A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Of course, the nobles were unmoved by such words, as Hod knew they would be. They did not feel the same passion for the Stormfront as he did – few did, for that matter. He'd learned to expect it from people after struggling with it for so long.

"This here is a country of strength. It has to be, to function," Hod went on. "We know this, because you bow to power. You bow to the High King, because he has absolute authority over all the armies this nation has. It is not stacks of gold that keep enemies away from our border – we are not a merchant nation. It is the sword, and it is the man.

What do you think of Dominus Patrick, I wonder? Apart from your distaste for him, as the outcast that he was, do you think him to be an immoral man?"

He allowed that question to hang there. "I've heard many declare their distaste for him was because of his rigorous self-imposed expectations, that he then expected the same of others, as he expected of himself. The man had ideals, of a different sort to Arthur, and he was not popular for it.

Of course, I have no doubt that he erred in his ways, but do you know so little of progress that you believe a fractured mind could achieve the pinnacle that he grasped?"

"Whatever this may be," Hod continued, "it is not justice. "If such a crime were to have taken place, Oliver Patrick would not have gotten away with it. It would not have waited until a trial such as this to be brought into the light of day. How could one without any sort of political weight have kept it in the darkness for so long?"
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The nobles shifted uncomfortably in their seats as Hod's words rang true. It seemed unlikely that Oliver had merely gone on a spree of crime in the week before the assassination attempt on him. If such a thing had taken place, it would have at least been brought to the attention of the Ministers. There was none in all of the Academy as thoroughly watched as Oliver was.

If he'd done something of that magnitude, and against a Redborne retainer – a family notoriously opposed to the Patricks – then it would have not kept quiet for even a day. They would have used it to hang him.

Oliver relaxed into his seat ever so slightly as Hod saw through their claims ever so easily, and cut them to pieces. Indeed, the more one thought on the theatrical claims, the more unlikely they seem. He was relieved to see the doubt on many of the noble faces amongst the crowd.

Some were still shooting disgusted glances his way, but others wore troubled expressions, as they looked questionly at Lazarus and Jolamire instead.

"Thus the question follows," Hod continued, "why, if such claims were not real, did my fellow Ministers feel the need to fabricate them?" The Minister of Logic no longer spoke in euphemisms. His opponents had ceased to. Now that they'd dragged them all to such depraved depths, he spoke as bluntly as the filth that they swam in allowed him to.

"By their claims, there should be no question as to whether Oliver Patrick committed the crime that they accused them of. So confidently they've carried themselves, and yet they still felt the need for fabrication. It strikes me as odd, does it not you?"

It was stunning to Oliver just how quickly their false claim had turned into a noose around their own necks. Against any other sort of opponent than Hod, no doubt such a serious allegation would have caught them flat-footed, and would have bought enough time to see the trial to its conclusion, but it hadn't taken Hod a single minute too long before he'd already cut holes in the entire scenario.

Jolamire easily deflected the blame to the Redbornes. "That is simply what is brought to our attention, Minister. I believe you to be the one throwing serious accusations around now."

"Jolamire," Tavar cut in, his voice grave. "You are not to speak when the other party holds the floor. Continued offence will bring sanctions against you."

Oliver noted that Tavar's glare was particularly weighty as he levied it against the Minister of Coin, but despite its weight, Jolamire managed to keep his cool, adopting a mere dip of his head in response.

Hod finished his speech. "I will now conclude with one final witness, before the voting is to take place. The first person on the scene after the attack occurred, and also the last person to see Oliver Patrick before the attack happened.

I have been in correspondence with this woman ever since Oliver Patrick's arrest, and I have received her written confirmation that she will be able to attend this evening. Nevertheless, I would ask for patience. Guardsmen, please fetch Her Highness Asabel Pendragon."

A ripple went through the crowd at that. The loudest response Oliver had heard from them in anything yet. Their voices were more than just speaking level, some were on the very edge of shouting. It was not only them that seemed disquieted by this, the Minister too looked incredulous. The face of calm that Jolamire had adopted was washed away, and he stood up from his throne, panicked.

"What manner of trickery is this!?" He shouted. "These Minister's Halls are not a place for the royalty, Hod! It has been written so, since their beginning. If we were to allow royalty to attend, then the votes of the Lords would mean nothing!"

It said something about the state of shock amongst all the Ministers when General Tavar did not immediately jump in to chastise the Minister of Coin for once again speaking out of turn. He looked similarly as shocked and his gaze bore the same question of the rest of them.

"Such is our law," Hod agreed. "But that doesn't extend to students. Whilst royal students are forbidden from taking part in a vote – as all students are – they are not forbidden from acting as witnesses."

He spoke not just for Jolamire, but for the whole of the crowd. Oliver himself didn't realize just how momentous such an occurrence was, but the rowdy exclamations of the nobles did much to fill that questioning in.