quad-music

[whitherwanderer]

4 // off the hook

“Well, take it. I don’t have all day, kupo.”

Sawyer was jarred from her momentary fixation on the wax seal as the letter was foisted into her hand. She offered a muted thanks to the postmoogle, whose cap was politely tilted before he fluttered off with his comically large bag in tow. For some reason it occurred to her to check the plaza before she turned to make a swift stride for the privacy of the inn room, and though she didn’t see any overly suspicious onlookers, she felt compelled to hold the letter against her middle, hiding the seal from view.

She’d always dreaded this day. She knew it would only be a matter of time, but as all pasts do, hers was catching up with her in a moment where it had scarcely crossed her mind in moons. Hoping she’d simply mistaken the seal for another, she folded the letter back just enough to peek at it again. Familiar heraldry pressed into blue wax and brushed with gold paint caused the dread in her chest to rise into her throat as bile.

The Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine sends its regards.

The door behind her was closed abruptly, and now in the safety of her inn room, she tore through the seal with an urgency that would be unbecoming of her in any other setting, and it was only now that she realized her hands were shaking as she held the letter still enough to skim. Her eyes darted around the page, searching for alarming words or phrases—summons to appear before the Tribunal for inquest or a polite request that she surrender herself for gaol so that they wouldn’t have to send the Inquisition to retrieve her personally.

It was only when she did not see such demands that she finally read the letter in full.

To one Miss Sawyer Reeves, It was in pursuit of Her Holiest Ideals and the preservation of Decency, Justice, and Dignity that the Inquisition didst carry out the will of the Fury to what ends were deemed necessary to protect the Sanctity of Ishgard and her Peoples, but with such Revelations as were made known after the death of His Eminence, Archbishop Thordan VII, Reform and Restitution to what extent we are able have thus become the preeminent duty of The Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine and its constituents (henceforth referred to as “The Tribunal”). This correspondence has been sent to all parties of ongoing Investigations, Trials, and Inquisition of claims to Heretical Activity that have yet to be concluded, do not have sufficient evidence of such, or wherein interruptions did not allow the Tribunal to function as an extension of the Fury’s judgment in a fair and impartial Trial or did not allow a challenge to Trial by Combat to conclude with a victor on Record. As such, your challenge to Trial by Combat issued to ███████ ███████ on the grounds that he partook of Heretical Activity has been annulled and the charges leveled against Ser ███████ have been dropped from the Official Record, despite the inconclusive results after your unsanctioned withdrawal from the Tribunal arena. Though we believe your unsanctioned withdrawal to have been born of brazen cowardice and remains a slight against the Fury’s divine will, the Tribunal no longer wields Her judgment in the matter. As such, the trial record has been amended to have no conclusive victor and your criminal history has been expunged in the eyes of the Holy See of Ishgard and all official bodies therein. No further Investigation into your original claim will take place, and your status as a fugitive from the Inquisition has been annulled. Your previous standing as a ward of House Haillenarte has not been reinstated on the grounds that such patronage is only within the purview of the Lord or Lady of the House to grant, and will require correspondence with said Lord or Lady to reclaim. You are free to return to Ishgard without fear of repercussion, however we advise you to be minded of this most benevolent allowance and act with requisite decorum should you choose to return. Fury have Mercy upon your soul. - Auphent Gauvane Clerk of the Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine Records Office

Sawyer took a moment to breathe. Then another.

The fluster to get inside the door and the following silence roused curiosity from the raen that resided with her in the inn room, a pair of scaled arms winding around the hyur’s waist. “Hawk?” she called, wary and concerned.

“It’s… a letter from Ishgard. From home,” Sawyer admitted, though she wasn’t prepared for her voice to break over the final word as it did. She drew a shaking breath, then wrapped her arms around Amesha fully. “They’ll allow me to return without consequence. I am a free woman, but…”

“But…?” Amesha prompted her to continue.

Sawyer whispered. “Why am I terrified?”