(fourth lemon cake) voice ✧ open to both courts

[steeledskin]

Fellow Shardholders. [ of either court! ]

I would speak to a man of law -- should any find himself amid our numbers. [ such a profession is unknown to her, but stiles has explained some occupations and tenets of his world and this one in particular piques her interest. sansa stark could make use of such a man who might be bound by her confidentiality. of course, she does not quite understand the ins and outs of the arrangement.

but that's why she asks today: to learn; to plan; to piece together little patches of her defence. ] Anyone who would call themselves lawyer. I would speak with you. That is the word for it, yes? [ lawyer. ] My apologies if I've gotten it wrong; I'm only a simple girl and I am unwise in these matters. I want to learn about the things that are mysteries to me.

[ like whether a lawyer's strange binding powers of argumentation would even apply in these lands. once her conversations are finished, she snaps the locket shut and can be found in the library -- where she organizes books she doesn't care to read, because the practise soothes her and distracts her mind from its darker thoughts. or else come the evening she sits in her chambers, and allies of hers are welcome to stop and knock. ]

Comments

[kingsdaughter]

[It's night. The lamps and candles are lit and there is a soft glow coming in from the bathroom, as well as sounds of water being poured. Sigrid steps in and drops a courtesy.]

My lady, your bath is ready.

[steeledskin]

[ she looks up from some minor late-hours conversation on the lockets. it cannot have been too important, because she watches its face for a moment before moving her arm with measured certainty and closing it. she does so with no haste and no secrecy -- whatever the matter was, it cannot have been important.

sansa rises. she watches sigrid for a moment and wants to tell her that she is free to call her sansa. after all they've said and survived in so short a time, she cannot feel the artificial boundaries of class and station between herself and her friend. let that stand for other people, but not for sigrid. even so, she holds her tongue. after all, it's more clever that the title be used: sigrid had no notion of who had been her casual conversation partner a moment ago. it would do sansa no good to have alayne be heard addressed as anything but alayne. so my lady suffices. ]

I pray your help-mates did not leave you to ready it all on your own. [ she rises onto her toes, looking for the fairies. she doesn't want to disrobe while they still might be around. ]

[kingsdaughter]

[A far more casual smile is cracked once the locket is closed. She knows how appearances are important, at least. She picks up Sansa's long dressing-gown and drapes it over one arm, moving first to pull the drapes closed.]

Not at all. They appreciated the chance to be artistic. Say what you will of them, but they're never half-hearted with anything. Still, [she approaches and unfolds the robe, holding it between her and Sansa so she can undress modestly] hot water is only hot for so long. They've gone to eat cake.

voice;

[jaywalks]

Lawyer's the right word for it, yeah.

[ a brief pause, and then he continues ]

Technically, I'm not one, but we did have to cover a lot of legal stuff at the police academy. What're you wondering about?

[ YES. surprise. mako is a police officer. he is TECHNICALLY, a man of the law. ]

voice;

[steeledskin]

[ it will not do. but she tries to let him down gently: ] I want to ask a lawyer about the details and difficulties of his work. But perhaps I should be asking about other things as well--

[ she leaves it open for him to talk about this police academy, gearing to steer him away from the unfulfilled request. ]

[steeledskin]

[ although a modest creature, sansa has spent her life dressing and undressing in front of handmaidens and servants. there is nothing to be shy of in this context, though she is grateful to be wearing an uncomplicated wrap-dress with little in the way of stays and structure. she feels little ticks and sparks of guilt when sigrid is made to pull at these things. but the thought passes quickly and she tucks herself into the softer robe -- leaving the dress and small clothes puddled where they fell. ]

It's that time again, is it? [ payment -- in sweet cakes and the time to eat them. sansa smiles her small uncertain smile. ] It's weaving by so quickly: time. Already, I've been here for some turns. And you nearly as long.

video.

[oursavinggrace]

[wha...

alayne, what.]

...Uh, what do you need a lawyer for?

[trying very hard to not sound too perplexed, but. where did she even learn a word like that? and what's a lawyer gonna do in a world without a judicial system?]

voice »

[steeledskin]

[ sansa doe not respond with recorded video. she keeps her communication strictly vocal. ]

I do not need one. [ her tone is smooth. even. ] I only want to learn.

video unless otherwise stated there we go

[oursavinggrace]

Oh. [well, that's kinda comforting.] I don't think you'd need an actual lawyer to tell you what lawyers do, though. I mean, if there is one here then yeah, that's probably more helpful, but I think it's pretty common knowledge. In worlds that have lawyers, anyway.

and she'll keep too voice for her side of things.

[steeledskin]

[ she doesn't understand these people. the way they constantly pluck and pick at things -- the way their helpfulness is almost unendurable in its constant presence. she feels hard put upon to be helped, and she isn't ready for that level of trust. not yet.

so: ] More helpful. Exactly so. It's why I hope there's one here to answer my call.

[oursavinggrace]

[oh, honey. meet jason grace, the most frustratingly helpful and selfless not-quite-human to ever exist.]

Right. I hope you happen to find one, then.

[he can't imagine what a lawyer would have been brought in for in the middle of a war, but then again, there have been strangers decisions made about otherworldly soldiers here.]

I can probably try to explain it a little if you don't, though. I mean, my dad is the god of justice, so that's gotta count for something.

[a joke. please don't take him seriously, you are the worst offender of that and he is not trying to imply that he is any equivalent of a lawyer.]

[steeledskin]

[ she very nearly does take it seriously. but her train of thought veers elsewhere: ] I was told to ask -- no. Not told. It was suggested. But...

Whatever lawyers are, I don't think we have them in Westeros.

[oursavinggrace]

[thank the gods for that.]

Yeah, it didn't sound like it. Things probably would be a lot more pleasant there if you did.

[steeledskin]

Are...are they good men? Are they kind and just?

[ careful or she'll start hero-worshipping lawyers. ]

[oursavinggrace]

[his optimistic smile falters a little.]

Well...they're supposed to be. I'm sure there are people who become lawyers because they want to help people and carry out justice and all that. But it's got a reputation as a high-paying job, and I guess lawyers want to win their cases whether their clients are guilty or not. There's a reason for the whole "sleazy lawyer" stereotype, so...it depends on the person, I think.

[steeledskin]

What do you think of them?

[oursavinggrace]

I don't know, I've never needed one. I don't think they're inherently worse than people in any other kind of profession, though. There are probably some bad ones, but I'm sure there are good ones, too.

[steeledskin]

[ like knights, perhaps.

ah. no matter. she falls back upon her pleasantries: ] I trust you have been well? Safe?

[kingsdaughter]

[Sigrid slides the robe on over her arms and shoulders.] I've scarcely noticed. [She draws the fall of red hair out of the robe and drapes it over Sansa's shoulder.] What's Alayne finding out?

[steeledskin]

Hmm? [ her head turns; she watches sigrid with a sly glimmer in her eye. among others, she's more hesitant and embarrassed of her efforts. but the two have made their wild vow: no secrets. ] I've learned that the esteemed sons of Cothromach enjoy hawking. A little scrap of knowledge, yes. But it may prove useful, if not important.

[kingsdaughter]

Hawking? [Sigrid leads Sansa toward the bathroom.] I thought Cothromach's underground. That's what Gendry said.

audio

[caditquaestio]

Law is as the ruler gives it, Elina. You'll find a lawyer in each land, and none will speak plainly of the other. What they have to say won't serve you. Pity them - they've lost craft and purpose.

[Video]

[vanyel_ashkevron]

As a Herald for His and Her Majesty, I believe I fill that role, though I have never been called lawyer. [Regardless, he gazes at the locket intently.] How can I aid you, my lady?

private voice »

[baseborne]

[He ought to just find her and ask in person, but sometimes it's hard standing in front of her and seeing the fear that's always in her eyes now. Guilt over having such thoughts in the first place will likely make him seek her out later, but for now...] What's a lawyer? Has something happened?

video;

[aliased]

What's a lawyer?