milliways_bar | (no subject)

"Always does."

"Yourself?"

"Same. Think you know why."

There go the raised eyebrows again.

"Part of it, anyway."

Because he probably doesn't know about Angela. Unless he does.

"You're upset about Wellard. Am I supposed to know how close you are to him?"

"You're supposed to know not a damn thing's been done to punish that woman for what she did to him. The two weeks was for the rest of it, am I right?"

"Yes. Also because she came quietly. You're unhappy with the lack of punishment, take it up with fucking Bernard or Alanna. I can't do anything."

"You could stop blocking her being put back in the cells."

"I swore an oath, Sharpe, or do you not respect that?"

"Oh, I respect oaths. But you're also a security officer of this place, and you're favouring the woman over the boy she attacked and nearly killed. Two weeks and no more for the things she did before she left, that's fair, but are you going to let her go free no matter what she does?"

His voice is rising.

"I. Swore. An. Oath. Any futher imprisonment and I will be forsworn. Other punishment is fine, but I can't do it! Neither can you. Bernard can, Alanna can, Liam can. Take it up with them, as they've seemingly forgotten!"

"Then you're a fool. What the hell do you think Bernard or Alanna can do to the likes of her, bar locking her up?"

"What do you think, Sharpe?"

"Not a bloody thing, unless it was to bind her magic. Exile from here's failed already, and I'd not risk her attacking some other poor bastard to get back. Can't stop her being served when she can't leave, so what's left?" He looks at the younger man with hard eyes. "Did you know about Wellard when you swore?"

"No. Otherwise I would have asked for longer."

"And she was given two weeks for the things you did know about, as you promised. If she'd come back and not hurt anyone by it, I'd not say a word about that, but she didn't."

"I am still bound by my oath."

"What would you have done if Wellard had died? If she'd killed him? She very nearly did... or whatever happens to the dead in this place with injuries like that."

"I would stick by it. There are worse things here then imprisonment, more powerful beings then she who could dispatch her."

"And you'd just stand by and allow it?"

His tone is disbelieving.

"If she had killed him and it was Bernard's will? Then yes, I would. I would not like it, but I would."

"But you won't break an oath made before you knew all the facts, even if she does something more and the only other choice of punishment is worse."

"If she does something now then my oath isn't relevant."

"So count Wellard's attack as happening after your oath! It might as well have done."