Sightles

When the Flames Die

Walden smiled, as Gareth made a quiet apology, "There is nothing to be sorry for, Gareth. You have done me no wrong, nor done me no harm." Walden replied, his small smile now growing slightly bigger, "Like I said, we have all the time in the world. I'm willingly to wait as long as it takes to hear how you feel." Walden added, scanning around the room, secretly wishing to himself a pitcher of wine was in the room. Not because he was bored, but because it had no became a habit of always have a drink in one hand. Walden focused his attention back on Gareth, holding a reassuring smile, as he awaited what next would come out of the young man's mouth.

When the Flames Die

You better hide your ale
You better not lie
Better not doubt
I'm telling you why
Santa Mauls is coming to town

When the Flames Die

Walden slowly walked into the room, closing the door behind up. Walden looked around the room, find a empty chair, and taking seat, "I would like if you took a seat, Gareth, and explained everything you've felt the past two days." Walden said, simply, along with only the slightest of smiles, barely visible under his black beard, "We have all the time in the world." He added, as he leaned back in his chair slightly, causing a slight creak. Walden wanted to laugh, but for one of the few times in his life, Walden could not bring himself to laugh at himself, or some situation.

When the Flames Die

Jesus, please, no.

When the Flames Die

Walden could hear a quick slamming of a door, as he rounded the corner. Sure enough, Gareth's door was shut. Walden, still somber in disposition, walked slowly up to the door, and knocked on the door. The knock was far more gentle that what could be expected of a man of such stature as Walden. Walden was used to playing the part of listening ear in his old age. He was good at making friends, and good at giving advice to those that were troubled. Walden cleared his throat, and knocked once more, "Gareth, it's Walden.": He called out, his voice was even more gentle than what would expect.

When the Flames Die

Walden is just pretty much Santa at his point. :P A Santa that could break a man in two.

When the Flames Die

Walden's face turned to an instant somberness as Gareth emptied everything he felt, and everything he thought onto him. Walden took a long drink from his ale, before standing up from his seat, and walking after the young man. Walden had seen this happen before, but not in someone as young as Gareth. Gareth walked at a much faster pace than Walden, but Walden attempted to keep up. Walden was determined to talk to the squire, and calm his emotions. Walden did not yell after the troubled young man, despite every bone in his body wanting to shout out. He would simply follow the young man to the place he planned to run to, and talk to him there. All the while following Gareth, Walden possessed the grim and dark visage of that of a man, deeply troubled himself.

When the Flames Die

Walden nodded, as Gareth spoke, "You speak wisdom, and have obviously thought about the situation, Mister Harker. But when you are protecting a King's life, it's not about what you can guess, or conjecture from evidence. We are bodyguards first, detectives second." Walden replied, taking a solemn sip from his brown ale. "Even if the billfold was just to throw us on a goosechase, it would not matter, as they did not give us enough evidence to chase after anyone else. We can not pursue Arcarti's, nor can we assume the people with these names are instantly guilty. Thomas knows this. The things that are certain is that Thomas cornered an enemy of the state before she could enact her full plan. She is dead, and we lost whatever information we could of gathered, but that is a moot point in the grand scheme. The point is that Thomas stopped someone who could of had the potential to kill more people in the Palace. Call it ruthless, call it bloody, call it dishonorable, I would of done the same thing to someone who endangered my King." Walden took another long sip from his ale, "Thomas, and the rest of the Order, is acting on evidence we have so far, and no farther. A Lyoki snake killed Redwyne. Thomas is questioning the Lyoki's. A possible threat by Arcartus, who has conquered many other countries on the continent, has been answered by putting the Palace on warfooting." Walden went on, sipping on more ale, "We can dwell on the nature of Miss Lexine's death all we want, and how brutal Thomas was in his dealing of her. It does not change the facts we have. Those in the Order say Thomas could of restrained her. Those in the Order say that she would of killed herself before being captured. Those in the Order say that she only went in the interrogation because she wanted to be in there. None of this matters to me. We have to focus on what we have now, and what is out there, ready to show itself." Walden finished.

When the Flames Die

Walden laughed at Gareth's frustration, patting the young man on the back, before taking a long drink of ale. "Yes, Sir Thomas is self-righteous. He's 34 years old, and as been a knight since he was about your age. How did you think he'd react to a foreigner's accusations?" Walden replied, his laughter calming down, "Not every man had the leadership abilities of Sir Redwyne, and everyone in the Order of the Thistle knows it, but don't worry, lad. Tomorrow, the culling will begin. For the next three days, every member of the Order of the Thistle will meet for 4 hours, twice a day, to debate on whom the next Commander should be. If Thomas is still selected to be Commander, then he shall remain as such." Walden added, taking a long drink of his ale. "All I know about Thomas is that he's the most excellent swordsman the Order has right now, after Sir Redwyne's passing, and is the most likely leader. Thomas has gone through things, and experienced things, that few men have ever experienced." Walden capped off, his laughter and booming voice now dying down, "'No action taken for the safety of the King is a crime'" Walden said, reciting the age old maxim of the Order of the Thistle.

When the Flames Die

Walden shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Gareth posted, "It might not look it right now, especially since you haven't known Thomas as long as me, but he's done plenty for the Order, and for the Urien family. You might have valid complaints, but Sir Redwyne Cole named two successors to act if he were to die, or become incapable of leading. Sir Thomas, and Sir Tyler. Sir Thomas was the first one the Order rallied behind." Walden explained, speaking as if the proverbial wind from his sails had left, "Thomas killed that woman. Everything suggests he had a violent urge, and killed a woman like a bloody madman, but Thomas has a thousand good deeds to wipe away that one particular bad deed. We can't judge Sir Thomas, as he has been declared innocent, and has served faithfully the entire period he has been with the Order. That's why the Order assumed he was going to be the Acting Commander." Walden finished, leaning back in his seat, causing it to creak once more. "I've known the man for 10 years, and I've never known him not to place the king and his safety above everything else. You can't condemn the entirety of a man's reliable service for one bad action." Walden added, taking a long drink from the huge mug, burping once he was finished, "His action was a vicious thing, but nothing suggests things didn't go as Thomas said, and Thomas has never lied to his superiors before."