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 Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:37 pm
A nuisance, indeed, but at least Noah's obnoxious manner gave something for both men to round their attention onto. His cheeky quip broke the tension as quickly as it had mounted, Kozel being the first to react with surprise. He wasn't sure what was more objectionable, in fact: that joke that only served to remind the servant of the far more pressing danger no doubt lurking out there, probably in fact just outside the door, or the idea that the jockey was trying to push spending more time together, and with that swarthy b*****d to boot. Falling back into the more docile fretting that was characteristic of the Katchian, he settled for a weak plea. "Sir, please."
Ferdinand, meanwhile, seemed far more amused by the insinuation of bodily harm, turning his focus back onto the young man with a snort. He'd been short with the duo before, but now, it was obvious there was an interesting story behind their strange behavior. He overlooked the nickname, even, getting down to the business he enjoyed so much as he plucked the requested cut and set to wrapping it with exaggerated reverence, voice oozing with feigned concern. "My good sir, have you run into trouble? Please, take this without charge, I insist. You would be doing me a favor, in fact." He rolled his thin shoulders in a shrug as he slid the package of meat right over. "There is Rocinante for you, fresh as you like. I'm afraid I won't be able to join you for any riding."
Behind Noah, Kozel could be heard making some noise of startled disgust -- while it was no secret he'd always been critical of the Guardians, the casual manner of that treasonous Hesperian's jesting over a valuable asset to the crown was shocking. Ferdinand could only roll his eyes at how easily scandalized the servant was, and moved to kick something out of view. With a startled cry, the large mass shifted and quickly picked itself up. Rocinante, rudely roused from a nap, blearily shook himself out -- before realizing visitors, when such an occurrence was so rare, immediately perking up and bleating excitedly at the two. No doubt he would have tried to lunge over the counter to get to them, if not for Ferdinand keeping a grip on one of his antlers, looking as sour as ever again.
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 2:34 pm
Noah could only laugh as his joking threw them off, amused that he could derail their respective pissy attitudes so quickly, if only for a moment or two. He lifted a hand to wave off Kozel's wibbling request, his focus remaining on Ferdinand for the time being, now that he had the Hesperian's attention. There was no denying that of the two men, Ferdinand was just a bit more fascinating than poor old Kozel, in Noah's opinion, at least. Kozel was content to chat up a storm if one allowed him to, but Ferdinand was sparing with what information he shared, and prideful to boot. His stubbornness only served to draw out Noah's curiosity, and his morbid sense of humor was a rare treat. "Oh Ferdy, you're too kind." The jockey nearly burst out laughing as Ferdninand made such a dark joke. "Just as useful in death as he was in life. What a shame though! You should come anyway, I'll lend you one of my horses." He finally allowed himself to laugh again, glancing back at Kozel with a big grin on his face.
By the time he'd turned back around, the Hesperian's deer had risen from his hiding place, and Noah let out an affectionate hum. "Oh, there he is! Back from the dead, I see?" He reached out to smooth a gloved hand down one side of the guardian's face, before scritching up under his chin. Rocin was such a sweet-mannered creature, so unlike his Chosen that it was hard to believe they belonged to one another at all. While Ferdinand's surly demeanor could be incredibly entertaining, Noah was glad that it hadn't rubbed off on his guardian. "See, you ought to come out sometime, instead of keeping this poor handsome creature all cooped up in this tiny little place." Noah scolded, and glanced down to the free meat he'd been given. "You know, that offer I made a while back is still on the table, Ferdy...don't you think it'd be nice to have him out from under foot?" Noah said as he picked up the package, referring to the offer he'd made to Ferdinand about allowing Rocin to live in the stables back at the inn. They already had four, so what would one more matter?
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 7:58 pm
For only the briefest moment, Ferdinand dropped his usual smarmy manner for a genuine look of pleasure as Noah took his dark joke in stride. While the butcher specifically set out to put others off with his callous remarks—and the fierce look of disapproval from Kozel was a success—it wasn't terrible to hear laughter every so often. He released Rocinante's antler, allowing the Guardian to lean further into the young man's attentive hands. If only his Chosen could learn to be so affectionate! However, that fleeting smile from Ferdinand disappeared at the reminder of Noah's invitation. He took any chance he could to voice his annoyance with his Guardian, true, but the Hesperian always seemed to balk when it came to parting with Rocín. And his reasoning?
"It's that poor handsome creature that insists on being underfoot," he said with mocking emphasis. "The moment you took him in, he would make a mess of your stables and an uproar among the animals, trying to get out and return to me. The daft beast doesn't know what's good for him." He gave Rocinante a smack on the rump for good measure, though the Guardian didn't seem to mind at all, only looking up at Ferdinand with dumb adoration. His Chosen was worried about something, but Rocín couldn't understand why, only seeking to comfort him with a cheerful bleat.
While Kozel, disgusted with how the two bantered, had settled with folding his arms and trying his damnedest to ignore them, this talk of some offer had piqued his interest, and Ferdinand's words were enough for him to gather the nature of it. He stepped forward, speaking to Noah, but clearly glaring at the butcher. "I hope, sir, this 'offer' is something you discussed with your brother." His brother, that man they were both hiding out from now. It was both a reminder of their current situation, and a warning to the younger Varick that he shouldn't dare overstep his brother's authority when he was in enough trouble as it was. Kozel had half a mind to leave by himself, eyeing Rocinante with some concern. The Guardian was large, almost as large as Atli perhaps, and the longer they stayed here and got friendly with this Hesperian, the more nervous he became.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:03 am
The jockey relished the look that came over Ferdinand's face, feeling a connection with the mischief shining in the man's dark eyes. As Rocin was allowed to lean in closer, he lifted both hands to give the massive animal a good rub. Noah had scarcely met a more loving buck than Rocin, who always seemed so eager for contact, or to hear words of encouragement. He'd been suspicious of the guardian's mistreatment when he had first become acquainted with Ferdinand, but he had a tiny inkling that there was more going on. It was hard to ignore the bond for long, and a guardian as big as Rocin didn't get that way by being neglected. "Well, he just needs a bit of discipline, then. I'm sure someone with your demeanor is good at showing a bit of tough love. It's surprising how similar they are to horses, when it comes to training." Noah offered a slimy little smile, finally letting his hands slip away again as Rocin looked back. He could remember Parader's short clingy phase...it certainly hadn't lasted long. They couldn't afford to have a deer-sized yearling prancing about the interior of an inn, knocking everything down and threatening to trample guests. Noah was about to ellaborate when Kozel piped up, yet again.
Oh yeah, Frank was still out there, huh? Noah snorted, and hoped that his ignoramus sibling would have the sense to give up the hunt. No way he would think of checking Ferdinand's shop...but they would have to return sooner or later. But with the mention of his brother's 'authority', Noah's eyes narrowed slightly, and he snatched up the steak, turning back to look at the Katchian. "Please. I'm the one in charge of what happens with the stables. Don't you think it's worth anything for Chosen to band together when possible?" His words dripped with a strange sort of aggression for a moment, and he heaved a sigh, stepping toward the door. "Think on my offer, Ferdy. We will all be in the same boat, sooner or later." His soft brown eyes flashed between the two foreigners, before he took his leave, stepping briskly out the door and back out into the sunny, snowy world. Blinking against the light, he immediately began to search for any sign of his brother...
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 4:13 am
What else could Ferdinand do but smirk at the jockey's words? Tough love, indeed. While he had not shared his past, the Hesperian often thought back to his days in the bullfighting ring and what a spectacle Rocín would have made in it. "They are certainly sturdier than horses," he remarked, leaving it at that. The Guardian was sad to see Noah taking his leave once he turned back, lowing softly, but Ferdinand was not quite so disappointed.
It had been an amusing distraction, if nothing else, but what the old butcher wanted more often than not was to be left alone and he would have it again at last. Perhaps there was something to be said of the jockey's charm, at least; Ferdinand nodded after him, turned oddly civil after the contempt he had displayed when the two men had first stepped in. Why, he had even stopped noticing that infuriating nickname. "Even if I vowed never to think of it again, I doubt you would stop pestering me. Good day." And to Kozel, he smirked. "Stay warm."
The Katchian ignored him, of course, turning up a scarf-covered nose -- but, he hesitated saying anything more to Noah, too, detecting he might have hit a nerve. It was rare that the younger Varick should even sound irked. Following him out, quiet for the moment, it was only when the door was firmly shut that Kozel launched straight into the diatribe that had been building as they'd wasted time in the butcher's shop.
"I have never had the misfortune of dealing with a more thoroughly unpleasant scoundrel," he said, not at all mincing words. "I hope, sir, you are not serious regarding his involvement in our designs. The man cannot be trusted. He does not care for his Guardian, he does not care for the Queen—he cannot contribute anything of value to us, if he wanted to contribute at all. And a clearly indolent cur like him? Of course he does not."
His tone was harsh even as he automatically, dutifully held out a hand to take the meat and carry it as a servant should. Kozel's words were spoken without a hint of irony, the words of a man who thought himself better than who was really a fellow foreigner in the same situation, down to their shared frustration with their respective Guardians. But the Katchian could only think of how disrespectfully Ferdinand had conducted himself despite his station in life. The Inn had enough problems with that, and he continued speaking. "Mr. Varick, if I may be so bold, I do not think you should pursue affiliations with that man any further."
He adjusted the scarf around his head with all the poise of a governess adjusting her shawl, his voice just as condescending. There was a time, yes, that Kozel had been above even Noah in the classist societies they both knew, and it was times like this that the unspoken fact came to the forefront, the usually socially-conscious now-servant allowing himself to speak his mind. "You may be in charge of the stables, but you would do well to remember, your brother does not always agree with your decisions. Sir."
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 6:50 pm
"Farewell, Ferdy, and thank you for the meat!" Noah had lifted a hand as he disappeared out into the world, heaving a sigh that appeared in the crisp air, a smile on his lips. He was fairly happy over the whole encounter, which had gone much more smoothly than the last meeting he'd shared with the man. Kozel, of course, had his own opinion, and Noah glanced away with a roll of his eyes. There was no denying that Kozel was a sensible, reliable creature, but he sure could get snippy about the strangest of things. Just how well did he know Ferdinand? "You would know a lot about not caring for a guardian, wouldn't you, Kozel?" Noah smiled innocently as he made the cutting remark, loving nothing more than to catch the Katchian in those little moments of hypocrisy. Rocin was a large, robust guardian; Petrichor was still struggling to keep up with Atli, who was the same age and much bigger. It was sad, really. Zharkov had filled him in long ago on how hard Kozel had taken his guardian's awakening.
"Anyway, if you know anything actually worth telling, Kozel, please do share. I'm surprised you're so against him when you both have so much in common." Another gouge, as Noah drifted about in the market, not really putting much distance between himself and the butcher shop. "Zharkov doesn't seem very thrilled to be under the Queen's command either, and I don't see you ragging on about him being disloyal." Noah smiled as he kept the hunk of meat close, shooing Kozel's hand away instead as he made to slink further up the street, eyes wandering over the market stands. All their shenanigans had him feeling hungry all of a sudden, and he wondered if Kozel would take lunch with him. After all of what he'd said, something told him that it probably wouldn't be happening.
"Well, he doesn't get to make all of the decisions, Kozel. It's just part of the deal we made. Why are you so against having other Chosen around?" Noah sighed, as they rounded back to the topic of his brother, the root of their current woes, and immediately tried to switch it around again. It wouldn't matter if the stables gained one more permanent resident; Noah had been thinking about suggesting an addition to the stable, but Frank's usual money-grubbing demeanor had kept him from asking about it. If he wanted anything done he'd probably have to do it himself.
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 4:06 pm
Kozel could take a lot of abuse. Hadn't he been doing so, all this time working at the Fox and Hounds? He was adaptable. He knew his place well. It had certainly been the most frustrating thing for the Katchian to get used to, but recalling what he had fled from in the fist place, he kept his complaining to a minimum and behind closed doors. It was all he could do. And now, this uneducated, immoral, glorified farmer thought he knew better about their situation. This whole day had been wearing on Kozel's notoriously short fuse, and now he was ready to end it.
"That is enough! I will not stand for these insults on my character!" It was Kozel's turn to take Noah by the shoulder, and none-too-kindly either, halting him abruptly and pulling the young man to face the absolutely livid expression he had earned, as the Katchian finally pulled the stupid scarf down. "As if you have any right criticize the manner in which I discipline my Guardian, when treat your own as you would a horse! You are more concerned with racing than the fight that is coming, and filling your stables with the same voracity as your brother seeks to make a profit. Do you believe filling your stables with Guardians makes you any more respectable?"
It was fortunate that, despite Kozel's raised voice and obviously agitated manner, their scene was a fairly minor one in the still-busy marketplace. If anyone had taken notice of the two men and their disagreement, particularly the way the foreigner spoke to him, jabbing a finger at him and tense with hostility, no one would get involved with words like 'Guardian' thrown about. Noah's comments had cut deep into the servant's pride, and while he had sought to refute each point in his usual argumentative manner, the same way he had once approached debates, now he was turning his full disgust onto the younger Varick.
"You ask why I am against having other Chosen around? Because all of them have so far proven to be self-serving cowards who have no concept of loyalty, nor respect, and I cannot see a group like that surviving against their own conflict of selfish interests, much less Wolves. And yet none have proven so incompetent as you, with the way you flout all responsibility!"
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:40 pm
The jockey was absolutely startled when Kozel spun around to raise his voice, eyes wide as he went so far as to grab him by the shoulder and bring him to a halt. Maybe he had gone a bit too far that time, but he knew he was right at least about the guardian bit, and glowered bitterly as Kozel carried out his little tirade. "Yeah, and I treat those horses like family. You treat that poor creature as if he's some sad stray mutt you picked up off the streets. And anyway, what the hell do you have against trying to band together!? It's not about being respectable, it's about teamwork." Noah spat, his chest starting to heave as he watched Kozel tear off his scarf. He couldn't have cared less if anyone had turned to watch them, focus squared on the Katchian as their argument escalated.
Soon enough, Kozel launched directly into answering that very question, and the further he progressed through his explanation, the more Noah's lip curled upward. How could he harbor such thoughts about them all? It stung Noah horribly, and though he could feel his anger bubbling up, he knew he could be better than his sibling. He sucked in a sharp breath, and tried to blink away the sting of the tears at his eyes, his expression still intensely angry. He knew he could overcome his anger, because of how wrong Kozel was. "So, you think offering a secure place for your deer to stay, and helping you learn to ride, is disrespectful? Selfish?" Noah let out a long, hissing breath, seeming to deflate, the intensity leaving his eyes as he pressed Kozel's hand off of his shoulder.
"Maybe I do make stupid mistakes, but I only wanted us all to be together." Noah explained sulkily, looking hurt and defeated. "Even if you can't see us surviving, we're going to have to find a way to do it, somehow." He'd never been interested in the glory of it. Guardians were beautiful creatures, and they would all be together, eventually. What could it hurt, allowing them to be in a stable, instead of kept in shops or sequestered away in tiny back gardens? The jockey sighed, and glanced around. It was time to go back soon, he supposed.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 2:50 pm
For a moment, Kozel was fearful that Noah might retaliate with more than just words. He was, after all, brother to the Fox, and while they were more opposites than not, well, better safe than sorry. He took a step back, eyeing the other man with distrust, but he wasn't about to stop his tirade just yet. He could see Noah was upset, but that he insisted on arguing back did him no favors. At the very least, Kozel lowered his voice, though his tone was still harsh as he scoffed at the jockey's explanation. "Treating animals as family is absolutely ludicrous. What about the family you have now? Ah, but we both know the answer to that."
There was a part of Kozel that felt guilty for this, for his insolence, for harping so much on the brothers' turbulent relationship. But he'd always attempted to push his guilt aside because he knew he was right, and more than the guilt, he felt triumphant for finally speaking his mind as he always should have been entitled to. He'd witnessed a lot while working at the Inn, and in his own way, Kozel only wanted to help. Noah was one of the weaker links, and he had to know. Folding his arms, there was now an unmistakable note of pity to the Katchian's blunt words.
"You speak of teamwork and yet you actively sabotage the possibility. It is one thing to make mistakes..." and some people made more than others, Kozel thought to himself, but he continued speaking patiently, "...but you use that as an excuse for your irreverent actions. You knew full well what you were doing when you harassed your brother, you have time and again disregarded my own feelings on matters, and while that butcher may have fallen for your guile, you cannot hide behind your superficial charm forever. Anyone being forced to spend a whole day with you would become sick with your immaturity—"
"A whole day? Try twenty-five years."
Kozel jumped, all condescending dignity gone as he let out a startled cry at Frank's sudden appearance. The man had spotted them while they'd had their little spat, hanging back to enjoy the show Erasmus had led him to, but it was about time the elder had his say. He stalked on up behind Noah, the cool indifference of his expression belying his cruel intentions. Nice try with that fatherly speech, Kozel, but Frank had better ways of teaching the younger Varick a lasting lesson.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:57 pm
At Kozel's retort, Noah gained a look of startled anger and frustration, trying hard to swallow the knot that his risen in his throat. Just like his brother, he thought to himself, the man standing before him was like some loveless, fun-hating monster. What the hell did he know about animals, or about horses? Absolutely nothing, he'd already long concluded. He had no patience, no compassion, and it was easy to see so. All one had to do was examine his relationship with Petrichor and it all became clear. Noah couldn't remember why he'd thought he'd ever be able to remedy it. He'd begun to breathe heavily as Kozel fell into ranting again, eyes wide and wet with an equal amount of fury and guilt.
Was he so immature? Were his actions really so disruptive? Noah tried to breathe as he felt a familiar hatred beginning to seethe up from his core. He couldn't remember when tossing a bit of snow around had been termed as 'harrassment', and he couldn't keep himself from resenting people who had such adverse reactions to a harmless bit of playful activity. People like Frank and Kozel slogged through life as if they were part of some perpetual funeral procession. Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but when was the last time he'd ever seen Kozel laugh? His brother wasn't much better. Gradually, his anger faded and his eyes went glassy, as Kozel continued his rant. He was happy enough to shut it all out and wait for it to be over, as he tried to will himself toward more pleasant thoughts. He didn't have to put up with this kind of treatment.
It was only when Kozel was cut off that Noah's blood ran cold, and he spun around to face the very man they'd been evading for the past hour or so. Immediately, he was all nervous laughter and mischievous grinning, beginning to back up, until he was almost bumping into Kozel. "Frank! You shouldn't have come all the way down here...it was just a little joke, you know? A little pranky on old Frankie??" Noah laughed anxiously, fidgeting with the wrapped steak in his hands, looking utterly ridiculous with the scarf wrapped around his head.
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Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:22 pm
Following the younger man's lead, Kozel turned just as simpering just as quickly, distancing himself from both Varicks as he side-stepped away. He feared retribution not only for having shirked his duties, but now, also, there was the worry: what did Frank think of how he'd been scolding Noah, as he had clearly witnessed it? It was one thing for a servant to speak out of line, but Kozel would not be surprised to learn that Frank subscribed to that old twisted philosophy of 'only I can speak to my brother like that.' All the smug sweetness of his moralizing dashed away, Kozel bowed his head, hands twisting together nervously. "Ah, sir, we were just about to return to the Inn," he lied, hating himself for acting like a child caught truant when he'd never, never have been caught dead doing so of his own accord.
The Katchian had nothing to fear, really, as Frank was focused solely on getting back at Noah. He'd had plenty of time to cool off, only some frost in his beard, and with the way he loomed over the two, regarding them with those cold, dark eyes, he didn't look nearly as angry as he'd sounded back at the Fox & Hounds. "You got Frankie's attention. Isn't that what you wanted?" But he'd always been known for how swiftly he would lash out of lulls, and the abrupt way Erasmus took off from his shoulder, no doubt sensing the tension, the shift of muscle underfoot, was not a good sign.
In the next instant, Frank had a hold of Noah, throwing a thick arm around his neck in a firm squeeze that was a far cry from the playful wrestling normal brothers would have known, pulling him to his chest with a scoff, "Did you think this would fool me?", before roughly tearing the improvised disguise off of him. Or hey, maybe it wasn't an insult to his intelligence, maybe Noah had just been cold. Too bad, his poor baby face was only going to get colder.
Ignoring Kozel's protests, the servant bleating "Mr. Varick, please!" as feebly as a lamb, Frank knelt, pulling Noah down with him, next grabbing a handful of filthy snow -- more like slush, really -- and shoving it into the younger brother's face with a smothering palm. "How's that, huh? You like snow in your face?" He was really rubbing it in, in more ways than one, but his firm grip gave Noah hardly any opportunity to fight back as he kept on peppering him with taunting questions. "Aren't we having fun, No-No?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 8:36 pm
Noah tried to turn to run, but it was too late. Even though he could easily outrun Frank on foot, there was no denying that the ex-boxer still had powerfully strong reflexes, and it seemed as if he luck had run out. Kozel went forgotten as he found himself captured, and all at once he'd been spun around and restrained. A wheeze of laughter left him as his hands flew up to grip at his brother's arm, and he gasped for breath, his airway hindered, but not completely cut off. Ferdinand's gift fell to the ground, forgotten in their struggle. "Frank, you big git!!" He croaked, and tried not to laugh. The situation was now equal parts good and bad. It was shitty to be in one of Frank's choke holds of course, but ever the optimist, Noah found that he would much rather be caught that way than hauled up by the front of his jacket, as he'd imagined would happen. That would have meant facing the man's fists, and that was perhaps the worst way to have to deal with an angry Frank.
"I thought it might, but I forgot about your little feathered cheat card." He wheezed and kicked as Frank tore off his ridiculous disguise, his cap tearing away with it. Both landed in the snow near their feet, and he couldn't have cared less, given his current situation. There was still some worry over what Frank would do next, but he wouldn't have to wait long to find out. Oh, fate was being kind to him today, wasn't it? Kozel's shrill voice distracted him for a split second, only for bewilderment to follow as Frak stooped down...but the reason quickly became apparent.
"EUGH!! NO!" Noah howled as the filthy snow was jammed into his face, part over the cold, and mostly out of disgust. He tried immediately, and in vain, to pry Frank's hand away, whimpering and laughing alternately. It was cold, and scratchy, and while he acknowledged that it was a fair enough punishment, Frank was taking it too far. "I-I'm sorry! Stop!" He coughed, unable to keep it all completely out of his mouth, retching for a moment, and writhing even more frantically. "FRANK!!" He snarled, and his temper flared again, unable to take anymore. He'd show him some fun. Reeling his arm back, he back-elbowed his brother hard, wherever it managed to connect, hoping it'd do something to get his attention.
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Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 5:12 pm
Though neither Noah nor Kozel could see it, a smirk had broken out on the old prizefighter's face. With the way the younger Varick had actually started laughing at the humiliating treatment, the two almost did look like a couple of brothers just clowning around. Erasmus, his attention piqued by the fallen package of meat, had landed a little ways away from the scuffle, crowing as loudly as though he were spectator to one of Frank's old bouts while waiting for a safe opening.
The scene struck Kozel, fallen silent with mortified bemusement, as completely ridiculous. At least he felt safe enough to look away from them without fear of Noah ending up dead, glancing around self-consciously at the attention they were getting. Civilized societies could overlook the occasional lapse, because no one quite wanted to get involved, but it was the Katchian's fear that someone else might step in at any moment, and heaven help them all if it were a constable.
But really, what was a little ribbing between brothers? All well and good until someone took it literally, as Noah had apparently decided to do, and the nature of their confrontation switched tone immediately. Frank grunted at the impact, honestly caught off-guard by the retaliation, and he dropped the snow he had been shoving into his brother's face. "You want to get serious now, do you." It wasn't a question he hissed, so much as a threat. "I can oblige." Always a dirty fighter, Frank didn't release Noah from his grip as he next rammed his fist into his younger brother's face -- if he was holding back, if was only because he didn't want him KO'd right off. He almost might have mistaken the ensuing cry as Noah's, if not for being reminded that Kozel was still present with that shriek of equal parts horror and... anger?
"Frank!" The farce had turned serious, and far too one-sided. Kozel could take no more of it, rushing up to the men and grabbing onto the back of Frank's jacket. He might as well have been a child tugging on his father's coat with how clearly unmatched they were, but could only pray he would be suitable distraction enough. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He thundered breathlessly, and for the second time in the span of a seeming seconds, the elder Varick was surprised. He had been reeling back to punch Noah again, but it could wait. He could be taken care of at any time; Kozel was something different.
"Gonna scold me too, are you?" Frank had fallen back into that dangerous calm, switching his grip to unceremoniously push Noah into the snow for one last insult before he stood, rounding on the insubordinate servant. Despite the fury roused in him by Noah's backlash, still bubbling just below the surface, he regarded Kozel with dark amusement. "Don't you have a job to do?" He could see the terror in the smaller man's eyes, but the fact that he could see his eyes at all, that the coward Katchian held his gaze, excited Frank. Of course Kozel knew what to do. Men like this, that he had grown accustomed to dealing with in Sunderland, you had to treat them like animals if you wanted to get anywhere. Look them in the eye, don't run, they can smell fear. Something like that.
"I have never seen a more cowardly display." Ignoring that question, and in the back of his mind Kozel wondered if he'd have a job at all after this, he focused only on trying to keep his voice steady even as he felt himself trembling with the rapid pounding of his heart. "Attacking your little brother like that, for only a harmless game! You cannot even fight fair!" He never thought he'd be on Noah's side, but anything to make Frank stop, though he hardly even knew what the next plan of action would be. They all knew Frank didn't care about fairness, and the older Varick looked like he was about ready to shut Kozel up the old-fashioned way, keen to the transparent distraction and rapidly losing interest in his weak blustering.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:06 pm
As the situation progressed, Noah had still forgotten about Kozel, more or less, not out of spite but because his brother was his biggest worry. He didn't bother seeking assistance, because he knew that it would be a useless endeavor; Frank would let him go when he was satisfied, and only then. Unfortunately, the younger Varick was doing a horrible job at appeasing his sibling, immediately regretting the choice to fight back. He was sure it hadn't been more than a tap to his monstrous sibling, but as usual, Frank was quick to become a ******** drama queen. He knew he'd sealed his own fate, but he was also wishing that Frank wasn't such an a**.
"No!!" Noah snarled desperately in response to his brother's threatening inquiry, his hands flying up again to try to pry himself loose. He was already whimpering as Frank ditched the snow, boots scrabbling against the frozen ground as they tried to find purchase. Struggling was as useless as it had ever been, but he wasn't going to just give up. Noah knew what was coming, and let out a yelp as the first strike landed, but he was surprised to hear another shrill voice mixed with his own. He stilled in Frank's grap, panting heavily, soon distracted by the feeling of dampness on his lip as a bit of blood trickled from his nose.
Kozel. His eyes widened as the Katchian came rushing over, and he wondered what the man could possibly hope to accomplish. Noah's heart started to race as Kozel began to berate Frank, and he almost couldn't believe what he was hearing, what was happening. Had Frank finally succeeded in giving him a concussion? He rubbed his soundly punched face with a gloved hand, as if trying to dispel any sort of hallucination, and was amazed when the scene continued, Frank distracted enough to toss some threatening words Kozel's way as well. Forgetting the abject fury Kozel had instilled in him before, Noah was instead inundated with icy guilt. That idiot was going to get himself fired or worse, and it was all his fault. He didn't need Kozel trying to be his hero. Before he knew it, Frank had shoved him down into the dirty snow before releasing him to turn on the outspoken foreigner.
He immediately scrambled to his feet to follow them, knowing that tempers were still running high. "Stop this. Frank, it was my fault, not his. I'm sorry, alright?? Can we please just let this go? You're making a ******** scene." Noah hissed. He was dazed, and bleeding faintly, but he wasn't about to see the man punished for something he had caused. He met Kozel's gaze for a moment, his own eyes full of the same terror that had entered them when the servant had started to fight back. It was hard to tell why Kozel had even decided to do such a thing, but Noah couldn't let him stand up to Frank alone. The younger Varick swiftly placed himself between the two men, glaring up at his brother imploringly.
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:08 pm
Idiot, couldn't he have stayed down? With tensions so high, and Kozel naturally being the high-strung man that he was, Noah's return made the servant flinch. He could meet the jockey's gaze for only a moment, before looking away with a stab of horror at the sight of his bloodied face. Despite having been angry at him just moments ago, the servant felt a surge of pity and concern for the younger brother -- which only magnified the disgust he felt towards Frank, who probably felt neither. That Noah was back on his feet and facing his brother more fed up than fearful, if that profanity was anything to go by, fed panic into the flurry of emotions already roiling in Kozel's chest.
Frank only felt mild amusement as his brother stepped up to him again. As entertaining as it was to see the servant had apparently grown a spine, Noah was far more persistent, and his comment would not go unheeded. He lifted his arms, gesturing around them, and scoffed. "You call this a scene? I can make this a scene." Now that he was out of the inn, just as his brother had seemingly wanted, taking the opportunity to humiliate him further was an appealing thought. But, ever-playing the hero, Kozel cut in with a shrill word of his own.
"There is no need, Frank! Noah apologized, I apologize. I do, I apologize. I am sorry, sir, truly." The sincerity of his words were undercut a bit by the way he spoke through clenched teeth, edging in as he fought to be noticed over Noah, but this was Kozel talking. There was truth to his apology, how foolish he felt having been pulled away from work, and no doubt he regretted his insolence towards his boss. Still, he could not calm the aggressively frantic manner of his pleading. "You have had your satisfaction. No one wants to play in the snow anymore, nor fight about it. We can return to the inn now, da?"
Against all odds, this seemed to give Frank a pause. "Hm." He shifted his weight back on his heel, hand up to stroke his beard, all pensive gestures. No longer the looming aggressor. "We can go back, sure. We can," he moved towards Noah, as though expecting they could casually walk away from this all, dark eyes keen to watch the Katchian. "But not you. Not anymore."
It took Kozel a moment. Just a moment of confusion, furrowing his brow at Frank, before the meaning became clear. He felt his blood run cold, and all righteous fury was lost. "Sir," he begged, now struggling to get the words out for a different reason. The quaver in his voice was almost painful to listen to. "Sir, please, you cannot—you do not—I— where will I go?"
Of all the sentiments fighting for possession of Kozel's voice, it was old, shameful wounds ripped fresh that won out. He'd been truly lost when he first landed in Sunderland, and while the station he had found himself in was nowhere near ideal, it was something. Frank was more of a schemer and a hustler than a savior, but he had given Kozel something when he'd found the poor idiot lost and terrified. The innkeeper could remember the time just as vividly as foreigner was remembering it now. And hadn't Zharkov been relying on him? What would happen to them?
What did it matter to Frank? "Your Common's improved. You have experience at a prestigious establishment. Shouldn't be too hard to find somewhere new," he soothed dismissively. There was a lot about Kozel he didn't know, because he never really cared to, but it was nice finding what could upset him so strongly. He decided to dig the knife a little deeper: "Hey, maybe you could go back home."
No longer able to look at them, either of them, Kozel turned abruptly away, hands to his face and trembling though he made no sound. Good. This was great. It gave Frank such pleasure to know neither of them knew he was lying, because they weren't gifted like he was. With the Katchian sufficiently wrecked, Frank looked calmly to Noah for his reaction. Here was a ******** scene for him. If these two were so afraid of violence, Frank would just have to dominate them through different means.
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