[D5:LA] A Murderer Returns to the Scene of the Crime (Open)

Nathaniel and Lady Marsten wait in silence at the entrance to Blackbuckle as the cage wagon makes it way slowly towards them. Marsten men guard the wagon, eyes sharp for any trouble. Refugees line the road, also in silence, staring malevolently at Maester Arran;
still a Maester until the citadel said otherwise. Nathan had made it clear that he would come down very hard on anyone that disrupted this event or attempted to harm the Maester. Whether the feared the young man, or were peaceful out of respect for him was hard to say, but they kept the peace.

"
Thank you for this, Lady Marsten."
said Nathan softly to Corrine. "
I do not know if it will do much good. Perhaps he is beyond guilt for his crime, but after what the both of us have seen here, it seemed very wrong for him to go to his fate without witnessing what his actions have wrought. If we must bear the burden of what happened here, so should he;
him more than anyone. I do not know what punishment will be laid upon him in a few days time, but his punishment would be incomplete without this."


Nathan glances at the assembled smallfolk. "
It's also important that they lay eyes on their attacker. It will help them to heal knowing their suffering was caused by a man, and not some faceless poison."

"
There is no need to thank me. You convinced me to do the right thing, where it was tempting to sink to brutality. I agree that he should see all of this, even if he is beyond remorse, and I agree that the people should see him too, for their own sakes, to see the person who deserves their ire. And it is best if he is judged by the more senior and qualified of his order, lest we become vigilantes."

Only the occasional shout punctured the wet Spring afternoon, damning Maester Arran for his deeds as the poisoner limped around Blackbuckle.

There was no grand speech, no great gesture, but nor did Maester Arran shirk from examining his handiwork. Contrition, giving the dead their due, clinical academic detachment or a villain's callousness? Who could say.

Arran covered the whole village, bowing his head in contemplation or sorrow at the house of one young family and again at the makeshift prison where Lord Bracken's torturers had worked their vile arts on Blackwood prisoners. As yet departed the ramshackle theatre of cruelty turned mass grave he disturbed a flock crows that took flight, circling the gaol twice before returning to its roof. The kind of detail oft invented by singers, though only a dirge would do Blackbuckle justice.

Justice, life and death, and the manner of a man's departing: all in the hands of King Viserys' investigators...

Nathan follows the man in silence. His face unreadable. He searches for any reaction in Arran. Any hint that a soul remains.

[url=Maester Arran - Awareness (Empathy)][/url]: 4d6k3 12

Finally, when the tour is over, when Arran is to be returned to his cage and his cell, only then does Nathan speak.

"
Maester Arran."
Nathan uses the title, as he is a Maester until the citadel says otherwise. "
There are probably many questions the investigators have had and will have for you, but I have only one. Feel free to answer it honestly, as I doubt it will have any impact on your fate one way or another."


"
I will not ask you if you feel any guilt over this. I have long felt guilt is a useless emotion. The past cannot be changed and wishing it so is pointless. I will ask if you have any regret. We both know regret is different. It does not seek to change the past, only to learn from it. Now that you have seen the extent of your actions, do you regret what you have done? Do you stand by your actions and simply regret necessity of them? Or do you have no regrets?"


There is no condemnation in his tone. Nathan looks at the man with a calm, clinical regard;
as if examining some newly discovered dangerous species and trying to understand it.

"
I regret only that this was necessary and that I were not a youthful strong-limbed knight with a hundred loyal kismen at my back to resolve that another way. Would that this could have been resolved with less attendant damage, but I did what I must for the victims. None should suffer as they did. I ended it and brought justice to the Valley."


[OOC: awareness roll results via PM]

[url=Empathy][/url]: 4d6k3 12

Nathan nodded in reply, getting the answer he had expected. "
Thank you Maester."
He simply turned and walked away.

There is nothing deeper and stronger than the lies we tell ourselves.

To Maester Arran, the innocents that died were simply collateral damage. Unfortunate, but necessary.

All men have the capability of being monsters.

Just that morning, Nathan had pushed to make an example of those who had attacked the church. Four were dying in the most gruesome way imaginable.

Was he the monster for killing those men in such a way, or was he the monster for allowing so many to escape the retribution they so clearly deserved? At least Nathan could say that no innocent suffered for his actions.

Or is that simply a lie I tell myself.

[OOC: Scene for Nathan. Corrine or Reader are welcome to add what they wish.]

Corrine gazed impassively at the Maester, seeing in him a man who was clinging to a sense of purpose shaken.

She gave Nathan a glancing nod to indicate she would follow on if he was done.

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