| Focus on the Family |
| Summary: | Roslyn finds Rafferdy to convince him to stay for a family meeting. |
| Date: | 26/May/2012 |
| Related Logs: | All of the Rafferdy rumor logs. |
| Players: |
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| Armoury — Fortress of the Sevens |
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| House Nayland does not keep a standing army but it certainly has the capability to arm a small one. The armory is much deeper than it is wide but the depths hold a very respectable amount of weaponry. Long rows of crossbows, spears, polearms, and swords line the walls and decorate racks in the center. Closer to the front are the racks for the personal armor and weaponry of the Guard permanantly attached to the duty of Lord Nayland. |
| Sat May 26, 289 |
Rafferdy is standing in the armory at one of the small tables where weaponry is sometimes repaired, cleaned or sorted. He has four crossbows in front of him, two are disassembled. He's wearing a pair of simple brown slacks and a blue long sleeved shirt, a dark brown doublet over that. He's dressed like a commoner, but is quite clean and proper otherwise. His eye is black, and his jaw blue and brown with bruises as he works with a fifth crossbow in his hands. He latches a bolt, aims at the wall, eyeing down the sight, then unknotching and making an adjustment.
The woman who seeps in, sans guard, is not quite dressed as a commoner, but here within her home of decades, she wears simple clothing favored over anything else. Today, it is a simple grey gown that does little for her but seems soft and well-worn. Little gives warning of her entrance, quiet where she knows every nook and crany, when to stop opening a door before its hinges squeek. "Rafferdy," she greets, quietly.
Rafferdy doesn't look up from the crossbow, continuing the work. "If you're here to punch me, I'm busy." He knocks the bolt once more, and swings the weapon up to aim at a rack of spears and fires. The bolt strikes one of the wooden poles of the spear, a good shot, sticking through and out the other side. He makes an unsatisfied face, and begins to adjust the weapon once more.
"I was never the one with the temper, even as children. Perhaps you've forgotten," Roslyn replies simply, her gaze tracing the path of that arrow to mark where it has hit before returning to her brother. Hazel eyes are neutral, careful in their study. "How long do you intend to stay, Rafferdy? Here in the Mire, before you disappear again."
Rafferdy shrugs, "As short as I can." He sits the crossbow down, finally looking at his sister. "Especially now that I see you're here. Where there's you, there's HIM." He doesn't even say Riordan's name, instead, picking up a tool and beginning to dismantle part of the crossbow on the table.
Roslyn's lips tug into the beginning of a frown, but she only says, "We are all for once home together again. At least stay so that we can speak as a family, with father."
Rafferdy lifts his brow, and quickly shakes his head, almost like he's twelve again, "No no no no no," he offers quickly. "I intend to speak with the old man on my own and then get the hell out of here." He sits the crossbow down and begins separating the pieces. "Or maybe I'll just wise up and leave before speaking to him. I haven't decided yet."
"Speak to him with us, as a family. Any blow that he speaks, I will soften, Rafferdy," Roslyn promises simply.
Rafferdy furrows his brow, and sits the crossbow pieces down, looking at her. "Blow?" He sighs, "You think HE'S angry with me, too?"
"You think he won't be, when he hears, Rafferdy?" Roslyn questions neutrally, smoothing her hands over her skirts with a soft breath before she draws closer. "Please, all I ask is that you stay. We should speak as a family, reaffirm our goals and plans and how we all may help."
Rafferdy chuckles, "Great. So, we've decided EVERYONE needs to know, then?" He shakes his head, "You people are fucked up, you know that?" He looks back at the weapons in front of him, muttering, "…why don't you ever come home to the Mire, Rafferdy?" He rolls his eyes.
"I had wished to keep it only between us, but it is too late for that, is it not? Father will wish to know why Rowenna and you acted so, at that feast," Roslyn points out mildly, reasonable. "I did not wish for her to know, nor Ser Jarod. But it is all for naught."
"Jarod. Ro. You." Rafferdy shakes his head, "Did he tell Rutgar? Rygar?" He steps around the table towards her. "What exactly DID he tell you all?"
Roslyn shakes her head slowly, taking a moment before she states carefully, "Rafferdy, this is why you must stay, and speak to father with us and to Riordan and all else. We have to put this behind us, and work towards whatever else we decide upon." She pauses. "I'd like to see it all put aside. We are family."
Rafferdy tilts his head and takes another step toward her, "You didn't answer my question."
"Because it matters not to my goals, Rafferdy," Roslyn says simply.
Rafferdy sighs, "Your goals." He shakes his head, "And again, apparently, I matter not." He turns and walks back to the table of crossbows. "Welcome home."
"You matter, your question does not. Do not take after Riordan to put words within my lips that I did not mean," Roslyn says, slightly sharp where her gaze falls like a weight on Rafferdy.
Rafferdy snaps back, "It matters to ME!" He scowls, "So if I matter, then the things that matter to me should matter, too."
"He told Rutger and I, Rafferdy. We had decided that I should speak with you, and have you undo whatever damage you had done to whomever you had spoken your words to. When I could not find you before you had left Stonebridge, Riordan decided to tell Jarod." Her answer is more a statement of fact, spoken only in recounting and not with emotion as Roslyn continues to watch her brother.
Rafferdy chews his lip, and he shakes his head, "You do realize, now, that Riordan has told five times as many people as I did that Ro and Gedeon were together? And now Father has to know." He sighs, "Incredible. And I'm the villain." Then he actually laughs a little, finding the entire thing ridiculous.
"We are family, Rafferdy. It matters not what we know, as long as it is not spread from us," Roslyn points out.
Rafferdy tilts his head, "Really? You think Ro's okay with Father knowing she bed with Gedeon?"
"Then how would you explain it, Rafferdy? If you can tell me a reasonable excuse for your behavior, for Rowenna's behavior, we shall offer that to him instead," Roslyn offers with an expectant look at her brother, folding her hands in her skirts to wait.
Rafferdy shakes his head, "No." He looks rather angry, but his tone doesn't convey it. "I'm done. At this point, the only one of any of you I'm interested in making this right to is Ro. The rest of you can go back to kissing Riordan's ass."
"Fine. Do as you wish, as always, Rafferdy," Roslyn utters sharply, shaking her head in a sad gesture before she turns for the door.
Rafferdy finally apparently has had enough, and he shouts at her. "What the fuck is wrong with you people!?!" He scowls, "Rowenna lied about being Rowan for years, her deception going as far as being knighted, and then she marries in secret, to a Terrick, no less. And you all just shrug and go, 'Huh.' Riordan fucked the fiance of Ser Gedeon a day before Rygar killed him, and now no one knows if she's with the true heir to Stonebridge or with his kid. And you all just shrug and go, 'Huh.' Rygar challenges Gedeon to the death in a duel that outright defies the ruling of the fucking King. And you all just shrug and go, 'Huh.'" He shakes his head, "I tell ONE person something, and you all crucify me as if I've murdered our mother! I have worked my ass off to help make these things right, including giving Father permission to betroth me in exchange for his agreement to reinstate Rowenna's name instead of disowning her even more, I forgive and forget every damned screw up you all make, but I do one thing!?!?!?" He waves his hand. "Get out of my face, sister. I'm done being your bad guy."
"Our cousin Rygar challenged the Bastard in a way that helped us keep Stonebridge, Rafferdy. Riordan's mistake helped us as well. Rowenna is family, and we must keep her. As we must keep you," Roslyn says slowly, a bite to her even-temper even as she keeps hold of it with balled fists, as if she were to soften it may escape her. Still, she does not explode, keeping her reputation as the Nayland without outbursts. "You run off and play with commoners, disappear when you feel like it. You agreed to be betrothed, Rafferdy? I have been betrothed countless times, and still I remain unmarried. Do not speak to me as if you give as much to this family as I."
Rafferdy lifts his brow, "And now it's a competition?" He looks at her incredulously. "Unbelievable." He shakes his head. "You're right. Fine. It's all my fault. Everything's my fault. I suppose it's my fault Riordan was seen courting the quite married Lady Anais?"
Rafferdy lifts his brow, "And now it's a competition?" He looks at her incredulously. "Unbelievable." He shakes his head. "You're right. Fine. It's all my fault. Everything's my fault. I suppose it's my fault Riordan was seen courting the quite married Lady Anais?" He shakes his head once more, "Forget. That probably helps us too."
"Is it not ever? The minute you abandoned us, Rafferdy? Or when Rowenna decided she would rather play at being a knight than work to better us? Or when Rowan—Who knows where Rowan has gotten himself to, now that we know he was not here," Roslyn says quietly, her temper evening back out as she shakes her head at her brother in turn. "No, I do not blame you for what is not rightfully your fault, Rafferdy. Riordan's actions with the Lady Anais, they should be addressed with father."
Rafferdy huffs, "Rowan's fine," he offers. "Happier than me, at this point." He shakes his head, his volume lowering once more. "I didn't abandon—" and he stops, catching himself before he says more, and he just looks down at the table a moment, recollecting himself. "Look, Ro is… She and I were getting very close. Like you and Riordan. I feel AWFUL about this. I screwed up. My reasons made sense at the time, but I didn't know about Riordan and Danae, which made what I was doing not matter. He had apparently told everyone in the family but me." He sighs, "I have alienated my favorite sibling, and there's nothing I can do to make it right with her."
"Stay, and we will make it right. We will focus on our future, and not this," Roslyn entreats quietly, stirring forward to lift a hand to Rafferdy's shoulder in a light gesture. "And I shall think of something to tell father that will not hurt Rowenna further."
Rafferdy nods, "Sure." He sighs, and moves back to the table, picking up the crossbow once more.
Roslyn nods as well, satisfied by that answer. "Soon, then. I will speak to Rowenna about this, Rafferdy. Perhaps I can help mend this rift, at least some," she offers, but then she is done, turning to slip from the armory to leave Rafferdy to the peace of the weapons.
