L. Modesitt - Ordermaster

“We will need to get you settled. The lord justicer suggested that you spend some time studying the simplified procedures first, then the most important precedents. After that, as there is time, you can look into other cases and observe some of the cases that come before the lord justicer.” Jusof smiled. “There is a large table in the northwest corner of the library, right under one of the clerestories, so that on most days you won’t need a lamp …″

The chief clerk slipped around the table desk, the sleeve of his short jacket brushing a pile of books, which teetered but did not fall.

Kharl took his case in hand and followed the justicer’s clerk.

Jusof stood beside his table desk, overflowing with the piles of papers and volumes that seemed to have grown even in the two days since Kharl had first seen them. “Now that you have read through the basic clerks’ guide, and the summary of important laws, I thought you should learn to use the library while you are studying some of the cases.”

Kharl nodded. His head was already spinning after two long days of reading through documents that made The Basis of Order seem simple indeed.

“I have listed here some representative cases of each of the major classifications of law.” Jusof extended three sheets of paper filled with his precise and small script. “The criminal sections are simple enough. There are crimes against persons, either common or noble; crimes affecting property; and crimes against the Lord-those are effectively crimes against Austra itself, since its lord represents the land. Crimes against the Lord fall into three categories. The first category comprises minorities, such as public drunkenness, vagrancy, disturbing the peace. The second comprises majorities. These are greater offenses, such as destroying public property, begging or soliciting on the streets without a permit from the Lord-″

“I did not know that one could get a permit for begging,” Kharl said, recalling the time when he had seen one of the Watch patrollers take away a child for begging.

“There is a precedent for the Lord to grant such, but no lord has granted any since before the time of Lord Esthaven. Generally, they are not given. Begging and street soliciting, if not forbidden, lead to greater offenses.”

“What kinds of soliciting are allowed under the law?”

“There is little restriction on soliciting from one’s own property or property rented when the owner has consented in writing to the purposes to which the property is put.”

″Hmmmm …″ Kharl could see a few problems there.

Jusof laughed. “Most young advocate scholars don’t see that. There is a recommended consent form laid out in the Salaharat case. That is a very famous decision by the lord justicer under Lord Isthel.″

“I’m supposed to find these cases … and read through them?”

″Exactly.″

“Ah … the library is large.”

“Oh … I must not have explained. One takes so much for granted. The cases are laid out by section here in the library. Each set of shelves is labeled on the east end. The cases in each set of shelves are arranged alphabetically by the name of the defendant, and the sections correspond generally to the classifications.”

“What if a case has more than one classification?”

“Good question. The case will be filed under what we thought was the major issue at law, but a sheet will be filed in the other sections telling where the actual decision and abbreviated proceedings are filed.” The clerk pointed to the sheet. “If you search out each of these cases, then read through them, you should gain a very basic understanding of how the law is applied and decided. Please remember that in many instances the situation does not fit the law as it stands, and the lord justicer must decide what aspects of the law and various precedents apply. If you have questions, write them down, in reference to the case, and we will discuss them each afternoon before you leave. I would judge that it will take you close to an eightday to study all those on the list, even if you read quickly.”

An eightday more of reading? Most of the daylight hours? “I see that I will be very busy.”

“You will, indeed. I only wish that more lords would spend some time trying to understand the law. If they did, there would be fewer cases before the lord justicer.”

“People are people,” Kharl replied. “They only accept the knowledge that suits them.” He’d seen that often enough as a cooper. No one wanted to understand the advantage of a tight red or white oak barrel when they were after cheap cooperage, even when the slightly more costly oak barrel would save them twice the difference over in a few years.

“You are most probably right,” Jusof said with a sigh, “but one hopes.”

“I had best begin,” Kharl said.

Jusof stood watching, a faint and sad smile on his thin face, as Kharl turned away.

Jusof and the clerks were well organized, Kharl thought as he headed for the corner table in the library that had become his immediately two days earlier. Several of the advocate students still looked up from the smaller wall tables when he passed, but fewer did so each day.

Kharl set his case on the table. He wondered if the detail pursued by Jusof and the clerks was that necessary. Then he shook his head. That detail was necessary for a good set of laws, just as the same kind of attention to detail made crafting better barrels possible, and greater magery successful. Did Nordla have a similar system? Jusof had indicated that the legal systems had come from the same general background, but, if they did, how could Lord Justicer Reynol of Brysta have accepted the abuses of Egen and Lord West?

Kharl smiled. Anyone could twist anything. That was something he would have to watch in himself. Perhaps studying the law would help. He just hoped it did not make him too much more cynical about people.

After the first eightday in the Hall of Justice, spent entirely in the library reading, Kharl wasn’t sure that he understood any more than when he had first walked inside. He knew more, but the knowledge had not yet deepened his understanding. At least, he didn’t think so. His routine was simple. He spent the morning there, rode back to the Great House for a midday meal, then returned and studied some more until close to sunset. The last half glass or so was spent with Jusof.

On fiveday evening he walked slowly into the dining chamber in the Great House. For a moment, he did not recognize anyone. Then he saw Norgen and Casolan seated at the larger table. They had ales before them, but no platters.

Casolan gestured. “If you would join us, Lord Kharl …″

“I would not intrude.”

“You’d not be intruding,” said the square-faced Casolan. “In fact, we insist.”

Norgen nodded agreement.

Kharl sat down, gratefully. He hadn′t been looking forward to eating alone. He’d been doing that too often, of late.

“An ale”-Norgen glanced from the serving girl to Kharl-“it is an ale, isn’t it?”

“Pale ale, please.”

“A pale ale for Lord Kharl.”

“Yes, sers.”

“You don’t get to choose tonight,” Casolan said. “It’s stew. Only stew. They had problems in the kitchen.”

“That’s fine.” Kharl looked at the two commanders. Both had circles under their eyes and appeared thinner than when he had left Valmurl. “How are matters with you both?”

The two officers exchanged glances. Then Casolan burst into a laugh, and Norgen shook his head, his lips twisted into a wry expression.

“We’ve had to recruit more armsmen and lancers, and retrain most of those who remained,” Casolan finally said. “Half the new lancers think horses are wasted on anything but plowing. Half the junior officers have had full stables and have no idea about the need to pace a mount.”