Bound and Gagged, Spike and Angel could still manage to swivel their heads backwards just far enough to make out the shape behind them.
It stood before a lambent circle of iridescent light. Light coloured like gasoline on a puddle. The circle was parted through the center by a thick, dark crack that cut erratically through the circumference and joined from top to bottom.
The circle fizzled, crackled, then gradually faded. The shadow eyes recoiled from the display but their attention remained fixed on the figure that had just walked through the circle of light.
Wesley walked one step more towards the court, and stood there holding a large leather bound binder in his hand.
"Wesley?" questioned a surprised Gunn.
"Wesley..." the voice of Lilah was softer, sweeter, and plaintive from the demon side of court.
Behind Spike and Angel came a lilting voice with a Texas twang,
"I knew you'd come".
The heads of Spike and Angel swiveled back to the front of the court to see Illyria still standing in perfect posture within her cage of light, stoic of expression, and seemingly unimpressed with the display of Wesley in a circle of light before her.
"Uh...once more if I may approach the bench..."
Wesley walked slowly past the group of Gunn, Spike and Angel, looking down as he passed with a slight, warm, yet crooked smile.
"Oh great and powerful protectorate of the Binse", he began, "I was misdirected en-route to this place, through the disceptive chicanery of these here" he said pointing to Vrill and Boluz.
"It is my belief this was done, because they know of my great respect for the court of the Mah'grib Bah'neth, and my intent to put forward the full truth of this matter."
"Outrage!" hollered Boluz.
The red demon claw of Vrill brushed lightly over Lindsey's shoulder, and Lindsey lept to his feet.
"We object. This is..."
The hand of the Mah'grib raised, and Lindsey went silent.
"Sit", ordered the Mah'grib, and Lindsey did.
"Continue" he directed to Wesley.
Wesley continued.
"Firstly, your magnificence, I believe it is my duty to inform you I do not believe my co-counsel has been straight forward with you. I believe his call for a continuance has been nothing more than a clever ploy, subterfuge, if you will..."
The five heads representing the Bah'neth turned towards Gunn. Gunn shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
"It is my belief he presents this request in a misguided attempt to honour our clients wishes to martyr themselves."
"Huh?" said the muffled voice of Spike from behind the gag of light.
"You see", said Wesley, "both myself and my co-counsel are aware of matters here which might radically alter your wise judgement which thus far has been given only the partial facts. He has chosen not to divulge the more complete facts of this case knowing you might choose to release my clients and punish those they accuse, thus failing to honour their request to be martyred."
"Entertaining", said the Mah'grib with a smile "but of course absurd".
"Ah yes" said Wesley, "so I thought at first too, but then I began to appreciate the true Machiavellian nature of the stratagem.
You see retribution was not the true charge originally made by our client. It was restitution; a mistake in wording made by our client in the excitement of the moment.
There are of course no grounds for retribution here. Restitution, however is another matter. You see our claim is essentially a contract dispute.
Lindsey once more lept to his feet.
"We concur with the wise assesment of the Mah'grib. This is absurd. This is all a useless waste of..."
"Ah there you see it" called out Wesley over top Lindsey's voice, "you see the reaction. Mention contract dispute, and this is what happens."
Wesley wheeled about to the back of court facing the shadow eyes.
"And we know why don't we? The Shadow Eyes of Gornak have been sent here, representing, observing and sending intelligence to all lords of the dark realms.
Why would that be if this case is only a simple call for retribution. That could have been handled by a Cahair.
But no this is something different, something larger. This concerns the souled vampire of the prophecy foretold by the original Magi.
The dark lords know there is more to this than a simple Cahair. They suspect what I and my co-counsel already know. That there is a case here for presenting proof showing the contracts of Vrill, Boluz and Suvarta are no more than works of fiction.
Each lord represented here by an eye has signed similar contracts with what on my former reality we referred to as the Senior Partners. These blood signed documents have been sworn into law before the Binse.
If it can be shown, and it can be, that these documents contravene the legal order of the Binse it will present precedent, and call into question all such documents.
It was the intent of my clients, and I suggest the misguided intent, not to produce this evidence, but rather to martyr themselves before this court knowing the true evidence would be made known after their death, or in the case of Illyria, internment, thus discrediting the wisdom of this court, and the law of the Binse which they admittedly have no respect for.
It is a misguided attempt by anarchists to create rebellion towards the Binse. One I could possibly have averted had I not been shanghied on my way here, by this Vrill, this Boluz, and the ever absent Suvarta."
As he spoke Wesley had made his way to the back of the bench where sat Spike and Angel.
He took a breath and looked down towards the two, "how we doing boys?" he asked quietly with the twisted smile once more on his lips.
"Bebber, I fink" answered the gagged Angel.
The Mah'grib rose, and flicked his cape backwards with a two-handed majestic flourish. He stood in a posture of regality. His lips parted to speak his final decision.
Once more Wesley spun towards the back of the room, dramatically pointing towards the eyes that bobbled about at the back of the court like a box of coloured balls poured into a night's ocean.
"You demons of the dark realms" spoke Wesley, "you know these words to be true. You too have been injured by the cowardice and treachery of the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart".
Still pointing he swung his arm towards the table of Vrill and Boluz, looking down the sleeve like a sight.
Lilah appeared peripherally. She smiled and winked. Wesley did not react. he turned back to the eyes of Gornak.
"Cowardice, because they hide behind the protection of these contracts. Contracts I could, and would like to present here, but cannot under instruction from my clients. Contracts which I could show have been made contrary to the legal edicts of the Binse, contracts to subvert destiny foretold by prophecy, contracts to pervert the core reality, both forbidden by the binse. Blood contracts illegally forged.
If so proven, what would be the worth of similar contracts signed by youselves?
But my clients will not risk presenting these contracts at this time fearing they will be unlawfully discredited, by these lawbreakers through deceptive means.
Instead they choose martyrdom, and the presentation of this evidence outside the court. They chose to allow the court to make a hasty and incorrect decision by asking for continuance knowing it will never be granted, and in this way discredit the court, laying ground for revolution against the law it represents. They seek to incite us all to return to the old way of revolution.
I disagree with my clients decision. I will not allow them to make a mockery of this court. If they choose martyrdom so be it. But I will not request a continuance."
At this point Wesley turned slowly away from the eyes and towards the Mah'grib.
"I address the great Mah'grib and his Bah'neth.
I withdraw our request for a continuance.
I in fact demand you immediately and without thought or consideration punish my clients to the full extent of your power. Kill these two immediately. There is a place for the souls of martyrs in the hall of light from whence I came, and you are no doubt familiar. Send this other one once more to the deeper well, let the legend of her defiance grow. Add to it the names of Vrill, Boluz, and Suvarta who forced the hand of the Mah'grib Bah'neth on this day to ignore the law of the Binse.
We demand it. We will not grant you the time to examine the incontrovertible truth of our evidence. Let the lords of the dark places examine it at their leisure and come to their own conclusions."
The hands of the Mah'grib tightened into fists. The air crackled and sparked about him with electricity. His hair undulated about in the static. His face screwed itself into a visage of rage.
"You Demand!" he bellowed, "You will not grant! Bug!" he spat the word, "You presume to order the Bah'neth!
There will be a continuance, during which time we will re-examine this evidence you speak of."
The Mah'grib waved one hand. Instantly the leather binder disappeared from Wesley's grasp. The leather bags filled with useless documents, and Gunn's laundry disappeared from atop the stone table.
"Release these two for now, but this other will remain in the custody of the Bah'neth"
The bailiff obediently pointed his staff towards Spike and Angel, the gags and bindings vanished.
"We shall return, when we return. The Mah'grib Bah'neth will reconvene at that time".
The Mah'grib lifted his arm and all evidence of the council of five slowly dissolved into the atmosphere leaving only the cold black walls of the court room.
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OK now I'm getting the feeling some would like to see this done with, so what I'll do is I'll take it to a point in the story coming soon when the complete setup will be presented. At that point I'll just spoiler what would have been the rest of the story.
Kind of disappointing though, cause I was sort of looking forward to introducing Urkon. 🙂
