Frozen Prospects by Dean Murray Read Free Book Online Page B

Headman even, can't make life miserable for the person who asked
for judgment."
    Jasmin
handed Va'del his sword as she continued. "Also, the balance
of power between the Guadel and the Headman is a fragile thing. For
all it's carefully delineated, we've just come from an example of
just how difficult the headmen can make things for us if they're so
inclined."
    Jasmin's
last few words were said with a kind of studied casualness that
Va'del suddenly realized signified some importance. Before he could
further examine the idea, I'rone led the four of them out of the
guest rooms and off to the secluded cavern that would serve as the
judgment room.
    Although
Va'del did his best to follow everything that was said, he found
himself hard pressed to understand all of the particulars of what
had happened between the widow and the Headman's son.
    It
took several cycles before I'rone finally nodded and sat back. He'd
asked quiet questions about a variety of things that never would
have crossed Va'del's mind, and Va'del wasn't sure what had prompted
more than half of them.
    Betreec
asked the widow, the Headman and his son to leave, and then signaled
for Va'del to remain quiet. Once the judgment room was empty but
for the four of them, Jasmin closed her eyes briefly and then swayed
as she opened them. "They won't be able to overhear us now,
but let's be quick or I'll be so exhausted that you'll have to carry
me back."
    Betreec
looked at Va'del. "I know that you aren't as well versed in
law and the finer points of contracts as the rest of us, but what do
you think about all of this?"
    "I
guess it all boils down to the question of whether or not the
husband's death nullifies the agreement? If the contract is still
in effect, then the Headman's son has to pay out a substantial sum.
If not, then the widow is left essentially penniless."
    I'rone
nodded. "So is it in effect?"
    Va'del
opened his mouth, thought for a second, and then shrugged. "I
don't really know, but it seems to me that the son is a bit of a
sneak who has just latched on the excuse that the husband died as a
way of getting out of paying a substantial amount of money."
    The
honest answer startled a chuckle out of Jasmin. "I think
you're right, but unfortunately the question is whether or not the
law supports him on this. He took a gamble, but in all fairness so
did the husband. It wouldn't be right to protect the husband, or
his widow, just because we don't particularly like the son."
    "I
don't know then."
    I'rone
picked up his copy of the agreement and pointed to a section,
causing Betreec to nod in agreement. "I think you're right.
This kind of accidental death isn't found among the dissolving
agents. The fact that we've seen a number of contracts which do
detail this kind of accident as nullifying a contract doesn't really
serve as an excuse to nullify this particular one."
    Despite
her obvious weariness, Jasmin was also nodding now. "You're
right, other than to show that they should have included a provision
of that nature if they really wanted the contract to dissolve under
those circumstances."
    Once
the three Guadel were in agreement, Va'del was sent out to summon
everyone back into the room, and I'rone, of all people, issued the
final judgment.
    The
normally terse Guadel waxed incredibly eloquent as he explained the
relevant points of the contract, and why they'd decided as they had.
In fact, I'rone did such a good job that when all was said and
done, even the son didn't seem overly upset.
    For
all that I'rone's speech was exactly the kind of thing Va'del
usually would have wanted to remember, when the massive man finished
and sat down, the younger man found that he couldn't remember a word
that had been said.
    She
was so grateful. The relief on her face was the most amazing thing
I've seen. She really didn't have anywhere else to turn for help.
If not for the Guadel, she'd never have received justice. Jasmin
and the others are trying to help me, just like they helped