| While the Law is Away |
| Summary: | While Justin and his party were away from the Roost, it seems others decided to take things into their own hands. |
| Date: | 05/Oct/2012 |
| Related Logs: | None specifically I believe |
| Players: |
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| The Streets, Terrick's Roost |
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| Cobbles, streets etc |
| Fri Oct 05, 289 |
(OOC Note: I had to bail before the end, if anyone has the log of the continuance please feel free to add it.)
Everything hurts. Freya Caul is pushing her small cart of saddles across the courtyard in manacles and rags. Someone has put the small blonde girl to the beating and where flesh is visible so too are bruises. The manacles about her ankles have cuts around the skin too - perhaps the result of a futile attempt to escape her assailants. her Pretty face still mercifully untouched apart from a small bruise.
Coming in from the general direction of the coastline, Martyn looks like he's been out there for a while, and also like he's taken a bath or something like that. He pauses for a few moments as he sees the cart-pushing one. Heading a bit over in that general direction for the moment, a bit slowly. Expression thoughtful for now, it would seem.
Back from Justin's trek to Middle March, Mortimer has spent a leisurely morning catching up with his wife and son, and is now out and about in the town. He has no particular purpose, just checking around to make sure that all is well and that sort of thing. Rounding a corner he ends up a short distance behind Freya at first, but being unencumbered his pace is quicker. "Miss Caul," he greets once he's about level. Not that he's trying to start a conversation mind, just seeing to the formalities of daily life. Martyn is spotted and he's about to greet the Mallister knight when out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of the bruise on Freya's face. It certainly wasn't there before he left three days ago and so it draws his curiosity. Martyn forgotten for a moment he turns to face the young woman and frowns at what he sees. "Wait a moment," he states simply, careful to try and phrase it as a suggestion rather than an order, "what happened?" Not the most original of questions admittedly, but a good opener. He has his suspicions and a flight of stairs doesn’t come into it, but he could be wrong.
Curtseying politely to the Knight first Freya looks up at the Deputy sheriff with eyes that are red still from crying. "A bunch of squires took it upon themselves to discipline the indentured. Usually I'd run away but I'm kinda incapable of that at the moment," Pointing to her manacles, "Tried grovelling but that didn't stop them they just got more brutal."
Martyn frowns a little bit as he reaches the others, hearing what's being said now. "Which ones was it?" he asks, after a few moments of pause, voice kept rather quiet for the moment. Offering a nod to Mortimer as well, before he looks back to the young woman now.
Mortimer's frown deepens at that, obviously displeased with the events described. As Martyn speaks he remembers the man's presence and gives him a quick nod and a "m'Lord" in greeting. It'd usually be more, but he's dealing with business it seems. Backing up the man’s question though he adds, "names if you know them, descriptions will do if you don't. Also, when and where." Nothing quite like getting as many details as you can after all.
Freya shrugs helplessly at both the knight and the sheriff, "Will it make any difference? They'll just lie about it - say they were punishing me for some offence." These things they do tend to happen. "One of them called another Dan but I didn't get any names apart from that…" She describes them at length - there were five - more than enough to overpower a small girl.
"It'll make a difference, one way or the other," Martyn offers, a bit quietly, before he nods a little bit as he hears the descriptions, looking a bit thoughtful for now. Glancing over at Mortimer as well for a few moments, then back at Freya.
Mortimer listens carefully to the descriptions doing his best to memorise them at first pass. "They can claim that all they want Miss Caul," he states, glad of the name and such, "but it will do them no good. Lord Jarold's justice is the concern of the Lord Sheriff and his men only, not a group of youths." His frown lessens a little, but it's still readily apparent that he doens't like this situation. "The law exists to protect everyone, even those who've broken it themselves."
Freya Caul cants her head, "That's never been my experience Master Sheriff - Ser." perhaps why she turned to crime or her family did. "When I was a camp follower more than once a knight tried to force himself on me. Claiming it was 'his right' or somesuch."
Martyn frowns as he listens now, eyes narrowing a little as he listens to what's being said. "Well, some people does things like that. Doesn't mean everyone is a bad person, though."
"You're in Terrick lands, meaning that unless outlawed you're under Terrick protection. Punishment for offenses is dealt with by Lord Terrick himself, or more normally through the Lord Sheriff himself, not any old bunch of kids, squires or not." Mortimer's tone has an edge to it which might be hard to place. It's not actually aimed at Freya but the five lads responsible. It may be no secret that him and the soul surviving Caul aren't exactly the best of friends, but that doesn't detract from the fact that her assailant broke the law. He looks like he might be about to say something else when one of the stable-lads from the keep rounds the corner and into his line of sight. Turning to him instead he calls, "Edward. Run and fetch the Lord Sheriff if he isn't busy. We've a matter that he needs to be aware of."
Freya Caul is standing in the courtyard with a small pile of saddles. She is speaking with Mortimer and Martyn. It appears as though she has taken a beating. Her body is covered in bruises where skin is visible and her eyes are red from crying. Around her manacles there is cut flesh. Altogether wretched.
"I'll take your word for it Master Sheriff…" she says exasperated.
A lad has been sent with a message to fetch him. Justin comes riding from the east, mounted on his grey and luckily wasn't too hard to find as he'd stopped by the inn on his way back from consulting with some men about a mill construction out on Lawson's Creek. He canters his horse lightly up the road towards the tower and as he sees others gathered in the Green, he slows the gelding and alters course to approach them more directly. The grey arches his neck, eager to run up the coastline as they often do on the return trip back to the tower though alas not, tonight.
He may well have been about to say something in reply, but it seems that Edward has indeed been swift in his errand and as Justin rides into sight Mortimer takes a few paces towards him so he can hold the reins while the young Terrick dismounts. And of course, have a moment to give a quick briefing of the situation. "It's Miss Caul," he starts, his tone still holding traces of annoyance, "it seems that while we were gone there's a group of youths, squires she reckons, decided they could dole out a little justice of their own. She got one made, but has given good descriptions of all involved. No corroborating witnesses yet, but even with my lack of the healing arts I can tell she didn't just happen to trip and fall."
Martyn nods a little bit as he sees Justin's arrival, offering the young man a brief half-smile and a nod in greeting, before going back to carefully listening, studying Freya, Mortimer and Justin in turn now.
Freya curtsies to Lord Justin politely as he arrives - even lights up a bit at his appearance. But she is a wreck - at least they left her face pretty save for a solitary bruise on one cheek. She doesn't speak just looks very intently at the ground as the men decide what they are going to do.
The first thing the Sheriff says as Mortimer starts to speak is, "Again?" As if Justin has been hearing far, far too much of Freya's name lately and growing very weary of it. However, what is reported changes his expression and he listens, that annoyance lost. "I see." He glances past his deputy at the girl and takes the reins of his horse from Mortimer. Justin's face is looking a little better, the bright red gouges clawed into his face have at least taken on a darkened scabby shade instead of looking so much like raw meat.
The Terrick gives a nod to the other knight in return, "Ser Martyn, welcome back to the Roost. I trust your trip was eventful."
Leading his horse, Justin walks over closer to the girl, "Mayhap it would be best if you speak me in private? I have questions you may not care to answer where all can hear?" You know, incase they … eh, well, did more than beat the girl.
"I think it was just as uneventful as people hoped, Ser Justin," Martyn replies with a bit of a shrug. Just listening to the rest for now, it would seem.
Having passed the reins back, Mortimer walks the short distance back to Martyn and Freya a fraction of a pace behind Justin. At the question now posed he glances sideways to Martyn a moment then back to the other pair, waiting to see if he is going to be required to step away for a few moments. She hasn't given any indication that such action might be needed to him, but then he hasn;t asked either. Martyne's reply gets a "I'm glad to hear that m'Lord," by way of a possible conversation starter, should Justin and Freya require space.
Freya grinds her foot in the immature way she is in the habit of doing. "Sure anytime my Lord," she assents to speaking to Justin alone. Examining the ground very intently. Still beaten up but recovering - it looks like there may be some justice for poor little Freya after all.
Well, that's not much for Justin to go on, either to take her aside to speak privately or not. So he shares a look with Mortimer and says low, "Excuse me one moment, gentlemen." And he puts out a hand to take Freya aside, but only a few steps. The lord Sheriff asks her a question quite low - a single question that should resolve whether or not he should question her moe privately or simply hear her out in full right here.
You whisper, "Freya, did they … do anything else other than beat you up? Did they take intimate advantage of you against your will? You best be truthful with me, lass. These can be serious charges to make. Especially if there were no witnesses to what happened other than you, and them." to Freya.
Mortimer nods just once at the look from Justin and replies in a businesslike manner. "Aye m'Lord. With your leave, I'll go see what I see if anyone matching those descriptions is lodging at the Inn. I can't say I could immediately place them but apparently there've been a few new arrivals over the past day or so." As Freya is taken to one side he takes a step backwards, nods in parting to Marty "m'Lord," and then turns to leave in the direction of the Rockcliff.
Freya looks mildly confused at Justin's question but whispers something back discretely. Following the lead given to her.
Freya whispers: "Never my Lord. I've never been raped not by these lads - nor when I was a camp follower or even a thrall to the Ironborn." A short pause before saying darkly, "Maybe they don't like blondes."
Martyn nods a little for now, remaining where he is, but keeping quiet now, offering a bit of a nod in Mortimer's direction as the man heads off too now. Otherwise listening quietly for now, it would seem.
<FS3> Nathaniel rolls Alertness: Success.
The door to the inn opens, and Nathaniel steps onto the wooden front porch that serves as a place for people to stop and knock the dust from their shoes and clothing, or remove their cloaks before entering the establishment. He is carrying a bundle of some sort. When he sees the Deputy, Master Trevelyan, coming toward him, he holds the door open for the man and bows slightly before proceeding into the street. (Heading on towards the Green) he sees several familiar faces. Most notable of them is the sheriff and Ser Martyn. He approaches them and bows, even though the sheriff at least seems too involved with some work to notice. Then he sees Freya, and his eyebrows quirk. He shifts the bundle under one arm while he waits to see what is afoot.
Ah then, Justin lays a hand to Freya's shoulder at her reply and gives a nod, "Very good, thank you." No further need for whispering. Removing his hand, he glances to the others before he starts his questions, "I'll get the descriptions of these lads from Deputy Mortimer. But tell me, where did this happen and where? Did they say anything to you - perhaps as to why they wished to beat you, and did they threaten to come back and do so again?"
Freya cants her head and just says, "They said they were disciplining the indentured or some bosh - had a good laugh about it while they were doing it to me." Some people have no taste.
Martyn frowns as he listens now, offering a bit of a nod in Nathaniel's direction, but otherwise keeping silent. Looking around a little carefully for the moment.
Nathaniel stops when he hears Freya's allegations. He hardly knows what has happened, but her words suggest clearly enough that someone in town took the vigilante's approach to justice. He frowns darkly at the words and his free hand involuntarily clenches into a fist. He looks at Martyn, and then more closely at Freya. He bites his bottom lip and shakes his head.
Martyn waits for a few moments longer, before he seems to realize something, and heads off in the direction of the tower now, moving a bit slowly at the moment.
Well, that's not exactly a very helpful answer now is it? Justin starts to look a bit annoyed with her again, "I asked when this happened and where, Freya. If you are not going to answer my quetsions, I'm not going to be able to look into this, now am I?" He turns to look and see where Mortimer got off to, since that man has already questioned her. Perhaps he can fill the Sheriff in. Justin looks back to her, "I do not have time for this, Freya. I will speak to Deputy Mortimer and see what I can find out. Unless some witness turns up who can identify the boys, if you see them again and can find out names, there isn't much for me to go on."
The Terrick knight takes a slow, deep breath to keep his patience. Justin adds, "Meanwhile, stay close to the leatherworker's - you aren't supposed to be out wandering around without an escort in the first place. I'll not condone anyone beating you but I haven't the men to waste setting a guard to watch out for you, either."
A hand is raised to skim his fingers though his hair, "I have other business to attend to. If you think of anything more you haven't told Master Mortimer, let us know, Freya." With that, Justin gives the others a glance before he turns and starts to walk the rest of the way to the tower, leading his horse.
"S-sorry - Outside the Inn my Lord," Freya offers the retreating Sheriff - large blue eyes widening dramatically. She is a little frazzled from the experience. "It was early morning. Had a full day of work ahead of me after they thrashed me." She looks at the ground.
Nathaniel clears his throat and steps toward the sheriff and indentured servant. "I bear some responsibility for her, Lord," he asserts, bowing again. "I also need to talk to her about some things. I'll see that she returns to the shop."
Justin looks back over his shoulder and gives Nathaniel and Freya a curt nod, "Thank you, Nathaniel. Keep Mortimer appraised." Because for the moment, the Sheriff has a lot to deal with and less patience of late for foolishness.
