Gareth rode into the castle the next day with a basket hanging from his elbow, eager to bring Ren the news. What he found instead was Colin waiting near the stable. He was immediately struck with anxiety as he dismounted. Colin was usually only here in the evenings.
He didn't much care for Colin, but he rarely saw him. Colin hadn't done much since joining the King's Guard to earn the discomfort Gareth felt around him. Maybe he was only a reminder. One of few people left who remembered the old king, remembered Randaghast, remembered what Gareth had been.
Which wasn't necessarily fair, when the mere fact of his staying suggested he'd been as much Ranulf's victim as anyone else. Aside from Gareth, anyway. Gareth would talk himself down from many things, but not from the fact that he'd borne the worst of it.
"There was an incident," Colin said, wringing his hands. Gareth made him uncomfortable, too. It was obvious every time they had to be near each other, now that he didn't have a prince standing between them.
"Clarify," Gareth said, standing stock-still except for the tail lashing behind him. Colin flinched.
"Grilka," Colin said slowly. "She found Ren in the wrong room last night, I guess the rats… they got Grilka's attention. It looked like she drank poison." Gareth advanced on him, and stopped when Colin threw his arms up in front of his face. "She's okay!" he said quickly. "She's… well, she's stable, anyway. Grilka got her to the hospital wing."
Gareth tried to focus on his breathing so he wouldn't shake Colin until his neck snapped. "How did this happen?" he asked finally.
"We really don't know," Colin said. "Grilka said it seemed like someone had… been to see her. While you were away. Maybe the King, I don't know." Gareth's fists clenched. "The other room wasn't far from hers, Dr. Karek said it seemed like some kind of nightshade infusion."
Gareth's blood turned to ice. "Was it…" But, no. He didn't even need to ask. Where else would she have found that? "Why was she in that wing?" he demanded instead, advancing on Colin as he retreated. No one was supposed to be in there anymore. It was supposed to be for storage, using only less isolated rooms for the dorms.
"We didn't know what else to do with her!" Colin said helplessly. "The rats—they were getting everywhere. We asked her to stop, but it didn't seem fair to everyone else. Letting rats get into their things. She never wanted to socialize anyway, so we thought—it seemed like the best option. There are so many rats."
Gareth stopped, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. If someone had told him, he could have had a talk with her sooner about the rats. Keeping them out of other people's rooms. Making more of an effort to be social. Anything. But it wasn't fair to expect them to know that, when they'd tried talking to her already and she hadn't wanted to listen. He knew firsthand how hard it could be to get her listening.
"She's in the hospital wing, then," he said finally. Colin nodded, and Gareth pushed past him to head there.
Gareth sat next to her bed, the basket he'd brought sitting forgotten by his feet. He wanted to touch her, but he was also scared to touch her.
Logically, she'd been bored and thought she'd found liquor.
He couldn't shake the fear that Avi had done something stupid, and she'd gone and poisoned herself afterward.
He wouldn't. Avi wouldn't have. Not like that, not like—
If she'd agreed to something she shouldn't have, maybe. Something she regretted. If he'd said something in the heat of the moment that she'd taken to heart.
She looked so pale.
He touched her hand, just a little.
He didn't much care for Colin, but he rarely saw him. Colin hadn't done much since joining the King's Guard to earn the discomfort Gareth felt around him. Maybe he was only a reminder. One of few people left who remembered the old king, remembered Randaghast, remembered what Gareth had been.
Which wasn't necessarily fair, when the mere fact of his staying suggested he'd been as much Ranulf's victim as anyone else. Aside from Gareth, anyway. Gareth would talk himself down from many things, but not from the fact that he'd borne the worst of it.
"There was an incident," Colin said, wringing his hands. Gareth made him uncomfortable, too. It was obvious every time they had to be near each other, now that he didn't have a prince standing between them.
"Clarify," Gareth said, standing stock-still except for the tail lashing behind him. Colin flinched.
"Grilka," Colin said slowly. "She found Ren in the wrong room last night, I guess the rats… they got Grilka's attention. It looked like she drank poison." Gareth advanced on him, and stopped when Colin threw his arms up in front of his face. "She's okay!" he said quickly. "She's… well, she's stable, anyway. Grilka got her to the hospital wing."
Gareth tried to focus on his breathing so he wouldn't shake Colin until his neck snapped. "How did this happen?" he asked finally.
"We really don't know," Colin said. "Grilka said it seemed like someone had… been to see her. While you were away. Maybe the King, I don't know." Gareth's fists clenched. "The other room wasn't far from hers, Dr. Karek said it seemed like some kind of nightshade infusion."
Gareth's blood turned to ice. "Was it…" But, no. He didn't even need to ask. Where else would she have found that? "Why was she in that wing?" he demanded instead, advancing on Colin as he retreated. No one was supposed to be in there anymore. It was supposed to be for storage, using only less isolated rooms for the dorms.
"We didn't know what else to do with her!" Colin said helplessly. "The rats—they were getting everywhere. We asked her to stop, but it didn't seem fair to everyone else. Letting rats get into their things. She never wanted to socialize anyway, so we thought—it seemed like the best option. There are so many rats."
Gareth stopped, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. If someone had told him, he could have had a talk with her sooner about the rats. Keeping them out of other people's rooms. Making more of an effort to be social. Anything. But it wasn't fair to expect them to know that, when they'd tried talking to her already and she hadn't wanted to listen. He knew firsthand how hard it could be to get her listening.
"She's in the hospital wing, then," he said finally. Colin nodded, and Gareth pushed past him to head there.
Gareth sat next to her bed, the basket he'd brought sitting forgotten by his feet. He wanted to touch her, but he was also scared to touch her.
Logically, she'd been bored and thought she'd found liquor.
He couldn't shake the fear that Avi had done something stupid, and she'd gone and poisoned herself afterward.
He wouldn't. Avi wouldn't have. Not like that, not like—
If she'd agreed to something she shouldn't have, maybe. Something she regretted. If he'd said something in the heat of the moment that she'd taken to heart.
She looked so pale.
He touched her hand, just a little.
The following 2 users Like Tindome's post: liarliaronapyre, SolitareLee
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Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 06:20 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 06:41 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 07:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-05-2019, 07:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-05-2019, 07:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 03:30 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 04:36 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 07:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 08:24 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 09:27 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 09:58 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 10:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 11:19 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 12:00 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 12:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 02:31 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 03:32 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-06-2019, 04:13 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2019, 11:22 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 05:25 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-07-2019, 08:51 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 09:48 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-07-2019, 12:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-07-2019, 01:03 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-08-2019, 02:11 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-08-2019, 03:29 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-08-2019, 04:52 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-08-2019, 05:21 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-09-2019, 03:53 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-09-2019, 04:29 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-10-2019, 11:08 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-10-2019, 11:32 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-10-2019, 04:34 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-10-2019, 05:19 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 01:09 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 03:49 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 06:07 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 07:35 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 10:08 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 11:03 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-11-2019, 04:17 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-11-2019, 04:56 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-12-2019, 04:23 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-12-2019, 06:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-12-2019, 11:02 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-12-2019, 11:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 02:14 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 03:07 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 10:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 11:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 02:16 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 02:52 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-22-2019, 03:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-22-2019, 05:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 01:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 02:37 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 03:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 05:47 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 10:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 11:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 01:37 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 02:09 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 03:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 03:24 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-23-2019, 04:58 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-23-2019, 05:31 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 11:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-24-2019, 11:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 01:44 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-24-2019, 02:26 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-24-2019, 11:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 12:24 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 09:09 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 09:41 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 12:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 12:33 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 03:11 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-25-2019, 03:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-25-2019, 11:43 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 06:35 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-26-2019, 01:02 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 01:50 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-26-2019, 03:39 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-26-2019, 04:09 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-27-2019, 04:17 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-27-2019, 07:50 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-27-2019, 03:40 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-27-2019, 04:27 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-28-2019, 10:20 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-28-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-28-2019, 01:45 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-28-2019, 02:20 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 06:33 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 07:42 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 08:30 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 08:41 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 09:54 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 10:38 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 12:01 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 12:21 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 01:10 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 01:29 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 01:47 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 02:17 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 02:35 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 02:54 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 04:07 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 04:33 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 04:59 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-29-2019, 05:14 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-29-2019, 11:46 PM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 12:19 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 04:25 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 05:05 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 09:59 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 10:12 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-30-2019, 10:29 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 11-30-2019, 10:54 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 06:15 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 06:47 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 08:10 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 08:27 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by Tindome - 12-01-2019, 09:11 AM
RE: Beg Off [Closed] - by SolitareLee - 12-01-2019, 09:25 AM