September 24, 2009
Episode 31: The Truth
8:49 PM | 
Posted by
pcbutler |
Richard stops abruptly.
"Truth? What would a child know about the truth?"
Gailin looks at the sky. He raises his hand slightly to cover the morning sun. "The truth is..." He pauses, turns and grabs Richard by the shoulder. He looks around nervously and casually moves Richard to the edge of an empty alleyway. Richard slowly reaches inside his cloak and caresses the hilt of his blade.
"The truth is, William..." He looks around one more time and leans toward Richard. "...the physician is a fraud." Richard releases his blade. "I'm sorry, old man, but that's what he is. He's just some quirky, ancient, dust ball of a man, who has some knowledge of medicine, but nothing more than that"
Richard looks at him with worrisome confusion not sure of what this boy knows "Does he know what I am? Did Catherine say too much last night?"
"What are you saying Gailin? Do you think I'm.." Gailin places his hand on Richard's shoulder.
"No.. no, of course not. I'm just saying that I saw what the man was like. He would take every coin my father had if he could have. I just don't think you should get your hopes up, for Catherine's sake."
Richard sighs heavy, relived with what Gailin says. "Oh, my boy..." Richard grabs Gailin's arm and continues on. "I've tried all kinds of tonics, snake oils, concoctions and philters in my pitiful life. Having another fail me can't do any more harm. Catherine is strong and she will outlast me, in the days to come."
The two shuffle down the next few streets in silence.
"What became of her?"
"Not sure, to tell you the truth. I was in another room at the time. I heard father yelling a lot about him not being able to do anything and then nothing...for quite some time. When he came out, his face was wet."
"Wet?"
"At first I thought he had been fighting with the physician and was sweating. As her got closer, I could see his eyes. It was the first..and last...time I saw my father cry"
"But what of your sister?"
Gailin points down the road to a building that was in slightly better repair than most. It had 3 stories and most of the brickwork was still attached, although Richard could tell, it had degraded to a point to which it should have been condemned. "That's where you need to be, William."
"Thank you corporal." Richard pulls out a coin but Gailin holds up his hand in refusal. "You're a good man, Gailin and I'm sorry for your troubles."
Gailin gives Richard a small bow "I'm sorry myself for placing my troubles on your shoulders. I'll be off to my duties as I'm late as it is. Give Catherine my best." He turns and walks off at a soldiers pace.
Out of earshot Richard whispers "We'll meet again lad. I'm sure you'll come in very handy in the times ahead... for both Catherine and me." He turns around and sees a figure standing in a second story window starring back. "And now for the hard part."
"Truth? What would a child know about the truth?"
Gailin looks at the sky. He raises his hand slightly to cover the morning sun. "The truth is..." He pauses, turns and grabs Richard by the shoulder. He looks around nervously and casually moves Richard to the edge of an empty alleyway. Richard slowly reaches inside his cloak and caresses the hilt of his blade.
"The truth is, William..." He looks around one more time and leans toward Richard. "...the physician is a fraud." Richard releases his blade. "I'm sorry, old man, but that's what he is. He's just some quirky, ancient, dust ball of a man, who has some knowledge of medicine, but nothing more than that"
Richard looks at him with worrisome confusion not sure of what this boy knows "Does he know what I am? Did Catherine say too much last night?"
"What are you saying Gailin? Do you think I'm.." Gailin places his hand on Richard's shoulder.
"No.. no, of course not. I'm just saying that I saw what the man was like. He would take every coin my father had if he could have. I just don't think you should get your hopes up, for Catherine's sake."
Richard sighs heavy, relived with what Gailin says. "Oh, my boy..." Richard grabs Gailin's arm and continues on. "I've tried all kinds of tonics, snake oils, concoctions and philters in my pitiful life. Having another fail me can't do any more harm. Catherine is strong and she will outlast me, in the days to come."
The two shuffle down the next few streets in silence.
"What became of her?"
"Not sure, to tell you the truth. I was in another room at the time. I heard father yelling a lot about him not being able to do anything and then nothing...for quite some time. When he came out, his face was wet."
"Wet?"
"At first I thought he had been fighting with the physician and was sweating. As her got closer, I could see his eyes. It was the first..and last...time I saw my father cry"
"But what of your sister?"
Gailin points down the road to a building that was in slightly better repair than most. It had 3 stories and most of the brickwork was still attached, although Richard could tell, it had degraded to a point to which it should have been condemned. "That's where you need to be, William."
"Thank you corporal." Richard pulls out a coin but Gailin holds up his hand in refusal. "You're a good man, Gailin and I'm sorry for your troubles."
Gailin gives Richard a small bow "I'm sorry myself for placing my troubles on your shoulders. I'll be off to my duties as I'm late as it is. Give Catherine my best." He turns and walks off at a soldiers pace.
Out of earshot Richard whispers "We'll meet again lad. I'm sure you'll come in very handy in the times ahead... for both Catherine and me." He turns around and sees a figure standing in a second story window starring back. "And now for the hard part."
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