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Captain: *nods and stands* Come with me Harlequin.

Quin: */stiffens/, NERVOUS again suddenly* Y-yes, sir... *follows, head up and shoulders back, putting on a brave front...but he's clearly scared*

*When they step into the waiting area Quin will see a noblewoman. She's cool and collected. She turns to face Ius and Quin as they step in, gaze locking on Quin...*

Officer: Captain, this is Lady Vashti Alvierda. The amin boy belonged to her.

Captain: My lady.

Vashti: Is this the man who killed Rai?

Captain: *breath hitches as he is cut off before he can say more...* Yes, my lady. It was a complete accident.

Quin: ............. *drops to a knee before her, head bowed low* M-my lady, forgive me. I've never meant harm to anyone. I have no arguments with anyone, regardless of race or social standing.

Vashti: ...Look at me. *studying him, seeming to decide if she believes him or not. ...finally she nods* What are the options, Captain?

Ius: *will tell her more or less what he’d told Quin.*

Vashti: .....*nods* I have a few things to finish, Captain. I will come back with my decision in an hours, if that is acceptable?

Ius: *nods* Of course, my lady.

((Character List:
Terris
Ziomi
Wes
Mitham
Naijah
Khepri
Zera
Talim
Jerrica
Jimn
Nyri
Jendayi
Ilmari
Raizen
Daithi
Patch
Quin
Tam
Rihn
Optimus
Horses: Rory and Toby
Fox – Squeak
Goat – Crackers

Family Acquaintances - Lyria, Darien, Soren, and Dycus
Lunnaei, Kalan, Darden, Aren, Mairi, Klatu, and a few unnamed others...))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Vashti: *nods and will turn to the Captain with one last comment back to the beothers.* Your fifteen minutes start now.

*Don’t have to tell them twice! Tam /bolts/ for Quin, dropping to his knees at the last minute to /wrap/ his brother in a tight HUG. Quin HUGS back, burying against his brother’s shoulder – he’s shaking, scared and trying to keep it together for the sakes of the others.*
Quin: I-I’ll be okay, Tam. I’ll be all right. The police captain has promised to keep track of me, and come get me when my time is up.
Tam: He’d /better/… *muffled against Quin’s shoulder*
*Patch will approach as well, bringing Rihn with him. The two will embrace the brothers between them, the four in a tight huddle centered on their bard.*
Quin: Take care of each other . . . take care of each other . . .
Patch: Always, lad. Always.
Rihn: *voiceless sobbing*

Terris: *will guide Ziomi to them*
Ziomi: *drops to her knees to wrap her arms around the little huddle.*
Terris: *will rest a hand anywhere on Quin that he can.* We'll make sure you are not forgotten. You will come home again.

Quin: *just…l-lets himself be buried among everyone for a long moment, letting himself be weak and supported instead of strong and leading* I love you all. Look out for each other. And . . . Tam, you behave yourself. *voice tight even with the attempt at a tone of humor*
Tam: *snorts a soft laugh* I’m a jester, brother. That’s not in my make-up.
Quin: *that gets a low hufflaugh from him* Don’t I know it. *finally sighs and . . . pulls back from everyone, climbing to his feet so he can get hugs from each individually*
*Patch and Rihn will each HUG him tightly, then Ziomi and Terris – he stinks of how scared he is, despite the confident front that he’ll be okay – and finally Tam, the brothers CLINGING longest.*

Vashti: ...It is time, Harlequin. *waiting near the door.*

Quin: *soft shudder and…n-nods, tightening his hold on his brother for an instant before forcing himself to pull back* I’ll see you all soon. *looks at them all . . . then turns and makes himself head for the door without looking back – realizing he’s…not been flogged, maybe she’s waiting to do it herself, /swallows/ at that thought and squares his shoulders, head up*
Tam: *it’s /everything/ in him not to bolt after his brother, try to take him back…standing with hands in FISTS tight enough that his nails may draw blood from his palms*

Vashti: *softly as Quin steps up behind her.* You will see them again.

Quin: ……………. *bows* Milady… *not sure he dares let himself believe that, this is too difficult already, without that possibly false hope…*

Vashti: *leads him to an inn she was staying at. There they meet up with a cheetah amin and a j'har man.* Is everything ready to go?
Amin: Yes, Mistress.
Vashti: *nods* Harlequin, this is Tyli and Warrik. This is Harlequin. He will be joining us for the next half year.
*they both give him a nod.*

Quin: …………. *”joining”…as if he’s a guest…never meets their eyes, head bowed, as he steps up and bows, obviously consciously trying to keep from folding his arms or hugging himself, arms stiffly at his sides* Pleased to meet you both.

Tyli: *gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze.* Chin up, you'll be okay. *if he looks at her he'll find she's got a smile for him.*

Quin: *he…he doesn’t, /flinching/ from her touch – he’s still expecting to be beaten – and keeping his head down*

Tyli: You know how to ride, Harlequin?

Quin: A horse? No, miss. I’m just a vagabond. *intellectually, he…knows…that the rules from back home regarding riding privilege don’t apply here, but he grew up with them…and had them /beaten/ into him too viciously to ever want to do that again*

Tyli: You're going to learn today. We've got a ways to travel to get home. Warrik will show you how, go with him.
Warrik: This way, please. *will head around to where the stable boy had brought the horses.
Vashti: *has already gotten on her horse, her skirts divided to allow her to sit comfortably without having her dress around her knees.*

Quin: Ah… *has gone /pale/ at the thought of getting up /on/ a horse . . . not resisting but clearly REALLY REALLY REALLY NOT wanting to do this…*

Warrik: Don't stress too much. Misty is a really, really calm horse. If you have to learn quickly, she's the best to learn with. *will motion Quin over beside the horse.* Start with petting her, let her know you're here and are friendly.

Quin: ………….. *steps up and easily pets the horse, but keeps glancing at Lady Vashti, ready to /jump/ back if she so much as looks at him – clearly it’s not the horse he’s scared of…*

Vashti: *she /is/ watching him, just patiently waiting for him to get on the horse so they can go.*

Quin: */damn/ - in that case, he’s /not/ looking at her at all, just…w-will quickly…g-get on the horse, she WANTS him on the horse, he’s /not/ going to get himself into even more trouble by getting on the damned horse so just DO it…*

Warrik: *a little startled when Quin just gets on...and little smile.* You sure you don't know what you're doing?

Quin: *mouth pressed to a thin line, still /pale/ and starting to sweat…and /visibly/ braced from whichever direction Vashti is from him, head tucked and WON’T look at her . . . he /looks/ like he expects her to lash out at him*

Vashti: *guides her horse up beside him, studying him as she slowly comes up beside him* What are you afraid of, Harlequin?

Quin: */GASPS/ at her approach and practically /throws/ himself back off the horse away from her, stumbling back and away before dropping to a knee, bowed low* I-I’m sorry! Forgive me, my lady! I-I /know/ my place is not on a horse like a noble. I’m but a common-born vagabond, I know! Please forgive me.

Vashti: *has to take a moment to calm her horse after Quin jumped like that* Peace, Harlequin. If I did not want you on the horse, I would not have allowed you on it to begin with. Now mount the horse, we have a long ride home, and I do not wish to camp outside tonight because I must wait for you to walk.