Even with his advancing years, Darryn Treyburn struck an imposing figure in his military uniform. Though hardly a giant of a man, his squared shoulders and perfect posture made many assume him to be taller. It was true, too, that his impeccable uniform and the air of authoritative disdain for those in his presence made men feel much smaller, so that the overall effect created gave most the impression of a hulking bear prepared to pounce. Coming to know the man only confirmed the illusion; Treyburn expected the men beneath him to meet the highest standards and to obey his commands to the letter. Failure and creativity alike were met with harsh discipline, while the rewards for loyalty and conformation were an acceptance into one of the toughest and most respected units in Uthlyn. Treyburn's unit was known for their unwavering loyalty to their commander, the fierceness with which they fought, and a well-deserved arrogance that only fools questioned. This was a man to be respected and feared. He was the sort of man younger generations might someday make into a legend, should Treyburn be lucky enough to see the battlefield yet.
All of this Riordan Fontaine accepted without question, because he had served under Treyburn as a young man himself. What he could not understand, however, was how such a man had sired Redly and Reagan. It was certainly not for their lack of enthusiasm or ability on the battlefield -- both, in so far as he could tell, were natural soldiers. Where their father was reserved and stoic, his sons were like every other young man under his command: young, brash, and more interested in women and drink than in training and discipline. There was nothing wrong with that, of course -- they had all been young once, except, perhaps, for Darryn Treyburn -- but they were not the exceptional and singular soldiers their father had been even at Redly's age. Well, there was no help for that, nor would he ask for it if there were. He enjoyed the company of the younger Treyburns and their antics.
Except for this last one. This last antic had nearly cost Redly Treyburn his life. Fontaine had come to deliver the news personally to the senior Treyburn out of respect. As a father himself, he imagined he could understand how Treyburn might feel receiving the news from a messenger, but, if Fontaine delivered the message personally, he could reassure the man that his sons were both alright.
Treyburn arrived promptly with his usual, businesslike handshake and grim expression. "Fontaine," he said, cordial in spite of his soured countenance. "What brings you to the Third today?"
"I have some news for you regarding your son, Redly." Treyburn gestured for him to sit, then, and so he accepted the proffered seat before continuing. "As you know, Redly is under my command in the Fifth. He's alright, but there's been an accident."
"An accident?" the elder Treyburn repeated in a cool tone. "What kind of accident?"
"There was a minor eruption. The investigating officer reported that Redly had put too much powder into a device he had fashioned. I'm sure you know he has a knack for such thi--"
Treyburn lifted a hand to stop him. "He was wounded, I take it."
"Yes, sir," Fontaine responded immediately, though not without a frown of his own now. "There was shrapnel. He's lost an eye, and he'll bear some scars for the rest of his life, but he will survive."
"And where is he now?"
"I believe his brother has taken him home."
Until this point, Treyburn's voice had remained neutral, and the man himself was ever the composed commander. It hadn't surprised Fontaine really, knowing him as well as he did. It did surprise him, however, when he growled out, "What the deuce was Braxton doing there? He has his own duties!"
"Braxton?" Fontaine had nearly forgotten Treyburn's second son... "Ah, no. I've never met Braxton, I'm afraid. Reagan's the one who's taken him home."
Treyburn said nothing; he was watching Fontaine so sharply the man felt like a cat who had caught the eye of a hungry hawk. After a moment, Fontaine cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "Surely, you knew your son Reagan was also enlisted in the Fifth? It's been, hell, five years or so now."
The senior officer nodded slightly, fingers stroking his beard in a way that always meant he was calculating. "You're dismissed, Fontaine."
"Yes, sir."
----------
Redly had never been an idle man, nor was he a man who spent a great deal of time feeling sorry for himself. The accident, therefore, was just an unfortunate set-back that had forced him to rethink his assumptions about the reactions of black powder under pressure. It was a lesson he would not forget soon...because it all itched something awful! The scars that had settled along his face, neck, and shoulders were healing slowly, and the new, pink skin beneath was driving him mad! It seemed that no amount of soothing lotions would stop that infernal itch, either!
The only thing that didn't itch -- not like the rest of him itched -- was his eye. His missing eye ached dully, and, even though he knew it was no longer there, his body, apparently, had not yet made that connection. At least, he thought, his eyepatched looked dashing...
The sudden knock on his door made him look up from the rifle he was tinkering with curiously. This little cabin out in the middle of nowhere had become a sort of sanctuary -- not only for him, but also for his younger sister. Visitors were unusual indeed, particularly this time of the year...
Setting his tools down, he opened the door to find himself face to face with the very last people he had ever wanted to grace his doorstep: his parents. Darryn Treyburn stood before him in his uniform, with his lovely wife at his side. He knew better than to think his parents had come to check on him, but, even if that thought had a flicker in Redly's mind, Darryn quickly dispelled it.
"Where's Jana?"
The thunder in that voice demanded a truthful answer. Redly lifted his chin slightly to meet his father's eyes unflinchingly. His father's commanding presence had not worked on Redly in some time. "I don't know."
There was a flash of recognizable anger in Darryn's eyes, and he roughly pushed past Redly to enter the small cabin. Still a little unsteady on his feet, Redly was no match for the older man; he fell backwards against the doorframe, in one piece but now glaring in his father's wake. Darryn ignored him entirely, instead studying the cabin. "I know you've been hiding her in the army. As Reagan. Where is she?"
Redly felt his face pale. How had they found out? After five years, how on earth had his parents found out the truth?
Rose swept into the room next, looking like every bit the lady. "You thought you were protecting your sister, Redly. We understand. But it is a lady's duty to marry, not to wear armor and practice swordplay with the men."
Jana dipped the bucket into the quickly flowing river water, humming a happy tune that she was making up on the spot. It wasn't the happiest day—not with her brother losing an eye and all—but she had found that pretending to be happy was the best way to actually be happy. Plus, she figured, Redly had it coming to him. In fact, it was more of a surprise that nothing like that had already happened.
She lifted the bucket back up as she gazed into the river. It was shallow, fast paced, and full of rocks. If she didn't know any better, Jana would think that fish wouldn't be able to maneuver in it. But no, there were hundreds of tiny fish swimming by, unnoticed. They were uncaring of the giant thing that they lived in. Just like her.
Swirling around, Jana headed back for the cabin. The water was for Redly's healing skin. If she dipped it in some cloth and placed it on his wounds, she figured it might help dull the pain. That's what usually worked. Of course, the injuries she dealt with typically weren't as bad as Redly's.
Her humming got louder and louder as the wind picked up until she eventually started to sing. It was dangerous, she knew, since somebody might hear her. Her voice was low enough to be considered a higher male voice, but it was best to avoid any risks whatsoever. Nonetheless, she couldn't help it. It was as if she was adding her own voice into nature. It joined the wind, the water, the birds, everything. She loved it. Sunny days like these made her happy... because everything else seemed so happy.
She sauntered back towards the cabin, enjoying her walk. Her chest was wrapped up under her loose brown tunic. It was uncomfortable, but a safety precaution that she knew she had to take. She walked while swinging her arms dramatically, causing a little bit of the water to fall out. But if too much fell out, Jana just figured she could walk back to the river. It was a nice walk, about five minutes long through the woods. At night, she loved to practice by it. After all, the flowing river water covered up the noise of her hitting the trees.
As the cabin came into view, Jana suddenly stopped singing. The door was open. Redly, despite all of his foolishness, would never leave the door open. She quickly but quietly walked closer to the cabin, making sure to stay out of sight of the windows. She got close enough to see that Redly was in the doorway, and started to worry. It couldn't be thieves—he would have dealt with them. Could it be some kind of general? Or maybe a friend of his dropping by for a surprise visit? But last time she checked, generals didn't come to soldier's houses and his friends didn't even know where the cabin was.
Whatever the problem was, she wouldn't learn anything by staying behind the trees. And what harm could come out of going to her house? People knew she lived with her brother, she looked like a boy, and she had two daggers: one in her right pocket and one in her left boot. So Jana started walking the remaining twenty feet to the cabin, completely oblivious to just who were inside.
There was no point in continuing to lie. His parents knew the truth of where Jana had been these past five years...and, knowing his parents as well as he did, they weren't going to stop pressing until they had an answer.
"She doesn't want to marry that old creep." He stepped further into the cabin, as if by moving nearer the vultures who were his parents, he might be able to rescue his baby sister from them.
Rose's smile was a mask she wore so well, Redly sometimes wondered if she even knew she was wearing it. She was smiling again now, as though Redly were simply refusing to eat his vegetables -- the very picture of the ever-suffering mother and her endless patience.
"She's a child. She doesn't know what she wants. Let me see your face." Before Redly could protest, Rose had taken his face in her hands and was looking the scars over critically. She sighed dramatically. "If you were going to hurt yourself, couldn't it have been while doing something heroic? You're going to be hard to marry off now. I told you we should have secured a bride while he was younger, Darryn."
"His face has nothing to do with his suitability, Rose." Darryn, for his part, looked very unimpressed with his wife's fawning.
With another of those deep sighs, she said, "It has everything to do with it. We'll just have to secure a marriage for you before anyone knows what's happened."
How had this become about him?? Redly sputtered a minute, feeling momentarily cornered. It was a unique effect his mother could produce on him. "I don't want to get married either!"
"Hush, now. You can't expect us to treat you like an adult if you won't act like one, can you?"
Redly's face flushed in anger, and he half-turned away, as much to escape his mother as to make a point. He caught sight of movement, then, as a shadow fell over the doorway. Jana...
(OOC: Possible entrance for you, if you want to take it!)
She heard talking. She couldn't understand it, but she heard it. Redly disappeared for a second, and she knew he was talking since she could recognize the tone of his voice. As she got closer, words started to become more apparent. Marriage, adult, and a couple of other things. But nothing that gave a clue as to who was inside the house. Well, maybe it was some father trying to marry off his daughter to someone in the army? That's what her own parents had tried to do, after all.
With the bucket close to her side, Jana took a deep breath. Then she put on a wide smile. She wouldn't want to come off as rude to guests. Well, maybe guests. She was still suspicious—surely Redly would have still closed the door if he had people over. That was part of the reason she was gripping the bucket so tightly: she could whack it at somebody quickly if needed.
She walked into the house.
The bucket slipped out of her hand, fell to the floor, and spilled its contents all over the place.
Her mouth was almost as open as her eyes, which screamed pure shock. The only thing that got her out of this state was the look on her parents' faces. Darryn and Rose Treyburn, the most composed people ever, seemed just as shocked as she was. Obviously they knew she was there—they wouldn't just visit Redly—but they must not have known just how much she looked like Reagan.
Just how much she looked like the boy that Darryn had murdered.
Her open mouth twisted into a disdainful smile as she asked, "How does it feel to see your dead son again?" Jana knew she shouldn't say that. Not for her parents' sake, but for her own. She didn't care if that question made her parents feel guilty. She doubted it even did, the heartless murderers they were. But if they knew that she knew Reagan was really dead, they were sure to report her before she could spread the information. And if they knew that she knew they killed Reagan, then Jana bet they'd kill her too.
But they'd probably do that anyway. They caught her committing one of the worst crimes in Connloath. Better have her dead than to disrespect the family. And they'd probably create some lame story about her death, too... nothing heroic. "Reagan fell into the river while filling up a bucket" or "Oh, our son? He got mauled by a bear" or "He just ran off one day out of fright of fighting and never came back". Maybe she'd have Redly tell a better story. Something along the lines of "My younger brother? He died while protecting my life from some assassins... and he managed to take all three of them down with him, too! Isn't that amazing?"
Well, no use getting ahead of herself. Jana had no plans of dying. She had to stay alive. For herself, for her siblings, for Reagan. Her dad was physically strong, she knew that. But he didn't know how strong she was. Nor did anyone—Redly included. She had no doubts that she'd be able to at least defend herself in a fight. Her mom might be a bigger problem. Rose was the master of manipulating thoughts. But Jana knew her thoughts would stay strong. She knew what her parents had actually done and hidden from the state. And nothing could make her forgive them. Ever.
So with the same look and same snarky voice, Jana added, "Great, huh? Well, it's great to see you guys, too. After... how many years has it been? Eight? Nine? Maybe more... after all, you two are looking pretty old. Especially you, Rose. Is that a wrinkle I see on your forehead?"
Even though Redly, of course, knew Jana was somewhere nearby, he looked more surprised than either of his parents to see her sudden return! He also looked guilty -- after all this time, somehow, he had failed to protect her.
Their parents, however, scarcely missed a beat.
"This isn't about him, and you know it. Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Darryn snapped, eyebrows lowering in a way that made him look particularly bearish.
Rose, however, took another approach. She shot her husband a look of purse disdain, then floated over to her daughter with a warm smile. "Darling, forgive him. You know how he is. It's so good to see you again after all this time. How have you been?"
And, if Jana would let her, she would soon find herself engulfed in a motherly hug while her father looked on, frowning.
OOC: Sorry for the late post!
__________________
IC:
Jana daringly looked Darryn directly in his eyes. The defiance in her face was clear. She would fight him if it came to that. And she would win. She had to.
But her aggressive thoughts were temporarily broken by Rose giving her a hug. Despite knowing how fake her mother's words were, Jana almost instinctively hugged her back. It had been a while since she had felt a parent's love. But then she realized that her parents never loved her, or Reagan, or any of them. Any love that was given was false and fake—just like them.
So instead, Jana harshly pushed Rose away. The push wasn't gentle but it wasn't too hard. It caused Rose to stumble back into Darryn, but that was all.
First, Jana looked at her mother. "I'm doing great, mother. But I'm afraid I can't say that it's nice to see you, too. Because one thing I'm not is a liar. Unlike you two." Then she looked towards her dad. "And pa, I always do forget that you're a bit slow. I'm in the army, of course. Fighting for my country as bravely as I know how. It's what you wanted for all of us Treyburns." She paused for effect before adding, "Or was it just all of the Treyburn boys? I forget sometimes."
Jana was tempted to look over at Redly to see how he was reacting to this all, but withheld herself. If she did that, her parents would take it as a sign of weakness. They'd think that she was doubting herself and wanted his approval or protection or something else completely false. So she kept staring at Darryn, instead.
Rose and Darryn looked equally shocked in response to her aggression, even if it hadn't been meant to hurt the older woman. For that matter, so did Redly...
Darryn's hands fell to his wife's waist to steady her, and the color of his face deepened to a dark shade of red that had never boded well for the children. Sensing this, no doubt, Rose turned to throw her arms around her husband's neck with a sob. "Let's go home, Darryn. She's already made up her mind. We've failed her after all!"
She was crying, and she was making no secret of it, either.
Redly's expression softened, but he made no move to comfort his mother. He hated to see her in pain, because he hated to see anyone like that...but he knew her games as well as Jana did.
Darryn's anger, however, only rose at the suggestion. He shoved the woman away, much more roughly than Jana had, sending her sprawling onto the floorboards as he stepped past her towards Jana. "You insolent girl! If you will not come willingly, then by God, I will make you obey me!"
Although a rare occasion, it wasn't the first time Darryn's anger had been taken out on his wife... It was still disturbing to see, however, and it momentarily distracted the young man. When Darryn stepped forward, then, Redly did what he always had done: he stepped forward himself to protect his siblings, inserting himself between their angry father and Jana. "You will not make Jana do anything she does not want to do. She's staying here with me, and you two are leaving."
Darryn stopped where he stood, sizing the pair of them up. Behind him, Rose picked herself up gracefully, with tears still flowing out of the corners of her eyes. "Darryn, please, if they wish to be left alone, leave them."
Jana didn't care about her mother's overdone performance, but she did flinch when Darryn shoved her. Then she wondered why she flinched. It wasn't like it was surprising—the beast that he was. He probably hit Rose every night.
Jana was fully prepared to take on her dad. She wouldn't back out of this fight. No way.
But then Redly stepped in.
No, that wasn't how it was supposed to happen. If Redly stepped in, then he was voluntarily helping her. He would get in a lot more trouble this way compared to if he hadn't done anything. In the other situation, he could play it off as not wanting to disgrace the family. But now he was physically defying their parents. Jana froze up for a second, not sure how to deal with this new development. Her brother was too good for his own good.
Ignoring Rose, Jana finally said, "Redly, stop trying to play the hero! You were the one that kept trying to send me back home—now you can't suddenly change your mind and try to help me! We all know that you're on their side." Just for good measure, she gave him a nice push in the back. Nothing too hard, but enough to theoretically make him stumble. Or at least enough to prove her false point that he wasn't on her side and that she didn't trust him.
Redly half-turned to stare at Jana, a look of surprise and hurt on his face. He, however, wasn't the sharpest axe in the toolshed, and so he did not understand what she was trying to do for him. Instead, he only squared his shoulders and set his jaw stubbornly, no doubt vowing silently to do what was best for his sister, whether she liked it or not.
Darryn did not seem to think much of the display. He lifted his chin and stepped forward, breezing by the pair without so much as a parting glance. Rose, however, seemed to compose herself enough to pause before them. "He's not angry with you," she murmured, fingers reaching for Redly's cheek in an act of comfort...only to draw back at the last moment rather than touch the eye patch. She followed in her husband's wake, not sparing even a glance for her daughter.
Redly exhaled as soon as the pair seemed safely outside. His shoulders relaxed, and he turned his full attention on his sister. "What was all that about?" He looked a bit like a kicked puppy...
But explanations would not be forthcoming, sadly, as a group of soldiers appeared in the doorway. They weren't just any soldiers; they were armed and armored, and each bore Darryn's crest. The men didn't wait to be invited in; they stepped into the room as though they owned it. "Jana Treyburn, you are under arrest for impersonating a soldier."
Redly's jaw fell open, but only for a moment. It was just like his parents... His face flushed in anger. "You aren't taking her anywhere."
"I suggest you step aside, my lord," the sergeant answered crisply. "Your father has authorized deadly force to be used against both of you if necessary."
Without sparing a beat, Jana responded, "I hate that effing rule! I was not impersonating a soldier. I was a soldier! I trained as a soldier, I fought as a soldier, I lived as a soldier. And you say that I am not a soldier because I happen to have a different body than you cowards!"
Turning towards Redly, she continued, "And you're no different. You almost got yourself killed because of your stupidity! And constantly telling me about how weak I am due to my sex and demanding that I return home? I hate that! Just leave. Now." The words hurt her. She knew he wouldn't catch on... and that's what she wanted. If he figured out her plan, he wouldn't go along with it.
She wasn't going to run. She had enough of running. No, she was going to prove herself. Facing the sergeant, she answered just as crisply, "Eff you. You can't do a thing to me."
Redly stared at her, his lack of understanding written plainly on his face. He didn't even seem to hear her challenge, or the response of the sergeant.
"Arrest her," the sergeant commanded his men with a slight sneer. A pair stepped forward, one in the act of unhooking a set of manacles from his belt.
It wasn't until they had stepped up beside Redly that the Treyburn heir moved. Without looking away from his younger sister, he simply held out an arm to prevent the soldiers from moving forward. "I told you," he repeated in a mild tone, "Not to touch her."
The pair of soldiers shared a questioning glance, then looked to their leader for confirmation. The sergeant nodded slightly, encouraging the pair to push forward. The one nearest Redly pushed by his arm, a bit roughly, clearly intending to simply walk by him...
...And that is probably why he failed to see Redly's fist hurtling towards him. It caught him a bit high on the cheek, with enough force to send him stumbling backwards but not enough to put him out of commission altogether. His partner scarcely missed a beat. With a seething curse, he stepped up on Redly's blind side and caught the side of Redly's head with the unyielding iron of the manacles he held.
"Do not tou--" Although there was more force in his tone, fueled by a protective anger on the behalf of his younger sister, that was all the further he would get before the other soldier's attack collided with his head. Redly lurched backwards into the dinner table, spilling its contents underfoot as it gave way before him.
"Redly!" Jana screamed, the horror clear in her voice. Why hadn't he just left? Why did he keep ruining her plan? Why was he such an idiot?! And those soldiers, they were going to pay for what they did to her dear brother.
He did nothing wrong. She wished he would've just left, but she should have known that the brother she loved so much would never leave her. No matter what she said. He did nothing wrong... but those soldiers didn't hesitate to beat him up anyway.
Without missing a beat, Jana lurched forward with ridiculous speed that no one seemed to have prepared for—especially the soldier that she managed to grab the manacles from. And by the time that he processed the lack of iron in his hands, it was already hitting him across the nose. Hard.
He raised his hands to his now broken and bloody nose and all Jana could think was, "So much for me being a weak girl, looser." Caught up in momentary pride, however, she managed to get herself whacked in the back of the head. After stumbling forwards a couple of steps, Jana spun around and tried to hit the other soldier.
He was more prepared, and managed to dodge her attack before landing one of his own on her stomach. She had taken worse beatings in practices. Jana tossed the manacles onto the ground, not wanting to fight dirty. Soldiers like them fought dirty. She would fight valiantly.
Or so she thought. But when the other soldier snuck up behind her and tried to grab her wrists, Jana didn't hesitate for a second before kicking him in the crotch.
(Sorry for the delay in response... Pre-con jitters followed by post-con slump!)
Redly, for a moment, saw only stars. Once his vision cleared, however, his expression darkened to find his sister in the midst of an all-out war against her... It didn't matter to him that she was a girl or outnumbered, nor did it matter that she was a trained soldier, nor that her attackers were following the orders of their father.
To him, he saw only that a younger sibling was in trouble. He had sworn to protect his siblings, each of them, whether they wanted his help or not...
Without hesitation, he straightened and strode forward. His hands fell on the shoulders of one of the guards that had been moving up behind his sister. Grasping the armor, he pulled hard, effectively throwing the young man backwards. Redly stepped into the gap his presence had left, fist already raised to defend Jana against another soldier.
As bad as things had been before, they were about to get worse.
"Draw your weapons!" the sergeant commanded. He clearly meant to lead through example, as his weapon came free from its sheath first. "The Lord wants her taken alive. Do what you want to the boy."
(Lol don't apologize for delays when I've been delaying much longer...)
Jana froze.
Not because they were drawing their swords, but because of what the sergeant had said.
"Stop!" she shouted, her voice crisp and commanding. Then it weakened as she continued, "I'll go, I'll go, I'll go." Looking from the sergeant to the soldiers to the sergeant again, she finished, "Just leave him alone. He did nothing wrong. I promise. I'll write a testimony or whatever. You can do what you want to me. Just leave Redly alone."
Not once did she make eye contact with her brother. If she did, she was worried that her will would break. That she would weaken. That she would actually give in, instead of just moving the fight elsewhere, when the soldiers wouldn't except it...
After all, she could fight with handcuffs on. Once they had gotten far enough away from the house, she planned on doing just that. But she knew Redly. She knew that he wouldn't want her to sacrifice herself for him, even if that wasn't what she planned on doing. And he'd probably tell her to behave, and that he'd work something out with Darryn. So that she wouldn't be punished as harshly. And even if she got away from the soldiers, they might turn back to get Redly.
No, they wouldn't. Despite what the sergeant said, Darryn wouldn't risk Redly's life unless necessary. Not because he loved him, of course. But because Redly was the head of the family. And a strong soldier. Ending his life would cast a bad stigma upon all Treyburns. And neither Darryn nor Rose would allow that.
She would go through with her plan.
"No, you won't!" Redly protested immediately. He didn't dare turn to look at her, nor could he see her from the corner of his eye due to the patch. Damn that explosion for taking his eye -- because, as he was finding, it was damned hard to fight with just one! "Jana, you're not going to just give yourself up! There's only half a dozen of them!"
Treyburn odds were a little different than in the rest of the world... And Redly had never, ever backed down from a fight with anybody if it was for a sibling. Hell, he'd never backed down from a fight for himself, either!
Jana turned around to argue with Redly. Or, rather, tell him off. She dragged him into this mess, and she did not plan on getting him in even deeper.
But as she soon remembered, turning your back to the opponent was the first rule not to break.
Her voice still full of force, Jana started, "Redly, you need to—" She was quickly cut off. One of the soldiers jammed the sword handle into the back of her head causing her to immediately fall forward, unconscious.
"Jana, look--" That was all the further Redly could get in his warning. Jana hadn't even fallen onto the floor before Redly was throwing himself at the man that had hit her, delivering a series of punches that left the surprised man's face bloody.
But now Redly was very out-numbered...and, between being in poor health to begin with and not being accustomed to only having one eye, things were bound to go south for him.
Two of the soldiers hauled him off their comrade. He struggled, but there were two of them and only one of him. And the worst part was, his position left Jana in his blind spot, so he had no idea what was happening to her...
But, he was about to be too busy to worry about it as the commander of this little troop stepped in to hit him. Repeatedly. Until Redly's world was swimming, and he wasn't sure he could have stood up straight without the support of the men on either side of him.
"What do we do with him?" one of the soldiers asked, his voice sounding curious.
Their leader rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Leave him. I'd say he's had enough."
Raucous laughter filled the room, so loud they nearly missed Redly's reply. "Fuck you."
"What did you say?" The man sounded taken aback.
"I said," he answered, looking up and trying to focus on the man in front of him. "Fuck you. If you take her, I will come for you, and I will take her back."
The men laughed again, but this time a little more uneasily.
"Are you challenging me? Well, well, well... Guess I'll have to draw a little more blood to keep you down..." So saying, the man lifted his sword...
Jana woke up with an overwhelming headache, but she barely noticed it. Instead, she saw the soldiers beating up her older brother. And the commander looked ready to stab him...
Without any hesitation, Jana pulled out both of her daggers and lunged at the commander. She wasn't going to give him time to run. She wasn't going to give him time to beg for mercy. She was going to give him excruciating pain.
Most of the soldiers hadn't realized she had gotten up, and the ones that did were too slow to react. Her balance was still a little off from being unconscious, but she made it to the commander without much troubles.
And she stabbed him in the side.
She aimed the dagger, plunged it in, and twisted it while watching blood spurt out. She left the other dagger in her left hand, free to volley and immediate attacks.
And, suddenly, there was a lot of blood...
Redly stared at the bleeding man, as did most of the soldiers. The man was clutching his side, looking rather shocked himself. He fell forward, then, as the pain claimed him...
It was a gut wound. He would take some time to die...
Redly was the first to snap back into reality. The surreal quality of the scene faded, replaced by a growing sense of panic. That was a fatal wound; the blood oozing out was that dark, heavy color that meant only death. And that meant... His sister would soon be a murderer.
He gave a half-hearted tug to free himself and lurched forward as a result, just barely catching himself on a kitchen chair. "Jana! Run! Go, now!"
She was too sweet to watch a man die... It would destroy her. Again.
"RUN!"
She had been expecting blood... but not that much. Not nearly that much. And it just kept flowing out, forming a puddle on the ground. It was on the ground and on her hands and staining her clothes and she yanked out the dagger. Causing more blood to flow out, of course.
Jana was dazed, not fully processing what she had just done. Why was he bleeding so much? Hadn't she just hit some muscle? Her aim couldn't have been off... right? Or was it her lack of balance? She didn't know. Or at least wouldn't accept that she knew.
But she did know that when Redly said to run, she should run.
Still confused, Jana turned around and sprinted. Past the frozen soldiers and her stunned parents and everything. She just ran.
Her flight triggered a response from the rest of the men. Two of them dashed out the door after her, calling, no doubt, to the rest of whatever patrol her father had stationed out there to stop her. Redly listened, head down, as their calls began to fade.
They hadn't caught her. Thank Angsar.
"Get him into the wagon," a hard voice at the door ordered. Obediently, a pair of men stepped into the room to pick up the bleeding, groaning man as carefully as they could. "Which one of you was it?"
Redly peered up at his father through his rapidly-swelling eye, saying nothing.
The man scowled, using an expression that could send grown men scampering out of his path. "You never were very smart, boy."
Redly's eye moved to the slight frame of his mother behind Darryn, then heard her horrified gasp.
"Ma, you shouldn't be in here," he said thickly, pretty sure there was some blood in his mouth...but, somehow, not daring to spit it out with his mother present.
"Whose blood is that?" she demanded, showing, for the first time, something akin to panic. "Whose blood is that, Redly?"
(Tagging Braxton in on this!)
"You're gonna see uncle Red today, little bear." Braxton cooed to the baby that he cradled in his arms as he walked the path that lead winding its way to the edge of the family's property. "Now, remember what we discussed. You're tough. You're a bear like papa so no tears and no cutesy girly gurgling. Practice your growl, Ethen. C'mon. Grrrrrrawrrr! " Ethen gasped and giggled in his arms at his father's ridiculous noises and expressions and reached out to grab for his nose when the man leaned in and rubbed noses with him.
He'd been so preoccupied with entertaining the baby that he almost didn't see the group of soldiers standing about just outside Redley's cabin. It was his mother's shrill voice that caught his attention and he looked up in time to see a body of a soldier being carried over to a cart. Judging by how soaked that uniform was with blood, Braxton was willing to bet the man must have been pretty dead or dying. This nearly stopped him in dead in his tracks. Leanna would murder him if he took their baby into such a potentially dangerous situation.
With that in mind, he slowed his steps and approached with caution. He noted that the soldiers bore his father's crest on their shoulders and that made him even more concerned though not enough to draw his weapon. He had no reason to fear them because he was his father's son and looked almost identical to the man. There was no question. However, as he drew nearer a couple of the men took notice and stepped forward to prevent him from approaching although they looked a bit uncertain.
Beyond the soldiers , Braxton could just make out his mother's slight frame in the doorway. "Ma?" He called out to her.
Whatever the hell this was, he had a bad feeling about it.
"Stand back, "One of the soldiers commanded him.
Braxton stood his ground and growled softly. He didn't sound identical to his old man but his voice was eerily alike and a wise man would later learn to never point this out to him, "Take it easy, soldier. I'm Braxton Treyburn."
((Here I go! In a lot of pain. Let me know if something's amiss. Was a bit difficult to think. ))
Before Redly could give the woman a proper answer, she turned away with a visible shudder. "Braxton! Thank Angsar you're here! And you've come just in time. Your brother is about to be arrested! You didn't know about any of this, did you, darling?"
Darryn gave her a sideways look through narrowed eyes. "Be quiet, woman!"
And still, Redly said not a word! He simply stood there, a steadying hand on the chair, wearing an expression that looked both resigned and stubborn.
For a moment, the patriarch of the Treyburn clan simply stared at his eldest son, and then, coolly, he turned his back on him to fix Braxton with a piercing stare. "Did you know that Jana has been impersonating a soldier?"
Brax... He was a smart kid. He wouldn't leap blindly into this... And what would be the point if he did? It wouldn't help anyone...
Braxton's bewildered expression conveyed his answer to his mother clearly without his words. He hugged his son tighter to his chest and tried to think of what to say. His mind was racing. Redley had always been a wild one, but he wasn't a fool. Or maybe Braxton's opinion of the man was higher than what reality dictated?
"I must have misheard," Braxton laughed nervously, "because I thought you just said my brother is being arrested. You must mean you were arresting a man for attacking my brother, right?"
But when they didn't answer him , his face fell and he sobered. Shit, Red. What have you gone and done now?
Now Braxton's father turned to cast a scrutinizing glare his way which would have made most men piss themselves. On the inside, Brax could not deny that he was intimidated , but he knew better than to show any fear or hesitation before Darryn Treyburn. "No, sir. This is the first I've heard of it. I just stopped by to pay a visit since I'm not presently on-duty. I wanted to introduce Ethen to his uncle. Sir ,if I may inquire, why is Redley being detained? " The baby in his arms gurgled and squirmed , trying to his best to get his father's attention.
"Oh, Braxton," Rose answered with a shake of her head. Her eyes fell to the baby, then, and she smiled, voice becoming a coo. "Well, hello, Ethen! Come to Grandma!" As if she couldn't leave the house fast enough, she stepped across the lawn to meet her son and grandson.
Lowering her voice, she confessed, "Your sister impersonating a soldier... And then Redly killing a man! I just don't know what we're going to do, Braxton. The shame of this..." A single tear left her eye, and she wiped it away with a fingertip. "Now, let me see that darling boy!"
Darryn made no answer; instead, he simply nodded, and he turned back to confront his eldest. His voice, although not loud, rumbled out of the open doorway. "You can barely stand. You didn't kill this man. She did."
Redly recognized that tone. It was the same tone he used whenever Reagan was brought up. "Her name is Jana. She did it to save my life!"
There came no answer to his inquiry. Braxton wasn't surprised. Oh well, he'd learn the truth sooner or later. His eyes left his father and turned to Ma who stepped outside to join them.
He was listened to his mother go on about the situation with her usual melodramatic flare. Now, he certainly agreed that Jana shouldn't be dressing up like a boy and soldiering but he knew the reasons behind the action. Redley had told him once when Braxton had asked what had become of their sister. Why she was missing. And he'd made good on the promise to keep this information to himself. Only because Redley asked him to. He'd take all of Red's secrets to his grave.
He didn't think of his mother as a completely false bitch, but he wasn't entirely convinced that his mother truly cared about her eldest children or if it was preserving what little good reputation the Treyburn family still clung to, which Braxton imagined wasn't a whole hell of a lot!
In truth, he was a little surprised that his mother was so cheerful to see Ethen. The boy looked so much more like a Colborne than a Treyburn and he knew how little Ma and Pa thought of his wife. They tolerated Leanna only because she was a proper lady in spite of her family's lesser wealth. It wasn't to say that the Colbornes were actually less respectable. In fact, compared to the Treyburns ,they were by far a lot better morally grounded and proper. They just had quite a bit less money.
"Do you want to hold him?" He offered the child to Ma.
Of course, Braxton wisely kept all of his comments about the situation to himself. He loved his siblings, but there was nothing he could do for either of them and he had a wife and child to think of.
(OOC: I have no idea why I feel the need to shield the tiny NPC baby from the bloodshed, but I do!)
"Of course I do!" Ma cooed, as though absolutely delighted to be involved in baby-holding.
No sooner had Ma accepted the small bundle of joy into her arms than Darryn's voice lifted again. "Braxton, leave that thing outside and come in here."
Rose made a small sound of protest as she adjusted the blankets around her grandson. "Now, now, he didn't mean to call you a thing," she informed the child as though he would understand. "Papa didn't mean it."
Darryn obviously didn't care about the baby, its feelings, or anyone's feelings. His energy was focused entirely on Redly...like a kid with a magnifying glass and an ant. "What the hell were you thinking? Hiding her here? Enlisting her in the military as if she were a man?" He wasn't yelling, but there was a particularly condemning snap in his tone. Any interruptions were so smoothly ignored that Redly had little choice but to shut up and listen. "And attacking the arresting soldiers like some criminal in a back alley... You're an accessory to murder. And I will not have criminals tainting my name."
For half a second, Redly didn't know quite what that was supposed to mean. Fortunately, Darryn clarified without needing prompting.
"Redly Treyburn, you will be arrested and a formal inquiry held. I will be recommending you serve the maximum sentence."
Of course he would.
"And to ensure there will be no favoritism from the tribunal due to your peerage or military connections, you are hereby disowned. Braxton Treyburn is now the designated heir of the Treyburn title, estates, and privileges, to be passed along to his heirs through his blood. You are to be barred from those same estates and privileges henceforth."
The whole speech was delivered with all the warmth of a January snowstorm. Redly looked as though he had just been punched. Again. It wasn't that he had ever cared about his title or put on airs, but...
"Braxton, I trust you understand how serious this is and will conduct yourself appropriately," Darryn added with a serious, sidelong glance to his son. "I will send the servants to eject the tenant from the cottage and to clean it thoroughly. Your family can move in the day after tomorrow." The cottage, of course, was the very building in which they stood...and, doubtless, Redly the unfortunate "tenant."
((A little language warning. I used the F word...once. xD ))
His name is Ethen, fuck you very much. Braxton thought indignantly, but his expression was impassive. He nodded at his mother, but said nothing. What was there to say? They both knew Pa meant exactly what he said. "Behave, Ethen, "he told the baby and pinched the boy's nose lightly. Ethen giggled and grabbed for his father's hand. To ma, Braxton said, "Careful. He's at a grabby stage. "Satisfied that the child was safe with Ma, he walked over to where Pa stood delivering judgment over his elder brother.
He was silent for the duration of Pa's speech,knowing better than to interrupt the man, but the outcome surprised him . Braxton's head was spinning and he found himself opening his mouth to protest. He was quite happy with his life the way it was now. Sure, he had ambitions in the military, but as a noble? He didn't like the expectations and scrutiny that came with it! And he didn't like the idea of no Red.
"But sir, " Braxton looked conflicted. There was a part of him that wanted to tell his father to lie. Claim Jana and Redley were both dead and just let them go. Jana was probably gone, never to return and Redley would be smart enough to do the same. However, he also knew that Darryn was military and would exact a proper military punishment. He lowered his head as if defeated and sighed, nodding, "I understand perfectly, sir."
"Good. And I expect we'll have no trouble from you," he added, addressing Redly.
Redly nodded slightly. "Yes, sir."
"Jones! Tyler! Front and center! I want you to go through every drawer, every closet, every shelf and confiscate all military arms." The pair of soldiers saluted smartly and began to do just that.
"Darryn, if I may speak to you outside..." Rose murmured, quite suddenly at their elbows.
The patriarch of the Treyburn clan shot her a glare. "Not now."
She batted her eyes -- which, thanks to the tiny baby in her arms -- almost looked adorable. "Please. It will only take a second. I think Braxton understands what will happen if he lets Redly do something stupid. Isn't that right, Braxton?"
Darryn looked to Braxton for confirmation, as though weighing his options. With a curl of disdain, then, he stomped outside, and the couple retreated several feet away to speak quietly.
And Redly wasn't at all sorry to see them go. The former Treyburn heir looked to the newly-declared heir with a sad smile. "Congratulations. There's no one else I'd trust to look after the kids." The kids, of course, being their other siblings...which seemed to be somewhat unending...
I can't make Red do anything , but I think Redley knows what will happen to both of us if he tries anything stupid. Braxton nodded at his mother's words ,but was looking at pa when he said them, "Yes, ma'am. "
When Pa had left , Braxton crossed his arms and frowned, "Shit, Red. I'm not cut out for this , but I guess I don't have much choice now do I?" Braxton wore his frustration clearly on his sleeve.
He sighed and threw his hands up in the air with an intone and expression of exasperation, "Ansgar's balls! Why couldn't you have gone and got yourself in trouble before I got hitched? I would have- " He shook his head . Didn't matter. Redley knew. "I'm not free to make trouble anymore, you know. I got Leanna and Ethen to think about. Shit...and now the rest of those brats. Just what I always wanted, to become the ringmaster of my very own fucking Treyburn Circus. " Because they both knew Pa and Ma sure as hell wouldn't lift a finger.
He lowered his voice, "You better break free and help me. I mean it, man. Those little twerps drive me nuts. " He really did! Looking after brats was not his favorite pastime! And then a little more quietly, he murmured, "Good for her, huh? Suppose she's better off without us."
Redly's chuckle was soft but immediate; he was never down for very long, even in these circumstances. "That's what I want to hear. They need someone to look out for them. And, anyway, even if he convinces them to throw the book at me, I'll probably be demoted and have to spend a few nights in jail. Hell, I wasn't even armed."
Jana, though...
Redly frowned again at the thought. "Jana just killed a man, Brax. She's out there alone. Probably scared out of her mind. And, by this time tomorrow, Pa'll have the whole army out looking for her, too. If she finds somewhere -- anywhere -- to hide, it will be a miracle."
He peered around his younger brother, then, adding, "That's Ethen, I take it?" His smile returned, looking somewhat sad but definitely present. "I'll look forward to meeting him."
(( Some language. An F bomb or two.))
"You knew that you couldn't protect her forever, and surely she knew it too. I don't blame Jana for what she did, but she knew the consequences of her decisions and now she's going to have to live with them and fight for survival. That's the cost of freedom. Part of me wishes I had the balls to stick it to the parents... " He shook his head," Jana's a Treyburn. She'll survive. " Or she'd die. In all honesty, if Pa really wanted to find the girl, he would. Jana's chances were slim, but surely she had realized that too.
"Yeah, that's my boy. Looks like his mother more than me, but that's good for him. Gonna break a lotta hearts. Heh. I came to show him off to ya. Ansgar's balls, my timing is always shit, eh?" Braxton , grinned looking quite proud. But then his expression soured, " That bastard talks about my family as if they're not even human. I fucking hate him." He'd only admit as much to Redley because he knew the man wouldn't go around repeating that knowledge to anyone.
Redly breathed out a chuckle, in spite of the serious topic of conversation. "Yeah, I think you're going to be just fine, Brax. You'll have this place to escape to. That'll help."
It was a little space, anyway, and Angsar knew neither of them came over unless they wanted something, and that was rare enough.
Their father's deep voice drifted through the doorway at that moment. "I do not compromise!" Their mother's voice rose above his, hushing him again.
Redly wasn't stupid enough to believe his mother might be fighting on his behalf...
"What do you think that's all about?"
Braxton shrugged his shoulders, "Honestly? I dunno. Maybe she's trying to lighten the blow on ya? Might be concerned that I won't be able to handle the brats on my own and she'll actually have to take some responsibility for them. I know she doesn't trust Leanna to be competent enough to do much of anything. Hell, if she had her way she'd take Ethen and raise him herself. " He shuddered. That was an unsettling thought and something he wouldn't stand for.
He looked around the cabin, " Well, Leanna would appreciate an escape anyway." He chuckled, knowing this to be the truth, " I can't escape though. After what's happened, Pa will probably have me under a magnifying glass because Ansgar forbid another kid go and disgrace House Treyburn." He shook his head, " It's alright. I can handle him." He hardly felt as confident as he sounded.
Yeah, that was an unsettling thought... Especially because Ma's idea of raising her children was to make the other children do it for her. At least there was Dahlia... She was old enough and responsible enough to keep an eye on the kids.
"Just don't do anything dumb, Brax, and he won't have a reason to come out here looking for you. I know it'll be hard for you, but..." Redly grinned broadly at his little joke.
The grin faded as Pa Treyburn came back. Redly unconsciously straightened up; he always felt like his father was inspecting him and had for as long as he could remember. At least it had prepared him for the military...
"Your mother has brought up some good points," he began grudgingly, shooting the woman beside him a scalding look. "About what you may say under oath. About them. So, I am prepared to offer you a compromise." He sneered at the term. "Braxton, you will agree to this as well."
Redly shot a questioning look towards his brother; well, this was uncharacteristic of their father... Nevertheless, he nodded slightly to indicate he would obey.
"You will remain disowned, your belongings will still be removed, and you will still be addressed and go to trial."
Well, so far, it sounded exactly the same.
"However." Pa shot another disgusted look at Rose, who was standing by him with a serene look upon her face. "Although you will not be recognized as our son or heir, you are not banished. You may still visit your siblings, on occasion."
Catching the eye of his subordinates, he gestured for them to get out before he could continue.
Brax gave his brother a lopsided grin, but any reply he had to give would remain unspoken as Pa can storming back into the cabin. He didn't look all that happy either. Redley was not the only one who stood a little bit taller.
Blinking confusion, the second eldest Treyburn son risked a glance Redley's way and saw that Redley looked equally perplexed. Since when the hell did Pa negotiate? He nodded, "Yes , sir." He had no choice but to comply.
Surprise registered clearly on Brax's face when their father spoke the terms. He looked over their father's shoulder out towards where their mother still stood outside.
Once the men had gone, Darryn closed the door, blocking Rose, and his men, from Brax's view. With the three of them closed up in the cabin, and two of the three waiting for Darryn to continue, it became very quiet all of a sudden.
Darryn expected the boys to wait in silence; this was one of his favorite tactics to put people off-guard...
"You will swear to the tribunal that Jana joined the military in Reagan's place, not because he is dead but because he is a coward who refused the honor of serving."
Redly's face looked almost comical; of all the things he might have said, that certainly was not something he had considered. He floundered a minute, then began, "But..."
And was immediately silenced by a harsh glare.
"And you will testify that Reagan is Angsar knows where. You haven't heard from him in some time. Is that understood?" He included Braxton in his hawk-like gaze.
Redly's eye went to the wall, staring at it thoughtfully and hesitant to give an answer. It seemed a betrayal to both Reagan and Jana...
"What?! " Braxton blurted out without even thinking, which wasn't normal for him. Not around Pa. He snapped his mouth shut however, and shook his head. Well, shit. The whole thing left a bitter taste in his mouth but Regan was dead. What use was a reputation to him? And Jana? Well, either way she was pretty screwed. Why do you have to drag their names further into the mud?
"Understood, sir. " Again, it wasn't as though he had much of a choice. Fucking hate him.
Redly still hadn't given an answer, which wasn't unusual. He was sometimes slower to think things through than some of his other siblings were -- when he chose to think at all.
Darryn wasn't going to wait for him to think it through, however. He wanted an answer, and he wanted it immediately. Although he wasn't in the habit of explaining himself, typically, it seemed he had little choice. The negotiation, really, should have been left to Rose, likely. Instead, Darryn simply gravely stated, "It would...unfortunate...were the tribunal to learn about Reagan's death."
Yeah, Redly thought, unfortunate for him, maybe... "So you want me to lie to cover for you? Just because--" Speaking of that not thinking thing!
Their father cut him off, his much deeper voice easily rising above Redly's, in spite of the fact neither had even begun to raise his voice above acceptable inside levels. "You will lie, because if you do not, you will never step foot on this property, and you will never see any of your siblings or mother again. I will have you transferred as far from here as is possible. Your siblings will not seek you out. They will not write you. And should you try to come back to talk to them, I will have you arrested."
Any defiance Redly possessed was quickly slipping away. Darryn's words lacked the grace and subtlety with which Rose would have delivered them, but they were equally effective in quelling Redly's anger at his father. Being disowned was one thing, but what his father was threatening -- and what Redly knew he could do -- was something quite different. Never to see any of his siblings or to hear from them...to be cut-off entirely from the only people in the world he cared about...
He stared at his younger brother a moment, as if he were trying to memorize his face, as though this were, truly, the last time he would see him. And then, he dropped his gaze and nodded slightly. "I'll tell them Reagan's alive, sir."
Darryn nodded and stormed back outside, throwing open the door so hard it bounced against the wall and partially closed again.
((A bit of stong, mature language. It's Braxton so you should not be surprised. ))
Braxton watched the man leave, appearing outwardly calm but every bit seething on the inside. He shook his head and watched Pa storm out. He unfolded his arms from his chest and let them drop to his sides, "I was surprised at first, but when you think about it..."
"Bah, fuck him. " Braxton made a crude gesture at Pa's back and fortunately Ma was too preoccupied with Ethen to see it. He turned back to his brother and shook his head, " You want some help ? Not that I'm in a rush to be rid of ya. Y'know, just thought it'd be the least I could do. "
Since I haven't done a fucking thing. He told himself inwardly that it wasn't his fault. Not any of it, but he felt like shit anyway.
Redly laughed softly. Leave it to Brax! He was so predictable. It was a comfort...
"I don't think there's anything to help with, but I appreciate the offer. I'm still under arrest. And they'll probably send the servants round for the rest of this."
The lucky servants!
"If you don't mind, I think I'd like to meet your son before I'm thrown in jail, actually..." He grinned a bit. "If we can tear him away from Ma."
Braxton held up a hand, "Say no more. I got this," he left the cabin and approached his mother. He didn't afford a glance his father's way once and waited for a break in their conversation before he put a hand lightly on her shoulder, " I'm gonna take this little guy off your hands for a bit, ma. Don't mind me."
Before his mother or father could protest, he swept the baby out of her arms and carried him back to the cabin and held the lad up for his brother to see, "Ethen, meet your uncle Redley. Redley, this is my boy."
"Hello, Ethen," Redly said, smiling down at the baby in Brax's arms. Reaching out with his hand, he enclosed Ethen's tiny hand in his for a baby-sized handshake. "You're going to be trouble for your dad, I think, if you're anything like he is."
Redly offered his brother a broad grin. "You're right about him looking like Leanna, though..." But he'd be a Treyburn, through and through, just like any of them!
A handful of soldiers appeared at the edge of the property, looking a bit defeated. It made Redly grin. "Looks like Jana got away after all."
Well, good. Hopefully she'd be smart and keep her head down...
Braxton guffawed, "I doubt that the wife'll allow it! You haven't seen what she's like when she gets cross. She could probably make even pa shake in his boots if she had a mind for it, " Although , Redley was absolutely right! If Ethen was any bit true to the Treyburn blood, he'd be a real handful.
"Yep. He's got her nose, her eyes and even her mouth. " Braxton lightly poked each feature with a finger and the baby gurgled gleefully as if it tickled. He chuckled, and looked up when Red mentioned Jana. "Good for her . Heheh...he's gonna be so pissed." Braxton laughed because it was funny , but it wasn't. "This'll be fun."
He shook his head, "You wanna hold the little guy for a bit?"
Sadly, it wasn't to be. Darryn's voice rose from where he stood, consulting with the returned soldiers. "Redly, you will submit yourself to Williams immediately. Jones, gather up the property of the military and take it back with you. Williams, arrest Redly and take him to prison. The rest of you..."
He was dishing out orders, now, to his men, ignoring his sons, his wife, and his grandson.
"Looks like we're out of time," Redly said instead, reaching out his hand to pat his brother on the shoulder. "You take care of yourself, Brax. And Ethen and Leanna."
"The old bastard doesn't waste a fucking moment, does he?" Braxton sneered and shook his head as their father started barking commands to his men. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye for now. " He looked down at his son , "Say goodbye to Uncle Red." The baby giggled and and flailed his little chubby hands about above his head, trying to grab for his papa's shirt. Well, it wasn't quite a wave, but close enough!
He nodded to Redley and moved for the door, " He won't be the one always be calling the shots. Things'll get better one day, I'll see to that. " He paused in the doorway and looked back over his shoulder with a smirk, "See ya, Big Red. Don't make too much trouble without me. "
And then he walked out the door.