Changed Circumstances Chapter 65 "Retribution, Restitution and Freedom"
This is a story of erotic fiction meant to be read by adults over the age of eighteen years
Written by Jean-Christophe June, 2016 My stories are archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jean-Christophe_Stories
"The characters and ideas contained in this story are products of the writer's imagination and bear no resemblance to actual persons or events. Please respect the integrity of the story and don't do any rewrites, make alterations or add another's artwork or pictures"
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Chapter 65:
Judge Fitzwilliam patiently waits as Simon Barrow's protests recede into the distance to be finally silenced behind the stout, wooden doors of Cyrus T Humboldt's examination rooms. There, no time will be wasted in assessing and registering the now disgraced ex-lawyer into his slavery. I am familiar with the methodology of the pompous Cyrus T Humboldt and as I think of the indignities that await Simon Barrow under the repulsive registrar's pudgy hands, my own flesh crawls with the bitter memories of my assessment three, long years ago. Those memories come flooding back and it would be easy to feel compassion for Simon's plight but his fate leaves me unmoved. He was a willing participant in his own undoing and now he is to pay the penalty for his crimes.
With his departure, that leaves only my nemesis, Guy Maratier to be sentenced. The courtroom is hushed as it waits for Judge Fitzwilliam to begin his sentencing of my cousin. Inevitably, I know he will be found guilty and sentenced for his crimes and in all probability his sentence will be the same as that given to his three co-conspirators.
I look towards him and I see a frightened man bereft of all hope. Obviously, he has also realized that his punishment will be no less than that handed down to the other three. Indeed, as the ringleader and instigator of the plot to dispose of Thor and me, his punishment should be the greater. But as I look at him, I know from bitter experience there can be no greater punishment meted out to him than the loss of all his worldly possessions and his freedom; condemned to serve as a chattel slave for the remainder of his days. He is a comparatively young man aged in his mid to late thirties and, depending on the nature of his slavery, he faces many years of spirit-destroying and even back-breaking servitude. And unlike me, there'll be no chance of freedom; the penalty he faces precludes any chance of manumission.
As I think about his fate, I know that he'll be shocked and numbed by this sudden change in his circumstances - just as I was three years ago - but inevitably, reality will re-assert itself and he'll realize the true awfulness of his situation. And stripped of all hope, he'll finally surrender himself to the inevitability of his fate.
And yet as I look at his trembling figure, I do feel a measure of sympathy for him. After-all, he is kin and we are related by our common Barrois blood and heritage. Perhaps there's truth in the saying that blood is thicker than water.
During the early days of my slavery, I did find myself "warming" to him as my Master. I recall the night when he'd exercised his "droit de seigneur" rights over me and used me as any master is entitled to use his slave. Had he derived satisfaction from using me sexually and saw it as a fitting revenge for the humiliation that Charlotte Maratier had suffered at the hands of my own Barrois grandparents? Perhaps, as he thrust deep into me, my own shame served to expiate this sense of rejection of his much loved grandmother.
For my part, I'd felt a degree of intimacy and even affection in our coupling. Certainly, his fucking of me wasn't the brutal event I'd anticipated. Indeed, I derived some pleasure from it and I hoped he felt the same. I recall thinking on that night that, perhaps, we could become closer as master and slave.
But that wasn't to be. The further I progressed into my slavery, the harsher he became until his animosity towards me turned into a hatred that was almost pathological. And as that hatred of me intensified, his paranoia grew until he saw me as a threat to his own wellbeing and that of his son, Etienne.
And what is to become of Etienne?
I know Guy Maratier's love for his son is deep and heartfelt. Most probably, Etienne is uppermost in his thoughts at this moment. Not being a father, I can only imagine the torments of his mind as he worries about his son's future - a future without his father's love and guidance.
Etienne's prospects are bleak to say the least! As the under-aged son of a convicted felon condemned to perpetual slavery, Etienne's status also changes to that of a slave. I dislike Etienne intensely and over the past three years, I have witnessed his transformation into an overbearing teen-aged bully bereft of his humanity and whose treatment of his father's slaves borders on the sadistic. Thor and I have been the frequent recipients of his spite and vengeful treatment. How many times has he applied the cane to us for no justifiable reason or driven us mercilessly under his whip. If anything, I feared Etienne more than his father and lived in dread of him becoming my adult master.
Now it would seem that Etienne too is to experience life as a slave. However, despite my dislike of him, I nevertheless do feel pity for him. Of the three, Charlotte, Guy and Etienne, he is the least to blame. Indeed he is the product of his environment. Shamelessly indulged and spoilt by his doting father, he has been corrupted by the wealth that was taken from me and given to his father. Now, if all goes to plan that wealth reverts back to me and Etienne will be become a penniless, young slave left to face an uncertain future without the security of his father's love.
For love plays no part in a slave's lonely life! Unless, like me, he finds a Thor.
It seems to me that the price Etienne is to pay is too high. And in the light of my own experiences, it does seem unfair.
Suddenly, my thoughts are interrupted by the tapping of Judge Fitzwilliam's gavel as he prepares to pass judgment on Guy Maratier.
The atmosphere in the silent courtroom is heavy with anticipation as we all wait on the judge to deliver his findings. We don't have long to wait!
"Guy Maratier, I find you guilty of the charges with which you stand accused and, there being no extenuating circumstances, I hereby sentence you to lifelong servitude without manumission."
Despite there being no surprises with the judge's verdict, an audible gasp ripples through the press gallery and the watching spectators. I am reminded of the courtroom's reaction to my own enslavement and I know that, at this moment, Guy Maratier is feeling a loneliness like no other. Only those who have stood in his position can fully appreciate the utter isolation that the sentence of slavery brings with it. From the moment the judge delivers his verdict, the recipient of that verdict ceases to be a man. He has become a non-person, an outcast from human society and relegated to becoming an owned property without any legal rights or privileges. From now on he has only the obligations of submission and obedience to his eventual owners which he must fulfil or suffer the pains of punishment.
Obviously, Guy Maratier was expecting the verdict and so there was no surprise as Judge Fitzwilliam spoke the fateful words condemning him to slavery. Nevertheless, his audible moan echoes around the room and adds poignancy to the occasion.
"Guy Maratier!" The judge continues sternly. "I impose the maximum penalty that the law mandates for the crime with which you are found guilty. As the instigator and ringleader of the dastardly plot to rid yourself of two 'troublesome slaves' your guilt is greater than that of your fellow miscreants. Therefore, it's a great pity that I can't impose a heavier penalty on you. Under normal circumstances, all your property, slaves and moneys would be forfeited to the state. However, as the ownership of these are in dispute - a matter I must deal with in a few minutes time - I don't have recourse to that as an additional punishment. Guy Maratier you are to remain in the courtroom as I now deal with the matter of whether you were the perpetrator of a sinister plot to defraud Mr Lucien Barrois of his rightful inheritance and rob him of his freedom."
As he'd stated at the outset, Judge Fitzwilliam had moved quickly to deal with the four who'd conspired to illegally export Thor and me to an unknown, overseas destination. Of course, there'd been no doubting their guilt and this had helped to speed up the process of justice. All four now stand convicted of their criminal activities and are to spend the rest of their days as slaves. With this matter successfully dealt with, there now remains the matter of whether or not I'd been the hapless victim of a monumental fraud perpetrated by Charlotte and Guy Maratier.
As my future hangs in the balance, and despite all the indications pointing to a resolution in my favor, I am understandably nervous. I begin to tremble and Thor reaches over and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I turn to look at him and he smiles encouragingly at me. As I have done so often in the past, I draw on his strength to sustain me and turn to face the Bench with renewed confidence.
Judge Fitzwilliam looks directly at me and speaks.
"Mr Barrois! Three years ago, in another court, you were adjudged to be the progeny of a slave woman and sired by Mr Henri Barrois. Furthermore, it was put to that court your slave-birth excluded you from inheriting the property recently bequeathed to you by your paternal grandfather, Mr Jean-Claude Barrois. Indeed, the unfortunate consequences of that hearing saw you stripped of your freedom and condemned to slavery while your inheritance was taken from you and given in toto to the only other direct, male, Barrois descendant, your second cousin, Guy Maratier. I well recall the sensationalism and notoriety engendered by those findings but in truth, like so many others, I accepted them as the right decisions of the court and saw them as 'justice being done'. Regrettably, you were consigned to the rubbish bin of history and wrongfully so I should add, as that verdict now appears riddled with inaccuracies and inconsistencies. Indeed, the evidence against you was wrongfully conceived and does, in itself, constitute a criminal act on the part of Guy Maratier who'd brought the action against you with the express purpose of defrauding you of your natural birthright."
The judge pauses momentarily to allow his words to register with the public gallery and more so with me.
"I'm innocent!" Guy Maratier's loud protest echoes around the courtroom. "The evidence that my cousin was born a slave was given to me by my grandmother. I had no reason to doubt her."
"So you claim, Mr Maratier!" The judge responds tartly. "However, unfortunately, your grandmother isn't here to verify your claim and therefore, I must judge the facts as they present themselves. And these are that it was you who presented false documents to the court claiming Mr Lucien Barrois was the progeny of a slave woman and it was you who petitioned the court to set aside Mr Jean-Claude Barrois' will in your favor. Your claim about your cousin's doubtful birth was patently false. In the past twenty four hours, I have seen ample evidence of this in the documentation given to me to consider. The most compelling evidence against your claim is Mr Lucien Barrois' birth certificate issued at the time of his birth and which I have authenticated beyond all doubt. How this was overlooked during the initial hearing against Mr Barrois confounds me and suggests to me it was part of a deliberate conspiracy to defraud him of his birthright. Who were the parties to that sinister plot is unclear. However, I am at a loss as to why the judge presiding over your petition wasn't more diligent in his investigations into your claims. It's not for me to sit in judgment of a fellow judge but of necessity, I will be lodging a report on his findings and of my own investigations to my fellow judges who will then, no doubt, decide what actions, if any, should be taken."
Judge Fitzwilliam's words border on the sensational! They suggest that Judge Matthews, who'd sentenced me to slavery, had been too ready to accept the legal arguments of Guy Maratier. I recall how at the outset of my trial, he'd shown every courtesy to my cousin inviting him to sit while demanding that I remain standing. With hindsight, this indicated that Judge Matthews had already made up his mind as to my "guilt" but whether or not this means he was complicit in some plot against me is open to conjecture and best left to his brother jurors to decide if he'd erred in his judgment.
"Mr Lucien Barrois," Judge Fitzwilliam continues, "it is my great privilege to restore you to the society of free men and to return your true identity to you."
His words are interrupted by a spontaneous round of applause from the main body of the courtroom. The judge pauses indulgently to allow my supporters to show their approval of his judgement and I am surrounded by my friends eager to hug me or to shake my hand. In the excitement of the moment, I notice that Thor is sitting quietly with a wistful look upon his face. Suddenly, I realize that while I have been set free and restored to my old life, Thor is still legally a slave - my slave. Obviously, he is acutely aware of this fact and hangs back as a slave must.
My heart bleeds as I look at Thor. He, more than any other knows what I have endured. It was he who'd helped me live through the nightmare of the past three years. He'd shared my slavery and helped me to survive; I owe him everything. He'd shared in the lows of my life and I am determined that he is now to share in my moment of triumph.
I push past my well-wishers and, reaching out, I draw Thor to his feet. Surprised by my action, he looks at me and I see his love for me in his eyes. I am touched and humbled beyond words and tears moisten my cheeks as I draw him in to the tightest hug imaginable. I feel - no, I hear - the rapid beating of his heart and once more I smell his intoxicating, manly scent which embarrassingly - as always - works its magic on me. I feel the burgeoning swelling of my cock and I know instinctively that Thor is responding in kind. I hold onto Thor determined never to let him go. Our lives have been intertwined throughout my slavery and he is now to share in my freedom.
I incline my head and kiss the crown of Thor's head. Fleetingly, and yet it seems an eternity, we cling to one another and then I lovingly ruffle his blond hair as I have done so many times before. Then, taking hold of his hand, I turn to face Judge Fitzwilliam and ask his permission to speak.
"Please, Mr Barrois! Please feel free to address the Court. The legal system owes you that much at least for the miscarriage of justice it inflicted upon you."
"Thank you, Your Honor! I'm lost for words to describe my true feelings at what has happened here today. But obviously, I must express my appreciation to you for your judgment in my favor and to all those who have worked so hard to see me set free. Mere words can't express the depth of my feelings to you all. But, I hope over the coming days, to thank each and every one of you personally from the bottom of my heart. I owe you all so much; my freedom and the restitution of my name and identity. You can have no idea of the importance of these things until they have been taken from you and you become a non-person. So once again, thank you to all who worked so hard and yet unbeknown to me to restore them. I will be forever in your debt."
My words are heartfelt and are greeting with another outburst of applause and even the judge is moved to say.
"Well said, Mr Barrois!"
I wait for the applause to cease before continuing.
"However, there is another who I must publicly acknowledge and that is the man who stands at my side and whose hand I hold. He was my fellow slave in adversity and my soulmate through the long, dark days of my servitude. It's no exaggeration to say that I survived only because of my beloved Thor. In the early days of my slavery, I cared not if I lived or died. It was Thor who dragged me back from the brink of despair and it was his love that gave me the strength to continue living. We shared so much together as slaves and now I am determined that we are to share together in my new freedom. Your Honor, I request that Thor be given his freedom to coincide with my own."
I feel the tight grip of Thor's powerful hand squeezing my own and I see the look of utter bewilderment on his face. Obviously, he'd not expected this from me.
"That's an unusual request and one that would normally not appear before this court, Mr Barrois. As I understand it, the man you call Thor is a slave and your property. Therefore, it is perfectly proper for you to petition for his freedom. However, there are procedures for this and I am sure your attorney, Mr Stewart will assist you in this matter."
"I do understand that, Your Honor. But I believe that would take time and it's my fervent wish that today, when I walk from this court as a free man, Thor walks with me - also as a free man. I ask Your Honor's indulgence and humbly beg that, if at all possible, you expedite Thor's manumission to allow this to happen."
"I can see that you are very adamant on this matter, Mr Barrois." The judge replies kindly. "Normally I'd not involve this court in such a mundane matter as manumitting a man from slavery. However, that said, it can be argued that I have already done so with my finding in regards to your own situation. And I sincerely believe that the legal system which failed you so dismally three years ago, does owe you something as way of compensation. Therefore, I am happy to accede to your wish that the slave you call Thor be set free forthwith."
Thor's magnificent body trembles with emotion at the judge's words. As he turns towards me, I see that his eyes are brimming with tears and impulsively he takes me into his arms and holds me close to him. I feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest as we cling to one another. He lowers his head and in words meant only for me, he whispers.
"Thank you, thank you, Lucien! I never thought I'd be free again and I was resigned to the fact that I would once again become your slave. I happily accepted that as an inevitable part of you regaining your freedom because it meant that we'd stay together with you as my master and with me happily serving you. I'd hoped and prayed that one day you'd regain your freedom but I never dared hope for my own. Lucien, I love you. Over the years you have given yourself to me and I have always loved you but no more so than I do right now."
"Thor, freedom without you at my side isn't an option. Better that I remain a slave at your side than be separated from you. I want you with me always as my partner in all things. Today owes much to your unstinting support and unselfish love given freely to me over the years of our servitude. And Thor - I love you too!"
Judge Fitzwilliam has generously indulged us by allowing us these brief moments together. However, he needs to finalize matters and brings us back to order with a rap of his gavel.
"Mr Barrois. I'm happy to declare that your friend, Thor is no longer a slave. As of this moment, like you, he is a free man. Mr Stewart can I ask that you meet briefly with me in my chambers once this court is adjourned and I will happily sign the papers of manumission. I'm sure that Mr Barrois will appreciate your assistance in finalizing this matter which is obviously very dear to his heart."
"Your Honor, it would be my pleasure. I'll have my clerk fill in the manumission form ready for your signature once the court rises."
"However, before then, I have to conclude my remarks to the convict, Guy Maratier. Prisoner, you will stand and face me as I address you. Whilst it's unclear whether others were also involved in your plot against Mr Lucien Barrois. I rather suspect the late Charlotte Maratier was the principal architect of the plot against Mr Barrois but that is something we'll never establish beyond any reasonable doubt. What is clear is that you were the principal beneficiary of the plot. Your later actions in trying to illegally smuggle your cousin and the former slave, Thor out of the country is evidence that you had doubts about the veracity of the claims presented by your grandmother, Charlotte Maratier and this does in my view confirm your complicity and guilt. For this court's records it is my unhappy duty to now confirm judgment on you for your crimes."
I watch as Guy Maratier steadies himself by holding the top rail of the dock in a white-knuckled grasp and ashen-faced, he looks towards Judge Fitzwilliam. As I look at him, I do feel something akin to sympathy for him. He is, after all, a blood relative and given other circumstances, we could have been close. But the sorry history of the Barrois family and their antipathy towards their wayward daughter, Charlotte had prevented that from happening. It had proved the catalyst of my own suffering over the past three years and it is now to be the undoing of my closest living relative.
Judge Fitzwilliam's words come as no surprise. After all, given the sentences passed on his fellow conspirators, Guy Maratier's sentence is a forgone conclusion. And as I look into Guy's haunted face, I see the hopelessness of a doomed man reflected in his eyes. I recall being in an exact situation three years earlier and I can't help but feel a measure of compassion for him.
"Guy Maratier!" Judge Fitzwilliam's voice takes on a somber note. "Having been found guilty and sentenced to slavery for life without the hope of manumission, you will be taken from this place and processed into your new slavery. Once that is done, you will join your co-conspirator, Simon Barrow in the stocks at the front of the court and exposed to public approbation for a period of twenty-four hours. On the titular board above your head will be inscribed the words 'Perjurer/Fraudster'. At the end of the twenty-four hours, you and the prisoner Barrow will be delivered into the hands of the Government licensed slave dealer and sold at public auction."
Then with a sharp rap of his gavel, Judge Fitzwilliam states. "Take the prisoner down".
As two of the court's burly guards move towards him, Guy's thoughts aren't about his plight but rather that of his son. Desperately, he asks the judge.
"What is to happen to my son, Etienne? Who'll take care of him?"
"An unfortunate consequence of your crime is that your son, who I am given to understand is under the adult age of eighteen, is to pay a heavy price for your crimes. He too is condemned to slavery.
"NO!" Guy's anguished cry is gut-wrenching. "Oh please spare him. He is innocent and shouldn't be punished for what I did."
"In crimes like the one you committed Mr Maratier, the sins of the father are indeed visited on the son! And so it is in this case. That is something you should have considered as you embarked on your nefarious deeds. Sadly, your son must pay the price for your crime. The law, in such matters, consider it is more humane to enslave any under-aged children rather than to cast them out homeless and penniless to fend for themselves. At least, as a slave, he'll have food and shelter and be under the protection of his owner and at no cost to the public purse."
I listen to the exchange between Judge Fitzwilliam and Guy Maratier and it disturbs me. True, I feel animosity towards Etienne and as I have already stated I have no love for him. But I ask myself if it's fair that he pays such a terrible price for a crime in which he played no part. I know he benefitted from those crimes and in doing so he has become cruel and spiteful. But again is this his fault or that of an over- indulgent father and scheming, ambitious great-grandmother. And the question has to be asked - "is he beyond redemption?" Or can something of his character be salvaged and his life turned around.
I have no idea if this is possible or how it can be achieved. I only see the manifest unfairness of the situation and in the light of my own experiences I feel compelled to act on Etienne's behalf. But what can I offer?
I certainly can't undertake the responsibility of caring for him. After all there is too much bad feeling between us and he'd naturally resent me and see me as an enemy. And besides, my immediate priority is to re-establish my life and to take control of my affairs. Therefore, accepting custody of Etienne is out of the question. But, inexplicably, I do feel a sense of responsibility towards him Perhaps this is because of the bonds of kinsman ship. As I have stated several times - blood is thicker than water and this prompts me to speak up on his behalf.
"Your Honor, I ask for the court's indulgence."
"You have it, Mr Barrois." Judge Fitzwilliam grants me permission to speak. "What is it you wish to say?"
"Your Honor, I respect the law's position in this matter. But, in view of my own experience of being enslaved through no fault of my own, I do wonder if what is proposed is in the best interests of Etienne Maratier. He is, after all, barely in his teenaged years and he is confronted with a lifetime of servitude; much longer than that faced by his father and therefore his sentence is the greater. Given his age, his sentence is even more severe than the one given to his father and the other conspirators and I am troubled by the unfairness of the situation."
"Your point is a valid one and I have some sympathy with the thoughts you have expressed, Mr Barrois. And they do you credit." The judge replies sympathetically. "But the law is very definite on such matters and my hands are tied. The law states the under-aged progeny of a new slave is himself a slave. That was the argument used against you three years ago and it was the reason you were falsely enslaved. I have no alternative other than to commit Etienne Maratier - the son of the slave, Guy Maratier - to lifelong servitude. And I deeply regret that this is so."
The judge's words are final and yet I am reluctant to accept them.
"Your Honor," I plead, "is there no way around this situation?"
"I'm afraid not, Mr Barrois. I do see your concern for the young man's sad plight and if I had the power to do anything - well then, I'd gladly consider using it."
It appears my efforts on Etienne's behalf are without any hope of success. Throughout my exchange with Judge Fitzwilliam, Guy Maratier had looked on and I could see the look of hope on his face. It was a father's hope that somehow his son would be spared from sharing his fate. The finality of Judge Fitzwilliam's words robs him of that hope and with a deep, guttural moan he begins to sob uncontrollably.
I decide I've done all I can on Etienne's behalf and that further argument from me would be counter- productive. But then, hope comes from an unexpected quarter.
"You Honor, I crave the court's indulgence." My attorney, Michael Stewart asks. "May I approach the bench?"
"Come forward, Mr Stewart and state your case. If it helps this court to find an acceptable solution to the unfortunate circumstances concerning Etienne Maratier, then I am eager to hear what you have to say."
"Thank you, Your Honor. This situation isn't without precedent! I refer Your Honor to the case of Patrick Murray of some years back."
"I'm unfamiliar with that case Mr Stewart. Obviously, your memory is better than mine. But please continue."
"The case of Patrick Murray was similar to the situation which now confronts Etienne Maratier. Patrick Murray was a fifteen year old youth whose father was enslaved for white collar fraud. In sentencing the father to mandatory, lifelong enslavement the presiding judge had no other recourse but to sentence the son as well. An identical situation to the one now confronting Your Honor."
"What was the outcome of this case? The judge asks. "If there is a solution to this vexing matter, I'd be happy to hear it."
"I'll be brief Your Honor. Patrick was a lad of good character and the presiding judge had serious reservations about sentencing him to lifelong slavery as a result of his father's crime. From all reports, Patrick was a bright student at school, a good all round sportsman and was popular with his fellow students and teachers. Indeed, many were moved to speak on his behalf pleading for mercy. The judge listened sympathetically to those pleas and after much research and deliberation found there was a little- known and never before used provision under the law that allowed him to extend a measure of clemency to young Patrick Muldoon."
"An intriguing case, Mr Stewart and one I'm not familiar with. But then, I have never been called upon to preside over a case quite like the one now before this court. What happened, Mr Stewart?"
"To comply with the law, Patrick Murray was enslaved along with his father, but the presiding judge made him a "special ward of his court" and prohibited Patrick's sale at public auction. Instead the court placed him within a safe environment where he served as a 'foster' family's slave and was protected from abuse and exploitation. The judge charged his court officials to regularly monitor Patrick's wellbeing until he reached the legal adult age of eighteen years when his case would be brought back to the court for further judgment. The judge ruled that, if in the interim, Patrick had served his temporary owners faithfully and dutifully and barring any serious misdemeanors, he would grant him a special manumission. In other words, Patrick would be set free."
"And what happened to Patrick Murray, Mr Stewart?"
"Eventually, he was freed, Your Honor."
"And do you know what became of him, Mr Stewart?"
"When he was set free, I believe his 'foster owners' under wrote his education. Today, as I understand it, he is a highly skilled surgeon and working in another city."
"An inspiring story, Mr Stewart and I am moved by it. Are you suggesting that I do something similar in the case of Etienne Maratier?"
With respect Your Honor! I merely put the case of Patrick Murray before you. I wouldn't presume to tell you what you should do."
"Mr Stewart, I thank you for bringing this to my attention. I am prepared to look sympathetically at Etienne Maratier's situation and if it's at all possible - and still within the law - I will consider making him a 'ward of my court'."
As I listen to this exchange between Judge Fitzwilliam and my attorney, Michael Stewart, it appears there is some hope for Etienne after all? I really hope so!
And as I look towards Guy Maratier, I see a glimmer of hope on his tear-stained face at the news that his beloved son might be thrown a lifeline. I am strangely moved by his very real love for his son. I guess one has to be a father to truly appreciate it and I am touched by it. If only things had been different between us? If only I'd known of their existence before Charlotte Maratier had moved against me? After the deaths of my grandparents, I was bereft and felt my loneliness most acutely. I would have welcomed them as my only living relatives.
Now of course it is all too late. But I do have my beloved Thor to fill that void of not having a close family. Nevertheless, Etienne is a blood relative and as I have said before blood is thicker than water. The ties of blood kinsman ship do exist despite my dislike of my young cousin and I am strangely moved to reach out to him.
I consider ways in which I could possibly help but I rule out the likelihood of taking him into my household as a slave. My immediate task is to re-establish my life as a free man and to re-assert my control over my late grandfather's business interests. And, even more importantly, there is the need to build on my relationship with Thor. My first priority is to him; we need to build a new life together and there'd not be room in it for a spoiled and troublesome teenager. Perhaps time spent serving as a slave could be the making of Etienne. It would correct the flaws in his character and teach him humility, civility and compassion for others.
I decide the best thing at this stage is to say nothing and leave the matter of Etienne's future to Judge Fitzwilliam's better judgment. However, I will watch discreetly from the sidelines to see what becomes of Etienne and, if at the age of eighteen, he is set free, I will then consider what options, if any, are open to me.
"I will deliberate on the fate of Etienne Maratier in the coming days." Judge Fitzwilliam continues. "While I do so, he will be held in custody as I make my final decision. All that remains now is to remove the prisoner, Guy Maratier and to close the proceedings of this most momentous but troubling case. I can say with all sincerity that it has been the most disturbing case I have presided over in my long career. But it has also been one of the most gratifying. It gave me the chance to correct a grievous wrong done to an innocent man. That it took years of struggle by those who worked so hard to free Mr Lucien Barrois is testimony to their tenacity, determination and affection for their friend and I commend them for their efforts on his behalf. That he inspired such devotion and friendship speaks testimony to his character and I am pleased that I have been able to play a part in seeing him returned to his rightful place in our community. Mr Barrois, you can now walk from this court as a free man and you carry my best wishes for your future with you."
Then he turns to his court's officials and instructs them to.
"Take the prisoner down!"
I watch as Guy Maratier is lead away to begin his new life as a slave. Strangely, I get no satisfaction from watching as he walks slump-shouldered between two, burly, uniformed officers to his assignation with the odious Cyrus T Humboldt and his callow assistant, Jason.
I feel no sense of triumphalism as he leaves the courtroom. There are no feelings of revenge or satisfaction on my part; only a sadness at seeing him brought so low. But then, he is the architect of his own fate and he is reaping a bitter reward for his machinations against me. We are after all "masters of our own destinies" and must pay the price for any mistakes we make.
Thor and I are lost in a throng of our friends and supporters as they escort us from the court. As we step out into the courthouse square to begin our new lives together as free men, the sky has never looked bluer nor the sun shone brighter than it does today.
Thor and I are free at last!