Inside the Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Late Afternoon
There were a lot of things Karla had wanted to do as soon as they entered the estate. Look around again and see how much had changed from her memories. Find old servants and friends and see if they were as glad to see her as she was them. Drag her friends by the hand and show off the home she'd grown up in. Make an inventory of every hideous
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"No, but she's taking the fall for it," Karla reminded her. "I gave her every opportunity to recant and give Hobart and the rest up. She knows full well what the consequences would be and chose them anyway. So, she gets a cup of poison and Hobart gets a full and happy life. Huzzah for all!"
Karla was feeling just a bit bitter here.
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"She might have been the Queen in name only, but she was still the Queen," Karla said, staring up at the ceiling as if it might hold all the answers. "Her signature appears on documents allowing the landens to be tithed more harshly, on forces for the Ruling Council to deal with 'dissenters' in whatever ways they deem appropriate, and on the decree outlawing Black Widows and cutting off their ring fingers as a show of loyalty. She was Queen enough, Momoko."
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"If we had time we could look into thing. I could do some checking! Get more evidence! If we can confront her with it, maybe she'll recant... Name the real people involved."
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"What more evidence is it going to take, you think?" Karla asked, fighting the rising urge to just beat her own head against a wall. You think she hasn't realized yet that Hobart was behind Yllestad? The landen uprisings?"
At the beginning of the trial, Karla had shown pictures, had people describe the bone-chilling horror of the savage landens. Ludmilla herself had broken down into tears during the various retellings and had turned agonized eyes at Hobart.
She knew. Oh yes, she knew.
"If that's not enough to make her recant, what do you think will? A report that he also kicks puppies?"
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"Maybe?!" Momoko was desperate, here, okay? "I don't know, but realizing it and being forced to see proof it was him... maybe after a few weeks in prison she'll see that he needs to take his own punishment and not hers!"
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He shook his head.
"Karla has no choice but to make this call. We all want to see Hobart face the justice he deserves instead of Ludmilla, but if she's going to rule the Territory the way she just promised all of Glacia she would, then Kaeleeran law needs to be followed."
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"Ludmilla's taking the honour route! That's not justice, that's... that's not!"
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His feathers were bristling, but his voice was still low and calm and even.
"She's letting the man who murdered Karla's family off the hook. Do you think this is an easy call for her to make, Momoko?"
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Literally millions, here.
"Breaking it on Karla's first day isn't going to keep her the love and adoration of the people who have placed their trust in her."
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"I have experience in both criminal justice and law and believe me, I know the difference." She took a breath, trying to hold back the incredible desire to punch him, then turned to face Karla. "I think you're making a wrong decision, Karla, listening to law rather than justice. I think that there are possibilities that could be explored and that even if I am wrong, taking the time to look for them would be a better decision. One both you and Glacia could better live with. In this, I can't offer my powers - just my advice and experience; the decision is yours to make and I respect that. I always will. Just like I will always be your friend. Even if I don't agree with you."
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She shook her head and closed her eyes. "It's been a hard, slow journey getting my people to accept me. If I waver now, if I go back on the promises I made them, then I will lose them again. And all of this will be for nothing." She repeated some of the arguments she'd had with Dinah. "They don't know that Ludmilla's innocent. They know she's the Queen and that she's been laughing while they've been crying and that she's claimed responsibility for the whole thing. Do you honestly think they'll understand if I go out and say that I can't kill her? That it's not right, not justice? Do you think that it will make a difference to the mother from Taiga, or the families of the landens who were bespelled?"
She spread her hands, willing Momoko to see. "We've argued before, about the difference between a hero and a Queen. You've been the hero, Momoko, but today I have to be the Queen."
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