VisitingLadyHardyIndex | HomePage | GameLogs | HoldfastGameLogs | Visiting Lady Hardy Edlyn lead the way to her mother's room. As they approached they heard a sound so extrordinary that Edlyn stopped abruptly. It sounded like a series of flat, open-handed blows - and then came the sound of a woman's frightened sobbing. "Excuse me," Rhys said to Edlyn. He ran the last steps to the door, leaving her behind. When he pulled open the door, he saw two figures in the room. Lady Celia was sitting in an armchair. Although 'sitting' perhaps was not the best term. She was huddled up, her arms drawn around her knees, and it was she who was sobbing, her face reddened and blotched with more than just tears. And bending over her was the missing steward, Pennyways, his hand raised to strike her again. "Stop!" Rhys shouted, appalled. He strode angrily toward them. "You will not hurt her further!" Edlyn tried to push past him, to her mother. Pennyways, however, drew a short but wicked blade and pointed it at Rhys. "Oh yes?" he sneered. "Run along, little Maester. You have no idea what's ventured here ... " "Edlyn, go get Kenrith," Rhys told her urgently, keeping his gaze on the steward and his knife. Rhys positioned himself so he stood between the steward the the door. To Pennyways he said, "I have no idea? Fine. Why don't you enlighten me?" There was the sound of feet in the corridor outside, and then Edlyn gasped, "He's here!" Rhys could hear Kenrith's breathing at his shoulder (OOC - and probably scent him too; these are pungent times). Pennyway's eyes narrowed and then he stooped forwards and grabbed Lady Hardy, hauling her up before him as a shield. Her tears stopped and she gave a little giggle. "Is this a game?" she asked, in a high, girlish voice. "Aye," said Pennyways, his eyes hard on the group by the door. "A game for life." Rhys stepped sideways into the room to give Kenrith a clear view of the steward and Lady Celia. He stayed silent, assuming Kenrith would want to take the lead. Kenrith appraised the scene silently, then slowly reached for the buckle of his baldrick. With a harsh yank, it unbuckled, then he allowed it to fall to the floor. Eyes locked on Pennyways, hand up with palm extended, Kenrith slowly started to walk forward. "My stepmother is has taken a blow already... I should not like you to harm her further, but she is not in command here. Perhaps you should consider trading up?" Pennyways were hard on him. "No," he said. "No. Her I can hold easy enough, but I don't trust your strength, cripple or not. So move away now, Ser, from the door, if you don't want to see her bleeding." Edlyn was breathing fast, almost panting. Rhys didn't move, his eyes flicking from Kenrith to the steward and back. Kenrith sought to read the man across from him with his own baleful stare. Would Pennyways hesitate, even for an instant? Events seemed to slow down, and while his mind was as calm as a pool of still water, he felt warm and confident. Pennyways was afraid of him, and he had his oath. Things were simple; this he could fix. Life was, perhaps, a coin he could spend more than once. This was as he had felt in the grove many times, when his blood and the Gods spoke words of wisdom to him. Lordface fixed, legs pumping, hand outstretched he lunged for the knife with the only hand the Gods had left him. No matter if he was cut, so long as his stepmother pulled through and he had a good grip. At the same time, though, he did not stop with a grab. Instead, he continued forward and sought to bring his forehead down on Pennyways' nose. Kenrith was accustomed to doing such things while wearing a helm, but his own skull would needs serve. Pennyways staggered back one step ... two ... under such an onslaught. But he could not evade Kenrith. He pulled the knife aside and then jerked his head aside, and the blow from Kenrith skull crunched his cheekbone. He screamed - and so did Lady Hardy. Kenrith felt blood gush over his cheek - none of it, he suspected was his. Edlyn screamed. Rhys saw a flurry of movement, but he was standing to the wrong side of the struggling group ... Rhys rushed toward the group, his intent to protect Lady Celia and remove her from the ensuing skirmish, if possible. She came limply into his arms and he saw there was a long slash on her cheek, bleeding profusely as such wounds are wont to do. Even as Edlyn hurried to his side, Rhys realised it would take all his skill to prevent scarring. Pennyways was screaming too, slumped back against the wall. The knife had now fallen to the ground, and his hands were pressed to his face, the injured side. His eye there seemed to be bulging unnaturally - and looking down at a sickeningly strange angle. Rhys attended to Lady Celia, ignoring Pennyways for the moment. He drew her into his arms to keep her quiet as he pressed the heel of his hand against her cheek to stanch the blood. "Edlyn," he said in a calm voice, "please bring me some clean towels." Edlyn fled. Lady Hardy was whimpering between gasps for breaths. But there was something in her eyes as she looked at Rhys .. something ... And then he realised. She recognised him! Rhys smiled at her warmly. "Lady Celia, welcome back." Lady Hardy responded with a good, hard stare at him - and then a sudden gasp of pain. "What ... has happened?" she demanded. "You were sliced with a knife, milady. The rest will have to wait, with all due respect," Rhys explained as he led the Lady to a stool and encouraged her to sit. He placed her hand against her cheek. Kenrith kicked the knife to one side and worked to secure Pennyways' hands-- in part, by sitting on him. Pennyways groaned but offered no resistance. Rhys spared a glance for Pennyways, decided he could wait a bit longer, and instead turned his attention to Kenrith. "Are you cut?" he asked, not sure whether the blood on Kenrith was his or not. Kenrith blinked at him for a moment, confused, and stared at his palm. There was a thin slash across the base of his palm where trhe knife had just caught it. It stung a little, but Kenrith could see that it was shallow enough not to have damaged any tendons. Indeed, the bleeding had nearly stopped. Rhys could see it was shallow too, from where he stood, and he passed Kenrith by. Squatting in front of Pennyways, he attempted to ascertain the extent of his damage as best he could before Edlyn returned. It was an ugly wound, the force of the blow splintering th cheek and driving bone fragments back into his head. It seemed possible that Pennyways would lose the one eye, unless Rhys were allowed to employ his utmost medical skill. While Rhys inspected the wound, Kenrith carefully patted Pennyways down for weapons and other such things. "I need to know if it will be safe to move him to a cell, and to question him..." Kenrith asked. Kenrith found another dagger and a small pocket book. It contained a series of cryptic figures arranged in long columns. "The damage is severe," Rhys replied, over at Kenrith. "If you take him and question him now, he'll lose the eye. What do you want to do?" "Pennyways," Kenrith said as he tried to get the man to focus on his face with his good eye, "why don't you make this simpler, and tell me now... and then I can let Rhys here save your eye?" Pennyways spat blood. "Tell you what?" he demanded. "I believe we've been down this road before, Pennyways. You were in charge of accounts. Account." Pennyways tried to look around desperately. "He's been stealing for years!" It was Lady Hardy's voice, warm with righteous anger. "Your father trusted him completely ... But I always suspected. And when your father was ill I began to ... to ... " What had begin so strongly died away in a whimper of pain. "I'm bleeding," she announced, in an imperious tone that suggested someone was expected to do something about it - now. Pennyways' gaze (such as it was) stole towards her, and then his face flushed lividly. "It was her!" he shouted. "Her all along - bleeding the estate dry. Her and her leech of a brother!" Rhys stood at Lady Celia's injunction. He started toward her, then paused and looked back at Pennyways and at his guilty flush. "Then why were you striking her?" he asked. "Such an action is used to assert dominance. You wanted her to obey you in some regard. Perhaps to keep quiet over what she'd seen you do?" "So you are alledging you remained silent because it was Celia who had bid you do so..." Kenrith said as he gave the man's good eye a penetrating look. "Yes!" shouted Pennyways. "Yes!" "What is that dreadful man saying?" demanded Lady Celia. "Take him away at once." "Rhys, if you'll see to Stepmother's wound?" Kenrith said as he stood and took up his sword. "Pennyways, stand... but you don't wish to move suddenly." Without looking away from Pennyways, he said to Rhys, "After you've done what you can for Celia, come to my quarters." "As you wish," Rhys replied. He then proceeded to take Pennyways there. And Rhys proceeded to clean up Lady Celia. This was somewhat longer than he expected as she was somewhat querelous, demanding to be fully informed about the events of the last few days. Fortunately, Edlyn reappeared with the towel and other needments from the Tower which she had determined would be useful. Glancing at Rhys, she began to explain to her mother precisely what had happened in her 'absence'. Rhys saw no reason to stop Edlyn and gestured for her to continue, though he did watch the Lady's reaction to the various bits of news. He put forth great care in his stitching since the wound was on her face. Though he slavered the cheek with a salve that would numb it, she still felt a great deal of discomfort during the procedure. "Would you like milk of poppy for the pain?" he asked her as he cleaned up the mess. "No I would not!" said Lady Hardy irritably - her waspishness seemed to have returned in full force with her memory, but now she made no attempt to disguise it under a caressing manner. "Where's my brother? Perhaps I'll get some sense out of him?" "Shall I get him?" asked Edlyn. "Certainly," Rhys nodded, suspecting the girl wished a reason to leave. Although he was happy Lady Celia had healed, certainly there were disadvantages to her regaining her memories. "If you'll excuse me, miladies, Ser Kenrith has asked me to attend to him after I was finished here." He bowed, then turned to leave. Lady Hardy bowed her head in gracious acquiesence - and then winced as the pain of her stitches caught her. Rhys was free to go. He left Lady Celia's rooms and went to Kenrith's as he was bid. He rapped on the door and said, "It's Rhys." Pennyways was seated in Kenrith's chair while Kenrith worked to seal a bit of parchment. "You may see to the Steward, then a guard will escort him to a secure cell-- unless you need to work on him in your tower, in which case a guard will look on. I need to investigate something he has told me. I should be back before dawn. If I'm not, open and read the note. The sooner I'm off, the sooner I'll be back..." Kenrith said in something of a rush. After the note, Kenrith passed Rhys the pair of daggers he'd taken off the Steward. Rhys accepted the note and the daggers with alacrity. "I can work on him here. Good luck with your endeavors." Kenrith nodded, patted him once on the shoulder, and was off. Pennyways had one hand to his face, doubtless holding in his eye, and was moaning faintly. Rhys watched Kenith leave, then turned back to Pennyways. He sighed faintly, secreted the note and the daggers within his robes, unpacked the supplies he'd brought from Lady Celia's room, and started treating Pennyway's injuries. He could not save the eye, and dosed the steward up with milk of poppy before removing it. It was a long and messy business - and Pennyways, despite the drug, struggled aggainst the treatment - so much so that a guard had to be summoned to hold him down. When Rhys had finished, he found a message - Ser Anders wished to see him straightaway. |
