The Sword in the Street by C. M. Caplan

Author:C. M. Caplan [Caplan, C. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

20. Edwin, Adapting

Aubrey’s voice pulled Edwin from his thoughts. “It’s almost finalized,” she said.

Edwin had been poring over a manuscript that reeked of mildew. The eastern wing of the university was nearly empty this late at night. “Hm?”

“I spoke with Wise Master Chalk earlier today. The council has almost finalized the laws on freework. Most of it is imported from what’s already there regarding writs. They need to be signed by a justiciar and all that.”

“Almost done?” Edwin echoed.

“Give just a bit more time. It’ll be legal soon.” There were still rules they had to go over regarding safety and efficacy. But the council had brought the Wise Masters of the university into the debate chamber to speak with them about how best to implement everything.

Aubrey packed up her things as she explained it all to him. She’d finished her schoolwork hours ago. But it was dark, and she didn’t want to walk home alone. “Are you almost done?”

Edwin’s headache had nestled into his temples. “I’m working on it, but I can only read so fast. This writing is downright archaic. How old is this thing? Aren’t there any newer books on the history of law?”

Aubrey shrugged. “I have no idea. I don’t know why you’d sign on to a lecture with a Wise Master who wants you to read the same dusty stuff he read as a boy, anyway.”

“My parents signed me up for it.” Edwin groaned. He slumped forward until his forehead knocked against the table. “It’s like reading another language!” The hardwood muffled his voice.

Aubrey snatched up one of the pages that had escaped the binding. She raised her eyebrows. “Who assigned all this?”

“Wise Master Sulk.” Edwin lifted his head off the table. A thin line of drool followed him, then snapped. “Never sign up for his lectures. This is my third semester with him. Don’t make my mistakes. Promise me.”

“Why do you take him if he’s so awful?”

“He’s the only one who teaches History of Law! And I can’t even ask him for help because he’s embroiled with the council. Chalk isn’t the only one debating how best to implement freeworkers into common law!” Edwin had decided to decipher his textbook on his own. He’d spent the past few weeks watching John from the window with the gaunt leather book across his lap, and he had yet to make any decent headway in actually dissecting what any of the text meant.

“Try describing it to me,” Aubrey said.

“I don’t want to bore you.”

“I’m stuck here.” She shrugged. “It’s better than doing nothing.”

Edwin flipped through the wrinkled pages. “I’m on the chapter detailing the old senate’s archaic laws.”

“Old senate?”

“Before our first kings we had the senate. They had ancient codes, rules and regulations, but most of the documents outlining them were burned when King Cedric the Eager called his factions together and implemented his rule.” He thumbed through the book. “I need to glean what laws King Cedric adopted from the senate, and which laws he wrote after he put himself on the throne.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.