The Comfort of Swords
(realtime 1:05 pm August 30th 2004)
Keygan walked softly through the streets of Grandee in the rain. It was strange to be in civilized parts again. The rainy weather had brought early darkness. She watched the lamplighter make his rounds to the gaslights. Constables moved along the streets in pairs making routine patrol. Many street vendors had already been driven home, due to the inclement weather, the few left were packing up now. Thus far she had only seen one green coated warden spinning spells to watch for magic users up to mischief within the city. He was not a warden who knew her, thankfully. Hastily, Keygan made her way to an inn she knew.
Though, Keygan knew this inn, she did not recognize any of the staff on this blustery night. She paid for a room and sat at the bar to order a meal.. A green coated man sat next to her as her plate was brought out to her. She looked at him as he spoke to her. "You're a long way from home aren't you?" He asked her softly. She knew him, and meeting him so soon did not bode well at all. "Quintinius." She said softly. He smiled, then turned to order food and drink. "We can talk after you've eaten Keygan, in private." He told her in his absolute way. She nodded at the warden and ate her roast mutton in silence.
When they'd finished eating Quintinius Pillar walked down the hall with Keygan and into her room with her once she unlocked it."You certainly found out I was here quick enough. " She blurted at him as she closed the door.
"Theodric told me." Quint supplied.
"Theodric, why would he talk to you?" Keygan asked.
"He's a peddler, Keygan, people always accuse them of things without valid grounds to. You should know that. H e says you traveled with him for two years. Is that true?" The warden wanted to know.
She nodded, " Though I brought him nothing but sorrow, I did." She confessed.
"He told me he found you outside Pegra-Ba right after it was sacked and burned. You wouldn't know anything about that though, would you Keygan?" Quint's tone was caustic here.
She spoke as she sat on the bed," Pegra-Ba, did he mention I was unconscious when he found me? Perhaps, he mentioned I was on a heap of dead GrimHounds nearly dead myself? " she asked defensively.
Quintinius nodded, "You may have fooled Theodric Jones, but I know who's side you're on Keygan." Quint nearly spat.
Keygan shook her head, " No you only think you do." She said rising to walk to the door and open it. "I've had enough of our little visit. Come back with a warrant. " She told him.
He pushed the door closed and ignored her. "Theodric was stabbed. He wanted you to look after his wagon while he stays at the infirmary." Quint told her.
"Then why not send a constable to tell me?" She demanded. Quintinius shrugged
"Because I'm still trying to figure you out." He snapped darkly.
(realtime 7:37 pm September 3rd 2004)
" Really, and here I had the impression you had already closed the book on me, High Warden." She said in a testy tone.
Quint looked inquisitive at the remark, "How's that?" He wanted to know.
" Do you deny that you just said you know who's side I'm on." She asked vehemently, anger in her eyes.
" No," He said. " that doesn't mean I can't want to understand you. You betrayed Duke Claractimus to join your dark confederates without hesitation. I want to understand that. Claractimus Gryphon was a good man. More than good to you from what I've gleaned. I understand you had the nerve to attend his funeral a year ago." Quint said.
" I've betrayed a lot of men and a lot of causes but not for the reasons you think. As for Claractimus, I never betrayed him. I'd give my word on that but I know it means nothing to you." She said fiercely.
" Lady Gryphon was appalled you showed up. You must know how out of line it was for you to be there. Yet you had to throw it in her face one more time didn't you?" Quintinius said with righteous anger.
"You wouldn't even begin to understand if I tried to tell you." She all but yelled. She walked to the door again. "I meant the part about coming back with a warrant."
Quintinius reached into his coat and produced a document. He handed it to Keygan.
She read it, glowering the whole time.
"Do you understand that? Should I fetch a barrister to explain it?" He asked in a smugly mocking voice.
Keygan nodded. " It says it is a warrant to bring me before court on charges as an adulteress." She said very softly.
" I'd much rather prove you a dark confederate of coarse. Theodric swears you are not though. Normally he is a man of stout judgment, but then so was Claractimus once. What is it you do to inspire such loyalty from good God fearing men? I'd like to know." Quintinius said drumming his fingers on his chin.
"I think I resent that implication High Warden." She answered.
Quint snorted and seated himself in the chair by the fire place. He sat for nearly two candlemarks in thought.
" I can make things go very badly here for you in the city. You must know that. I can also ignore you. No one else even knows who you are. You seem to think I have judged you harshly and in haste. If I do not know the whole story then tell it to me and let me judge for myself. I have a lot of lonely hours to look forward to between now and dawn, which I could just as easily spend hearing you out." He finally said quietly before rising from the chair.
He bent to light the fire.
"Now you ask. Why?" She demanded full of emotion.
"Contrary to what is said about me, and my order I do have a conscience. If you prefer though I could use the warrant and turn you over to the Wardens of the Seal. I'm sure they'd be glad to torture your confession from you. At this point, Keygan Stormingbyrne, you have nothing to lose by speaking with me." He said before rising from the lit fire.
She took off her jacket then accepting that he would not be leaving soon. She pulled a small silver coin from her belt purse. "This will be thirsty work, Let me get some wine at least." She said moving past him.
How do I know you won't run?
"You'll just have to trust me. They do say confession is good for the soul. My soul is heavily burdened right now." She answered him before closing the door and heading down the hallway.
He decided he would give her five minutes. If she bolted he would merely order the gates to the city barred till he found her again. While she was gone he took the time to go through her packs. She returned about halfway through this process with the wine. "Did you find anything damnably incriminating that links me to the dark confederates?" she asked him bitterly.
"There is a lot of money here, but no I did not." He sounded almost relieved he hadn't to Keygan and so she let the matter drop and poured them both a glass of wine.
Keygan walked softly through the streets of Grandee in the rain. It was strange to be in civilized parts again. The rainy weather had brought early darkness. She watched the lamplighter make his rounds to the gaslights. Constables moved along the streets in pairs making routine patrol. Many street vendors had already been driven home, due to the inclement weather, the few left were packing up now. Thus far she had only seen one green coated warden spinning spells to watch for magic users up to mischief within the city. He was not a warden who knew her, thankfully. Hastily, Keygan made her way to an inn she knew.
Though, Keygan knew this inn, she did not recognize any of the staff on this blustery night. She paid for a room and sat at the bar to order a meal.. A green coated man sat next to her as her plate was brought out to her. She looked at him as he spoke to her. "You're a long way from home aren't you?" He asked her softly. She knew him, and meeting him so soon did not bode well at all. "Quintinius." She said softly. He smiled, then turned to order food and drink. "We can talk after you've eaten Keygan, in private." He told her in his absolute way. She nodded at the warden and ate her roast mutton in silence.
When they'd finished eating Quintinius Pillar walked down the hall with Keygan and into her room with her once she unlocked it."You certainly found out I was here quick enough. " She blurted at him as she closed the door.
"Theodric told me." Quint supplied.
"Theodric, why would he talk to you?" Keygan asked.
"He's a peddler, Keygan, people always accuse them of things without valid grounds to. You should know that. H e says you traveled with him for two years. Is that true?" The warden wanted to know.
She nodded, " Though I brought him nothing but sorrow, I did." She confessed.
"He told me he found you outside Pegra-Ba right after it was sacked and burned. You wouldn't know anything about that though, would you Keygan?" Quint's tone was caustic here.
She spoke as she sat on the bed," Pegra-Ba, did he mention I was unconscious when he found me? Perhaps, he mentioned I was on a heap of dead GrimHounds nearly dead myself? " she asked defensively.
Quintinius nodded, "You may have fooled Theodric Jones, but I know who's side you're on Keygan." Quint nearly spat.
Keygan shook her head, " No you only think you do." She said rising to walk to the door and open it. "I've had enough of our little visit. Come back with a warrant. " She told him.
He pushed the door closed and ignored her. "Theodric was stabbed. He wanted you to look after his wagon while he stays at the infirmary." Quint told her.
"Then why not send a constable to tell me?" She demanded. Quintinius shrugged
"Because I'm still trying to figure you out." He snapped darkly.
(realtime 7:37 pm September 3rd 2004)
" Really, and here I had the impression you had already closed the book on me, High Warden." She said in a testy tone.
Quint looked inquisitive at the remark, "How's that?" He wanted to know.
" Do you deny that you just said you know who's side I'm on." She asked vehemently, anger in her eyes.
" No," He said. " that doesn't mean I can't want to understand you. You betrayed Duke Claractimus to join your dark confederates without hesitation. I want to understand that. Claractimus Gryphon was a good man. More than good to you from what I've gleaned. I understand you had the nerve to attend his funeral a year ago." Quint said.
" I've betrayed a lot of men and a lot of causes but not for the reasons you think. As for Claractimus, I never betrayed him. I'd give my word on that but I know it means nothing to you." She said fiercely.
" Lady Gryphon was appalled you showed up. You must know how out of line it was for you to be there. Yet you had to throw it in her face one more time didn't you?" Quintinius said with righteous anger.
"You wouldn't even begin to understand if I tried to tell you." She all but yelled. She walked to the door again. "I meant the part about coming back with a warrant."
Quintinius reached into his coat and produced a document. He handed it to Keygan.
She read it, glowering the whole time.
"Do you understand that? Should I fetch a barrister to explain it?" He asked in a smugly mocking voice.
Keygan nodded. " It says it is a warrant to bring me before court on charges as an adulteress." She said very softly.
" I'd much rather prove you a dark confederate of coarse. Theodric swears you are not though. Normally he is a man of stout judgment, but then so was Claractimus once. What is it you do to inspire such loyalty from good God fearing men? I'd like to know." Quintinius said drumming his fingers on his chin.
"I think I resent that implication High Warden." She answered.
Quint snorted and seated himself in the chair by the fire place. He sat for nearly two candlemarks in thought.
" I can make things go very badly here for you in the city. You must know that. I can also ignore you. No one else even knows who you are. You seem to think I have judged you harshly and in haste. If I do not know the whole story then tell it to me and let me judge for myself. I have a lot of lonely hours to look forward to between now and dawn, which I could just as easily spend hearing you out." He finally said quietly before rising from the chair.
He bent to light the fire.
"Now you ask. Why?" She demanded full of emotion.
"Contrary to what is said about me, and my order I do have a conscience. If you prefer though I could use the warrant and turn you over to the Wardens of the Seal. I'm sure they'd be glad to torture your confession from you. At this point, Keygan Stormingbyrne, you have nothing to lose by speaking with me." He said before rising from the lit fire.
She took off her jacket then accepting that he would not be leaving soon. She pulled a small silver coin from her belt purse. "This will be thirsty work, Let me get some wine at least." She said moving past him.
How do I know you won't run?
"You'll just have to trust me. They do say confession is good for the soul. My soul is heavily burdened right now." She answered him before closing the door and heading down the hallway.
He decided he would give her five minutes. If she bolted he would merely order the gates to the city barred till he found her again. While she was gone he took the time to go through her packs. She returned about halfway through this process with the wine. "Did you find anything damnably incriminating that links me to the dark confederates?" she asked him bitterly.
"There is a lot of money here, but no I did not." He sounded almost relieved he hadn't to Keygan and so she let the matter drop and poured them both a glass of wine.
posted by K-Squared at 9:53 PM
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