Brad's stuck at home, taking care of things, and the locals *depend* on him - he's really good at making do. His trusty manservant, Ray, helps him get around the Sheriff (aka, Schwetje) and his obsequious little ferret of a deputy, Griego.
Nate, well, he wasn't a hellion, exactly, but he always wanted to be a soldier. The crusades *called* to him. He snuck off with a troop of the Lion-Heart's soldier when his family visited London, and he only comes home when he realizes that the crusades will *never* be won, never be over. Gunny Wynn comes with him, because he doesn't know what to do if he's not at the side of the snot-nosed brat he found being utterly sea-sick down in the hold with his horse, on the crossing from Dover.
Nate doesn't like what he sees when he gets back to Pendleton.
He maybe accidentally gets off on the wrong foot with Griego. Well, it's not accidentally. Griego shouldn't've challenged Nate when he was on *his* family's land, and he definitely shouldn't've threatened him. Nate's spent nearly a decade fighting, and he's got no patience for bullshit.
He doesn't kill the stupid fucker, at least. But he makes a mortal enemy with his insults.
He heads to the cathedral, but Bishop Ferrando gives him some bullshit story about his dad defying a royal decree (which, ok, he can believe his dad would do if they were stupid; it's clear that the land and its inhabitants have suffered, and his dad would feed those for whom he was responsible before he'd worry about the tithe or about punishing a starving family for slaying one of the king's deer) and his lands being forfeit.
He sneaks out the back of the Bishop's chambers when he hears the clank and shuffle of boots, accompanied by a voice he already recognizes, to his dismay.
He heads to Brad's. Brad's parents were friends of his dad. They'll be able to shed some light on the situation.
The Sheriff's been trying to convince Brad, whose parents died a couple of winters ago when the winter was particularly harsh and pneumonia hit the community hard, to support him, rather than remaining neutral in the local barons' fight to remain loyal to Richard or to revolt and support young John.
Brad's having none of it. But he knows how to work things, especially with Ferrando riding the fence, to keep things going for the people who live on his land and work for him.
He's missed Nate - and he's a bit resentful that Nate ran off when Brad wasn't there to join him - but he's also that little bit angry that Nate's upset the balance he has ever so carefully established, with his grudge-match against Griego. Griego is never going to forget the insult and indignity, and it was witnessed by a handful of the Sheriff's men.
It's Nate, though, so Brad forgives him. He *always* forgave Nate when they were kids, always followed him, even when doing so earned him a week without access to the stables, or extra nights of Latin lessons.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-11-08 02:25 am (UTC)Nate, well, he wasn't a hellion, exactly, but he always wanted to be a soldier. The crusades *called* to him. He snuck off with a troop of the Lion-Heart's soldier when his family visited London, and he only comes home when he realizes that the crusades will *never* be won, never be over. Gunny Wynn comes with him, because he doesn't know what to do if he's not at the side of the snot-nosed brat he found being utterly sea-sick down in the hold with his horse, on the crossing from Dover.
Nate doesn't like what he sees when he gets back to Pendleton.
He maybe accidentally gets off on the wrong foot with Griego. Well, it's not accidentally. Griego shouldn't've challenged Nate when he was on *his* family's land, and he definitely shouldn't've threatened him. Nate's spent nearly a decade fighting, and he's got no patience for bullshit.
He doesn't kill the stupid fucker, at least. But he makes a mortal enemy with his insults.
He heads to the cathedral, but Bishop Ferrando gives him some bullshit story about his dad defying a royal decree (which, ok, he can believe his dad would do if they were stupid; it's clear that the land and its inhabitants have suffered, and his dad would feed those for whom he was responsible before he'd worry about the tithe or about punishing a starving family for slaying one of the king's deer) and his lands being forfeit.
He sneaks out the back of the Bishop's chambers when he hears the clank and shuffle of boots, accompanied by a voice he already recognizes, to his dismay.
He heads to Brad's. Brad's parents were friends of his dad. They'll be able to shed some light on the situation.
The Sheriff's been trying to convince Brad, whose parents died a couple of winters ago when the winter was particularly harsh and pneumonia hit the community hard, to support him, rather than remaining neutral in the local barons' fight to remain loyal to Richard or to revolt and support young John.
Brad's having none of it. But he knows how to work things, especially with Ferrando riding the fence, to keep things going for the people who live on his land and work for him.
He's missed Nate - and he's a bit resentful that Nate ran off when Brad wasn't there to join him - but he's also that little bit angry that Nate's upset the balance he has ever so carefully established, with his grudge-match against Griego. Griego is never going to forget the insult and indignity, and it was witnessed by a handful of the Sheriff's men.
It's Nate, though, so Brad forgives him. He *always* forgave Nate when they were kids, always followed him, even when doing so earned him a week without access to the stables, or extra nights of Latin lessons.