How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

Kenna, true to her promise, said to Ruby, "You have your beloved this entire time. I have to split time between you and Dominic who's being a bit more out of sorts than usual. Come. Spend time with your mother."

Ruby sighed, "But what about your present? Clair and I wanted to give that together. I do want to spend time with you tonight, but I also wanted to give you the present we made you, right after dinner."

Aurora saw she had to step in. She had just had a private consultation with her mentor, Arden, regarding Dom. "It would be advisable, my queen, not to talk with Dominic until tomorrow morning after Arden has seen him anyway. His actions towards a more than qualified female physician was less than adequate."

Kenna glanced at Arden and chuckled. "You taught her that saying, didn't you, lieutenant?" She used air quotes, "more than qualified, less than adequate."

Aurora shook her head. "He might have helped me with the correct wording, but my own experience this afternoon was enough for that to be true."

Arden nodded. "While I was checking her trachea and breathing abilities after nearly being choked. I'm also concerned with the exact wording he used against her and Olivia. It's the reason I think seeing him tonight is inadvisable, Your Majesty."

Ruby then motioned to Clair's parents, and the two doctors. "In that case, why don't you all come and see what we built for Mother and Father. Then I'll gladly enjoy the gardens with MY Mother so Clair can talk to her parents and the physicians can talk about this new invention amongst themselves."

"I say anything to make you happy, my Cordonian Ruby." Kenna smiled, proving to the Handlers what they may have already suspected. Ruby was the apple of her eye, and Kenna would give her anything within reason, and the Handlers as the fourth Great House of Cordonia would actually be a boon for Ruby's happiness AND Cordonia's future; a true win-win.

As everyone left for elsewhere in the castle, Gregor took a deep breath. "Olivia. Avenger. Hold." He glanced at Ethel, hoping she would stay without being bidden as his advisor.

Everyone else was now gone from the dining hall save the four. Gregor asked fatherly. "You two mind telling me why you did not think to alert me you intended to paint two portraits, but only have one appraised for points? Ruby alerted me, and I told her as long as she finished her main one. That means she had permission, and both would be appraised separately." He sighed. "I have not counted Ruby's other painting yet, because I have two more completed that were unexpected. Olivia, your other portrait of Ethel, here, and Avenger, your other of Ruby, I couldn't even show the court. I deserve an explanation, since I would never expect you, Olivia, of doing anything against the court rules and fair play." He gave a warning glare at his daughter, that may even alert his advisor to make a step towards Princess Calla as Avenger, hand on the hilt of her sword. "My daughter, on the other hand... Seems to enjoy pushing the vigilante card."

Calla gulped, staring at Ethel with deer in the hunter's sights eyes.

Olivia, unfazed ,asked, "Gregor, was any written law actually broken, or is it just an unwritten rule of etiquette? I wanted to paint Ethel, but didn't want to leave out the only other woman who had my respect. Calla already had it, and she even bonded with a wolf. A wolf, that I reminded her, will know her by scent, regardless of what she is wearing."

This only seemed to appease Gregor as far as Olivia was concerned. He looked to Ethel. "You've heard from everyone at court regarding Calla's exploits and bad habit of bending my rules. In this case, it would help no one except herself. What do you advise be done?"

Calla Avenger's eyes pled Ethel for mercy.
 
Though Clair wanted to help Ruby she stayed quiet, not believing it was her place to say anything on the matter, Ethel also wanted to ensure that they didn't go see Dom, but waited to see the natural conclusion first, if Kenna insisted she would speak up, but luckily that was not the case.

The Handlers raised an eyebrow.
"Another invention huh? I thought we said to just focus on the games." Her mother said, though they chuckled, not actually mad, but more so realizing that this is exactly what was expected.
"I am curious what you two came up with" Mr. Handler added.

Ethel did indeed stay, satisfied now that Kenna confirmed she would not be going down to see Dom with Ruby.

Ethel looked at the two, then back to Gregor.
"Well as far as this competition, I do not have much experience in, I am merely one raised on wartime knowledge, however, points seem to weigh heavily on this competition, if one gets more points for painting more than one, then punish by only counting points for one of the portraits, the other to be considered done on their own time and unrelated to the games. Unless there is something I misunderstood about the rules, I believe the punishment should fit the crime, and this, King Gregor, is not the greatest of crimes." She paused and looked at the two girls.
"However, Intent should also be considered, was their intent malicious? I don't think so, but if you have reason to believe they or one of them did this to undermine your rule, perhaps another punishment could be in order, do you think they did this for that reason?" She asked.
 
Gregor shook his head. "No. You understood perfectly. By your own admission of said rules, Ruby, one: asked permission; and two: actually completed both portraits in the allotted time. These two did not, and only assumed it was okay, although both portraits were completed in the allotted time."

He sighed. "Olivia gave one of several correct responses to the question of why she hadn't. Calla, however, just stood there looking ashamed and guilty. Not even an agreement with Olivia for her answer, who even asked verification for the import of what was broken."

He rubbed a hand over his face. "You have seen how utterly sick I am of the nobility getting away with things. My own daughter should be held to the same standard. It will be as you said. The only one to actually ask permission will get bonus points, and my need for your advice will net you a bonus as well."

He turned to Olivia and Avenger. "Your second portraits are thus honoured as completed for the gifts they are to be, but you will not be receiving points for them. Perhaps, Olivia, if you participate next year, you will remember to ask permission."

Olivia nodded her understanding, "At least Ethel will receive a gift of a portrait. When is the exchange again? Right after the tree hunting?"

Gregor nodded, and watched Calla Avenger just stand there. "What are you waiting for, Squire Dunwyn? You have been dismissed. You have been in court enough to know immediately after a sentence is proclaimed, if they aren't in chains, the punished is excused."

Calla couldn't leave the dining hall fast enough, stumbling over her own feet in her hurry to leave. With another sigh, Gregor looked at Ethel with 'tired parent' eyes. "That tears it. I'm asking Arden to examine Calla's head after he's finished with Dominic's." He quipped with a smirk.
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Ruby looked to Kenna first, and after getting a nod from her, linked arms with Clair, before heading up the steps to get the charging squawkers. "With Father not exactly coherent according to the Cordonian physicians, how are we going to show Mother how they work? I still want her to have them. Tonight, if possible."

(To you for the presentation of the squawkers to Kenna)
 
Ethel nodded and listened to the following sentences, simply nodding her head at her extra points.
"Heh, are you certain that is the information you want?" She jested back returning a smirk.

Clair took her arm and went with her.
"Oh, I could stay back in my room as you take the other one down to her, or you can stay here and you can explain how they work to her, through it from my room?" She suggested. Though she was more in favour of the former, as that way Ruby can give her mother the gift, and see her reaction to it's capabilities.
 
Gregor chuckled softly, shoulders moving, as he smiled and shook his head. "She'll have to get a complete physical before her knighting anyway..." He shrugged.

Gregor would move forward with plans to knight his daughter, thus returning her title to her, on the morrow. He half expected Olivia to confirm the proof that currently Calla was princess in blood only to the rest of the court, AND Crimson Avenger had been in a courtroom, i.e. the throne room as a character witness countless times before. After all, the king DID remind Avenger she had been in court plenty of times before during sentencing. There weren't sentences being issued during the court games. Usually.
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Ruby looked puzzled for a minute, before her eyes shown, as the lamp was lit inside. "Ohh, I see what you mean! The problem is I want your folks and the doctors there, just in case my mom faints. This is the most technological advancement thing I've ever been hands on for making. Until I met you, I was, well, a normal smart but spoiled princess. You helped me see my love for nature, and helping Drs Arden and Service with medicine could be a hobby, and a rewarding one at that." She looked at her feet a minute, before back to Clair's face. "Plus helping you with this, no matter what happens, has really been an encouragement, but I'm definitely not ready to present an invention, like talking about it. You're much more experienced in that."

The time it took to say that, the seven would find themselves in Clair's room, where Aurora excused herself from Arden to again look at the microscope Clair and her used to discover water was two elements instead of one, but they didn't know how to separate the two yet. Arden stayed next to the queen, who stood next to Mrs Handler.

Kenna asided to Mrs Handler, upon looking around, "Oh the mischief two budding scientists could get into, trying to farther our knowledge!" She teased. "I'm glad your proposed castle has a built in safe room, the other owner used to hide himself. She'd have plenty of room to invent and my daughter would constantly want a science play date with her!"
 
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