Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Three B (Anika’s House, Part 3: Flashback—Hounds of the Law: Introduction)

SCENE THREE B: HOUNDS OF THE LAW

You stand before the wooden platform that should have hosted the trial. Lady Amintar, a magistrate from the port city of Elios, stands in the center of the platform and her body radiates the fury in her voice: “Three months ago the farmer Breytos left this freehold to try to sell his fleece in Elios. At that time it would have fetched three times the price he could have gained from selling it to the freehold.”

She waits until the murmurs rising from the community gathered around you subside. “Breytos died when his horses bolted on the road through Mairnon’s Pass, taking themselves and the wagon over the edge and into the Heirions River. I am here because the magistrates have retrieved the wagon and found evidence of blisterionus on the harness of the both animals.”

There is a collective gasp from the people around you and now their eyes understand two things: Your presence, and the disappearance of Breytos’ neighbour—with Breytos’ wife.

Magistrate Amintar outlines the suspicions brought to her by Breytos’ daughters and the charge of murder laid against their mother and neighbour. “By the 101^st law it is said that: Sabotage leading to the foreseeable chance of death for another is murder and the saboteur shall be tried as a murderer. In this case we have conducted our investigations and bring the case before you only to find that the accused have disappeared. Fortunately someone noted the disappearance, and there are volunteers for the hunt.” She looks directly at you and you bow.

There is a smattering of nervous applause from the assembled freeholders. Your deeds are well known, but this is the first hunt where your prey has been human. “Give them all the help they require.” At this, the freeholders look towards you. You hear one mutter an excuse to his neighbour—something about having to take the sheep to pasture. It’s the start of an exodus. With a sigh, you realize two things—the reason you only received the call for help last night, and that you’ll have to use the dogs after all.