(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

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...))

Comments

[socrowdedinhere]

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.

[dragondancer5150]

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.*

[socrowdedinhere]

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

[dragondancer5150]

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*

[socrowdedinhere]

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

[dragondancer5150]

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

[socrowdedinhere]

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.*

[dragondancer5150]

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.

[socrowdedinhere]

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.*

[dragondancer5150]

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

[socrowdedinhere]

Tyli: You know how to ride, Harlequin?

[dragondancer5150]

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*

[socrowdedinhere]

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.*

[dragondancer5150]

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…*

[socrowdedinhere]

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.

[dragondancer5150]

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…*

[socrowdedinhere]

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

[dragondancer5150]

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…*

[socrowdedinhere]

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

[dragondancer5150]

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*

[socrowdedinhere]

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

[dragondancer5150]

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.

[socrowdedinhere]

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.

[dragondancer5150]

Quin: *shaking but…n-nods* Y-yes, milady. I…I’m sorry… *gets unsteadily to his feet – it’s been a long day, the exertion of performing followed by everything from that poor amin boy’s death till now, he’s running on adrenaline alone at this point, scared and still expecting the worst . . . climbs back onto the horse – it takes more effort this time – and while he can mount and sit, he’s not actually overly familiar with /guiding/ a horse . . . and he still hasn’t raised his eyes to anyone*

[socrowdedinhere]

Vashti: *nods and waits for him to mount.*
Warrik: *will... well, instead of mounting the last horse he'll mount behind Quin.* *softly* Hope you don't mind, you don't look too confident up here.