Cities like this have no shame, have no shame...indeed, why should they?

[catherineknight.livejournal.com]

[Late morning, Tuesday, February 23rd, day 268]
[The Abbey]


Word came today that the man in jail was hung. I'm glad. The Bible says "an eye for an eye", after all, and any man who would do as he did deserves nothing but God's final judgment. Even so, I'm not sorry that Isidore and I defended him against the rioters. Justice has its own process, and there's no reason for so many people to damn themselves.

We did receive a reprimand from the sheriff for riding into the crowd and for harming some of the townsfolk, even if they deserved it. Though to my mind, if they came out of their homes to do battle and cause harm they should have been equally prepared to receive it. But I suppose not everyone feels the same. I also asked about the flaming monster we battled, but there was no further sign of it, and she avoided the subject. We apologized for any injuries caused, and she thanked us for trying to help, and so it goes.

I didn't go to the execution. I saw no need to.

The event hasn't changed the routine any. There are still chores to be done, work to be finished. Humming under my breath, I heft the bale of hay over my shoulder and quicken my pace towards the stables. Later maybe I'll take Hirondelle for a ride.


[OPEN to TARQUIN and anyone at the abbey]

Comments

[tarquinexcolo.livejournal.com]

I walk in with the woman and the smiling man, into a building. Suddenly I feel trapped, like I'm going into this religious place and I don't do religion, and I want to turn and run and forget that I ever came here, but something keeps my feet going, and eventually I'm sitting down. Catherine asks me several questions and I feel like I should answer them before I tear into the food but god I want to.

"I've been alright, bit of a beating a while back but I recovered, guy called Jarmyn fixed me up and fed me, been sleeping in an abandoned house and sorting my own food"

[catherineknight.livejournal.com]

We sit, and I see Brother Nanse-Kam makes sure that Tarquin's bowl is filled to the brim. I'm very glad; at least today he'll have a good meal. And maybe more, if he stays. I bow my head as we say grace, praying in my own mind to the one true God, and then we settle to eat. The air is filled with the clink of cutterly and the soft chatter of many voices.

I'd hoped that here Tarquin would be more relaxed, but he seems to have tensed up. He stares at the stew hungrily, but doesn't eat. "I've been alright, bit of a beating a while back but I recovered, guy called Jarmyn fixed me up and fed me, been sleeping in an abandoned house and sorting my own food."

"Beating?" I say, startled. I was in the middle of taking my own dishes and spoon out of my bag - I always keep them with me, just in case - but now I pause. "You were attacked?"

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"I've been alright, bit of a beating a while back but I recovered, guy called Jarmyn fixed me up and fed me, been sleeping in an abandoned house and sorting my own food"

"You were beaten up?" I say, just as Catherine says "you were attacked?" I raise my eyebrows. "Town can be a rough place, mate, especially to new folk at the moment." I notice he's not eating. "Tuck in, kid, you can tell us all about it once you've got some food down you."

[tarquinexcolo.livejournal.com]

Thanks be, they let me eat before cross-questioning me on what happened, giving me time to downplay it. The last thing I want is all that brought up again, or me being forced to stay here as a result of it. the food is surprisingly good, but I eat slowly, trying to savour it. I don't want to talk about it, about how I felt, but I know I'm going to have to.

"Was my own fault, I was looking for work, and asked the wrong person. I'm fine now". I brush them off. I'm really scared to go into this, I just... I don't even know why.

[catherineknight.livejournal.com]

"Town can be a rough place, mate, especially to new folk at the moment." Brother Nanse-kam says, before encouraging Tarquin to eat. Tarquin does eat, surprisingly slowly, but he's obviously hungry.

"Was my own fault, I was looking for work, and asked the wrong person. I'm fine now." Tarquin replies, not meeting our eyes. So he is still selling himself, then. But even so...

"Did you tell the sheriff?" I hope so. Or at least, tell me. I'm assuming some stupid small-time thug. I wouldn't hurt him badly, but I would give him something to think about.

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"Was my own fault, I was looking for work, and asked the wrong person. I'm fine now."

I'm turning over what sort of looking-for-work might end up in a beating. Got an idea or two, and I look at him thoughtfully before turning to my own stew.

"Did you tell the sheriff?"

"She's a decent sort, from what I hear. Met the deputy before - good bloke, trustworthy. Very tall," I add, and take a bite of bread.

[tarquinexcolo.livejournal.com]

"The deputy knows, yeah, not really daring to show my face in town at the moment, easier to hang back a bit, you know? Need to get my hands on a weapon, something I can look after myself with. Got blindsided"

I chew on my bread and grin. "It's all over now. What are you doing with yourself at the moment?" I glance at Catherine, and hope I won't get any more of these probing questions

[catherineknight.livejournal.com]

Brother Nanse-kam agrees with me that it would be good to tell the sheriff. He also says that her deputy is a good man. I wish that I could've met him, but I suppose he was busy on the day I was at the office.

Tarquin nods, at least. "The deputy knows, yeah, not really daring to show my face in town at the moment, easier to hang back a bit, you know? Need to get my hands on a weapon, something I can look after myself with. Got blindsided." He grins at me through a mouthful of food. "It's all over now. What are you doing with yourself at the moment?"

"Working here," I say, pouring my stew into my bowl. "There's always work to be done here, but it's good work. Satisfying. I've been attending services at Father Laurence's church..." it's good to hear Mass spoken again. "And now that Hirondelle is back at full health, we've been training again. I've missed that. We haven't trained properly since we left the order." I want to ask about Tarquin carrying a weapon, which doesn't sound terribly safe to me...but I don't want to scare him off.