LOCATIONS: Turmus — Tea Room, Outdoor Classroom, Campfire, and the area where I went to check for mail. The location of my morning conversation with Aries is not specified in the log.
TIMES: SLT.
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JOURNAL ENTRY
Kael rose early to help me prepare for tomorrow’s trial. I had slept only a few hours, but his patient guidance gave my thoughts a clearer direction. I had gathered a great deal of material; now I needed to turn it into something I could actually use while listening and responding in court.
He advised me to keep one clear theme—that Nadia was assaulted—and let her tell her story. Rather than carrying every possible question into the hearing, he suggested a single page of bullet points for each witness. We discussed the doorway, Edward’s entry, the shoes, the broom, and Nadia’s allegation that he touched her lips. These are matters to establish through the testimony, not conclusions already decided.
We also discussed possible character witnesses. I found Bactu’s statement in the material I had received, saying he had known Nadia a long time and had not previously heard her accused of being lusty. Kael encouraged me to speak with Bactu and Selia about what they could say from their own knowledge. I made that an assignment for the day.
By the time Kael left, I felt much calmer. It meant a great deal that he had come so early to help me feel confident rather than overwhelmed.
Amethyst brought warm blueberry muffins and fresh blackwine to the Tea Room. I enjoyed her baking and asked for my blackwine with a little bosk cream and one cube of sugar. Shortly afterward, Ink arrived, and I introduced the two girls. I explained that I had rented Amethyst and added a bed above Ink’s. Ink kindly asked what she could do to help her feel at home.
I told Ink about Kael’s help and how much it had eased my worry. She remarked that it was good to see people within the Caste helping one another. I am grateful for that support.
Later, I sat with Aries after he mentioned receiving my note. The local record does not contain the substance of the matter I wished to discuss. I also spoke with Dexter, explaining that Kael had been supporting me through the news of Father’s disappearance and helping with the trial. We remembered Fina, where I first became a Magistrate and then a Scribe, and some of the people whose names still appear on older scrolls.
At noon, I attended Odette’s presentation, “Why Do Free Women Dance?” She distinguished her own interpretation from the passages she used and spoke about dignity, restraint, celebration, and the difference between Free Woman dance and slave dance. Her demonstration brought the discussion into movement, and the questions afterward showed how strongly people feel about the subject.
In the evening, Ink and I were at Story Time around the Campfire. Nicholas welcomed everyone, and Cooper and Lady BilliAnn, speaking as Anja Steinnsdottir, shared poetry and stories. Anja’s opening poem honored the Free Woman’s Dance Circle, a fitting continuation of Odette’s presentation. There were childhood adventures from Torvaldsland and Cooper’s humorous Snick tales. It was pleasant to sit among the city and listen.
Later, while going to check for mail, I addressed Amalia, Aysha, and Mel about what I regarded as disrespectful talk concerning a Free person. I told them to speak kindly and respectfully or say nothing, and not to take part when others spoke badly of the Free. I directed them to separate and find useful work. When Aysha explained that her Master had ordered her to remain there, I told her to do something useful in that place by herself.
The day also brought a change in my household. Amethyst sent me an IM saying she was leaving because she wanted paragraph-style role-play. I suggested the Telenus people. I prefer writing that gives others something they can see, hear, and respond to, and our styles did not suit one another.
When Kael returned that evening, we spoke about Ink and the possible duties she and I had discussed. Nothing was firmly settled, but I felt it was a good beginning. We also returned briefly to tomorrow’s trial. I told him the Ubar would not be there, though Selia would.
I thanked Kael again for his help that morning. It had allowed me to have a much calmer day. With the trial ahead, I decided it was time to stop and seek a proper night’s sleep.
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MEETING AND EVENT SUMMARIES
KAEL — TRIAL PREPARATION, 3:51–4:42 A.M.
- Keep one clear theme: Nadia was assaulted.
- Let Nadia give her account and help the court follow it in manageable steps.
- Reduce the preparation material to one page of bullet points for each witness.
- Establish the sequence of the doorway, entry, shoes, and broom through questioning.
- Consider the timing of questions about the alleged touching of Nadia’s lips, depending on the testimony and any opportunity for further questioning.
- Explore what Bactu and Selia could say about Nadia’s character from personal knowledge.
- Avoid over-rehearsing; remain able to respond to what happens in court.
Kael praised the closing statement I had prepared. His suggested strategy and expectations about testimony were advice, not rulings from Kelli or established findings.
AMETHYST AND INK — 5:41–6:31 A.M., TEA ROOM
Amethyst brought muffins and blackwine. I introduced her to Ink at 5:54 a.m. Ink offered to help her settle in. I explained the added sleeping space and praised the breakfast. After Amethyst left for her other obligations, Ink and I discussed the trial and Kael’s support.
ARIES — 9:10–9:32 A.M.
Aries invited me to sit and said he had received a note that I wished to speak with him. July was present. No substantive discussion of my request is recorded in local chat.
DEXTER — 9:58–10:20 A.M.
We discussed Kael’s support, Father’s disappearance, my history in Fina, and older Scribe authors and mentors. Dexter wished me well in representing Nadia. Whether Kael could assist at the hearing remained uncertain.
ODETTE’S PRESENTATION — NOON–12:50 P.M., OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
Odette presented “Why Do Free Women Dance?” using passages she attributed to the novels and research from the Gorean Cave. Her central distinction was between dance expressing a Free Woman’s dignity and dance expressing slavery or submission. She discussed ceremony, hospitality, artistic expression, and the risks of imitating slave dance.
A demonstration followed, including streamer and fan movements. Attendees asked about public dancing, appropriate circumstances, supporting quotations, and joining the dance group. This summarizes Odette’s presentation rather than independently verifying its sources or interpretations.
STORY TIME — 5:05–6:01 P.M., CAMPFIRE
Nicholas opened the gathering. Cooper and Lady BilliAnn/Anja presented:
- “The Free Woman’s Dance,” a poem dedicated to the Free Woman’s Dance Circle.
- “A Day in the Childhood of Anja Steinnsdottir,” about Anja and Eol’s imagined adventures as Larl Girls.
- “Paga’s Victory,” Cooper’s humorous account of how Snick became her Master’s prize.
- “Snick’s Pie,” a short story about a frustrating day of baking.
- “Anja, Eol, and the Kalika: A Childhood Memory,” about a treasured instrument, a mishap, and the sisters’ reconciliation.
Cooper closed with a reminder that stories would also be told at the River Festival.
AMALIA, AYSHA, AND MEL — 7:08–7:23 P.M.
I reprimanded the three girls for what I considered derogatory discussion of a Free person. They acknowledged the warning; Amalia asked forgiveness. I instructed them to separate and serve or work. Aysha said she could not leave under her Master’s orders, so I directed her to useful work there.
The preceding remarks that prompted my complaint are not fully recorded. I mentioned reporting the matter to the slaver, but no such report is recorded.
KAEL — EVENING FOLLOW-UP, 7:35–7:51 P.M.
I reported that Amethyst had left by IM because she wanted paragraph-style role-play. We discussed Ink’s possible duties, which remained unsettled, and the trial. I said the Ubar would be absent and Selia would attend. I thanked Kael for helping me feel calmer and left to rest.
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TO-DOS / FOLLOW-UP
- Reduce trial notes to a practical page for each person I expect to question.
- Prepare the witness list and organize the questions around the points to establish.
- Confirm with Kelli the witnesses and any procedure requiring clarification.
- Follow up on the planned inquiries to Bactu and Selia; no completed character-witness interview appears in this log.
- Adjust the witness plan for the Ubar’s reported absence.
- Clarify the end of Amethyst’s rental with Nicholas Eel and settle any outstanding arrangements.
- Continue discussing suitable duties and availability with Ink.
- Rest before the October 15 trial at 5 p.m. SLT.
- Review the Olni Var property rental reminder received at 6:14 p.m.; it stated that fewer than three days remained.
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