| Stripping of Pride |
| Summary: | Erik visits the Nayland Prisoner and her handmaiden in the war camp. |
| Date: | 18/09/2012 |
| Related Logs: | The war between the Charltons and Naylands. |
| Players: |
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| Charlton camp |
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| Around and then in the tent holding Jocelyn and Iulia |
| 18th September, 289 |
The sun has set though not completely so there is still a reddish purpose haze on the horizon, though even that is growing darker by the passing minute. There is the usual noise and bustle of a war camp though the area around the tent belonging to Jocelyn and Iulia is relatively quiet. That is until the sound of approaching boots on dirt can be heard outside, followed by someone conversing with the guards outside. "I wish to speak with the Lady Jocelyn, you two can feel free to take a break, go get yourselves some ale. My squire will come find you when you are to return to your posts."
The two guards outside doesn't seem to hesitate as their answer is immediate and with respect, "As you command, M'Lord." With that, the sounds of the guard leaving their posts can be heard, followed by the tent flap belonging to the two young women opening and someone stepping in.
It is the Jast Knight, Erik, who appears as his eyes searches the interior before his gaze falls on Jocelyn. The young noble knight is currently wearing his armor, the chainmail and curiass combination, polished to a gleam though the curiass shows recent damage.
With some of the water that had been brought in, there was little for washing and drinking. So most was saved for drinking. However, on this evening, the Lady seems to have damped a cloth and is cleaning her face and her exposed neck and chest.
Alert to the noise or lack thereof around her tent, she is always keeping an ear out for any information. At the flap of her tent, she hears a familiar voice, one she has heard before. The dismissal of the guards has her arching her eyebrow and waiting for the man to enter. Her head turns and tilts back at the Knight when he steps inside the tent. The cloth is dropped and she turns to face him.
Lips pursed she lowers into a curtsey, taking in appearance as she does do. "My lord." she says, unable to greet him by his name since she doesnt know. The gleaming armor makes her grin a little, "You neednt get so dressed up for me, My Lord."
Looking the Nayland Lady over, Erik appears to be amused by the fact that she is still trying to remain presentable and respectable, despite her current situation. He does shoot a brief but lingering glance at the lady's handmaiden, Iulia, before turning back to Jocelyn. The grin that the Jast Knight wears only widens at Jocelyn's remark about the armor he is wearing, apparently not offended. "I had expected to find a broken woman, ragged, tear streaked. I must say, I am surprised. You still have spirit, Lady Nayland." The knight's steps brings him closer to the Lady, no bow offered despite the curtsey that was given by both. Now, his eyes are looking her over, as if inspecting something that he perhaps enjoys looking at, before a hand rises, bringing a single finger under Jocelyn's chin. It appears as if he's trying raise her gaze a little further, if she allows, most likely probing for a reaction.
At her ever turn that her spirt is attempted to be broken, the Nayland only rises to it. As the Knight approaches her, the damp cloth in her hand is tossed down on her small table, looking to Iulia, mouthing words to her before her gaze rests on the knight again. "Who does not like to be clean? and I do not make it a custom to tear up and weep. I'm glad you are surprised, but I hope you arent disappointed." she remarks. With no bow, no formalities of curtsies are given by the Lady, only watching as he steady moves closer to her. Her mouth set in a thin line and her jaw flexing. The finger that is skimmed over his skin, causes the woman to go still, bunching her hands in fists. Despite her still body, she allows him to move her at his will and does not react to it. At least not yet.
"No, definitely not disappointed, My Lady. Pleasantly surprised instead. Those who break down and start bawling are such a bore, such lack of spirit is disappointing." There is no turning of Jocelyn's head by the finger, only tilting her gaze a little higher as Erik looks the woman over, "A very pretty Lady, I must say." The compliment given without sarcasm or jest, but then a sneer appears as he adds, "But certainly in need of a bath."
Her head is raised, and her gray eyes meet his gaze blankly. Jocelyn stands still, with her back riggid and her jaw flexing every few seconds. "Thank you, My Lord." taking the compliment that he gives her with no silly girl giddiness. "I aim to please." Hands how all stopped their workings to try and be presentable, now she stands with her hands laying at her sides. "I much agree, a crying female is so weak and no fun at all." still her gaze stays on his face, trying to read it to know his next move, his intentions for her.
The finger that was at Jocelyn's chin is removed, lowered as Erik moves away temporarily from the Nayland Lady to look around the tent that she was given, shaking his head at the surroundings. Better than manacles or stocks though. "So, what gave you the incredibly smart idea to ride to our lines when your House is at war with ours?" The question tossed at Jocelyn though the Jast Knight is now studying the quiet handmaiden, Iulia, as if eyeing a delicious piece of steak.
Lowering her head back to normal, Jocelyn watches him stalk around her tent. It wasnt much. Cots, table, two chairs… thats about it. The table had some water, obviously that she had been previously washing herself with. Desperately trying to keep the glare out of her eyes when his question is asked. She didnt like being indicated to that she wasnt smart, even if it wasnt said directly. "The war had not started yet." she tells him - keeping her tone cool. "I thought I had more time to get back to Hags Mire before anything would prevent me from making it through." If there were other reasons that pushed her, she didnt admit to them. Tilting her head as he looks to Iulia, trying to draw his attention of of the woman, "Why? Are you not pleased to have me in camp?" tsking and shaking her head, "And here I thought I am an aimable captive."
The timing of the capture could of course be up for debate, and Erik isn't here to do that as it would perhaps be too time consume and his time is obviously precious. "Oh, I am not displeased. It is certainly nice to find a pretty gem…" There is a pause as the Jast Knight leans in a little closer to Iulia before straightening again, turning back towards Jocelyn, "No, two pretty gems in this war camp." Approaching the Nayand Lady again, leaving her handmaiden alone for now, Erik glances briefly to the exit of the tent, "So, Lady Nayland. What do you feel about this war? About how your family has decided to ignore our Liege Lord's orders and unlawfully claim Stonebridge as yours?"
Jocelyn itched and even jerked to move to Iulias side, But before the moves could be actually made, Erik was stepping back away from her and coming toward her again. Good. Anything away from her maid. A smirk touches a corner of her mouth, "You really wish to know what I think?" she asks him. Giving a moment of time fore him to tell her yes or no. Either way, she is going to tell him and so she goes on to say, "I think the only unlawful claim on Stonebridge is on the part of House Charltons. There is no proof and now they are stepping over what has already been given rightfully to my House." her hands fist, one being placed on her hip, looking all dirty angery servant girl. "I think the war is just an excuse to cause harm to people and waste everyones time. The reason that my family as choosen to ignore House Charltons /claim/ can only be for fact that its absurd."
"Of course, you don't seem like you're as dumb as a mule. The pretty ones sometimes are, but you look a bit different." Erik says with a smirk though he is perhaps waiting for Jocelyn to prove him wrong, depending on her answer. The answer that was given only causes the Jast Knight to widen his grin before he shakes his head, "My dear Lady of House Nayland. I must say that I am not surprised by your answer, such pride, such unrelenting pride from a Nayland." Hands then fold behind the small of his back, fingers lacing together as he begins to pace slowly, "Proof? Unlawful claim? My Lady, our Liege Lord, Lord Frey of the Twins, had decreed that Lord Gedeon Tordane is the rightful heir and Lord of Stonebridge. No Lady Isolde, not Lord Riordan, not Lord Rickart. But Lord Gedeon Tordane, who married Lady Danae." There is a pause as Erik unlinks his hands and turns his gaze fully on Jocelyn, a bit more serious, "Pride has been your House's weakness and is now your downfall. The deaths caused by this war, is on /your/ hands."
Watching him carefully, moving her gray eyes to follow him as he paces rather than her entire head. There are parts that she smirks and shakes her head, maybe even taking some of what he says as a compliment, she does wait until he's finished before she starts again. "Would that before or after the duel in which he was shamed and disgraced?" she asks him with a quirk of her brow. "He had nothing left at that point. You are taking a string and pulling at it, hoping that everything will unravel for you. If it were I, that is not how I would want to gain land." It more than likely wouldnt be the last time that someone told her the blood of the people where on their hands, but the thought only makes her more angery, "I see the House feeling of taking no responsibilty for ones actions has carried on to you. How delightful."
A brief tsking is made by Erik as he shakes his head at her question, "The duel? You truly wish to bring up the dishonorable murder of the rightful Lord of Stonebridge?" His headshake is one of disappointment as a sigh of resignation is released, "That duel has as much merit as one between me and you for the rights to these lands, My Lady. One that would be completely unfair and without honor. It saddens me to see that you are inflicted with the same pride that your blood is blinded with, though I will do you the favor by helping you relieve yourself of it." He then leans in with a feral grin, eyes focused on hers, "I am sure you will enjoy it."
"Murder?" Jocelyn scoffs at him, "You're going to stand and explain to me how the decree that was sent forth, was not good enough for you?" she lifts a hand to her forehead and rubs it slowly, "If the situatuon would have been turned, you'd be thinking the same thing." The pride of her family that rain through her blood was something she was proud of, especially during times like these when she was being pushed and proded in all sorts of manner. When he steps closer though, her eyes narrow and she regards him carefully for his next step, her body going still. "Somehow… I doubt those very words."
Erik appears to no longer be in the mood to debate the fact of who was the rightful Lord of Stonebridge, having moved on. Instead, he smirks at her answer about doubting his statement and straightens up again, his eyes purposefully and slowly eyeing Jocelyn's body up and down, before locking on her eyes again. "How can you doubt something that I am sure you have never experienced before, hmm?" That question asked as the grin reappears on his lips.
Jocelyn goes cold at his words, the look he's giving her, the way his eyes roam over her body. "Is that why you dismissed the guards?" She had an idea of what he wanted to do to her, and she was standing her ground before him. She has for now dropped the subject of Stonebridge, it seems to pale in comparision to what she might have to deal with now. Her own personal battle, "How do you know that I've never experienced it before?"
Erik was about to turn back to the exit of the tent, maybe to tell his Squire to take Iulia away or who knows what else but Jocelyn's question causes him to pause. Perhaps surprised that she asked before laughing as his eyes roams her body again, shaking his head, "It is easy to tell, you are still an unspoiled maiden, and you seem to be the proper type of Lady, not one to despoil yourself on a stable boy or someone of such low breed."
"I do believe that was a backhanded compliment in some way, My Lord. Perhaps I'm just a good liar?" Jocelyn retorts, with no idea how one could simply tell by just looking at her. Could he tell? Not something she wanted to think about right now. Needing to keep focused. She's not moved from her standing position before him, even if he has moved away from her. She's still rigid and eyes him carefully. She licks her lips and bites the inside of her lower lip in thought. Shifting on her feet in the attempt to not squirm very much.
Instead of humoring Jocelyn with another statement, Erik decides that he is not delaying what he wishes to do. Instead of pushing Iulia out or just outright grabbing Jocelyn right now to sloppily have his way with her, the Jast Knight turns to the exit and barks out sharply, "Joseph! Get in here!" With that said, the Squire steps into the tent with an apologetic look before bowing to both Jocelyn and Iulia. Over his shoulder is a cloth sack that seems to be filled. "Hurry up before I cuff you later, damn useless Squire." With that, Joseph moves up next to Erik and bows his head to his knight, murmuring apologies before dumping the sack at the feet of the knight and the lady. Inside would be a pile of clothes. The squire than runs back out before dragging in a filled tub, not large enough for a bath but enough for laundry duty.
Jocelyn glances briefly at the squire when he bows to her, giving him a stiff nod. Her eyes ablaze move quickly back to Erik to watch him carefully. Eriks whispers and commands to his squire, "Not a friendly Lord, are you?" she remarks dryly and even in hushed tones, but its loud enough to be heard. The pile of clothes and the tub pulls her attention, forcing her to look down at them, confused and bewildered. What in the Seven? She says nothing still, not wanting to jump to any conclusions. Not that she had any conclusions about what was going on anyway. The confusion swirled with the cold stare in her eyes.
The verbal jab by Jocelyn is ignored rather easily, perhaps something that Erik has heard many times over and doesn't feel like taking the time to explain to her. When the sack of clothes and wash tub is brought in, the Jast Knight has a serious expression on his face again as he looks at the Nayland Lady, "You will wash my clothes and you will do it well. My squire here will be watching, to make sure you are up to task." As he speaks, Erik is moving towards the quiet Iulia and he takes the poor handmaiden by the wrist. "I will be taking your handmaiden away, when you are finished with the washing, to my squire's approval, then I will return her to you." He then gives Jocelyn another grin, "So the longer you take, the longer she will have to entertain me. So if you truthfully care for her well being, then you best work hard and quick." He begins to lead the poor girl out, pausing to glance back, "I hear the soldiers are rather bored at just sitting around, and not too pleased with the Naylands after that last battle."
Drawing her eyebrows together as he explains what she is to do, Jocelyn says in an outburst, "I am not cleaning your laundry!" The words come out sounding shocked and appalled that he would even suggest a thing like that to her, a Lady. She was coming up with another retort when he moves to take Iulia from her. Fear flashes in her eyes and she rushes over and grasps Iulia's other hand. "Let her go!" she screams at him, holding on tightly to that hand in her grasp with both of hers. "You'll leave her here and alone! She's done nothing. There is no other reason for you to take, besides being cruel!" her heart was beating so fast against her chest that it was almost making her breathless, lips having to part so that extra air could enter her lungs.
"Lady Nayland, you best unhand your hand maiden or I will not be kind. It would be improper for me to strike you, so any punishments you incur, will be dealt to her, two-fold." Erik says with a rather serious expression, his tone is a completely no-nonsense one. "And you may be right on how cruel I am being but it seems like to teach you humility, to replace that pride, I have to be cruel. Hopefully the lesson sinks in, so you can bring it back to your House. If you are to be returned." Erik adds at the end with a smirk though his eyes are focused on Jocelyn's hand on Iulia's, ready to backhand the hand maiden sharply if the Nayland Lady does not comply.
Jocelyn really thinks about what he's telling her, trying to quickly judge her opitions of what she could do, how she could handle this situation better than she is now. Fear pricks at the back of her neck, looking between Iulia and Erik. Very slowly, her hand releases the maidens hand, "It'll be ok." she tells her softly." and looks back at Erik with all the loathing she can muster. "You will be sorry for this." she mutters. "And if one hair on her head is injured in any way…" she doesnt even finish what she'll do.
Heart pounding she walks over to the pile of clothes, mumbling about pride and teaching lessons and dishonorable knights. Falling to her knees, she doesnt even look over her shoulder at them, looking down at the clothes and then the tub, quickly putting clues together as to what she'll have to do exactly. She'd never washed clothes, but she wasnt about to even attempt to let me see that. One article is taken from the pile and dunked into the water.
"Tut tut, My Lady Nayland, 'ware that pride. It is you and yours who should be sorry, let the clothes be a reminder of that. Remember, do a good job, or she will suffer." Erik says with a final warning before pulling Iulia outside of the tent with him, disappearing to parts unknown. The clothing that is found inside the sack are small clothes, tunics that seem more for casual wear and physical activities than finer items like silk. The squire Joseph remains behind as was promised, eyes watching the tent flap where the pair had disappeared off to. Once Erik is truly gone, the squire finally moves, first bowing again to Jocelyn, "M'Lady, I am sorry, for this. Ser Erik insisted." He then quickly goes to the wash tub as well and reaches in, scooping out the scrub brush, "This will help you clean easier, M'Lady."
He wanted her to be prideful now? I thought this all started because she was too prideful. "Make up your mind.." Jocelyn mutters before he leaves the tent. At the sound of his departing she looks over at the tent flap, seeing that he did indeed leave their area, making her heart beat only increase and her mind running wild with images of what he'll be having Iulia subjected to. When the Squire comes to her side, she frowns at him, knowing it wasnt his fault…but she was bitter. "No offense to you." she says, "But your Lord is a jackass." Snatching the brush from him, she looks at and then the clothes, going to work on the clothes on at a time as quickly as she cant, pausing only to check her work. "Will he really hurt her?" she asks the squire.
"I… do not know, M'Lady. It will depend on how she acts. Since she is pretty, I don't think he will hurt her. Too much." Joseph answers a little shakily, not sure if he is suppose to share that information. The squire doesn't help with the clothes, as he stands up though watches nearby, perhaps afraid that his knight could return at any second for a surprise visit and he would be punished, along with Jocelyn and Iulia. "Ser Jast is indeed a harsh taskmaster, but it is his right, M'Lady. And he is a very skilled knight."
Looking at a silk piece of clothing, Jocelyn cringes at the sight of it. Not only was it dirty and she had to wash it, but it belonged to that horrid man. Frowning, she quickly dunks it into the water and starts to wash it earnstly. "I do not give a wit if he is a skilled knight." she throws back at him over her shoulder, "Just because you are skilled at something does not mean that you get to be a jackass." this was so degrading, she was filthy and now she was washing filthy clothes. "I'm skilled with musical instruments and I'm becoming skilled at a bow. Does that mean I get to act cruel to other people? Not even I would do something like that…" she looks towards the tent flap and growls after the Jast Knight.
Erik's squire is not sure what else he could say, since he isn't going to agree with the Lady though she may be right, but Joseph has been trained enough to be disciplined so he will watch Jocelyn wash in silence, hands folded behind his back. There is quite a bit of clothing in the sack, which would require washing, and then drying as well, which the squire would point out when Jocelyn is finished with the washing. So it would take a bit of time.
After some time has passed, Jocelyn seems to have finished with the entire back. Her hands and fingers were all pruny looking and read the harsh brushe she was using to scrub at the clothes. Joseph had been good enough to show her what to do with the clothes, letting them dry and then folded and piled however the squire directed that his Master liked them. After that was completed, she would wait nervously for Iulia to return to the tent, pacing and getting more and more furious as time passed.
