[Day 4] LA - Price of Words (Closed)

Athelstan receives a message after the joust, knowing full well what it was and who it was from "
Hmph"
is all he had to say, before leaving the Longshore pavilions in a wool burgundy overtunic, a while linen shirt and a small black box of jewelry, accompanied by a grim determination to find Corrine in the Godswood.

Ignoring the whispers and glances, let them talk, if only they really knew what happened... he bears no grudge against the man that bested him, even tho he was never able to fight him for real, it is all a lie... greenlanders live of backstabbing and lying to each other, I was so foolish, should have remained cold and cruel like the sea that bore me.

Finally arriving at the Godswood, not caring if other people were around he searches for her.

Corrine is stood in fromt of the heart tree, contemplating its sad face, her hands folded.

She turns when she hears footsteps, and the sight of Athelstan makes her spine stiffen and her chest tighten, a maelstrom of feelings &
thoughts threatening to bubble over;
rage, hurt, sadness, fear, guilt. Her voice crackles with barely suppressed emotion as she speaks;


"
I wasn't sure if you would come."

"
I gave my word to come at your command and shield you from you enemies"
impassive and cold another man walks now on Athelstan feet, even tho his right eye betrays his true feelings, his body language speaks differently "
Why do you think I wouldn't come, because I fought and lost, but not enough to die?"

She had thought she could hold back her emotions, but such was her anger at what had transpired, the more she spoke, the more her eyes welled up and her voice cracked. Her attempt at a cold exterior did not last.

"
I thought you might not come... because I am upset with you. I knew your defeat or death would break my heart, but I did not expect you to give up, to give me up. By doing that, you demonstrated not just your guilt as a murderer, but you showed that you do not love me as much as you claimed to."


Her hurt, tearful voice becomes angry, accusatory;


"
And then, you have the nerve to display my gift to you, making it look like I support you in your criminality and your cowardice! You lost the right to my favour when you yielded, proving yourself guilty, and you ought to have known that! Do you know how much worse things will be for me now?! I may never live it down!"


Her hands were bunched into fists as she ranted, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Athelstan one eye drops some tears of pain "
You weren't even there to see me joust, you were somewhere else, or I just missed you since I have one eye now"
coming closer letting her hit his chest "
As I was fighting, I came to realize something, I found myself pulling my strikes as to not kill him or wound him severely, so I noticed you got me not to kill him, but in doing so you damned me!! Me!"


Anger and pain both emotional and physical are evident as a small trickle of blood comes down his cheek from his missing eye, looking like bloody tears "
I fought as hard as I could within the constrains you placed upon me! Yet I was the fool full of pride and love blinded me to the fact that again I was doomed to lose before I started"
looking at her trying to gaze her true face and feelings, wonder if this is still all an act from here.

"
You realized I was to much trouble and manipulated me to save him, one of your own blood and cast me a side for a better match"
looking away sadness and sorrow is all that is left in the man "
I gave you my heart and you tossed it aside after it was not useful, and I could bet there might be someone else already you had in mind other than me perhaps?"
the though brings him to his knees and sits on his feet "
Yet I'm a fool to love you still after being betrayed, to still care for you to come to give you my eye and favor as a gift of what I gave for you, but I at least have the honor to uphold my word and will come when you call and protect you from harm as I have already said I will."


Looking at her "
Yes I wore it out of frustration and really I know not why, it was probably me clinging to something to remind me of you, but I bring it back, take it and give it to the other one or Ser Baelon for whom you have schemed to save at the cost of my eye, honor or life"

"
That's not true!"
Corrine protested, though she lowered her voice this time, trying to calm herself. "
I did not conspire with Baelon. I just didn't want either of you to die. I didn't even forbid it, I just asked you not to kill him unnecessarily or be cruel. That is not the same. I wanted you to be exonerated so we could be together, you must believe me. But now, all hope of that is gone. As much as it hurts, I can't be seen to be too close to you. Do you think I am happy about that? I am not. But it is how things are. Perhaps, with time, people will forget, and we might... I don't know. I don't know what might happen. But I know that I must end what has started, and tell you I cannot marry you. Better it be now than after it all goes too far. Some are already calling me a slut, I cannot gove them more fuel for such vile accusations. If you had won, I could have ignored them, for I would know in my heart that the Gods deemed you righteous. But not now."


She is genuinely deeply upset. Her flash of anger dissolves into hurt and loss. Though he only has one eye now, he can see that hers are truly sorrowful, and that holding to her judgement is as painful to her as it is to him.

"
You could not have been unaware that I had a choice to make, that others sought my hand. Please do not think me inconstant because I am no longer able to choose you in good conscience. I swear I have conspired with no-one. Whomever I marry will be chosen on their own merit, and I must ask that you respect my decision. You may keep my gift, as I still have much affection in my heart for you, but it can only be a keepsake now."


She takes off the silver chain around her neck, slides the ring off it, and puts it back on. She lifts his right hand and presses the ring into it. Her voice is much softer now, but still sad and shaky.

"
I want you to take this back. I don't feel right about keeping it. It would feel too much like stringing you along."

Athelstan is not sure if to laugh, cry or scream in rage "
Any killing is unnecessary and cruel if someone must die, sometimes for no reason or sense what so ever. However it is also a means to an end"
roaring inside in fury is she still trying to play me for a fool! "
So yes, it was naive of you to think otherwise and I was a fool to belive your honey tongued words, I was the passing moment for you and a tool for your schemes and those of you House!"
crossing his arms and putting the small box on the floor before her.

"
Oh your honor got a stain Corrine while you destroyed mine for all to see with your plots, I'm sorry I can't feel sympathy for the rumors that hunt you, but at least they are just rumors, so do not even start to make yourself the victim, like your honor was thorn to shreds for all to see, while only me knowing I was the one to hold true! not looking at her anymore showing her her his eyeless side "
Yes I FAIL TO SEE how you still say if you had won, knowing what you did to me!"
standing his full height

"
Keep the ring, so that it will remind me when I look at it of my stupidity for giving my heart for the first time to a noble woman. You are no slut or whore, you are far worse for what you did tome!"
raising his voice "
I jousted today and I'll let you know I saw those that jousted"
with a wicked smile in his face "
I heard cheers, from a familiar voice harder then most for one man. I won't pester you no more, but you hold no sway to stop my axe anymore, but you have my shield for all that is worth to you! Betrayer! Use my heart so that next victim can find a pulse you heartless hag!"
broken voice of hatred and sadness mixed in you've done it now, now leave before you repent it's for her sake you do this. She can tell there is the intent to hurt, but there is more to it perhaps the way to say good bye.

"
Keep the ring, it's the only thing I would ask, there is nothing to string me with now that your web hasn't, I love you and always remember you even when you just used me and cast me aside like nothing, and have the gall to give me one rehearsed lines to send me of. I deserved better!!"
he is done talking waiting for whatever she could say, probably more lies or spin facts around to just kicki him out like a stray dog that is what you are now in her eyes.

His venomous attack cuts her deeper than any blade, and she sinks down onto her knees in the grass, her crow black dress pooled around her like a void swallowing her. She sobs openly now, holding the ring feebly in one hand, and clutching her chest with the other, as though she had been stabbed through the heart.

"
How can you say such things?"
she asks in a broken, faltering voice, stunned by the pain. "
How can you be so cruel? I never used you! I would never do that! I cheered for my friends and family. How can that be wrong? I could not cheer for you, not after what happened. That would have confirmed the awful rumours, and I was furious with you for giving up."


She shakes her head slowly, hugging her arms round herself protectively, head bowed, her tears falling into the grass.

"
I am sorry for what you have lost, but I did not force you to yield. Have you not broken my heart enough? You have to insult me as well?!"

Athelstan kneels in front of her before and embraces her in a tender hug before he can stop himself "
I fought and bleed from countless strike until my body couldn't do no more, yes that is forced to yield, Baelon couldn't kill me or I continue so it's a yield a possible outcome of a fight like that"
grabbing her by her shoulders and sitting her straight gently "
I thought I could be cruel and wicked, lash at you and cut you deep to chase you away for your own good, but just seeing you like this wounds me and bleeds me more than all the cuts I have, hurts more than"
as he places a hand in his eye patch "
Yet this is the best thing, if you meant or not to scheme I will never know, since I can't ask you to take a trial and let the gods and another woman skill judge you unfairly for me like I had to endure for you"
standing up"

She lets him hug her, though it confuses her. She looks at his face as he speaks to her, but the sight of the blood trickling from under his eyepatch distresses her greatly.

"
I swear before all the Gods and upon my life that I did not scheme against you,"
she insists through her incontinent tears. "
I know that to be true, even if you don't believe me. I never wanted anyone to suffer because of me."

"
Now you know how I felt, no matter what I would say to you, your answer was the same tome, how does it feel to be embraced by the person you love and have an impossible way to prove them you are right, no matter how much they want to believe you"
looking into her eyes putting his forehead against hers "
I want to believe you Corrine, but I won't force you like did me, to go fight until your limbs fall off or die to prove that you don't lie to me, no I am not that cruel and wretched as to place what I truly felt and should have known to be true to be decided by others, but I can't also just believe it so easily"
noticing her revulsion to his blood "
Would you have left without a word like you did if I would have died in revulsion of my blood as I lay dead or beheaded, like you did for me tearing my eye in front of you?"

"
It was too horrifying, to watch you be mutilated, so I left when you yielded. I didn't find out until later that you did it to yourself. It would have been even worse to see you die. Standing by my principles does not change the affection I feel, but the Gods have demonstrated that you are not whom I belong with. I am sorry that I have hurt you, truly. I will carry the guilt of it the rest of my days, but I must do what I believe is right, even if it breaks my heart."


She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself, but struggled to do so when her crying made her breath ragged.

"
We shall see how well you carry that guilt, I will keep an eye on you, I assure you I will believe it on how well you bear it, leave it to the Gods to show me the error of my ways also"
standing in a single motion "
Good bye Corrine, call me if you need my shield, or someone to speak if you like, but I doubt you will I can already see you with someone else before this tourney is even over with"
not turning back spearing glances to see her as he leaves her behind is for the best.

She stayed still, sinking onto one flank, holding herself up at the side with one hand, still holding the silver ring in the other. She watches him go plaintively, her words failing her entirely, unable to say anything to placate him. Some time after he has left her alone, her weeping slowly, gradually subsides, able to breathe almost steadily again, though largely from being utterly drained and bereft.

Fool girl. You brought this on yourself. You chose poorly.

She wipes her tear-streaked face with a linen handkerchief, taking a few very deep breaths to calm her frayed nerves, and come back to herself.

He stirred powerful feelings in you. You could not help that. But that is what makes him dangerous. Violent loves have violent ends. You must learn to love moderately.

She reaches for the black box that Athelstan left behind, pulling it into her lap and tentatively opening it to look inside.

Why did he give me this? Gods, I hope it's not something gruesome...

[ooc]Its her blue blood tainted scarf wrapped around something roundish called an eye[/ooc]

She screams as she sees the eye among the folds of the scarf, dropping the bundle back into the box and slamming the lid shut. She stares at the box with wide eyes, disgusted, wracking her brains for what to do with the wretched thing. Eventually, she opened the lid again a crack, though did not look closely inside, not wanting to see the gruesome, staring eye again, the visceral reminder of Athelstan's contempt. She slipped the silver ring through the opening, and closed the lid again. She got back onto her feet, picking up the box, and carried it to the back of the heart tree, and tucked it into a dark gap in the gnarled, thick roots, hidden among the tall flowers that grew around the foot of the tree.

With the awful thing buried out of her sight, she made her way to one of the Godswood's small streams to splash her face with water, trying to wash away the signs of her miserable encounter. After drying her face with her handkerchief, she left the Godswood.

It is done now. That was horrible, but let's just move on. Leave this mess behind.

[/scene]

[ooc: Corrine's disposition moves to Dislike with Athelstan]