Chapter 110: Chapter 107: A Beast Thief Interview

My fur stands on end once Maartenwitz and Tomas present the letter, handwritten from the village jail. Maartenwitz reads in his most officious, derisive voice.

"Dear House of Riddlehoeven and House of Lammermoor,

Upon advice from our legal representative, we are writing to you to request a formal meeting. We are aware that we have supposedly committed offenses against you, and that you accuse us of stealing your beasts. We are misunderstood. We have good reasons for what we have done.

If you could find it in your hearts to listen to us with open minds and not prejudge us, we would be most appreciative. Otherwise, we will conclude that you are without mercy or finer feelings, and we will take our case to the public, which has long thought that the beast taming houses possess too much power.

We are former members of these houses, who left willingly, as you know, because we see the corruption in the beast taming system. You do not see it, and that is because you benefit from the power that beast taming grants you. We would think that, as ethical and moral and honorable as you profess to be, you would examine your own lives and realize that you are too impressed with your own power as beast tamers.

In addition, you cannot keep a mother from her son.

We would be happy to enlighten you about all of these issues if you would sit down with us at the village jail. We await your swift reply.

Cordially,

Viscount Rossa

Viscountess Rossa

Ian Jaguaro, Attorney"

Shaking his head, Maartenwitz folds the letter like origami. "The audacity of them. The cheek! To lecture you so hypocritically."

Lobo, Lightning, and Demos all growl. Gussie squawks, "Cordially! They say cordially?"

My mind seizes on a different word, other than the urge to throw up after hearing that self-serving diatribe. The phrase "corruption in the beast taming system" sticks in my mind and just will not go away.

Do they mean the System?

Is this some kind of a coded message?

But no, ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rossa are NPCs. Aren’t they?

Lamant is measured. "We should discuss this."

"Nothing to discuss," Hans argues. "My mother is acting as if she was never a part of our family."

Minette sighs. "That’s because she wasn’t, legally speaking, but you didn’t know that. She was never your father’s legal wife. She gave birth to you, so she is your mother, but that is about all. You share a blood tie, but that is not enough."

Vedette snorts. "Funny how they say, ’You cannot keep a mother from her son,’ but she was only too happy to abandon Hans when it came down to it. Is this letter even worth the paper it’s written on? And why should we do what they want?"

Maartenwitz lifts an eyebrow. "The estate’s attorney is reviewing the matter. She should have an answer for us within minutes. But my answer is that the sun may wish to be the moon, but it never can be."

Maartenwitz has a poetic side. And now we get to meet the mysterious estate attorney. All I know about her is that she is an orc and related to Mayor Crothu, strangely enough. Suddenly, I’m impatient for her to arrive in Lamant’s study.

Minutes pass before a shy, quiet-looking young orc female, Ugak, wearing spectacles enters. Although a dagger rests on her hip, the real power is in her mind, and in the thick law books she carries. Striding over to the table, she opens one of the tomes. "I’ve found the answer. ’Victim’s Rights.’"

I let out a little "mrrp" and Lightning looks pleased.

Ugak shakes her head. "You aren’t going to like it." She jabs a finger against one of the pages, making a crinkling sound. "According to this, the victim has a right not to be bothered by an offender unless the offender goes through proper channels. Furthermore, ’Sending a letter requesting a meeting does not constitute harassment. Further, the criminal has rights, which the victim cannot deny and that law must enforce.’"

I growl. This just keeps getting worse and worse.

Hans blinks. "You mean we can’t just ignore the letters?"

"You can, but their attorney will make life miserable for you," Ugak says in a clear, firm voice. "I would advise you to accept--"

"Impossible!"

Minette and Lamant are a solid wall of defiance.

"It’s a trap," Kaline says, suspicious.

"We’d be walking right into their claws, even if they are in a cell," Lamant adds, smelling cold and sharp. "There is no telling what they could do to us."

"But you will be legally and magically protected," Ugak argues.

Minette shakes her head. "You can’t guarantee that."

As an Orc, Ugak understands a good sparring match, and digging in one’s heels. "I have been the Riddlehoeven family attorney for three years now, and my father will tell you that I take my duty seriously."

She furrows her brow just like Mayor Crothu.

"So does he. That is why he is the best mayor around," Lamant comments.

Lightning growls. [I say they should just confront these criminals. With us beside them.]

Her fierce attitude in this matter impresses and surprises me. [But they desire to own us. That self-serving, disingenuous letter to the contrary.]

[Well, of course. Seeing all of us and knowing they will never have us will drive them positively feral in prison.]

My mate is cunning and devious!

[System?]

Lobo privately slides into the conversation. [Why are you talking to it right now?"

[So uncouth, Lobo. Blaze can talk to me when he likes. He SHOULD talk to me. I tire of you ignoring me like petulant children.]

I knew that, which is why I consulted the System, just for appearances’ sake.

[System? Why are the criminals contacting us?]

[New Quest: Discover what the criminals want and foil their plan. +5 XP]

Of course, it would make me jump through multiple hoops just for the equivalent of a cereal box prize. Sadistic. And not uncommon with some video games.

Lobo’s tail rises, alert, aggressive. [You are just distracting us with this.]

[You still have not stopped the beast thieving ring. This is not a distraction. These are the rules you agreed to. You accepted the quest.]

Ouch. System is right.

Lightning bumps her nose against mine. [Stop mooning in the clouds and listen. Lamant and the others are talking.]

I listen to what they are saying.

Niall is insistent. "Let’s at least see what the cowards have to say."

Hans agrees, mouth pressed in an angry line. "They say that a mother must not be kept from a son. Well, sometimes sons have loud voices. Strong opinions. Powers. Sons are to little boys anymore. Sons grow up."

Hans is still a teenager, but he just so happens to be an elf teenager with three times the strength of a human. Unfortunately, ex-Lady Rosabel, even in jail, also has three times the strength of a human, and more years and more power than Hans.

But Hans has something she doesn’t. Strength. Purpose. Lighting. Kaline and the Riddlehoeven family. All of us.

Do we agree to give ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rotten what they want? At least on the surface? Like Niall says, let’s see what they have to say.

"Is this how you all feel?" Minette asks. "That we should face them and give them this interview that they so obviously crave?"

To a man and beast, we all agree! Roars, squawks, and hisses blend with vociferous human exclamations.

Lamant whistles and drums his fingers on the desk to quiet us. The din dies down, and we all await Lamant’s and Minette’s judgment as the heads of the household. The silence stretches out so long that even Maartenwitz fidgets. Kasz stands like a sentinel. Quiet, watchful. He has agreed to the plan, of course, never being one to refrain from a good brouhaha.

But we all stand in stasis, waiting for word on whether or not we are going to get that prison intrigue scene.

Come on, Lamant and Minette. Don’t leave us languishing in suspense.

Clearing his throat, Lamant straightens up. "This is madness. This is the height of lunacy. A sane, lucid head of household would never entertain such a notion."

Minette lays a hand on his arm. "No. They would not. They would send the messenger packing posthaste."

A small flame of hope kindles in my breast. I hear a "but" coming.

Finally, Lamant and Minette look at all of us, holding hands. A fierce pride sizzles in their eyes. They relish the idea of facing our tormentors as much as we do.

[Please say yes.] Lightning and I chant together. [Please say yes.]

My stomach still churns round and round, but I am ready for this confrontation. And I need to know if there was a hidden message about the System...

Lamant announces, "Ugak. Draft a letter immediately. We have conditions..."

YES! Let the rumble begin.