Episode 1x11 "Walking Dead Man" [Part 3]
Oct. 26th, 2007 11:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
queenofmayThe event could only be put off so long.
Even as she braided, unbraided and rebraided her hair three times.
First breakfast and then the gathering of the crowd, both of nobles and peasants, to watch the feat.
"Good morning everyone and welcome to my Festival of Pain. I want to talk to you about community taxes. Taxes are a fact. The cost of living in a free country. Now, if you do not pay your taxes you sacrifice that freedom and must be punished accordingly. I am sick and tired of your sob stories. Can't pay, too old, too sick. Is this going to help out beloved King in Acre, hm? A clue, no! Those who understand this, they will survive. For those who defy me, well..."
The gasps rose in horror as a curtain was pulled up to reveal the Chair of Delights, a monstrous and dangerous looking thing, and Marian shifted in her seat. Her mind was still taking in what the Sherriff was prattling onward to say. Subtly referring to those who helped Robin, to those who'd broken other laws, to those who were costing the nobles more by denying the laws--but her stomach was turning again and again and again as more sheets were lifted. All the tables in the great hall revealing devices for torture and mutilation, and, even, death.
Marian tried to get away, saying she felt unwell but he foisted a cloved orange on her. How could she sit by and do nothing and how could she do anything with all these eyes upon her?
The cooper, John's wife and song, were brought before the coals which lined the center of the hall. The Sheriff took perverse pleasure in getting up to narrate the whole drama, pushing them to who would be wounded first. Whether the cooper, or the boy, should be made to walk the coals first, talking about innocent gallantry of youth. They were, the three of them, but the child most of all, pushed closer and closer and closer to the coals, while the Sheriff laughed and cheered.
Until John started yelling, breaking free of the board they had him chained to, which threw the hall into pandemonium. The Sheriff was screaming, guards were running and trying to fend him off. He was hard to fend, not only was it his outrage but John was very large man. Just then above their heads, almost directly above her, Robin's voice rang out:
"Charity starts at home Vasey!"
Coins, from the Kings Taxes, rained down on the great hall as Allan and Robin threw them. Chaos grew more as people ran both for the money and for freedom, having become unchained due to the previous passing of the handcuff key the day before. The men took out the guards, while Vasey was entirely distracted by trying to stop people from taking his money. Distracted by looking up and smiling at Robin she missed John's first attack on the sheriff, but Robin screaming his name turned it back.
Robin came swinging down to knock back the guards that tried to take John down, but it was Alice, with her hand on the knife who spoke through her long vanished husbands red vision. It was she who saved Vasey by reminding John that he was no murderer. Not content with having kept his life, Vasey tried to goad the man for not killing him the instant he was no longer pinned, and Marian relished watching the punch that came.
Seeing the Sheriff arc back to the floor unconscious, then bound and gagged upside down to his Chair of Delights.
This was definitely the best Festival of Pain she'd ever been to.
Even as she braided, unbraided and rebraided her hair three times.
First breakfast and then the gathering of the crowd, both of nobles and peasants, to watch the feat.
"Good morning everyone and welcome to my Festival of Pain. I want to talk to you about community taxes. Taxes are a fact. The cost of living in a free country. Now, if you do not pay your taxes you sacrifice that freedom and must be punished accordingly. I am sick and tired of your sob stories. Can't pay, too old, too sick. Is this going to help out beloved King in Acre, hm? A clue, no! Those who understand this, they will survive. For those who defy me, well..."
The gasps rose in horror as a curtain was pulled up to reveal the Chair of Delights, a monstrous and dangerous looking thing, and Marian shifted in her seat. Her mind was still taking in what the Sherriff was prattling onward to say. Subtly referring to those who helped Robin, to those who'd broken other laws, to those who were costing the nobles more by denying the laws--but her stomach was turning again and again and again as more sheets were lifted. All the tables in the great hall revealing devices for torture and mutilation, and, even, death.
Marian tried to get away, saying she felt unwell but he foisted a cloved orange on her. How could she sit by and do nothing and how could she do anything with all these eyes upon her?
The cooper, John's wife and song, were brought before the coals which lined the center of the hall. The Sheriff took perverse pleasure in getting up to narrate the whole drama, pushing them to who would be wounded first. Whether the cooper, or the boy, should be made to walk the coals first, talking about innocent gallantry of youth. They were, the three of them, but the child most of all, pushed closer and closer and closer to the coals, while the Sheriff laughed and cheered.
Until John started yelling, breaking free of the board they had him chained to, which threw the hall into pandemonium. The Sheriff was screaming, guards were running and trying to fend him off. He was hard to fend, not only was it his outrage but John was very large man. Just then above their heads, almost directly above her, Robin's voice rang out:
"Charity starts at home Vasey!"
Coins, from the Kings Taxes, rained down on the great hall as Allan and Robin threw them. Chaos grew more as people ran both for the money and for freedom, having become unchained due to the previous passing of the handcuff key the day before. The men took out the guards, while Vasey was entirely distracted by trying to stop people from taking his money. Distracted by looking up and smiling at Robin she missed John's first attack on the sheriff, but Robin screaming his name turned it back.
Robin came swinging down to knock back the guards that tried to take John down, but it was Alice, with her hand on the knife who spoke through her long vanished husbands red vision. It was she who saved Vasey by reminding John that he was no murderer. Not content with having kept his life, Vasey tried to goad the man for not killing him the instant he was no longer pinned, and Marian relished watching the punch that came.
Seeing the Sheriff arc back to the floor unconscious, then bound and gagged upside down to his Chair of Delights.
This was definitely the best Festival of Pain she'd ever been to.