Athelstan of Lindisfarne (
athelstanthescribe) wrote in
milliways_bar2014-09-07 12:09 am
Entry tags:
(no subject)
As he promised to do if he could, as soon as he could, Athelstan returns - with a glance over his shoulder into the room beyond to check it's empty before slipping through the door - but he isn't the man who left.
There's a rope around his neck like a halter, his face is dirty and his robes untidy, and he looks somewhere between lost and humiliated.
There's a rope around his neck like a halter, his face is dirty and his robes untidy, and he looks somewhere between lost and humiliated.

no subject
Yes, all right, silly question. Enzo would not have asked if he looked okay.
no subject
"I'm... alive", he says after a moment, distantly, and not even taking in Enzo's unusual skin colour yet. "And probably staying that way."
no subject
From behind him, a small nautilus with a shell of the same green flies out and approaches the stranger, making a chiming sound.
"No, Minus, he's probably not in a mood to play."
no subject
Athelstan blinks at the little creature, and then at its owner with clearer eyes.
"I don't know."
no subject
"D'you want help with that, for a start?" says Enzo.
no subject
It's looped loosely over his head, rather than tied dangerously tight. He raises a hand to it.
"Oh - I can take it off, I think. But I mustn't."
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
He stands.
"Brother Athelstan," he says. "I'm glad to see you."
no subject
"Father", he says with deep relief. "You can't know how glad I am to see you."
no subject
From the next passing waitrat, he orders two cups of tea. Never mind it didn't exist in Athelstan's time -- the man needs it.
no subject
"I must", he agrees, eyes downcast. "Or it would be noticed."
no subject
Trauma is a strange thing, and he'd rather not assume anything.
no subject
He bows his head slightly in unspoken permission, allowing Father Harman to lift it over and off.
"I hardly know where to begin."
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
When she spots Athelstan, she nearly goes up to him with a tight hug, but she notes his posture and changes tactics. Much as she's glad to see him alive, she doesn't want scare him anymore then he probably already was.
Instead she walks over to him, her hurried steps betraying her. "Athelstan..my god, you're alive!"
Maybe not looking in the best of shape, but he was alive.
no subject
"Grace be to God", he murmurs, "yes, I am. It's good to see you."
no subject
He's alive, that's the main thing. He's alive.
"Come on, sit down. You look ready to jump out of your skin." She leads him over a nearby table and some chairs, ordering some tea and whiskey from a waitrat. Much as she wasn't a drinker herself, he looked in need of something stronger then tea. "Before anything, lets get the rope off of you. You're not a slave here."
no subject
He doesn't quite hug her back, but his hands rest on her arms in a gesture of similar meaning.
"It must go back on before I leave."
no subject
"Before you go back, but inside here it comes off." Somehow she managed to keep her voice steady, a matter of effort on her part. "One of the rules of this place-no outside business. You're not a slave here, no one should treat you like one."
A wait rat comes by with a tray bearing a tea pot and two mugs, along with a small bottle of Jack Daniels. Much as Sonya wanted to ask him what happened, if he was in shock she knew she wasn't going to get much of an answer just yet. Instead she just poured him some tea, along with some sugar and a small drop of whiskey.
"Here, something to steady you."
no subject
He wraps his hands around the mug, trying to force them to stay steady, and sniffs curiously at the drink.
"What is it?"
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
no subject
"Olivier", he says with deep relief, leaning against the taller man. "You kept your word."
no subject
no subject
"It has, and one closed behind me as I walked it." He lets Olivier lead him to the fire.
no subject
no subject
"For the reason I still live", he says quietly. "No longer in my own land, and a slave."
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)