An Unscheduled Luncheon [Completed]

[Coatleque]

"I never doubted..."

 

She leaned towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder while trying to look around his broad form. Ignoring her own plight she asked, "You are wounded?"

[Warren Castille]

He guiltily held up his fingers, his hand tightly bandaged though the ends were clearly fraying. Hasty work.

 

"Frost. I'll be alright, a cleric already saw me. Just deeper than we thought. I'll be fine." He turned, setting a hand on his leg and looking at her with a serious expression. "I'm sorry."

[Coatleque]

She looked at him in half disbelief before waving off his confession of sorrow. She began to relax now that her mind was distracted with other things.

 

"You have more important things to worry about... Please tell me you found your friends? That you are not hurting yourself over another dead end?"

[Warren Castille]

Warren's eyes shifted between her face, her throat and the room before settling on a space on the bed.

 

"I... They're alive. Somewhere far past where I got to. I'm sure of it." He eyes the collar again, his hands reaching into a pocket and revealing a lock of blue and silver hair held together with a circular sphere at the end.

 

"I'm sure of it." He repeats himself, his eyes moving from the collar to the lock of hair to her eyes.

[Jancis]

Jancis paused on her way back to the inn. There was no mistaking the lumbering hulk despite his tattered appearance. Sir Castille, the mountain of justice himself, going straight for the inn. She stared as he walked across the plaza, taking in what she could see of his form.

 

Twelve's Grace, he looks far worse than before. She took a deep calming breath and headed back to the tavern for one more thing...

 

~~~~

 

"I'm sure of it."

 

Jancis turned the corner and quietly walked into the room where both knights were; she used the back of her heel to partially close the door since her arms were laden with supplies and one hand in particular gripping a large steaming mug.

 

She was not overly polite, more to-the-point (though she did bow her head to Sir Castille) and handed the mug to Crofte before unburdening herself of everything else on the end table.

 

Among the items was a small tin of salve and fresh bandages. Taking them, Jancis went in front of the large paladin, giving him an empathetic look. Glancing over at Cici's neck and that blasted collar, Jancis awkwardly spoke.

 

"Oh aye, mi'lord, ye know what's better than a swordarm? A swordhand! And ye's don't be fittin' no sword."

 

Holding her palm out, she made a beckoning motion to his hands, hoping he would offer them to her.

[Warren Castille]

Warren sat upright once they were joined by Jancis, his vision flickering somewhere between her and the wall in front of him. He couldn't not turn his eyes towards her as she stood before him, however, and he looked forward as she gently-yet-firmly chided him.

 

He meekly presented his hands to her, looking down as his digits dwarfed hers. All ten were bound and cold to the touch and he winced when he touched her, drawing in breath. He caught himself, his eyes immediately darting up to hers.

 

"I'm alright. I've got potions..."

 

There wasn't enough conviction in his words, either because he didn't want to admit to his state or perhaps because he didn't want to lie to his present company.

 

"Been a long couple'a days and all..."

 

Warren let himself fall silent, his gaze dropping away like a chastised child.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque received the mug from Jancis gratefully and scooted herself along the bed towards the wall, giving the two plenty of room for Jancis to work.

 

"Thank you for attending him, Miss.", she said.

 

She was quiet after that, staring at the floor and occasionally drinking from the cup.

[Jancis]

Jancis didn't really bother with his meek attempt at self preservation. Potions indeed. Had she not the need to keep quiet she would call upon the Elements to do more for Sir Castille, but with Cici in such dire circumstances keeping up the droll tone of a clueless inn maid was all the conjurer could do.

 

She murmured apologizes as she worked on his hands, deftly replacing the bandages. At least her hands were warm and sapping the cold from his. Using up the entire contents of the small tin she slathered his hands in a cream that would warm and stay that way. As she re-bandaged his hands she padded his fingers so they would not touch one another and heal; a bit awkward as the cushion provided kept his hands spaced apart and hard to use.

 

She spoke awkwardly as she worked.

 

"Stone soup be good for t' soul, aye. Made from real stones, ye know. Tis a story... oh a darker time. When all 'ope was lost. A man he came ta town, bold fella was he, an' he said to ta people brin' what ye have ta the square. So the people, they did! And what a soup it be, made just out of stones da town thought. But litt' did all 'em realize that what was in dere was all of 'em workin' together ta feed the whole town! Each o' 'em pitchin' in. Such a truth I say! Ta stones were nothin' but da hope. So we keep on makin' stone soup, less we be forgettin' that we ain't alone. Less we be losin' hope."

 

Finished, she motioned to the mug Crofte held. In it was a spoon and chunks of vegetables were easily visible. Stone Soup as the locals called it. It was too chunky to just sip for long and would definitely need the spoon. It was enough for a large man, but with the bandage job it would be difficult for him alone.

 

"Aye tha' be for 'im, mi'lady."

 

Jancis scooted in front of Crofte, sitting and wedging herself, forcing the lady knight to move back towards Sir Castille as the smaller woman took the spot against the wall. Picking up one of the sandwiches she brought for herself, she focused her gaze on it.

 

"Eat it all, ye hear? Hopin' ye don't mind help."

[Warren Castille]

The nerves in Warren's hand felt something as she rubbed the salve into him, closing his eyes and doing his best to not flinch when the pain jolted out of his damage tissue. He listened to the story as she told it, watching as she rebandaged his fingers in a way that made them practically unusable. He wouldn't be able to make a fist for some time, at the very least, not until he found something more effective.

 

Warren offered small thanks without interrupting, turning his attention to the steaming vessel Coatleque was holding and sipping from. His stomach growled as he took in the scent of cooked vegetables and hot broth, suddenly again aware that for the tenth time this season he had gone too long without proper nourishment.

 

"Yes, ma'am," He spoke softly at her orders to eat, not needing to be told twice, but Warren noticed his dilemma almost immediately. With his hands bandaged as they were, he wouldn't be able to hold both the mug and spoon with any real use.

 

He seemed to realize this with a start, his mouth dropping open in small surprise and his eyes darted towards the paladin beside him, then away and back towards Jancis.

 

"Uh...?"

 

Surely she didn't mean for...

[Coatleque]

Coatleque looked at Jancis in horror as she realized it wasn't for her, and almost choked in embarrassment. She held the mug over for Warren, not quite sure how he would be able to hold it with his hands bandaged.

 

"A-apologies!", she stammered. She wasn't sure who to be more ashamed of. Herself, or whoever was currently listening in while she made a fool of herself.

[Warren Castille]

Warren made an effort of taking the mug, but every time he reached for it he seemed to think of something else and pull back. He looked back and forth between Jancis and the mug, unable to bring his eyes higher than that.

 

"Erm... I can't quite... It's..."

 

She did mean to.

[Coatleque]

Blinked incredulously at Jancis, unsure of how to proceed as the woman backed away and left the two sitting there. She looked at Warren trying to think of ten different ways to hold the mug, then to the spoon.

 

This isn't happening.

 

"U-u-umm... "

 

Realizing Jancis's scheme now, she inched herself closer to Warren. Using the spoon, and a nervously shaky hand, she tried not to scoop too much for him to actually bite and leaning over slightly, slowly extended it to him.

[Warren Castille]

Warren's entire world was contained in the soup in that mug. He felt her inch closer and obliged, doing the same with his vision locked in one place. He reached up to steady the mug for her, trying not to be all shoulders and elbows for once and took the vessel between palms like an item for prayer.

 

Half-turned towards her, he observed the spoon and lowered his face towards it before taking the mouthful of soup. He slurped a bit, then turned his head in an attempt to retain any grace or dignity just a hair too late.

 

"Thank you..." He kept his eyes low, feeling all the world a fool and that being plain on his face and in his cheeks.

[Coatleque]

She felt the mug steady under her grip, then a tug on the spoon. Her eyes had been instinctively clenched shut for these past few seconds. She opened them in surprise just as he turned away.

 

Flushing red, all she could stammer was "A-aye, Ser."

 

One down... fifty more to go...

 

She continued on in the same manner, trying her best not to spill anything on him.

[Warren Castille]

Warren couldn't bring himself to look up. He took two more clumsy mouthfuls then eased back a little.

 

"You should try some. You need it more than I do. And it's good." He finally found the means to look at her, moving the mug in her direction but still holding it. "I mean, if you wanted to." He cast an eye beyond her at Jancis, still seated and looking into her sandwich as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

[Jancis]

Jancis chewed thoughtfully on her sandwich. It was tasty, the kind of flavor that was both comforting and motivating, in fact it was the kind of sandwich to take up multiple paragraphs full of emotions to only gloss over the power of such a delicatessen.

 

Out of the corner of her eye she realized she was being looked at. Jancis looked over, her eyes wide in confusion after taking an awkwardly large bite from the sandwich, unable to stop the large chewing motion required to process the consumed food. Squinting and swallowing with all due haste, she nodded in agreement.

 

"Oh, ah," she paused, getting her voice correct, "Aye mi'lord. Tis enough for both."

 

Reaching over she grabbed the other sandwich and the bag of little chocolates. She put both on Cici's lap one at a time. "Share then. Ye both be needin' it, ye do."

 

Giving them both a nurse-like look, she mouthed the word "Please" dramatically.

[Warren Castille]

Warren looked back, unsure what to make of the situation but sure it was intentional.

 

"You need it as much as I do," he offered quietly, his eyes reaching the collar at her neck. He offered the mug, still mostly full of piping hot soup.

 

He looked at her with a sympathetic gaze. If he was being forced into this, he would do his part at least.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque huffed as more food was piled onto her lap. Looking up she found herself drawn to his eyes. They looked gentler now than she had ever seen them before. She found herself struggling to protest. But then her attention was drawn again to his hands and her mind was made up.

 

"No. You are in the worse condition. I shall eat once you are finished."

[Warren Castille]

"...alright." He wanted to contest her but he was hungry, and there was a small part of him that was soaking up the attention. He'd never admit to it, but the occupancy of bright red in his face expressed it.

 

"Just don't let me eat it all. I won't have you going hungry."

[Coatleque]

She played the proper nurse-maid and made sure he ate till he was finished. This turned out to be the rest of the soup, in fact. She then used a kerchief to clear away any signs that the spoon may have missed its mark. Looking quite pleased with herself, she placed the empty mug and spoon on the end table and took the sandwich for herself.

 

"Now then. You are already looking more hale than when you arrived." She nibbled on the sandwich, trying to think of more pleasant conversation. At length she put the food aside and stood to fetch the stationary Jancis had brought. Returning to Warren's side she began to write.

Find Od'hilkas

Need collar key

Fear for life

She placed the paper next to him and looked down to the floor, unsure of what to say.

[Warren Castille]

Warren kept his gaze away as she dabbed at him with the kerchief, not knowing quite how to respond to the act. He was relieved once it was over and she moved on.

 

Once she was finished with the pencil and pad, he took it from her, scrabbling as well as he could with useless hands.

 

Will find

will remove collar

will resolve this

 

He handed it back, meeting her in the eye if she managed to look towards him. There wasn't a discussion evident on his face; He was writing down facts.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque saw the scribbled notes beside her. She read them as best she could from her peripheral then stared at the floor again. She knew he was serious, even without seeing his expression. It was getting harder for her not to maintain herself in front of him, and single tear slipped down her cheek.

 

Her silence broke with a shallow and shaky sigh. Looking back to him with now red eyes all she could stammer out was "I'm scared..."

 

Her resolve was fading fast now. Not knowing what else to do she leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder.

[Warren Castille]

Warren held his breath as she confessed to him, a thousand more thoughts piling on at once. She moved towards him and set her head on his shoulder and he responded, frowning at the cracked pauldron that met her there. His armor was shot, insufficient to survive the freeze of Coerthas and what he'd been through there.

 

"It'll be alright." He kept his voice low and steady, trying to offer what comfort he could. He wished he could at least get the harness off, but his hands were no longer useful for much anything.

 

"I promise."

[Coatleque]

The armor was cold, uncomfortable. She didn't care. Nothing much mattered at this point. Even his words offered little comfort, as heartfelt as they were. Then she heard another voice, quite unexpectedly.

 

"Do not be afraid, Lady Crofte. For we are kind."

 

She sat up suddenly and rubbed her eyes trying to pull herself back together. She looked at the other two in turn then said "I think... I would like to be alone for a time."

[Warren Castille]

Warren looked at her, trying to make sense of her sudden rapid shift of emotions. He didn't have the details, but he wasn't in any position to argue. He bowed his head at her request, murmuring acceptance.

 

"Alright."

 

Begrudgingly Warren rose from the bed, stepping heavily away. He examined the handle to the door for a moment and flexed his fingers inside of the heavy bandages, then sighed and pawed at it uselessly before getting the portal to open.

 

Warren stepped across the hallway to the wall opposite Coatleque's room and leaned his back against it, sliding down to sit on the floor and evidently not going far.