Friday Fic: Seven

Recently, someone at SI:7 made a move against the Wildfire Riders. At the expense of Arrens, they trumped up some charges and sent Tarquin running to Dalaran. That was the first move. Petty bureaucrats and lower-status gangs then started nibbling at the Rider’s flanks. It is not a good time to wear the Black and Red.

Now my computer has nothing against the Riders. It did, however, have a nasty screen flickering issue that needed looking into. So I am out of the game for another week or so. The current Riders situation, combined with my forced break, led to this particular story. Here, Bricu is forced to be apart from his friends and family as they head to war.

Bricu spent seven days, visiting seven different officers, to receive the same bloody answer: “Talk to my superior.”

After a week of visiting military personnel across the Alliance, Bricu was finally summoned to see Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker. The orders he received included notice to “pack your field kit and discuss deployment.” So he arrived at the Cathedral, with Wot in tow, his bags fully packed.

“Hold the reigns boyo, I’ll be back in a wee bit,” he said to his nervous squire. Wot simply nodded.

In Brother Sarno’s place, there was another friar who greeted Bricu with a traditional and almost sincere blessing. Bricu didn’t acknowledge his presence. He marched directly to Shadowbreaker’s private chamber.

“OI! Grayson!” Bricu shouted. “Yeh gonna tell me what this is about then?!”

“Bittertongue, you will be respectful in this house of worship!” Grayson said. He was ministering to another paladin–one who had just won her spurs. She glared at Bricu. He ignored her as well.

“Then let’s go fer a walk outside, yer Lordship.” Bricu said.

“Very well. I will meet you in the courtyard in a quarter of an hour.” Grayson replied. He kept an even tone and an impassive look. If Bricu’s outburst had moved him, he didn’t show it.

Bricu started to yell, but he stopped himself. “Right. In a quarter o’an hour,” he said quietly. He marched back outside, his head slightly bowed in deference to the house of worship.

–

Fifteen minutes later, Grayson Shadowbreaker met Bricu by the fountain outside of the Cathedral of Light. Bricu stopped his pacing and folded his arms across his chest when he saw his superior officer.

“You’re not being sent to the front,” Grayson said simply.

Bricu narrowed his eyes. “Go on, squire.”

“The Alliance High Command has need for soldiers on other fronts. If the Horde…”

“Ballacks t’the Horde! Yeh know exactly what this ’bout!” Bricu said.

“No. I don’t.” Grayson replied. “I know enough. Your name has been bouncing between various divisions and regiments. Finally, it came back to me. I don’t care how it did, I am just using it as an opportunity to guide you back to the proper path.” Bricu rolled his eyes while Grayson spoke. For his part, Grayson continued preaching. “This has to do with your choice of comrades and behaviors. Think of it as penance. You have a chance here not to just learn, but to guide others…”

“Bugger yer penance. This is from SI:7. Don’t give me shite ’bout spiritual growth when yer workin’ for thugs in King’s Colors!”

“The opportunity is still there, regardless of who originated it,” Grayson said, “and this is still your penance. You chose to align yourself with miscreants and ne’er do wells. You have thumbed your nose at our rules and traditions. You have abused your position as a paladin and the Light to your own ends. The Light is working to show you the error of your ways. What else did you expect here?”

“I didn’t expect a one-eyed ponce t’fuckin’ sell me up the river, an’ say it’s fuckin’ good fer me!”

“I’m not selling you anywhere, you arrogant foul mouthed angry fool! I’m helping you,” Grayson said with strained calm.

“By takin’ me away from Threnny an’ my friends at the beginnin’ o’the siege at The Bloody Prince’s door! How the fuck is this helpin’ me?”

“You,” Grayson leveled a finger at Bricu, “were a sergeant. At Valiance Keep, you did not just play at being a sergeant, you even resumed your post. Did you actually think you would get away with it?”

“Aye. I did. In fact, I’m pretty fuckin’ sure I can get away with most shite I’ve pulled. That’s why I keep doin’ it.”

“Tarquin Ap’Danwyrth is significantly more clever than you, and it caught up to him in a dramatic fashion,” Grayson said. He paused a moment to let the words sink in. “They have no need to hang you. They can have you fight in battle after battle until your luck runs out. But, I am providing you with a different path. While the Wrathgate was doomed–”

Bricu spit at Grayson’s feet as he spoke of Wrathgate. Grayson continued.

“You did significant good for those conscripts and recruits. I think if you reconnect to your roots, you can see the error of your ways. I’ve made sure that you are going to supervise conscripts and recruits on the other fronts. When you’ve learned the lessons…”

“We march on the Bloody Prince an’ yeh want t’teach me a lesson’ ’bout followin’ orders? Don’t justfiy this shite that way. Yer fuckin’ SI:7′s water boy, at least be honest ’bout that yeh fuckin’ tosser.”

“The Light hands us an opportunity…”

“An yeh fuckin’ take it. Mold it any way yeh want, yer just another fuckin’ bullshite artist.”

“It is your opportunity to redeem…”

“Oi.” Bricu said. He took a step closer to Grayson, and met his glare. “I’ll redeem meself when I feel I’ve sinned. Till then, fuck off back on yer high horse, yer lordship. I’ll go fight an see good folk die. Then I’ll ship north an’ work with those who are fightin’ the good fight. Yeh stay home an’ pray for those folk who are goin’ to fight on yer behalf.”

Lord Grayson started to counter, but Bricu had already turned his back on him. He walked towards Wot, who was holding the reins of his pony and Bricu’s charger. Wot stared at the cobblestones at his feet.

Bricu mounted his charger in one fluid motion. Grayson was still there, glaring daggers at Bricu. “Here’s the deal, lordship,” he said from the back of his charger. “Yeh might think this is an opportunity fer me, fer Threnny an’ Naiara, but that’s just a fuckin’ lie t’make yerself feel better. This is yeh gettin’ a chance t’bugger me o’er a barrel. Hide it any way yeh want, yer just playin’ 7′s game. Yeh fuckin’ love it. Its why yeh didn’t need t’shout at me. Strewth, next time yeh chose t’play Shaw’s games, leave it t’Sarno. At least he had the fuckin’ decency not t’lie t’me ’bout his fuckin’ reasons. Now if yeh’ll excuse me, I’m takin’ me high horse an’ me squire t’me missus. I’m sure she’ll be down t’say hello in a hour or so.”

Bricu, with Wot in tow, trotted towards the Gilded Rose. Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker returned to his sanctum and prayed.

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