A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Chapter 561 The Trial - Part 7

"Or otherwise," Jolamire put in.

"Or otherwise," Tavar conceded. "For either argument, proof must be given. The Ministers have all seen the scene of the crime, and they've formed their own… opinions, but their positions have not been firmly stated.

I would ask that, as tradition dictates, the Ministers choose a side to vote for, and that they be prepared to defend such a vote in line with their honour with the appropriate amount of evidence when called upon. Minister of Blades, would you begin? What do you believe happened that night."

Gavlin stood firmly, just in front of his throne. Tavar held the centre, and Galvin made no move to take it from him. The Minister of Blades looked to his wife in the crowd. She nodded to him, a firm nod. Oliver watched, taking it in.

The Minister took in a deep breath, hardening his already stone-like features, and he delivered his pronouncement with all the dignity that one would expect from a Minister of the Academy. "As is my right, I choose to withdraw from the proceedings without casting a vote."

His words were met with shock from the crowd. They raised their voices to almost insolent levels. From what he'd said earlier, they'd seemed to believe that the Minister would defend Oliver Patrick, and Oliver had thought the same thing himself. The Minister had spoken of truth, and of what was logical… but yet he'd withdrawn from the proceedings entirely without defending that fact.

Oliver felt his jaw tighten as he ground the back of his teeth. More of a nervous reaction than anything. He was not truly angry – not yet. His calm still held, but confusion was winning out. There was so much he didn't know. Just what manner of power was at play that even a Minister of Gavlin's standing was reluctant to make his opinion known?

To the Minister's credit, he did not avoid looking in Oliver's direction. When their gazes met, Oliver's eyes held a question. The Minister could only give a sad shake of his head in response, but that was more than enough. Oliver relaxed back against his seat.

"I see," Tavar said finally after giving a stern look to those gathered in the crowd – that was more than enough to quiet them. "You are aware that in exercising your right this season, you will be unable to exercise it for the next four seasons?" He asked.

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Minister Galvin nodded. "I am."

"Then, so be it. Jolamire, continue," Tavar said. Jolamire was practically beaming as he flung himself to his feet. His soft shoes made a soft plop as he took a few over-eager steps forward – though he, like Gavlin before him, did not move to challenge the centre.

"Then I make my pronouncement," Jolamire said gravely. "I believe this to be a matter of great deception. I believe Oliver Patrick's character to be tainted, given his recent history. I can not stand by and defend him in the face of such barbaric acts. These were men I knew – they would not have been bought out for the likes of an assassination. To suggest so is an insult to them and their kin.

No. This was not an assassination, it was a slaughter. I stand against Oliver Patrick, and I push forward the motion of execution."

An even weightier pronouncement than the man that came before him. The noblemen in the crowd could not have been more delighted. They positively beamed when Jolamire said aloud exactly what they were thinking, as though he'd read their mind. Jolamire fed on the energy of their delighted praise with an exalted expression, drinking it all in. But it was no great feat.

When the whole Kingdom was oriented in a single hate-filled direction, it would not have been difficult to please them.

Tavar again looked troubled, but for different reasons this time. He searched Jolamire, with a long and hard look. Jolamire met his gaze, his smile fading somewhat. He stood his ground, but he did so meekly, as though uncertain of his footing. After a moment, Tavar dismissed him, and the Minister of Coin went gleefully back to his silver seat.

His eyes moved to Lazarus next. Oliver didn't even have to guess what the old man's pronouncement would be. He and Jolamire seemed to be in agreement on most of their decisions, even if they were two vastly different people on the surface level.

"Lazarus, then," Tavar said with the same reluctance that Oliver felt. It seemed that he too expected it to be just a formality.

"Well then…" Lazarus murmured to himself, as he hefted himself out of his chair, leaning heavily on his wooden staff, his chains clinking as he did so. "On a matter such as this… I think it's appropriate – or even necessary – to approach a decision with a firm degree of mm… apprehension. I do so today. Very few times in my long career have I been so troubled.

A student of this Academy – a wonderfully gifted student, with incredible potential, of the likes that we have not often seen… And then our loyal guards, who have served us faithfully, many for over a decade."

"As the honourable Minister of Coin pointed out, our student's reputation does him a great… disservice. He was taken to task for the striking of a professor early in his stay here, and I've heard more than a few students complain about his more… aggressive way of carrying himself. Given time, I do believe that Oliver Patrick might have been a source of great potential for our Kingdom.

But these crimes are unforgivable, no matter talent, or station. I stand with the Minister of Coin, and I push for execution."

Somehow, that pronouncement still came as a shock to Oliver, even though he expected it. He'd been put off guard by the Minister of Information giving him credit – for he'd seemed to deny that Oliver possessed any sort of real talent up until now – and he'd danced around the issue, without providing any real evidence to refute what they'd seen at the scene of the crime, just as Jolamire had.

On the surface, it seemed like a well-put-together and thoughtful speech, but in reality, it ignored the key facts of the case.