The Tribunal of Marius de Romanus, Pt. 7

armand-in-hallwayI stood in shock, frozen in time. All I managed to be able to do was push Merida behind me. Va’lis sprung in to action faster than I could blink. My guess is his own rage against Zeeke propelled him forward. Merida had told me of the fights, not in too much detail however, she’s had with Va’lis on this very topic. It was something to see him be at the forefront of a fight he was so keen to be against. But maybe… just maybe… it has to do with having his daughter in the front lines. Could he really have the heart to think in such terms?!? My entire perspective of the man would change if that was the case. Then again it could have just been he saw an opportunity to end this bitch once for all. He does despise her! Or maybe he really does love Marius? Who really knows!

Once the dust settled, we all entered the tribunal room and there they were, the High Council of the Order of the Talamasca. Our own supernatural version of the Supreme Court. Seven Chancellors sit in front of us always facing south and two or more opposing sides face north towards the High Council. Only appointed representatives can sit in the forum and all others must sit in their assigned seats. Each council seat is physically one seat with two sub seats behind it. 

In our case, Marius is the council seat for House Romanus and Lestat and I are the sub seats.  The rest of our family is sequestered in private boxes. They can only hear the proceedings through a PA system and they have a conference phone that rings into the Council seat and sub seats. Prosecution states their case first and defense responds. Then the tribunal begins and witnesses are called. Both parties are then required to take the stand; there is no negotiation on that.

For House Draconis, of course David is the council seat and his sub seats are Altais and Frank. Frank looked reluctant to even sit near his son. It angered him to be near him and that was most certainly evident. Lestat caught wind of that and pointed it out to me with a smirk telling me he had some ideas brewing in his devious little mind. Can’t put anything past Lestat. He was the most clever one of us all, really.

For House Kemet, the council seat is Khayman with Arakabeh and Tersmennet as his sub seats, but that’s only because women are not allowed to be council members. We all know it’s Maharet’s House and the first brood all respects that.

The time came to take our seats and I kissed my wife, Bianca, and Pandora. Marius lingered a while before sitting and Pandora had to be guided out by Bianca who were both in tears. It was a tough scene.

And so it begins…

 

– Armand

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