Rhian, Palisade

There are some who believe all things are inevitable…

Just fucking with you. This isn't The First One. You'll soon realize this story is nothing like that one, except for the fact I'll be telling some of it, the fact Andrei Strauss will be telling the rest of it, and the fact it starts exactly the same.

Seven months before the events of The First One and the six women surrounding me held my destiny in their hands and whatnot. As you know, I'd been landlocked on account of a number of illegal activities I may or may not have committed in Delphia. My punishment was decided in trial, and here we are: the trial.

The room was shaped like a hexagon, and in each corner there was a podium—one for each Councilwoman. The Isle of Palisade was generally overcast, so there wasn't much light coming through the glass roof that day. Behind a small desk over by the door, a pasty Celestian scribbled away in a book. Lucky for the scribe, Partisans can see in the dark. The blazing torches in each of the corners were only there for vanity, I reckoned.

The Councilwoman of Delphia cared the most about her appearance. As long as I'd known her, Adelaide Blanchett never went anywhere without putting on her mask—fancy clothes and a face full of makeup. I'd always suspected it was on account of she had the most to hide. That day, her big, curly red hair was piled on top of her equally big head. It all clashed terrifically with the purple ceremonial robes.

Somehow she made it work.

"Enforcer Rhian Sinclair, you stand before us today under accusation of theft, heresy, fraud, conspiracy, murder, malicious destruction of property, arson, negligence, and aiding and abetting the escape of several recorded defects. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"That sounds about right," I replied.

Michael Reider—one of my oldest and closest mates, in case you've forgotten—stood to my left, ready to jump in front if it seemed I was about to step in some shite. He gave me the look. I knew the look. I ignored the look.

The Councilwoman clucked. "You're admitting guilt on all counts?"

"I'm agreeing. Those are things that happened, but no, I don't feel guilty."

"Let me speak plainly for you," Councilwoman Blanchett continued. "Are you responsible for the deaths of five Barren noblemen including the Liaison himself?"

"Aye, I'm taking full responsibility for what happened to those men. But look, I had to find my way out of that mess just like everybody else. I'm a lot of disgraceful things, but suicidal isn't one of them. Also, I can tell you're trying to fish around in my head, Councilwoman. I may not be able to read them myself, but I know my rights."

Goddess-be-damned telepaths. The Delphi Partisans tended to forget the extent of the counter-training most Strachan Enforcers had against their mind tricks. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a smirk on Councilwoman Kelly's face. Seeing as she was my Councilwoman, she wasn't allowed to vote, but she was still allowed to be there. Seemed she was having a blast already. Glad to be of service and whatnot.

There were two other members of the Assembly in my line of sight at the minute. First, the one-hundred-fifty year old Senec. She was a mute, and a stoic, and a real hoot at the holiday parties, I'm sure. Then, the Councilwoman of Amalia—Councilwoman Faust. She was old, and wrinkled, and had a big old beak for a nose. Usually, she had my back in these situations. I'd always figured there'd be a limit to her generosity, mind you.

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I wondered if this would be it.

Whatever. Back to the Councilwoman of Delphia. She was the one with the most at stake. Never mind the fact she'd been trying to take me down for years, everything I was about to explain took place in her territory, right under her nose, and I reckoned she'd do anything to make sure the horseshite flying out her mouth came up smelling like a baby's head.

"Your rights," she said. "We like to think of these more like guidelines. As in, they are discretionary. Do you think I like having to accuse one of our own of such atrocities?"

As a matter of fact, I did.

"As a matter of fact, I do," I said.

"Does your Councilwoman Kelly accept such lip from you?"

"Kelly doesn't just accept it. She's grateful for it. See, the minute I stop yapping is the minute I'm dead and no longer useful to her."

Glancing over my shoulder to the southeast, I winked.

Councilwoman Kelly waggled her fingers.

It was then the Celestian scribe piped up from the background. "I should call attention to the time, Councilwomen. Lunch will be served in the lounge shortly."

So, the most important thing you ought to be asking yourself right now is: why didn't they schedule me in after lunch? Probably to waste my goddess-be-damned time. I hated wasting my goddess-be-damned time.

Anyhow. After agreeing to a recess, the Assembly stepped away from their podiums and filed out the door with the scribe at their tail. That's when I took a moment to examine the two I hadn't been able to see from where I stood—the Councilwoman of Celestia and the Councilwoman of Endica. The latter had always been fair, and I reasoned she might see my side of things when it was all said and done. The former, though—egh.

Once I was alone with Michael, he turned to me with his serious face.

"Okay, Rhian—if I'm going to be of any actual help to you today, I need you to tell me everything. Start at the beginning."

I plopped down on the floor and waited for Michael to do the same.

The thing about Michael Reider, he was a plain looking fellow. He had a nice build, being Amali and highly active and all, but as far as his features went, they were rather ordinary. Everything exactly where it ought to be. Everything exactly the right size. He kept his brown hair short. His grey eyes were a shade darker than mine.

"All right," I said. "I was born on an embark on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month in the year 803."

Michael sighed like a bloody starlet trying to earn her roses. I reckoned he was having fun. Beats whatever the hell else he'd be doing at the minute.

"Rhian," he said.

"Michael," I said.

"Start at the beginning of everything that happened in Delphia. The reason I'm half-assed defending you in trial. Again."

"All right, fair enough," I said. "I'll save the cheek for the Assembly."

Michael didn't think that was a good idea, either. I could tell. I crossed my legs and settled in for the story. "So, me and Gus had just arrived on the Isle of Inspiration, and you should know, we were a day ahead of schedule…"

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