the third punishment

[faceofjustice]

An hour past dark, any door Tsia, Anders or Logan try to open will lead to the same blackened corridor. Inside, the Headsman waits, ever-sharp axe slung over his shoulder as he beckons them forward. Any attempt to fight or flee will be quickly silenced by the Headsman and the blunt side of his axe

Comments

[featherofthecat]

Tsia, is not sane. As long as she was conscious she was not going to go wherever this asshole wanted her to go, or at least give the prick an idea that she wasn't going to go quietly.

She's convinced now, more than ever, that this was a dreamer channel, a programmed hallucination with interactive features. There was a Mole hidden somewhere, there had to be. She certainly feels those axe blows, and they are not something to brush off. She finds herself standing upon the Green with what looks to be a bact-vat, feathers, and coals with a rod stuck in it.

She has a very brief moment, where the hooded figure points to what appeared to be holes in the wood. A larger hole and two smaller ones. Imagination works it's wonder and the guide *knows* what he is figuring to do.

Like hell she is going to stand still for it, threat or no threat. She'll be bending to no one, and all this guy has is an axe. It's not like it's a gun-

She runs.

[faceofjustice]

The blackened path they came from shuts the moment the three are onto the Green. All around, a fence marks the borderline of the punishment area.

There is no where to run.

The Headsman watches, axe in hand and points again to the stocks. Last chance, Tsia.

[featherofthecat]

There were plenty of places to go, as long as you were willing to take them. A chainlink fence was no obstacle to one as determined as Tsia. She doesn't even realize that this guy with the axe is pointing. She's got her back turned to him. As good as she is, she knows that once you're caught and bound, anything can happen. She's not one to hold still.

That fence is so tantalizingly close-

[faceofjustice]

But the Headsman is closer. For all that Tsia might think she is about to get away, she isn't. The blunt of the axe comes down on her upper back with a dull thud. It's not an overly hard hit, but it's certainly enough to hurt like hell and leave a mark.

No longer one to be patient, the Headsman grabs Tsia's arm and drags her to the stocks. Forcing her down, the stocks are shut tight. There will be no more escape attempts.

[3wayforjustice]

He could fight it. But what would be the point? They won't take his magic. They won't take his mind. They won't make him Tranquil. And that's the important part.

No one ever said the mage had his priorities in line.

He doesn't anticipate anyone barging in to save him. Nor does he particularly want it. He deserves this. This is justice, after all. He simply walks, his head high and his back straight. It isn't that he has any illusions this punishment will be easy, or painless. This is going to hurt like nothing before. And he may very well keel over during his captivity. But it isn't, in his opinion, the worst that could happen.

He just walks. And waits.

[faceofjustice]

When all else is ready, the Headsman stands by the second pair of stocks. In moment's they're open and waiting.

He nods toward Anders and then toward the wooden frame, his message clear.

[3wayforjustice]

He shuts his eyes for a moment, before he moves to take his coat off. Everything else on him is replaceable. But not the coat.

Once that's finished, he moves forward, stopping beside the frame, as indicated, looking to the Headsman.

[faceofjustice]

The Headsman says nothing - thought that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone - as he moves to secure Anders in place and lock the stocks.

Should the man submit, he'll deftly slice the shirt from his back with a spin and a flick of his axe.

[drinkuntilidie]

Kevas stands at the fence watching the punishments as they happen. Right now he's hoping something, anything, will take his mind off how miserable he feels. The fact that he's using other people's suffering to make him feel better doesn't help him at all though. Though he doesn't particularly know them he doesn't want to see them suffer either. Besides, whoever thinks Kloe needs her head bashed in can't be all that bad.

So for know Kevas stands and he watches. His hat is pulled down low to hide just how pale his face is and his hands are in his pockets so no one will see them shaking. Hopefully no one will take notice of him with these punishments going on.

[sacredbrand]

The shadow at his side would be hard pressed to not notice the troll.

With as little sleep as she'd had lately, Nel didn't look much better where pallor was concerned, but she had the advantage of not going through intensive withdrawal. For all the distance of a few feet between them, she gave the impression of being stuck to Kevas' side like a redheaded burr.

Nel stared at the woman to be branded. In a rare display of subconscious telegraphing, she covered one of her bare hands with the other, palming the rune scorched there in the flesh. Her nape hairs rose.

[drinkuntilidie]

The only reason he hasn't thrown himself into the bar is because Nel has nearly physically attached herself to him. There's a lot of things he can say about Nel, but he can't say that she's not dedicated.

Miserable as he is, he does notice her reaction, and knowing that she's the queen of repression it surprises him a bit. At least it's not another violent outburst to stop it. In his condition he's more likely to just fall over than to actually stop her.

"Should we leave?" Because he knows she won't leave him by himself for sometime.

[sacredbrand]

No violent outbursts yet. To do so on limited stores of energy was even worse a plan than trying to fight the Headsman in a fit of blind rage. Nel had gotten most of her frustration bridled and under wraps.

The comment drew a sharp look from her, and then Nel realized what her hands were doing. They moved apart to rest at her sides.

"No. I want to see what he has in mind."

And reminisce about the runes branded into her as certain as Tsia was about to receive her own design, she didn't say. Something in the comparison rattled her, but she didn't have the words to describe or even understand it.

[iwannabeadragon]

Hawke doesn't particularly care for these public punishments, but he won't just leave Anders to deal with this himself, even if Hawke can't get any closer than this fence allows. At least it's not as bad as he thought it might be. They don't seem to be using boiling oil anyway. Well, that or Anders' tolerance for pain has skyrocketed from all his stupid decisions. The kitty fur is a nice touch though. No doubt Hawke will be hearing about that for months.

His eyes move to the woman screaming and flailing the entire time. Normally Hawke would help, but he's seen what happens when people try. It would just be an exercise in futility and he's had enough of those. There's nothing Hawke can do for any of them now but watch.

[gotyourwallet]

Events like this one were far too close to home for comfort, but over the years she'd built up a certain resistance to what would come. It wasn't the first time Vie had seen a friend punished.

Quietly, she took her place at Hawke's side and folded her arms. "The woman is only making it worse for herself."

[iwannabeadragon]

She may be used to this but it's the first time that Hawke has seen something like this and not been able to do something about it. Despite his best efforts it's having a visible effect on him.

When Vie speaks his eyes move back to the woman. "It reminds me of someone trying to bathe a cat." Always the one way to say something completely appropriate when needed to.

[gotyourwallet]

"I can only imagine."

Her attention leaves the punishment at hand and turns to Hawke. She knows him well enough to know when something is up, and right now he's really not trying to hide it. Anders might be getting off lighter than she'd first thought, but punishment was still not something to be taken at ease.

"Would it be foolish of me to ask if you're alright, Garrett?"

[timid_kitty]

Anders had asked Alex to stay away altogether, but there was little chance of that happening and he'd said as such. The Mage had asked him to not interfere and as hard as that was, Alex knew there was nothing that could be done to help those the Headsman had been sent for. He'd experienced a punishment himself shortly after his arrival and though people had tried to interfere, it had only led to them facing the Headsman and being fended off

sorry this is so late!

[faceofjustice]

The Headsman splits form, one remaining with Tsia to press the brand to her skin while another moves for Alex. Axe in hand, there is no holding back when he lashes out at the Were.

Be thankful that he blunt side is what aims for Alex, intent on catching him across the stomach area.

Quite alright, bb! <33 Let's make this situation worse, shall we? So sorry, Nieta!!! T^T

[timid_kitty]

Alex has had a past encounter with the Headsman and would, much to the dismay of both he and his friends, not be his last. When he came to his senses later, this would really make him think twice about the concern and suspicion Anders felt about Tsia. After all, if this sort of a thing could happen once, it could very likely happen again

/sneaks on in

[sociopathicwolf]

Derek's here pretty much only because he knows Alex will be. He wouldn't have ventured out of his room to watch the punishment otherwise, but he wants to be there in case his friend needs anything.

And it turns out to be a good thing that he did, because it means he's close by when he sees Alex lose it, transform, and go charging towards the green.

"Alex, stop!"

He's running as he yells, especially when the Headsman moves in on him. He'd be faster in wolf form, but he doesn't have time to change, and really, it'd probably be better if he can actually talk. Derek keeps going even when Alex makes a leap for the Headsman, planning on running right into him and tackling him to the ground.

And then hopefully rolling away before Alex can actually injure him.