In the end, it was Jacquard who spoke first. He was still standing there, like a statue, making no move to retrieve his gun. Now, slowly, still clasping his injured hand against his chest, he went down on his knees. The hardness had gone from his voice, replaced wholely by that tremor of uncertainty and grief. In the High Speech, he choked out "I cry your pardon, gunslinger. I have forgotten the face of my father, whose guns I am not worthy to bear." Then, reverting back to the Low Speech, "The letter we found on patrol, a week ago. A messenger from Farson's troops to her mother. When I brought it to you, you turned me away. I thought..." He looked up. The certainty had left his face as well as his voice. Now he only looked like a middle-aged man, hair greying at the temples, hazel eyes shadowed. "Kill me or let me live, I have gone west already."
Roland looked down at him for a long time, his shoulders stiff with tension, his gun still readied. At last, his lips pressed together so tightly as to be almost invisible, he holstered the pistol.
"Henry Jacquard, I name you traitor. I strip you of your guns and of your rank. Stay in Gilead, go west, or go to Farson. It means nothing to me. But get out of my sight." Turning, he looked around at the other attackers. "As for the rest of them, I want names. I want to know who sent them, who gave the command, what they knew. Jamie, Alain, take care of it. Cuthbert, Thomas, stay watch here. And if anyone so much as breathes the word whore again tonight," he added with sudden heat, "I'll kill him myself."
Bending down to pick up Jacquard's gun, he brushed past Nariko and stalked away. His face was hard, his back ramrod-straight. Nobody stood in his way as he left the room.
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timeasmymeasure
don't be daft it's fine <3
Date: 2015-02-04 01:29 am (UTC)Roland looked down at him for a long time, his shoulders stiff with tension, his gun still readied. At last, his lips pressed together so tightly as to be almost invisible, he holstered the pistol.
"Henry Jacquard, I name you traitor. I strip you of your guns and of your rank. Stay in Gilead, go west, or go to Farson. It means nothing to me. But get out of my sight." Turning, he looked around at the other attackers. "As for the rest of them, I want names. I want to know who sent them, who gave the command, what they knew. Jamie, Alain, take care of it. Cuthbert, Thomas, stay watch here. And if anyone so much as breathes the word whore again tonight," he added with sudden heat, "I'll kill him myself."
Bending down to pick up Jacquard's gun, he brushed past Nariko and stalked away. His face was hard, his back ramrod-straight. Nobody stood in his way as he left the room.