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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 9.5, Shock and Awe

Tobias had visited the Newport Cathedral often in his youth at the behest of his father. Gabe Severna had been as strict a man as any Tobias had ever met but he had always meant well. Since the passing of his wife, however, the elder Severna rarely ever left the eastern quarter and that meant he didn't bother to visit Tobias, let alone force him to attend services. Although he didn't consider himself highly religious Tobias was still one to fit in and so he usually managed a visit once or twice a month as was suitable for a proper gentleman. Of course the past visits were nothing compared to what he faced after following Sada de'Ahm in through the catacombs.

The grizzly discoveries and clandestine secrets laid bare before the Prong Horn numbed his mind and his encounter with the Inquisitors was nearly enough to stop his heart. How strange it was then that he couldn't bring himself to seek an exit the moment he was released from his obligation. Not as strange he realized when he considered that the situation was not at all different from his intervention with the attack on the Yew Tribe: people needed help so he would do what he could. No, he realized, choosing to join Friar Arlowe and Cruff in the halls of the Church attempting to help the injured and dying wasn't really a choice at all; it was a necessity.

After the group split up Tobias stepped into line beside Cruff as the two followed Friar Arlowe out into the halls. Friar Juun had provided them directions to the makeshift medical ward set up by the Wyranese forces aiding the Bishop; they would be able to help injured soldiers and bystanders as well. The one thing that the destination WOULDN'T provide however were answers and that was something Tobias desperately sought.

Having little grounds for objection the Prong Horn was left accompanying the two Raccoon Dogs through the many twists and turns of the Cathedral's back halls. After nearly five minutes of winding hallways the scholar was unable to stop the comment from escaping. "I had no idea that the house of God was so... labyrinthine."

Cruff's response was so deadpanned that he had a hard time figuring out if the young Raccoon Dog was agreeing with him or picking on him. "The Church prides itself on showing people the way. That's hard to do if there's just a single hall."

Apparently Friar Arlowe was able to decipher his son's humor. "Figuratively and literally, Cruffington. The back halls are not for visitors and are meant to be difficult to navigate without help from one of the clergy. If you are not supposed to be back here then you would have a hard time on your own. There are some things in life that require a guide. Humor aside that IS a suitable metaphor for life itself."

Cruff shrugged. "It's really not all that different at the University."

Tobias had recalled that Cruff was enrolled there as a student. He couldn't help but offer his own touch of wit into the conversation. "Well let's hope there aren't any invading armies over there too, shall we?"

The conversation came to a close as Friar Arlowe led them through a closed door and they entered a room filled with cots; the cots were filled with bodies; the bodies were covered in bandages; the bandages were covered in blood. If there were ever a time for humor to come to an end Tobias couldn't think of a better one. The Monk in the lead of their group made a sign in front of his chest with a gesture as he gasped. "God be merciful..."

Other than a few dozen wounded the rest of the room's occupants were rounded out by a collection of hospitalers, healers, and a handful of Wyranese soldiers. It was the last group that caught Tobias' attention the most prominently when they approached the three of them with paws on their weapons. A particularly rough-and-tumble Razorback was at the lead of the warriors and it was he who addressed them in heavily accented but still relatively comprehensible Lehsunian. "This is a triage center and is off limits."

Friar Arlowe held up his paws in deference. "We came here to help. Friar Juun sent us. I am Friar Arlowe; this is my son Cruffington and this gentleman is--"

A very loud, boisterous voice boomed above all others in a hearty exclamation. "Well purge my bilge! If it ain't Arlowe and-- is that ye, Rolf?"

Tobias didn't have to rethink the name even if it was spoken in a heavily accented voice. He turned immediately to regard a hulking Sea Otter dressed in the casual garb of a Church Missionary, sans the robe. The enormous man filled the room with body as well as attitude but at least the soldiers seemed to defer to him, taking a step back at his apparent recognition of the party. Before anybody had a chance to say anything else Tobias quickly interjected. "Rolf Severna? You know Rolf?"

He hadn't seen his brother in years and had all but figured he had disappeared ever since that fateful night... a night when-- suddenly he realized why the Otter was so disconcerting; he had seen him once before the night when Rolf had left them and never come back. The man's attention was wholly on Tobias at that point and the Prong Horn shrank away from stare. "Nah... ye ain't Rolf... ye got brown horns an' his--"

Tobias interrupted him. "Black. Rolf had black horns. You were there when he left."

Friar Arlowe interposed himself between the two and addressed the Otter. "This is Tobias... Rolf's younger brother."

There was more said but Tobias blanked it out; with an introduction like that it almost sounded as if Arlowe had KNOWN Rolf. He hadn't ever recalled talking about his brother but then again Rolf HAD spent some time at the Cathedral so it was possible that Friar Arlowe might have run into him but the way in which he dealt with the Otter led to the Prong Horn believing that there was a degree of familiarity especially when they embraced one another which suggested that-- he had to stop and take a mental breath once he realized his mind had been rambling better than his mouth ever could. By that point they were both looking at him. It was the Otter who spoke up first. "Well? Did ye or didn't ye, boy?"

Tobias stood a little straighter tugging his vest into place as he cleared his throat, working to provide an outward serenity that reflected the opposite of his internal tempest. "I apologize; could you please repeat the question?"

The man rolled his eyes and took a step closer. "Rolf sent ye letter after letter fer the four years we served t'gether on his first ship. He never heard back from ye... so either ye got the letters or ye didn't. Which is it?"

The Prong Horn was at a loss for words; Rolf had disappeared from his life entirely. He had never received anything and for all could have known his older brother had died. There had certainly been no mention of letters arriving for him. His father-- Tobias' mind came to a crashing halt. He remembered the not-quite-quiet-enough arguments between his parents late at night and specifically his Owa saying that they were for Tobias. The answer came to his lips before he had a chance to second-guess it. "I... I think my father burned them. I never saw any letters."

Cruff reached out and rested a paw on Tobias' shoulder. "Fathers do some crazy things sometimes... believe me, I know. It doesn't mean he--"

The scholar brushed the paw away. "He did it to protect me. My father knew that I would probably try to follow in his hoof prints if we stayed in contact and I didn't have the same kind of... of... well... of EVERYTHING that Rolf did."

The Otter let out a huffing blast of a laugh followed by a single word. "Does. Still hasn't lost it, the crazy fool."

Friar Arlowe changed the subject and despite how much Tobias wanted to continue talking about his brother he realized that there would have to be time for it later; the Raccoon Dog's topic WAS the entire reason they were there in the first place. "Gustave... we're here to aid with the care of these people. How can we help?"

The Sea Otter placed his paws on his hips as he looked the group up and down. "Well, assumin' any a ye have medical knowledge ye can help here... I can't stay-- gotta go find th' Bishop... he's lookin' a stop all the shite once'n'fer all."

The Friar nodded. "Very well. I wish you and Bishop Fulgaré luck."

Before the Otter could disappear Tobias quickly spoke up; he still had to know about his brother, even if it were in passing. "Brother Gust--"

He was quickly corrected. "Reverend. I ain't full clergy, boy... just allowed t'preach."

"REVEREND Gustave... do you know where my brother is now? Do you know where Rolf is?"

Gustave flashed his impressive set of needle-teeth in a grin. "Prolly swingin' a sword right next t' Fulgaré if I were t'guess."

For what was probably the sixth time that day Tobias questioned his course of action due to newly revealed information. While his brain managed to assimilate that much in a perfectly logical and though-out manner his actual verbal response was much less eloquent. "BWAH?"