[ CLOSED ] The Buck Stops Here

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa, Bastien, Byerly, Colin, Deimos, Flint, Raas, Thranduil, Yseult
WHAT: Revenge for past trauma reveals a sinister plot
WHEN: The Month of Guardian (aka now)
WHERE: The Gallows and Hightown, Kirkwall in general
NOTES: CW: This plot deals with sexual assault, revenge, and murder. Mostly the aftermath of the assault, no graphic descriptions that I can foresee, but be cautious. Opting out and hand-waving is fine.

By and large, the beginning of the month of Guardian in Kirkwall is unremarkable. Business as usual, even with the ever increasing cost of sugar, coffee, and tea. But for the inhabitants of Lowtown, it comes with signs that their waking nightmares persist.

For the past few months of winter, Lowtown locals have been whispering about a rash of murders and disappearances among the Alienages. Deaths previously attributed to exposure to the harsh winter weather are rumored to be far more insidious; some have claimed that they noticed wounds on the bodies as they were being disposed of, but any attempts to bring this information to the City Guard have been met with indifference or empty platitudes.

Less widely noted, and harder to attach to a pattern, are the instances of working girls being hired to entertain at private functions and coming back...different. Or not at all. To the average person, it’s barely even news, but to anyone who spends time in the brothels and listens to the chatter within, it’s clear that these are not isolated incidents, nor are they without concern.

While the alleged murders in Lowtown have no clear culprit and thus are blamed on anyone from random strangers to demons and Crows, the goings-on at the brothels go hand-in-hand with mention of one name in particular: Devigny.

Comments

[sulahnan]

Byerly-- [ This, said through clenched teeth before she takes a deep breath and tries to be something closer to calm. ]

I don't want to get into it only to find that it's not him, so please. Please just...tell me.

[bouchonne]

[ But his wary habits are a little too strong for that. ]

What is the name you believe you heard?

[sulahnan]

[ She doesn't want to supply him with the name and have him say it's right just to get a reaction from her. But he's much better at this game than she. ]

He has an estate in Hightown and hasn't been around for at least a few years. A patron of several brothels in the city but particularly buddy-buddy with the Madame at The Crimson Cat.

[bouchonne]

My, my.

[ His voice is a murmur. ]

It sounds like you know much more than I do.

[sulahnan]

[ And hers is a whisper. ]

Come on. Say it. Say the bastard's name.

[bouchonne]

[ The standoff is ended not by Byerly, not by Athessa, but by Ioann: the young man, catching the tail end of this conversation, butts in by asking: Are you talking about Devigny?

By's mouth twists a moment - and then he shrugs, and looks directly at Athessa. Well? Is she? ]

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa removes her hands from the table as if it bit her and she takes one step back. It's suddenly hard to get enough air in her lungs, and she has to fight the urge to run. ]

He's back...?

[bouchonne]

[ By is quiet a moment. Still. Then he takes a deep breath, and stands, and says - ]

Come with me.

[ Then, to Ioann - ]

Send my thanks to Madame. Tell her that her worries have been heard.

[ And with that, he jerks his head at Athessa, inviting her along. ]

[sulahnan]

[ She follows Byerly out, but once they reach the hall the pace is just too slow. Her mind is racing so fast that she can barely understand her own thoughts, and the nervous energy coiling in her limbs bids her to run.

She doesn't run. She doesn't follow behind like a leashed puppy, either. Athessa starts to speed up to overtake Byerly and move past him. ]

[bouchonne]

[ He lets her get a few steps ahead. But, when that few begins to turn into quite a few, he points out, dryly - ]

We're going to my room, dear girl. While I respect your eagerness, if you get there well before me, you'll just be stuck waiting. Unless you've been given a key I don't know about.

[sulahnan]

No. No no no.

[ She doesn't stop, gesturing pointedly despite not looking at Byerly. ]

If we're going anywhere, it's not going to be your room.

[ Even just thinking about even a residual smell of wine turns her stomach and only then does her pace slow to a less frenetic pace. ]

[bouchonne]

[ His lips thin just a moment, but then he shrugs. ]

That's where I'm keeping my -

[ He mimes smoking weed. ]

And you seem rather in need.

[sulahnan]

[ Well fuck, he's got a point there. Of all the days, of all the moments to not have a joint tucked behind her ear.

She scrubs her hands over her face and into her hair, pulling the wild curls up away from her neck. She really needs to start carrying something to tie it back with. ]

Fine. Okay.

[bouchonne]

[ Well. ]

I can bring it out to you.

[ A slight beat. ]

If my room does not seem an acceptable space to you.

[ If you think I'm going to murder you once we're alone together. ]

[sulahnan]

If I smell or even see wine I'm going to vomit.

[ It's a perfectly relevant thing for her to say. ]

[bouchonne]

[ That - ]

What?

[sulahnan]

Just giving you fair warning.

[ If there's going to be wine anywhere in the gallows it's going to be wherever Byerly spends his time. ]

[bouchonne]

Are you trying to insult me?

[ He squints at her, honestly rather uncertain. ]

[sulahnan]

What? No!

[ She'd really like to disappear right about now. ]

You just...always have wine around.

[bouchonne]

[ A grunt. Usually, when people talk about how much wine he drinks, they're trying to be insulting or provoke him. Apparently, Athessa really is that guilelessly rude.

They're almost to his room. He shrugs before he enters - ]

You can stay out here, then, if you'd like.

[sulahnan]

[ She hesitates outside for a second, but ultimately decides that she'd rather go in than have a meltdown in the hallway.

And to her credit, after closing the door behind her she stays standing for nearly five whole seconds, and only then does she slide down to the floor, tucking her knees to her chest and pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. It almost stops them shaking, so...hey, silver linings. ]

Fuck.

[bouchonne]

[ He doesn't turn around, or go to comfort her, or anything. No. Instead, he lets her sit there, and tremble, and meanwhile, he rolls a very, very fat blunt. And when he's done, he tosses it to her. ]

[sulahnan]

[ She catches it, looks from it to Byerly, and covers her face with her sleeve. All at once she's gone from feeling panicked and trapped to numb fear and shame. ]

Sorry, I-- [ She bites down on the next sorry before it can come out. She isn't apologizing to Byerly for this embarrassing display, or to him at all, really. It's her fifteen year old self apologizing for whatever she did to deserve what happened. ]