due to my vested interest in this outcome, honored Merlin, I must recuse myself."
After that challenge the two of them had traded, I couldn't say I was surprised. Ancient Mai always acted in her best interests, and for whatever reason, keeping Bob alive now worked for her. They weren't going to invite each other over for tea, but they needed each other, as much as I didn't want to think about it. Intellectually, I knew that.
But, something in Ancient Mai's eyes bothered me. I just wished I knew what it was.
A hush fell over the room as the rest of the Senior Council turned to the last member.
The Gatekeeper was a guy pretty close to my own height. Every time I had seen him, he'd always worn a heavy black robe, with the hood up. Like I said before, he sounded like he was English, but it could have been the cowl muffling his voice. As it was, his hood turned to the Merlin.
"The last vote falls to you, honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said. "What is your vote?"
The Gatekeeper stood silent, not moving. Hell's bells, the man didn't look like he was even breathing.
The silence stretched.
"Honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said, sounding annoyed. "What say you? Should Hrothbert of Bainbridge remain alive, or return to his sentence?"
Again, the Gatekeeper said nothing.
I could feel my muscles tensing, the adrenaline starting to give me more energy. The Gatekeeper had always been a mysterious guy. There was no way to know which way he was going to vote. I glanced at Ebenezar, but Ebenezar was staring at the Gatekeeper, just like everyone else in the room. Ebenezar was distracted. If everyone was too busy waiting for the Gatekeeper's vote, it could buy me some time if he decided to vote against Bob.
"Gatekeeper," the Merlin said again, his jaw tightening. "Need I remind you that Hrothbert of Bainbridge has broken the Sixth Law at least twice that this Council is aware of. He has shown a propensity for violence in pursuing his goals. Once he falls to the Black, he will need to be stopped, and the world can ill-afford another Kemmler."
I ground my teeth hard enough for my head to start pounding. Kemmler had been an amoral psychopath who'd been Bob's guardian before Justin had gotten his skull. I'd learned that from interrogating Bob before having to stop Kemmler's disciples from trying to become minor gods. Considering what award-winners Kemmler's disciples had been, and what little Bob didn't want to tell me about the man himself, I wasn't pleased that the Merlin was equating Bob with Kemmler.
"Harry..."
I looked up at Bob, who shook his head at me. "Bob."
"Just listen," he whispered.
The Gatekeeper still hadn't spoken.
"Honored Gatekeeper," the Merlin said, his voice sharp. "How do you vote?"
"I vote to preserve the Council, honored Merlin," the Gatekeeper said.
It's funny how your perception changes when adrenaline takes over. It felt like Time had stopped, that everyone was standing still. Bob stood next to me, staring at the Gatekeeper. Ebenezar had been leaning back in his seat, watching the Senior Council members. The Merlin had started to smile, his eyes flashing in victory. The people around us were watching, attention still on the stage. Ebenezar was going to be my biggest obstacle, and then there were the Wardens that were circulating throughout the room. I saw the flash of steel as a sword cleared its sheath out of the corner of my eye.
I needed to move fast.
The Merlin turned to the assembly, but then something happened.
The Gatekeeper kept talking.
"And so, I vote that Hrothbert of Bainbridge keep his life, until such time that the matter needs to be reconsidered."
I blinked. So did the Merlin.
The smile froze on his face, and then melted away to leave a faintly horrified expression that made me want to jump on the table and start dancing.
I looked at Bob. Bob blinked, and then looked down at me, his blue-green eyes wide.
"The vote stands at four to two, in favor of Wizard Bainbridge," Martha Liberty announced.
She said something else, but I was too busy staring at Bob to care.
He was alive. Hell's bells, we were alive.
The rest of the meeting went by in a blur, though it must have adjourned shortly afterward, because soon Bob and I were headed back to my Jeep, and I was helping Bob with his seatbelt.
I got in, started the car, and soon we were on the road. When Bob leaned back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes, his hair glowed in the sunlight.
***
Back to Part Two.
Continue to Part Four.
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WOW
Date: 2009-02-22 07:15 am (UTC)Thank you for posting again! And I had so many wow, squee and other squeaky sounds of delight! I was lurking around your journal for days now, watching your answers to your last chapter! And then I saw this!! And was delighted!!!
You had me really worried with the trial, when they enumerated all of Bobs "transgressions" they were indeed "considerable"!!!
All the time I was chanting to myself: everything is going to be alright! And it did!! YAY!! Even when its only for now, but they made up! Made up in every way! ;)
I love how much detail you give to Bobs past live! I shuddered when he explained that scar to Harry!
Thanks so much for keeping this story up! I am enjoying it enormously!
And will be stalking your journal for the story to come with Harry and Bob and dragons and real life! Another sound of joy!!! :)
Thanks!
Re: WOW
Date: 2009-02-22 07:49 am (UTC)Yeah, I kind of figured that if Bob was going to be evil, he wouldn't do it in half-measures. He's gotta be a serious badass, or else why would the Council not only kill him, but sentence him to eternity stuck in his skull?
Considering the Inquisition, I figured that the Blackstaff in Bob's time would've been more than willing to use some pretty scary stuff in order to get Bob to recant or whatever. Or maybe the guy was ordered to by the Council. Either way, being stuck in his skull with no apparent chance at freedom is a scary thing to do to the poor guy. Why not torture him beforehand as well? Poor Bob.
Just a warning, I have no earthly idea when I'll be able to work on the next series -- I'm already hip-deep in grad school, and I don't want to make any promises one way or the other. There's been other fandoms that've been nibbling at my brain, so I don't know if I'll give those a shot before wandering back this way for Harry and Bob. With any luck, I'll be able to write out a fic or two with the boys, but the series itself is still rather hazy in my mind.
Re: WOW
Date: 2009-02-22 07:39 pm (UTC)Well I have a serious case of insomnia and OCD, so I start searching for something to occupy my mind on...and YAY I found a new chapter with THREE installments!!! My brain was SO happy!
Later I thought I made a too short commentary for such awesomeness! So I wanted to comment a little bit more! ;) Sorry if this is spamming your commentary page!
I liked how Ebenezar "introduced" Harry to the senior council members who could lend a hand if they knew Harry as Harry and not Harry driven into a corner! Found it a nice move of the master Blackstaff!
You know I was so intrigued by this info Martha Liberty gave:
I had formed an idea that all of Hrothberts masters met an untimely dead, because of him or becuase of their greed for power, or both! But it is really interesting to think the Merlin was Hrothberts masters two times and that means he let him go to another wizard also two times! Really intrigued about those chapters of Hrothberts imprisonment! (Do you see the blatant begging for more info I am writing into this comment? *snickers*!)
I just love your Joseph for this line!!
And I so enjoyed Harry and the towel scene and !! LOL!
*Nods* I can imagine the whole trial and execution was rather painful and wanting to make an example of him...Poor Bob indeed...
Loved this part as the beginning of the "I am allowed to protect you and do stupid things to save you, but you are not" coming from both of them!!
Loved the talking over Harry's head here! They both care about Harry and its nice to see how they want to protect him! ;)
Yes and it was a powerful scene!! I would have liked more of the trial, but I hear that it was rather difficult to write!
And nearing the end of my comment spam: I really liked the description of Harry's soulgaze and Bob having a sort of comfort in what Harry saw in him! And Harry taking the curse upon him too if Bob ever did black magic again it was very moving!!
And one of my absolute favorite quotes from this story would be: LOL!
Yes of course, please do not feel pressured, its only nice to think more is coming in this series, whenever your muse kidnaps you! ;)
And again thanks it was a wonderful chapter!