Steel had taken the long way around...but then, that wasn't to be completely unexpected. After all, what better way to show the citizenry that they were being watched than to parade their latest caught heretic?
So it was when she was escorted by six of the knights of Ishgard to her gaol. Two framed her front and rear, one on each side, all with shields bearing their standard as they made way. Despite what the intention was--embarrassment, perhaps--Steel was instead immediately alert, eyes scanning the whole way around. Some times for ways to make a possible run, mostly watching the people react. The majority of the witnesses to the spectacle either stepped aside and watched, or some just turned their heads away completely, as if familiar with some horror to come later.
The flanking guards broke formation as she was led into a large, stone building. She would move down a barely lit stairwell, turning numerous corners and down various halls until she was brought to a small stone room. In the center was sat a simple desk and a stiff, high-backed chair. Another two guards dispersed, leaving Steel with one on either side and just slightly behind her. She was led to the center of the room before the desk, staring at an empty chair before one of the guards spoke.
"On your knees, dog."
Steel's eyes narrowed dangerously, but she refused to move or to make a sound. The knight's lance pole whipped the air, striking her in the back of her knee's joint, spitting the order again. "On you knees!"
The strike barely bowed the woman's leg, and instead she whipped around, crashing her fists into the guard's chest. The irons made a dull clang against his breastplate, sending him sprawling backwards with a loud, whoomfing sound. The blade point of the other guard's lance was at Steel's neck in a flash, the guard and the Roegadyn both freezing still at the sound of a wizened, authoritative yet calm voice.
"Stand down, both of you. It is clear that she wishes to stand."
A before unseen wooden door closed behind a man in a delicate, deep purple robe that was lined with a lacey silver trim that curled around the lapels, down the length and around the sleeves at the wrist. He looked to have seen a great deal of moons with his thin, platinum hair pulled in to a taut ponytail, but he also looked as if he had not lost an onze of muscle. The man sat at his desk, slender fingers folding neatly before him. His gaze looked up to Steel, then to the guard who groaned as he lifted himself up off of the ground.
"You very obviously underestimate the peril you stand in." ,he said calmly.
Steel's brow hardened as she grunted back in response. "You very obviously underestimate me."
The man smiled, his wrinkled, thin lips showing off carefully maintained teeth. "Oh no, milady, you perhaps are mistaken. See, young Verlioux there underestimated you, and has paid for his transgression, have you not?"
The guard lowered his head, his voice a dejected mumble. "Yes, Inquisitor."
The Inquisitor nodded, then looked back to Steel. "So you will forgive me if your display of bluster has done little to impress. Be that as it may, perhaps you can regale me with your name and how you came to our city...or, I can clap you in full irons on the charge of assaulting a Knight of the Holy See."
Steel's jaw tightened as she gritted her teeth, an exhalation of breath exiting her nose like an angered bull. "My name is Sthalwilf Haemrstymmwyn. I am a free blade of Limsa Lominsa and work under the conscription of the Maelstrom Grand Company. And as per your city's recent admittance in to the Eorzean Alliance, your charges against me may ring poorly in the ears of my superiors."
The Inquisitor's smile only broadened. "I see....then, in that case, your believed superiors will come for you with a confirmed letter of your conscription. I'm sure that they will be more than willing to intervene to help such an....'important' member of their soldiery, yes?"
Steel's eyes never looked away from the Inquisitor, but she knew full well her bluff had been called. Worse yet, so did he.
"But back to the matter at hand." ,he continued. "Tell me what your true purpose is here. Tell me why members of the citizenry have seen you walking about and asking questions of the Knights Most Holy--and in full plate no less. Perhaps we share the same goals, you and I. Or, perhaps you are merely a heretic posing as one of these adventurers that have since drowned the streets and forums of the Pillars."
So it was when she was escorted by six of the knights of Ishgard to her gaol. Two framed her front and rear, one on each side, all with shields bearing their standard as they made way. Despite what the intention was--embarrassment, perhaps--Steel was instead immediately alert, eyes scanning the whole way around. Some times for ways to make a possible run, mostly watching the people react. The majority of the witnesses to the spectacle either stepped aside and watched, or some just turned their heads away completely, as if familiar with some horror to come later.
The flanking guards broke formation as she was led into a large, stone building. She would move down a barely lit stairwell, turning numerous corners and down various halls until she was brought to a small stone room. In the center was sat a simple desk and a stiff, high-backed chair. Another two guards dispersed, leaving Steel with one on either side and just slightly behind her. She was led to the center of the room before the desk, staring at an empty chair before one of the guards spoke.
"On your knees, dog."
Steel's eyes narrowed dangerously, but she refused to move or to make a sound. The knight's lance pole whipped the air, striking her in the back of her knee's joint, spitting the order again. "On you knees!"
The strike barely bowed the woman's leg, and instead she whipped around, crashing her fists into the guard's chest. The irons made a dull clang against his breastplate, sending him sprawling backwards with a loud, whoomfing sound. The blade point of the other guard's lance was at Steel's neck in a flash, the guard and the Roegadyn both freezing still at the sound of a wizened, authoritative yet calm voice.
"Stand down, both of you. It is clear that she wishes to stand."
A before unseen wooden door closed behind a man in a delicate, deep purple robe that was lined with a lacey silver trim that curled around the lapels, down the length and around the sleeves at the wrist. He looked to have seen a great deal of moons with his thin, platinum hair pulled in to a taut ponytail, but he also looked as if he had not lost an onze of muscle. The man sat at his desk, slender fingers folding neatly before him. His gaze looked up to Steel, then to the guard who groaned as he lifted himself up off of the ground.
"You very obviously underestimate the peril you stand in." ,he said calmly.
Steel's brow hardened as she grunted back in response. "You very obviously underestimate me."
The man smiled, his wrinkled, thin lips showing off carefully maintained teeth. "Oh no, milady, you perhaps are mistaken. See, young Verlioux there underestimated you, and has paid for his transgression, have you not?"
The guard lowered his head, his voice a dejected mumble. "Yes, Inquisitor."
The Inquisitor nodded, then looked back to Steel. "So you will forgive me if your display of bluster has done little to impress. Be that as it may, perhaps you can regale me with your name and how you came to our city...or, I can clap you in full irons on the charge of assaulting a Knight of the Holy See."
Steel's jaw tightened as she gritted her teeth, an exhalation of breath exiting her nose like an angered bull. "My name is Sthalwilf Haemrstymmwyn. I am a free blade of Limsa Lominsa and work under the conscription of the Maelstrom Grand Company. And as per your city's recent admittance in to the Eorzean Alliance, your charges against me may ring poorly in the ears of my superiors."
The Inquisitor's smile only broadened. "I see....then, in that case, your believed superiors will come for you with a confirmed letter of your conscription. I'm sure that they will be more than willing to intervene to help such an....'important' member of their soldiery, yes?"
Steel's eyes never looked away from the Inquisitor, but she knew full well her bluff had been called. Worse yet, so did he.
"But back to the matter at hand." ,he continued. "Tell me what your true purpose is here. Tell me why members of the citizenry have seen you walking about and asking questions of the Knights Most Holy--and in full plate no less. Perhaps we share the same goals, you and I. Or, perhaps you are merely a heretic posing as one of these adventurers that have since drowned the streets and forums of the Pillars."