Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter one hundred and nineteen

"I, Crystal Lauderdale, stand before you, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, seeking compassion and, of course, justice." Crystal stands up and starts the morning's proceedings as soon as the judge allows it. She has a case to win today. She's determined. Michael and Luke can see her fierceness in her eyes and it calms them just a little, to know they have the best possible player trying their hardest for them right now.

"Australia is a beautiful country, both inside and out. We have a wonderfully executed constitution which, fortunately, does not have many of our rights in it. Of course we have individual pieces of legislation for the management of many of our rights, which allows for revisions as times change, the entrenched rights in our constitution are timeless. Since the 1890's when it was first written, Australians have agreed on a few rights that all people deserve and are entitled to. This is hundreds of years of history and precedent." Crystal walks around the courtroom as she speaks, drawing in the attention of each and every person in it. She's a natural, or maybe just experienced. "One of these very few entrenched rights is section 127, 'all persons of legal age have the right to create and live by a legally recognised relationship contract with their soulmate.'"

"Now I know what you're thinking," Crystal goes on, closing her copy of the constitution and placing it back on her assigned desk. "That, surely, the legal age is eighteen and so I'm metaphorically shooting myself in the foot by bringing this up. Well," she laughs, "have I got news for you. Legal age is not expressly defined in the constitution of the commonwealth of Australia, or any of its parts. Because of this, it seems perfectly logical to draw the legal age from the Crimes Act of 1900 which, in section 66, clearly defines the age of free sexual consent as sixteen years old. My client, Mr Hemmings, is seventeen years old and the court is aware of that fact. It's why we're here.

The evidence is clear, your honour, that, when accumulated, the legislation of this country makes clear that creating a legal relationship contract is an entrenched right for anyone from the age of consent in their state, which is sixteen in New South Wales. Therefore, if I may, I wish to suggest that the federal Relationships, Marriages and Family Act of 1902 be reformed to alter it's requirement of parties signing relationship contracts to be eighteen years of age to something that would be more consistent with definitions provided in our constitution and state legislation." Crystal takes a deep breath, allowing her 'the law is wrong' statement to settle inside everyone. With no time to waste and the skill of being quick on her feet, she continues on.

"I have no doubt that the court still has its reluctance to accept my clients as soulmates. I wish to first bring up as precedence, the decade old case of Riley v. Fraken. The party of Riley, a submissive, was pregnant. Fraken was the assigned soulmate and dominant of Riley. Riley claimed that their baby belonged to a dominant that was not Fraken, not their soulmate. An array of scientific evidence, as well as a court ruling, found that Fraken was the other parent. There are dozens of other instances where it has been proven time and time again that only a dominant soulmate can get a submissive pregnant. A simple but accurate DNA test has proven that Mr Clifford is the other parent of the child within Mr Hemmings." Crystal speaks more loosely, as if everything she was saying was general knowledge. As if Michael and Luke being soulmates was blatantly obvious.

"This evidence I have corroborated should make it blatantly clear to the court that Mr Clifford and Mr Hemmings are soulmates, irrespective of other facts. That in itself is a fact." Crystal ends sharply, taking another deep breath and sitting back down. The reporters are talking in hushed whispers, writing everything down. The judge is listening and thinking intently.
"There will be a 45 minute recess, after which time I will hear the counsel's final remarks." The judges declares, hitting their gavel and standing up.

"Thanks." Luke smiles softly as people start to file out of the courtroom.
"Of course, anytime, but don't thank me yet." Crystal gives a tight lipped smile.
"You don't seem so sure of yourself?" Michael asks worryingly.
"Of course I brought up precedence for specific points, but there's no precedence for a case like this. At all. It still feels up in the air." Crystal sighs.
"17 year olds have never gotten pregnant?" Michael says skeptically.
"They have. But either they're usually old enough that the baby won't be born till they're 18, so they don't worry, or the dominant is virtually the same age as them." Crystal replies as she starts packing up her papers and documents.

The three are informed by security that there's a hoard of reporters and journalists out the front so they opt to the security guard bringing them lunch inside. Conversation over lunch is quiet but they make an effort to avoid talking about the case or Michael and Luke's relationship. It's in silence that Luke's mind wanders and he can't help but ask Crystal about her own life, even if the topic seems a little personal.

"Can I ask..." Luke swallows, looking at Crystal. "What it's like to still be unmatched at your age?"
"Lu-" Michael tries to stop his sub.
"It's okay." Crystal chuckles, stopping Michael from going on. "Sometimes it feels weird but I don't think about it all that often. I know that someone's coming for me, that it'll all work out. The universe doesn't keep you waiting for no reason."
"Do you get lonely?" Luke asks quietly.
"Not particularly. I have friends, I'm close with my sister, I have two cats." She shrugs.
"I'm curious because I have an unmatched friend at work. She's only 25 but she's a submissive." Luke adds.
"Oh wow, that is interesting." Crystal comments.
"Yeah, maybe I'll introduce you two sometime." Luke hums.

A/N: if CALM wasn't just released and therefore the only thing I have on repeat then it would feel very appropriate to be playing 'The Final Countdown' all week. Other than this being your 812th reminder to submit character ask questions, I'm sorry, I'd also like to say that you can ask anything you want about the sequel!

Lots of love, stay safe and at home as much as you are able.

-Grace Williams xo