What I Give

[ChainedDragons 1374]

Spoiler

 

What I give

"Run away with me"

"What is he thinking?!"

"Iudas is hunting you, he's searched Tir'glas."

"We're going to the Capital."

Blood pounded in the thin skin of his ears. Whilst he heard everyone speaking, the words never got through as Bron's focus remained on the rat that refused to stop biting. It's been 40 years and yet the Magister still slinks after his shadow as if it were a prize. 

 

"If one is to call themselves the 'Devil of Idunia' then they should very well represent their kind well, don't you think?"

 

Bron's heart hammered in his chest. The familiar anxiety of ones life teeter tottering closer and closer to the edge eating at him. Trust. He had to trust those around him. They've known him for years. They had his back. Trust. 

 

"Matters of military desertion are firmly a secular manner."

"For exactly that, REDEMPTION."

"Tell mich, Magister, what exactly does dur redemption entail?"

 

They walked into the grand church within Idunia's walls, Bron told to take to the stands. All those who came in his defense stood around in the observer seats. Solveig tried to stay by his side, the clergy speaking to her in warning to go sit with the others. 

"Go.. is fine Solveig."

 

It wasn't lost on Bron that the last time he was allowed into a sanctuary such as this he was nearly impaled on a Grail mens' sword. He took to the pulpit, black eyes peering at those who would ask him;

 

"Bronadron Callaghan, do you have anything to confess?"

 

The devil rolls his shoulders and pops his neck, easing the tension that had settled in before speaking. "Eam confession. Ea made a poor choice without thinking it all the way through."

Spoiler

Inner thoughts: I made a choice to choose happiness at my own expense. 

"Ea thought ea would serve better by leaving Idunia for the time being."

Spoiler

Inner thoughts: I know that running is the easier option than to stay and have what I want blatantly before you, it is my cry of defiance.

"Ser Arthur wrote to ea and explained the error ea was making. Ea then realized eam mistake and decided to stay."

Spoiler

Inner thoughts: I know she was scared. But how much longer can the both of us run from our problems?

"Bronadron, you have failed to stay fast to your station, as bid of us in the Canticle of Fidelity in the scroll of Virtue. - For your penance your horns will be shorn off. That when you catch your own gaze it be a reminder of what you tried to give up. And should they regrow, they will be shorn off again."

Bron listened to the voices of protest of the fairness of this punishment. His black pools settled on the magister. He knew he was getting enjoyment from this. Knocking him down yet another peg. But he responded no further and looked to Ser Llewyn.

"Ea request that Ser Llewyn would be the one to remove eam horns then."

 

As the 'confession' closed Bron was bidden to rest his head over a side table. The devil brushed the candles aside, laying his chin down. He trusted Ser Llewyn to not be cruel about this. The man likely had no desire to do this punishment in the first place. But something had to give. Bron closed his eyes to keep horn shavings from getting his eyes as he felt the pressure sawing back and forth on his infernally given crown. Upon bringing his head back he nearly staggered, a weight once there now gone.

He touches the shorn stubs tentatively, one bidding in an attempt of comfort. "At least you can wear a proper helm now."
Right.
He inhales deeply before departing from the church halls. For a place that was supposed to breath light into its people it always seemed to show him the darker parts beneath.
 

Spoiler

A surprise conversation he had whilst returning home from the most unlikely of people:
"Did God ever care for folk like ea? Did he believe we could change?"
The specter pondered.
"The Almighty would not create a being who could love, who he did not love himself. That is the measure of his children."

"It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth." - Thomas Fuller (1650).

Edited December 29, 2025 by ChainedDragons
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[Two2the 365]

[Marthia 273]

R

[JediMaestro 244]

2 hours ago, Stinthad said:

 

Spoiler

It's all Solveig's fault, post in progress. Stay tuned.

 

[The Vulgate Cycle 578]

The Grail men, the Empire, the brutality and the wars is all Ser Arthur could think of as he stood in the Temple and watch the Magister go through the motions of extracting a confession from Bronadron. He has shown up in his armor, because he had run out of patience for it all, for once, he wanted to show just how little he cared for the clergy. It took a great effort of will to reel it back after he had made his point. 

 

Bronadron, in his mind, had done something stupid, out of impulse. He prayed to Aeradar it would never happen again. And as much as he would have prefered the Idunian Host handle it, a part of him was glad the saga was over, so he could focus on other things. 

 

"Trust that we are doing the best we can despite everything."