The manservant sat atop the carriage and kept the reigns of the team in hand as he waited in front of the Red Dragon Inn. Lucien leaned against the porch steps, looking over the notes he'd written down from his meeting with Jewell and a Scathachian Sister named Trixie.

In his breast pocket was an order for the Judge's release on bail. The barrister had to rouse a Rhydin judge from his bed to get the order signed, and the man was not in the least pleased about being disturbed at home. Nevertheless he owed Lucien a boon and the man was glad to have the debt settled for a night's sleep.

That was the easy part. Persuading the constable to release an alleged suspect of several gruesome murders, backed by an eye witness on bail was entirely another matter. To prove the Judge's innocence was yet another matter still.

Normally Lucien was not inclined to get involved in matters such at this, unless it involved someone he knew. The barrister didn't know the Judge, aside from seeing her in the Inn on a rare occasion. However, Jewell had approached him to speak to him on the matter on behalf of her friend. Icer and Panther further offered assistance. The words of the Captain came back to the barrister-steersman.

He tucked the notepad back into his pocket and waited for his 'co-counsel's' arrival. He needed to see about getting his client released.

The carriage ride to the Garrison was relatively pleasant, or as pleasant as can be considering the circumstances necessitating it. Lucien could see the Empress was anxious and he took the opportunity to try and assure her.

However things changed quickly once they arrived at the Garrison and met with the Constable. Gone were Lucien's easy smile and jests. The barrister's frustration was mounting and his anger was rising.

"Constable. I appreciate your reservations, but my client has rights." Lucien's voice remained collected and calm as he tapped on the court order he'd gotten signed that morning. "And this..."

"Ser Mallorek," the Constable interjected. "Your client,..." the disdain practically oozed from the man's tone, "....showed no regard for her victims."

Lucien shot a quick look over at his Co-Counsel, the barest of tautness touched his jaw behind his neatly trimmed beard. It was clear this went beyond caution on the Constable's part. It went beyond obstinance. The barrister collected the document and tucked it back into his breast pocket, then picked up his briefcase.

"You will at least allow visitors? Aside from my colleague," he nodded his head to Jewell, " and myself of course."

"I'll see what I can do, Ser Mallorek."

"I trust that you will, Constable." Lucien turned to the Empress and nodded. Perhaps, just maybe, in the briefest of moments, she might have caught a flash of rage behind his cool gaze. He opened the door to the man's office and held it for Co-Counsel. The barrister paused in the doorway without looking back at the man who stood behind the desk. "Do send your wife and son my regards for me."

His words hung in the room heavily before he heard the Constable's muffled reply behind the door.

"That didn't go that horribly."

Lucien was still stewing despite the Empress' upbeat tone, and couldn't find to offer her a smile. He knew she was angry as well, and rightfully so. At his side, his grip around the briefcase handle hardened. And he kept his cool gaze trained before him.

The barrister's manservant was already waiting with the carriage when Jewell and Lucky reached it. Gwyr offered his hand wordlessly to the Empress to help her up into the carriage. Lucien climbed in after and sat on the bench across from his 'Co-counsel'. Unlike on the ride to the Garrison, there were no smiles from the barrister. His expression didn't soften until the Judge's prison was no longer in sight.

"You did really well, Jewell," the barrister finally remarked quietly as the carriage rumbled along the streets. "I'll have arrangements made for Isuelt to meet with her counsel and a guest at least once a week." He sat back against the seat and loosed his tie, already thinking on what were the next moves to make. "I'll keep you and the Sisters abreast of any progress from my end." Lucien tried to keep the optimism in his voice.

A small smile finally cracked the barrister's restraint. "Is there somewhere we can drive you to, Jewell?"

He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, settling the swirling that overtook his thought in the brief quiet that fell between the barrister and his Co-counsel. Lucien drew a deep breath of the cool air before he turned his attention back to the Empress at her reply.

"If you could leave me somewhere along the fringes of the West End it would be most appreciated, I have a lunch date I must keep."

A light frown marred the barrister's brow at the Empress' request for the barest of moments, before it eased. Words of warning and caution, reminders of the violence in the West End remained unspoken. Jewell was not a child and if anyone was aware of the dangers of the situation, she most definitely was. "Of course, Jewell. It'd be my pleasure," Lucien replied with a nod. He leaned out the window and called up the Gwyr.

The carriage rolled along the streets, passed the many alleys, abandoned and 'living' buildings. It slowly rolled to a stop along a street lines with brownstones at the edges of the area. He found a smile, small but geniune for the Empress. "Will this do?"