Fifth day in Nottingham Castle

[stuck_mynock]

Atton's not been having fun.

The guards aren't imaginative, but they do take a certain delight in their cruelty, and Atton's been given barely any chance to rest over the past almost-week. His arms are aching from being chained up, and his face and torso has a constant, burning ache from the abuse its been through over the past five days.

He's waiting, though, for an opportunity.

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[will_scarlett]

"Good, 'ave some ale, saved some for ye an some o'those pies that the cook tries to 'ide from us."

Ale is poured into the mug he's holding and a lukewarm pie handed over as they push stuff off a bench to sit on.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Inwardly, Atton swears. Any delay is a bad delay.

Outwardly, he seems pleased, amiable. He sits down, taking the ale and the pie.

He realises that there's no way they won't see the bruises on his face if he's sitting and eating them. He takes the opposite approach instead. He looks up, letting the firelight illuminate his face, and rubbing along the bruises - There's enough now that they look sort of like one or two large bruises.

Gulping down his ale. "I swear, that prisoner's got a 'ard 'ead. 'ow bad does it look?"

[will_scarlett]

The guard who's more in charge laughs,

"Ye'll be all sorts o'pretty colors for days. 'fraid I'll just 'ave to let that pretty Jenny know ye willna be seein' 'er for a bit."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Smirking: "I could get 'er to bathe my wounds. Tell 'er 'ow I got 'em defending Nottingham against an outlaw."

[will_scarlett]

That just makes all the guards laugh and one of them pat Atton on the back,

"Oh aye, sure ye can, 'arald, love to see ye try."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton finishes off his ale.
"Aye, ye'll see." He eats the pie, quickly, before slapping one guard on the shoulder and rising to his feet. "I'll be back soon. Goin' to return this mug where I found it."

[will_scarlett]

"Good, dinna miss yer watch else ye'll pay."

The guard who's more in charge says with a cruel laugh.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Aye, I won't."

He hurries out.

[will_scarlett]

Up from the landing, things are still fairly quiet since most of the castle is asleep with a few guards wandering about since their barracks are just up from the dungeons.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton needs to find his weapons. He'll need them if he ever returns to Arcadia.

So, he approaches one of the guards, smart and confident.

"Sir Guy sent me to find the newest prisoner's weapons. Where were they taken?"

[will_scarlett]

The guard gives him a rather disbelieving look,

"Sheriff took the sword and gauntlet an 'e'll na be givin' 'em up to a fool like ye."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"I'll let 'im decide that."

[will_scarlett]

"Good luck then, ye can go on yer own."

He just sneers at Atton before walking off.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton watches him go, then waits for another guard.

"The Sheriff's rooms are at the top of the castle, aye?" If he's wrong, then he's hoping the guard will correct him.

[will_scarlett]

The question gets a blink,

"Aye, ye drunk?"

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Sadly: "A little bit."

[will_scarlett]

"Then dinna go wakin' the Sheriff, 'e'll 'ave yer 'ide."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Aye, I'll wait until mornin'. I'll be much more sobererer by then, and 'e won't get so angry with me."

Atton slings an arm around the guard's shoulders, leaning in close - Given that he's just had ale, it's easy to smell it on his breath, even if he isn't really drunk. He might as well play it up for information.

"I - I'm a terrible person, ye know. I drink. A lot. Ye may 'ave noticed, aye? An' I'm tellin' ye this, 'cause ye're my friend. Right? An' I 'ad a bit too much ale tonight, just a bit, an' I think I should go and, and confess. Ye know? For my drunkin'." Wide arm gesture with his free arm. "'Cause it's bad."

Thoughtful pause. "But I cannae really remember where to find a Man o'God, right? So, so, I was thinkin', since ye're my friend, and my fellow guard, and, and other 'portant things, you could just point me. Point me in the righ' direction, ye know? Tell me where t'go?"

[will_scarlett]

The guard sighs and starts to turn Atton towards the chapel,

"Go through there an try na to fall on the cross."

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Thank ye. Ye're much better than my best friend. I think he may be the Devil." Beat. "I think a lot of my friends may be the Devil. Devils. I dunno." The guard is eyed, suspiciously, before Atton heads into the chapel.

[will_scarlett]

Atton will have to head outside for a moment to get to the chapel and see that the castle gate is barred for now.

Inside the chapel, its all very quiet, no one really prays this late except for monks and they're all over at Newstead Abbey.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

Atton eyes the gate, briefly. It's an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one.

He looks about the chapel for a priest, or a monk, or anybody who is religious and alone.

[will_scarlett]

Its a silent and lonely place until just as the sun starts to move through the sky and an old and tired monk creaks his way to the chapel. He doesn't even notice Atton as he says his prayers and genuflects to the cross.

[stuck-mynock.livejournal.com]

"Excuse me. I don't suppose you 'ave any spare robes I could borrow, do you?" He doesn't particularly want to knock an old man out and steal his clothes just for the sake of a temporary status boost.

[will_scarlett]

The old man turns to look up at him,

"What did ye say, my son?"