Arc 1- The Case of the Forged Silver Coins
4-1
“Sir,” Azula said, facing the magistrate of the Naga Port Town. “I’m here to report a series of thefts.”
“Yes, you’ve already said that,” the magistrate said, his attention on the bowl of grapes on the desk before him. He sorted them out, one by one, removing skins and piling them on a small saucer.
Azula frowned at the habit.
Who peeled grapes?
The magistrate’s office was a hall with six other desks arranged around the room. Six officers sat at their desks, each one busy. Not with matters of the magistrate’s office. Oh no, that would be too much to ask of this lot.
One read a book, laughing as he ate peanuts from a bowl on his desk. Another was busy assembling a miniature boat on his desk. Azula would have admired his concentration in a different setting. Three were sleeping. The last one watched him while he chewed on a stick.
Azula returned his gaze to the rotund man sitting behind the official magistrate’s desk. The magistrate’s face was round and soft, like a fresh bun from the oven. His hair was receding leaving him with an impressive bald spot at the top of his head. His dark brown hair was still held in a ponytail.
The magistrate’s uniform was a rich purple tunic and a matching jacket decorated with gray embroidery on the sleeves and the collars. A medal of his office was pinned to the lapel of the embroidered jacket.
Azula could not see more of the magistrate because he sat behind his mammoth desk. He looked overly fascinated with the grapes he was peeling.
“Sir,” Azula said.
“Consider the problem reported,” the Magistrate said, picking up the saucer filled with peeled grapes.
Azula winced when he started eating them in a handful. Grape juice trailed down between the magistrate’s fingers and he wondered how this man kept his office.
The magistrate smiled wide at Azula.
“We’ll do our best to catch the thief.”
“Don’t you want to know what is stolen?’ Azula asked, a frown creasing his forehead.
Azula looked back at the open doors of the magistrate’s office. Four soldiers guarded the entrance. They each held a spear and wore a sword, ready to defend their magistrate’s office at any sign of trouble.
“What is stolen?” the Magistrate asked, though he was not interested. He ate another handful of grapes and looked at Azula with a bored expression.
Azula cursed Draeya General under his breath for the hundredth time. Thirty minutes ago, when he and Sennin finished eating, they got up to leave the table. Azula wanted to return to the ship to start preparations for unloading the carriage. However, the moment they stepped outside, Draeya General’s lieutenant arrested Sennin and asked their legion brothers to hold him.
Shocked, Azula turned to Draeya General.
‘If you want your friend released you will go to the magistrate’s office with me. Report the theft of your ore.’
Draeya General did not give him an option. He kept walking with eight of his legion officers following him. Haedor, the brute, gripped Azula’s left arm and dragged him away from the inn. Poor Sennin was held by the rest of Draeya General’s legion.
When they got to the magistrate’s office, Draeya General pushed him to enter alone.
Azula cursed under his breath. If Draeya General was going to help him, why insist on him reporting to the magistrate? Everyone knew the magistrate did not care to investigate cases that did not benefit him.
Azula took in a deep breath and prayed for patience.
“Our Sura Clan’s cargo carriages have been hijacked six times on the road to the Capital City. The thieves have murdered twelve drivers and taken our ore. We seek the government’s help,” Azula said, looking at the Magistrate.
“That is a sadness,” the Magistrate said with a nod, staring at Azula.
His expression had not changed. It felt like Azula was reporting that the sun had risen this morning and was now overhead. Azula fought a scowl.
“And what do you think our magistrate’s office can do to help?”
“Start looking for the thieves?” Azula suggested.
“Hm,” the Magistrate said with a nod. “Yes, that is a very good idea. But…”
Azula frowned when the Magistrate trailed off and glanced at the man chewing on a stick.
“But what, Hulan?” the Magistrate asked.
“If the thieves are so vicious as to murder twelve drivers, how can our office of four officers help?”
“Yes, exactly,” the Magistrate said, smiling at Azula. “It sounds perilous.”
Azula started counting back from a hundred. His temper would not help him here. There was Sennin to save and he had cargo to offload at the docks, and a journey to Genad City to complete. He could not be arrested here.
“Will you record the crime?” Azula asked.
“Oh,” the Magistrate said, with a nod. “Yes. I guess we should note it down somewhere. Don’t worry. We’ll get it down as soon as Siva wakes up. He had a difficult night last night. His wife gave birth to twins and they do not get enough rest in their house anymore. It’s all the crying. I say, babies and wives should live in one residence, while the husband lives in a nice quiet room. But that’s me. What do you think?”
Azula cursed under his breath, forgetting to count down his temper.
Clenching his fists, he started to take a step forward, determined to shove the remaining unpeeled grapes into the magistrate’s mouth. The imbecile deserved it, what a horrendous idiot.
A commotion started before he could reach the magistrate’s desk, and he turned to find Draeya General entering the office with his lieutenant and legion officers. They were fully armed and looked like warmongers.
Two of the legion officers used their sword handles to hit the desks of the magistrate’s officers, startling them to attention. The sleepy officers fell out of their chairs and stood when they saw legion officers with panic in their eyes.
Hulan, who had answered the magistrate earlier, stood at attention staring at the ground hoping to go unnoticed.
Azula frowned.
Hulan was suspicious. His stance looked confident even as he lowered his head in the presence of Draeya General. His eyes watched Draeya General with intent. A slight smile curved his lips. Azula’s frown deepened, but he had no time to dwell on why.
The magistrate dropped the plate he held on the floor making a mess of his peeled grapes as he stood up with a gasp. His eyes looked like white balls as they took in Draeya General’s eventful entry.
Azula frowned at Draeya General who came to stand next to him with casual grace.
The general wore his formal coat. The black coat with its gold embroidery announced his station and rank. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he studied the magistrate with interest. His legion officers were busy intimidating the surprised magistrate officers on each side of the room.
“Why did you make me come in here if you were going to follow me?” Azula asked, with annoyance. “Making me report a crime to this idiot before you can help me. Did you want to watch me turn into a fool?”
“It was interesting watching you try to look humble. Don’t insult yourself by calling yourself a fool, Chieftain’s son,” Draeya General said. “And stop scowling at me. I’m not the one who has pissed you off.”
“You’re holding my friend hostage.”
Azula cursed under his breath and turned his scowl to the shocked magistrate.
“You should breathe, Sir,” Azula reminded the Magistrate. “You may choke on the peeled grapes in your mouth.”
The magistrate sneered and started to point at him, but the grapes in his mouth choked him and he started to cough.
Azula laughed.
“Ha, that’s what you get for treating me like an idiot,” Azula said.
“Hush,” Draeya General warned next to him and stepped forward.
The general pushed a goblet of water standing next to a jug on the table to the magistrate. The magistrate took the goblet and drank deeply. When he stopped coughing, he placed his goblet on the table and looked at Draeya General.
“What is the meaning of this? How can a general walk into the Magistrate’s Office armed and cause a commotion?”
“I heard there was a problem of thieves terrorizing the citizens. I came running to help out because it is what I should do. What do you think, Magistrate Netan?” Draeya General asked. “I, Draeya General, am responsible for looking out for the small citizen.”
“Draeya!” Magistrate Netan gasped and straightened to his full height. “Ay, if you told me you were coming we would have met you at the gates into the compound. Why—?”
“No need for the ceremony,” Draeya General said, lifting his hand to stop the magistrate from coming around his desk. “I’m here to pick up a task from the magistrate. How could I announce myself for you to meet me at the gates? I’m not so insolent.”
Draeya General turned to look at Azula and winked.
Azula made a face at him, but the general had already returned his attention to the magistrate.
Magistrate Netan was busy wiping the table and arranging his chair behind his desk.
“Draeya General, please,” Magistrate Netan said, holding out his hands to his desk for the general to sit.
“No. Magistrate Netan should sit,” Draeya General said, holding out his right hand to the chair. “I still need you to write down everything this young man said to you. Otherwise, how can you ask me to help him catch thieves?”
Magistrate Netan stared at Azula in surprise, he stuttered, frowned at Azula, then nodded with enthusiasm.
“Right. General is right,” the Magistrate said and sat in the chair with a shaky sigh. “Siva, bring me a paper and a pen. I’ll write down the young man’s statement, and orders to catch the thieves.”
“You need three copies of the report,” Draeya General said and folded his arms against his chest. “Azula, why don’t you start your statement?”
Azula was caught between awe and annoyance with how fast Draeya General got the magistrate to work. He wished he had half the power. Their Sura Clan would be far richer he thought with a frown.
Draeya General touched his right shoulder and he scowled at the man before he stated his grievances, one by one.
*~*~*~*
Sui Writes 
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