Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals
Date of Scene:	21 January 2013
Location:	Costa Del Sol
Synopsis:	Avira requests the presence of a judge magister in order to negotiate. She winds up with none other than Gabranth himself.
Cast of Characters:	Avira, Gabranth

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Avira has posed:
Something unusual had happened roughly a week or so ago. A letter, delivered by way of regular judge, had requested the audience of a Judge Magister. This particular letter came from whom had become a rather infamous individual at this point: Avira, of Clan Dagda. The perpetrator in the recent disturbance in Rabanastre who had allegedly attacked a judge. Of course, it turns out her assailant was not a judge and had taken advantage of his similar appearance to order the city guard into trying to apprehend her.

Fortunately for Avira, she managed to escape the city. Unfortunately, the rest of Clan Dagda and Angantyr had been dragged into the mess. The rest was history.

Aside from that particular incident, Avira did have a small claim to fame to her for being involved in defending Rabanastre from the attack of a nasty large Heartless. Judge Zargabaath had also encountered her in Traverse Town, leading to a brief tense interaction and Cirra mostly knew her as a law-abiding citizen with the Twilight Detective Agency. For the most part she had avoided the judges, Judge Magisters especially, so requesting an audience with one was very unusual.

The place of meeting was set to a territory Archades had no control over: Costa Del Sol. While this town was hardly violence-free, the environment itself was conductive against it.

Avira was, honestly, unsure if this venture would bare fruit. It was also a possibility that they could arrive and take her to task to the damage her fight had done in the marketplace, but that was a risk she was willing to take. Nervously, she awaits on the large bridge over the main street, eyes turned to the skies, watching for the presence of the huge airships that Archades was so well-known for.

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth does not come by mighty airship, nor does he bring a more attention to his arrival, beyond the fact of his own presence would allude too. No the attention he brings is as his armored boots clank gently across the wooden board-walk and the clatter of the two hilts on his belt tap gently against metal on metal.

The cap barely moving in the ocean breeze as the dark figure makes his way for the place mentioned in the letter to meet with Avira.

The first warning she would get is people whispers around her as the armor clad figure moves in closer to her direction with easy, commanding steps. Those steps in near perfect rhythm.

Then soon a shadow would be over her, before the echoing voice speaks out from the helm. "You requested my presence, ma'am regarding the activities that took place?" His voice was calm and respectful with a slight British hint to it.

Avira would also find that the Judge Magister was indeed alone as well. No guards, no other soldiers. Just him--

-- and her.

Avira has posed:
Funny, she was expecting an airship. Zargabaath had an entourage of other guards with him the first time she met him as well. Her vigil of the skies ends, however, when she hears the telltale clink of metal against metal approaching. The noise had become synonomous with an approaching guard and one that Avira had taken to listening for carefully during her time in Rabanastre.

Pushing away from the railing she had been leaning against, she turns to the direction of the noises she hears and freezes. Just the sight of Gabranth makes her heart stop, not just because he's a Judge Magister, but his armor reminded her terribly much of Garland. In fact, her hand is already moving to the hilt of the strange-looking weapon she carries before rationality takes over. Gabranth is not tall enough to be Garland.

Still, standing in his shadow makes her recoil just a little. Judge Magisters were intimidating-looking figures to say the least. "Your Honor." she greets politely with a nod of the head, "Y..yes, I was hoping to speak about that. Namely...less the incident itself and...uh..."

She starts to fidget nervously, "I understand that Angantyr Vespar made a bit of a scene afterwards and is now a wanted man. I would like to know if there was anything I could do to perhaps...exonerate him of his crimes."

He being alone does put her slightly more at ease, but not much.

Gabranth has posed:

The Judge Magister's eyes look into her own. Those ice blue eyes examining the woman before him, though sadly she will not see those eyes as the helm does a wonderful job at masking his entire face or any visuals of it.

"He was uncooperative when I requested him to stand aside in the investigation regarding your charges that I was conducting on my own accord. I also offered him the chance to help us clear your name, as all information I had begun to gather was pointing to your innocence already."

The Judge Magister shifts his weight, his hand idly coming to rest on the hilt on the Highway Star out of nothing more then habit. "He wanted a fight and he wanted my blood, even if I was to clear his charges, he would only strike again until he rid of me my life, ma'am."

Gabranth then gently shook his head. "Though I am glad that you had the courage to summon my presence, as I also wish to apologize to you for the short inconvenience of the false charges."

Avira has posed:
Unknowingly, Avira meets his gaze. Perhaps by the cant of his helm, she can tell that he's looking at her. Even with this slightly unsettling thought, she does not look away or cower. That fear she holds for the Archadian lawgivers is buried deep inside. At the sense she's being looked through, she will suck in a breath and draw herself up a little. Her hands remain resting behind her, though also close to the Spine's hilt upon the small of her back.

"He wasn't thinking, no doubt. He tends to react irrationally when I or our clan is involved..." Avira's lips press together. "I cannot say I'm surprised by this behavior, just disappointed." He didn't even need to go rushing off like that! What a waste!

In spite of what Angantyr might have said about 'feeling nothing' afterwards, Avira thinks otherwise. "The only reason he had perpetuated the fight was because of his past. Archades harmed his family in their conquest of his city. Those wounds have never healed. Any that pursue him to make him stand for his crimes will..."

She trails off, eyes widening with surprise. "Wait. So it was YOU he fought?"

Avira shifts to the side awkwardly. "Well, it's been cleared up, so no harm done. The Rabanastre city guard is very...erm...relentless. Are you sure there is nothing I can do?"

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth listens to her. There was no real change in his posture, even when her nervous fidgets that he can mildly pick up; something he had grown use to when he wore the armor. When she goes through the 'history', it only brings a frown to him behind that helm.

His thoughts echoing back for a moment as he closes his eyes, his hand clenching the hilt tightly for a moment, before he relaxes just as quick. Perhaps only the sound of the leather of his glove being compressed may be the only 'warning' Aviria would have gotten that she may have hit something regarding the Judge of Ambition.

Gabranth then speaks up when she is done. "I fear not. His anger is his guide and his need for blood will not end until he avenges those who were lost. That is the nature that he has decided to follow and even if you were to plead to him, I doubt he would change his mind."

The Judge Magister lowers his head for a moment, once more shifting his weight and listening to the ocean for a moment. His free hand flexing out a little, before it comes to a relax position once more. "Though if you do attempt to protect him from us, you may also be charged in aiding a criminal. Perhaps if he was to come in on his own accord, I may be able to see about shortening his time in prison, but that is the best I can do."

The Judge Magister then rests his free hand on the belt along his hip before he studies her once more. "He is though, fortunate, to have someone who cares about his well being."

Avira has posed:
The creak of leather finally tears Avira's gaze away from the Judge Magister's helm, her brown eyes settling upon the hand gripping the hilt of the Highway Star. A stab of fear surges through her belly and, likewise, her right hand settles upon the Spine. Her thoughts race quickly-hand the mention of Angantyr being from an Archadia-conquered nation earned this man's ire?

One could never be to sure what would earn the ire of a judge, after all.

"I have, in the past, tried to persuade him to not act so...rashly when it comes to you and your countrymen." Persuading him from seeking revenge? No, not at all. Avira knows that's a battle she'll never win with him. "But you're right, I cannot change his mind...which is why I've come to you. Short of serving his sentence in his place, there must be /something/..."

He falls silent and she watches him, still tensed, until he relaxes and Avira is mostly certain that he will not draw his sword upon her. "Unfortunately, I doubt Angantyr will ever willingly turn himself over to you." she says, swiftly avoiding the subject of trying to protect him. In a way she already was by giving Angantyr a place to stay in Traverse Town. "He will go down fighting and it will be messy."

For the first time in this encounter, Gabranth's words manage to bring a small smile to Avira's face. "His own family has forsaken him for Archadia. Clan Dagda is all he has now. Regardless, it's unfortunate that things have turned out this way."

Though, perhaps, inevitable that they did.

Gabranth has posed:

"Unfortunate indeed." Gabranth simply remarks, before he moves his free hand out to the side as he states his next part. "But sadly, there is nothing you can do, ma'am, short of just helping us with this process of turning him in."

Something he knew she would never do.

"Also begging to take his stead would be foolish, as you would find yourself sentenced to death." The Judge Magister rumbles out with a heavy sigh emitted from the helm. "Is there anything further you wish to discuss or is this all?"

Avira has posed:
Turning Angantyr in herself is NOT an option. Avira doesn't like the Empire all that much to begin with and was not terribly inclined to sell her friend out to them.

"W..what? Death? But you said earlier that there was a prison sentence involved. Is he going to be put to death for his crimes if he is caught?" Avira seems downright terrified by this idea. That definitely took the option off the table-nothing would incense Angantyr to the highest level than dying at the hands of Archades.

"Just a reassurance, Your Honor, that I will not be charged for the other bits of damage that happened when I fought Garland in the marketplace." she says with a bow of the head.

Gabranth has posed:

"If he comes in himself, turning himself in, then I could work the charges from death to time in prison. Perhaps even shorten the length." Gabranth re-explains, perhaps he should have been more clear regarding just what danger it was when you attacked a Judge Magister; if not almost out right kill one yourself.

"As for the destruction in the market, it was filed that such actions from you were in self-defense and thus no charges are placed against you, Avira." He says her name at last with some hint of soft reassurance behind those words. "You have not done anything wrong."

The Judge Magister then lowers his hand off the hilt before he nods his head to her. "I am sorry that your friend's actions have placed himself and yourself in this situation, but all actions of consequences. Even we Judge Magisters are not excluded from such teachings of life."

Though Gabranth tilts his head as a thought now comes to mind, "Though do humor me, ma'am. If you knew the Judge Magister who was responsible for Archades taking hold of your friend's home city, what actions would you take and would you be so willing to even speak with them?"

Avira has posed:
A look of despair briefly touches on the scarred huntress's face. Angantyr would never turn himself in and would never resign himself to sitting in prison to avert his own death. "Oh, I understand." Indeed, this was the sort of thing she had hoped to avert, but there was no bargaining to be had here.

The news of her lack of charges for the marketplace incident, thus, make her doubly angry. If Angantyr hadn't run off like a moron and just /waited/...! "That is good to hear." Catching her own name in there seems to put her further at ease.

Solemly, she nods as he confirms that there was no escaping the fruit of Angantyr's action. "You aren't the one who must apologize for this mess, Angantyr is."

His question to her brings obvious surprise to Avira's face. "If I knew who he or she was? I..." she hesitates, clearly thinking quite hard about this dilemma. Or whether or not she should respond to the question to begin with. "I'd likely help Angantyr act against them, if only to prevent him from going too far with his revenge. Angantyr would kill them, given the chance." she says, clearly very uneasily. "We are close, so I hope he would at least listen to me...as for the second question..."

She shrugs, "I don't know. It depends on the type of person they are. I have heard...things about the Judge Magisters while living in Rabanastre, not all very flattering."

Gabranth has posed:

"People do not think highly of those who are 'hounds' of the Empire, as many would call us." Gabranth says calmly to her reply. "Though I suppose we are Hounds. We do as the Empire requires of us to do, but we do so also for the people. Though they may think some of us to be cruel tyrants, there are some of us who are also givers."

The Judge Magister then turns away from Avira, "This means though when the Empire demands it, we also strike out by the call of his Majesty. Your friend is fortunate, which he forgets, that though his city was conquered by Archades, they were also given the chance to live. They could have found the fate of complete death." His head then lowers as there is a long pause. His blue eyes narrowing softly, almost becoming amber from his own memories, before they return blue once more. "But I suppose some countrymen would rather die then become a part of another nation."

Then Gabranth starts to actually walk away from her before he pauses in his step, then turns to face her once more, "..and to further add to whom was the one that was sent to conquer that nation of your friend. Is the Judge Magister who breaths in front of you." Then The Judge Magister turns away once again. "Good Afternoon, Avira." Before he starts to walk away from her.

Avira has posed:
Well, at least he's being reasonable about this, Avira considers. She could only imagine Angantyr going up against this even tempered man, poking and poking, until he himself got frustrated and attacked the Judge Magister. Sure, some of that anger against the Empire was warranted based on what happened, but in this incident the Clan had not been in any danger!

She is silent, albiet growing a little nonplussed when Gabranth reflects that Angantyr is lucky that he wasn't annihilated when his city was conquered. "That was the case for many of his countryman, I understand. Death." Until his family switched loyalty. "Living as the people of a conquered nation is not a fate everyone can handle."

Indeed, living in Rabanastre presented this first to Avira.

She doesn't call out to him any further, now mentally berating herself for answering his odd question as she did. Avira snaps out of her thoughts, quite suddenly, when Gabranth admits that HE was the Judge Magister that conquered Angantyr's nation. "W..what?" she recoils, back slipping against the railing of the bridge.

Suddenly that turned back made a tempting target. He wouldn't expect it if she-no! "It was YOU? No wonder...no wonder he wouldn't stop..." Avira looks away, remaining still as he leaves, "Farewell, Your Honor."