A Delicate Situation |
Summary: | Having just arrived at the Fort of Brenton, Prince Samwell has to decide in the matter of two captured bandits that have been captured by Sir Gauvain, who voices a severe accusation against their host. |
Date: | 19/10/2013 |
Related: | All recent logs concerning the mission to the North, especially Bandits in the Woods. This scene is followed by Dinner at the Fortress |
Players: |
Court Yard, Fort Brenton |
In the scene set. |
October 19th, 1329 |
Having moved to Brenton after the events of Rikton. The party had been allowed in, and Gauvain had come in last with the prisoners. Once in the Courtyard he drags the two men by the scruffs of their necks and throws them at the feet of Samwell. He draws his sword and looks to Samwell. "Your Highness. Permission to put these two…. traitors, out of our misery?" He looks at the men and snarls.
One of the men, looks as if his face had been hit by a horse. "P - p - please my lords! I only went with em! I I I n-n-n-never killed anybody!"
The other man looks to the battered one and scoffs. Then looks at the nobles. He says nothing, but closes his eyes.
Deidra stands beside the prince, her arms crossed before her as she eyes the two prisoners coldly. "You never killed anybody?" Her doubt shows clearly in her mien as she lets her gaze shift towards Gauvain. "What have they been up to, pray tell us, good sir."
Fort Brenton is a small bleak fortress on a rocky outcrop, offering a good look over the valley and across the border to the north. But the fortress is slightly dilapited and the wind blows through the cracks of the outer walls. The guards have actually been caught by surprise when the visitors turn up and there's quite a bit of a fluster. Sam gives order to have rooms readied and had a short conversation with Sir Robart Dalyan, the hedge knight in charge of the fortress. Now he appears in the draughty part of the courtyard where his companions have been given lodgings and looks down at the prisoners, then at Gauvain and Deidra. "What have you found out so far?"
"It was either that he would have had my sword through him." Gauvain says with a sneer. He looks the man over and spits to the side. "These were the bandits that fled us when we arrived at Rikton. They killed, and raped, and thought they were above the Queen's justice." He points his blade at them. "Were it my lands, I'd have their heads. Their trial was forfeit the moment they took up arms and harmed the small folk."
Deidra's mouth turns into a firm line as she hears about the misdeeds of the bandits. "They were seeking to escape the Queen's justice? Fools indeed," she mutters in a voice loud enough to hear for Samwell. "I am surprised you let them live, Sir Gauvain," she remarks then, in a louder voice to the knight, "but to leave the justice to the Prince seems much more adequate indeed." And probably a bit uncomfortable for her superior.
"They are no use to us dead.", Samwell whispers to Deidra in passing before planting himself in front of the men. "You heard Sir Gauvain here. Your lives are pretty much forfeit. I am Prince Samwell Taniford and it is well within my rights to punish you by putting you to the sword.", he says, managing to look somewhat regal and imposing despite his youth, "However, if you help us find the rest of your worthless gang, I will be content to exile you to the north. Do you value your lives? Then speak!", he urges.
Looking to Samwell and then to their host, Gauvain narrows his eyes. "My thought was that Sir Daylan should witness how justice be carried out." He says to the Hedge Knight. "Since he has let his small folk be ravaged by these beasts who clal themselves men."
Gauvain looks to Samwell and bows his head, "Your Highness. I know I should not have brought them without your permission. And I ask forgiveness. But this…. Knight's," he says the word with a touch of disbelief, "Actions are anything but the meaning of the title. He's as much at fault here as these two vagrants. Unless the ser has a bloody good reason for not riding out to meet these men." He looks to the men as Samwell speaks and nearly growls at being offered banishment.
The Bruised one falls to his face at hearing Samwell is the Prince, "Your Lorship! The Knights who beat us, yesterday, they done killed Jarek. Fancied himself the Bandit Lord of the Mountian he did. But other Knight, not the Lady Knight, the other one…"
Gauvain says for Samwell, "He is refering to Sir Jaren my Prince."
The man nods emphaticly. "Aye. Sir Jaren if it pleases the Prince… He killed him in battle. Split the man's throat open. If ta others are still here…"
The other man speaks quickly to save his life and show he wants to help too, "The Forest My Prince! There is maybe ten left. We raided in shifts. Fourteen by day, led by Jarek, and ten by Knight. Led by Toby. Night time is easier, so he needed less."
Deidra had inclined her head in a nod when Samwell had addressed the two villains. Her steely green eyes are keen and attentive as she studies those two, listening to their account while smirking a little when she hears Marla being referred to as lady knight. "So Sir Jaren killed the bandit lord? How valliant indeed." she comments, with one brow raised as she shoots Gauvain a glance. But nothing more is said by the Blue Guard, as her gaze comes to rest on Prince Samwell again, awaiting his decision on the matter.
Samwell listens to the bandits' explanations and nods. "Bind them.", he orders Deidra and Gauvain, "Make sure to gag them too. We shall dine with Sir Robard and his men tonight and tomorrow morning these two pieces of scum will lead us to their hideaway, so we can finish the rest. And should we find out that you've lied, you won't live to see another sunset.", he threatens the two bandits. He gives Gauvain a look to indicate that he has more to say, once the bandits are out of earshot
Gauvain nods and binds the men, handing them over to Lady Sollinger's guard who Gauvain had tasked with keeping an eye on them. He sheathed his sword before binding, and now he fingers he favor lightly. He nods to Bethany, and tasks the girl to make sure Myrana is found a place of rest as well and then he returns to the Prince.
He runs a hand through his hair and bows before Samwell. "Your Highness." He says in that soft and gruff voice. "How may I be of service?"
"Very well, your highness." Deidra replies to Samwell's order, and gestures for one of the guards to fetch some leather straps to bind them with, before she moves beside Gauvain to assist him by holding the villains in place while they are being properly tied up. Then she steps back beside the Prince, remaining in the background while her eyes and ears are most eager to witness Samwell's reaction to Gauvain's question.
"Well done, Sir Gauvain.", Samwell offers the man a compliment first of all, then nods to Deidra to get her to step closer so he doesn't need to shout. "You too, Sir Deidra, but then I expect no different from you.", he winks, before looking serious again: "I ask you both to keep your eyes and ears open. I see too much disorder and too little discipline here. Make merry with Sir Robard's men tonight, but keep your wits about you and listen to their tales. I think it may be time to see this fortress handed to someone else but I don't want to judge too quickly either.", he explains in a quiet tone.
Gauvain takes a deep breath and nods. Speaking softly, the big Knight says, "My Prince. These men…" He looks around. "I'll watch them, but I'd highly suggest we just remove him. The commoners are clear that the raids were happening because this Knight wouldn't defend them."
Deidra nods quietly to Samwell's request. "It shall be done as you wish, Commander sir." Her steely green eyes flit to Gauvain again. "With all due respect, sir. It's a matter that needs to be handled most carefully, given the delicate situation. Prince Samwell and we are the hedge knight's guests. It appears more than reasonable to gather as much information as we can, before certain steps can be taken. Whatever the opinion of those commoners may be."
Samwell can't resist a little smile when he hears Deidra speak. "She does know me well.", he asides to Gauvain with a soft chuckle, then continues in a serious tone: "And she is right. We are in a delicate situation. They outnumber us one by four here, we cannot just stir trouble. Nor would my mother appreciate that. We are here to check on things and gather information. Information which we will take back to the Queen and to Lord Losthren. Once my mother decides that things here need to change, we will return with a bigger force. If we take them out now, then move on, what will happen then? The villages will have even less protection than they have now.", he points out.
Gauvain tries, very, very, very, hard not to growl in frustration. Finally the big knight nods in response. He opens and closes his sword hand and takes a deep breath to steady himself. He says quietly. "As you command My Prince."