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Braided Swirl
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I can’t function like this. I’m going to get really STRESSED if I have to work and deal with this inspection at the same time… oh, no, did the Fire Marshal put anything up saying I failed? I rush to the front door and check; thankfully, there isn’t any posting out front. Phew!
I tell Dotti to get the customers something from the window that’ll make them happy, anything, no matter how expensive, as long as it’s pre-made and they like it, and charge them for the pancakes instead. We’re closing early.
Dotti looks worried, but she does as I say. The customers don’t appear to be put off, they see it as a treat, even. I lose a bit of profit but I don’t care, I need to stop freaking out oh no oh no oh no
A whirlwind of closing up shop later, Dotti and I arrive at the Adventurers’ Guild and I’m spilling my guts to Fritz and he’s worried about me and trying to make me feel better but it’s just not helping, this is my life and livelihood and dreams and this isn’t fair. Dotti disappears and grabs Serah and Landi and I feel bad but this is just so important. Serah listens to every word I say, and when I’m done everyone is staring at her. Landi, Fritz, me, Dotti, we’re all waiting on her and none of us have any idea what’s going to happen next.
“A moment, please,” Serah says. “I need to consider.”
Serah steeples her fingers and closes her eyes. She says nothing for a long time. We all wait in silence. Eventually, Serah lets out a deep breath and opens them again.
“I doubt this will surprise you, Kayk, but you are not going to pass the secondary inspection, even if you somehow pay for professional installation of two D-Class extinguishers in the next seventy-two… no, seventy hours,” she says. “The City is testing what you’ll do afterwards when you file an appeal of the decision.”
“I was never going to pass no matter what?” My heart sinks. “That’s not fair!”
“It’s not supposed to be fair,” Serah says. “Minga’s laws are more egalitarian than most, but selective enforcement is oftentimes used to pressure businesses or individuals that aren’t welcome. Your mother has made enemies, and even if they don’t live here, there are some individuals against the simple principle of allowing dragon-kin to live in cities. Their arguments are old-fashioned and based on outdated firefighting methods, but they have enough residual rhetorical power to cover up for other biases, especially against you, Kayk. I hate to admit it, but you did accidentally burn down your previous place of business. That’s going to weigh on people’s minds.”
“I know,” I say, and it’s all I can do to keep from scratching the table with my claws. “I try really hard to control myself.”
“And you’re doing great,” Fritz says. He gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
Maybe this isn’t all bad right now.
“Regardless,” Serah says, “That wasn’t in Minga, and it wasn’t in the last year, and it has limited relevance to current fire code criteria, if any. A lawyer will have little difficulty in overcoming this evidence on appeal, and if they argue well, it might even get thrown out. The question the City government is looking to answer is… what lawyer will you pick, if any? That’s the real decider here.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You have three options,” Serah says. “You can pick a local lawyer, who knows the Fire Code and all appeal processes well, and also knows the Hearing Examiner who will hear the appeal on behalf of the City government. Or you could go find a lawyer outside the community, like a Faettorney, which is hiring the big guns and will probably win for sure, but you’ll look like an outsider and the City will have support from the locals to come after you again. Or you could just represent yourself in front of the Hearing Examiner, and plead your case in person.”
“What’s a Hearing Examiner?” Landi asks. “Is that like a doctor who yells in your ear?”
“A Hearing Examiner is like a rent-a-judge who handles appeals and tricky issues on behalf of the City government,” Serah says. “They’re not really judges, they’re just… quasi-judicial City appointees who know the law and appeals process, and can make informed decisions on behalf of the City so regular administrators don’t have to worry about messing up. Smaller cities don’t really have the resources to hire a Hearing Examiner, so the City Council handles appeals themselves. Minga’s big, so their decisions are well-protected.”
“Protected? Against what?”
“Well,” Serah says, “The process is only quasi-judicial, so if Kayk loses her appeal, she can file ANOTHER appeal to the City Council, who can decide to hear it or not, and then she can appeal AGAIN to an actual Circuit Court judge, whenever they arrive in Minga. It could take a while, and the City’s decision might keep Kayk shut down until then. I’m actually not sure about that. A lawyer would know more about that.”
“That sounds like it could take a long time,” I say softly.
“It could,” Serah says. “And it would cost money, too. So you want to avoid a judicial appeal if possible. A Faettorney would almost guarantee that, but they… don’t take payment in money.”
“We like fae-vors,” Landi giggles. “Oh, boy. Favors from a dragon? Oooooh you’re gonna have fairies lining up to represent you!”
“Can’t Ellie do it?” Dotti asks. “She likes me, I could ask her.”
“She’s not a Faettorney,” Landi says. “Plus she’s got a job at the Greater Library, so she can’t represent people who aren’t, you know, the Library. It’s a whole thing. But she might be able to, off the clock, peek at a few things and help you write stuff, as long as it never officially happened. She’s not representing you, she’s just letting you represent yourself a bit better. Wink, wink.”
“I agree,” Serah says. “That would help if Kayk decides to represent herself. And no matter what option Kayk chooses, the City government finds out something about her, and the City gets valuable information and a win no matter what. If you hires a local lawyer, you will probably win your appeal, but the lawyer she hires will learn a great deal about Kayk’s financial situation and her relationships, and while they can’t reveal any privileged information, they might share a few details with the City that Kayk would rather remain private as part of the appeal. A local does tend to talk, after all, and the City will know a lot more about you if you hire one. You’ll also have to pay the local lawyer in gold, but you can probably keep working while they handle your case. The City might be sneakier about coming after your money, or your family connections, at a later time.
“If you hire a Faettorney, Kayk, then you’ll win your appeal, but you won’t win any friends, and you’ll have to pay in favors. The City will probably come after you for something else later. Plus the Bakers’ Guild will have a way to paint you as a non-local and stir up trouble.
“If you represent yourself, that tells the City you might not have the money to hire a lawyer, which is doubtful, or you’re too prideful to trust the task to someone else, which is what they’ll assume about dragons. You’ll also probably lose your appeal to the Hearing Examiner, and then you’d end up in front of the City Council… oh.”
Serah sits bolt upright in her seat.
“Kayk,” Serah whispers, “If you represent yourself, I think the City’s setting a trap. The Council might skip the Hearing Examiner and hold it themselves. It’ll be a chance for them to assert their power over you. Over a dragon. It’ll be a spectacle. If you win, they’re magnanimous. If you lose, they have you in their grasp. It’s the kind of thing local politicians drool over.”
“Oh dear.” I squirm.
“But,” Serah gives a Cheshire grin, “You don’t have to represent yourself. You can turn the trap around on them. You can do all the research and filing yourself, and not have any lawyer or Faettorney do it for you. The Council will think you’re going to do the appeal yourself, and will probably demand to be the ones to decide the appeal right away. But in reality… I’ll be the one to argue it. Not you.”
“You’re not a lawyer,” I whisper back. “Can you do that?”
“No, I’m not,” Serah says. “I am, however, Heir Countess of Kensington, and I have full authority to represent House Kensington and its interests in judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings. No one knows where your money came from, Kayk. I made sure the coinage I gave for your loan wasn’t my own make. They assume you paid for it yourself.”
“Aren’t you busy?” I ask. “Are you really, um, willing to help me so much?”
“I am busy,” Serah says, “But for you? I’d be happy to assist.”
“What happens if you do represent me?”
“Then the Council ends up dealing not just with you,” she says, “But with me. The Council may be used to dealing with people who can’t fight back, but I’ve spent my whole life dealing with pompous, self-aggrandizing bullies. I will defuse that appeal so quickly they’ll never try it again.”
“That sounds wonderful!” I say.
“Yes, well,” Serah sighs and leans back. “You’d have to write the appeal yourself, and spend days researching the code and appeals process at City Hall; they keep the ordinances and regulations there. I’d recommend having anyone you know with even a passing familiarity with laws help you research.”
“Like me!” Landi beams.
This is all a lot to take in, but I have basically three choices:
1. Hire a local attorney, pay in gold, make nice with the City and stay open;
2. Hire a Faettorney, pay in favors, win as fast as possible and stay open; or
3. Ask for Serah’s help, pay nothing, and close down for as long as it takes to file the appeal.
Or is there an option I haven’t thought of?
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