Wedding

[Dot Dot Dot]

OOC: Everyone has them. See below.

IC:
Ruth smiled. "That's good," she breathed. "I think trying to kill Isaac sends you to hell." When Damon finished mending her wound, she smiled even broader. "Thank you," she rose to her feet only to offer her healer a deep bow. Then, continuing with all the worldly wisdom of a newborn fawn she said, "I'm sorry you're gonna die."

[Sly Cooper]

Damon couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Ruth's words. "Well, we all have to go eventually I guess. Now's my time." He bowed back to her, then gave her a sweet smile. Everyone is in a position so that Malachai can't possibly get away with it. Damon tired to think. Think. Think. Think. What to do? He grasped the wooden handle of his knife and slowly removed it from its harness. I'd rather not have to kill anyone. Especially one of His children-- then again is he still with us? He gripped the handle harder, his knuckles turning white, then looked at Isaac to see if he should progress.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth's eyes rounded as she saw Damon unholster is dagger, but she dared not to speak lest Malachai overhear her. The idea of blood made her queasy, of course, and reminded her a little too much of a certain ruthless slaughter she had witnessed three years ago. But Malachai could not take Isaac's place. Isaac was kind. Malachai went around pointing his knife at people. Ruth knew who she would rather have as her leader.

[Bunny]

OOC: Note - though I said I had to watch COTC again... I didn't. >.> So, that is the explanation for this post. And the only explanation I am willing to give. Thank you. xD

IC:

The Lord promised to protect Isaac.

And Isaac had promised to trust the Lord.

The knife's steel rubbed against his neck, caressing his veins as wife would caress her adulterer. It was so loving, so thirsty for his blood. And Isaac, he was frightened. Malachai loomed before him like the demons so written about in the holy texts he scrutinized, his hair burning flames like the fires of hell from whence he came.

But he had scrambled away before; fled before. Just as several times today, Malachai had threatened him with his dagger. It was growing --- trite.

"You would strike down his prophet upon this holy ground?" he challenged, his voice as caressing as the knife against his throat. "To spill my blood here is to spill your body into eternal hellfire. To spill Lucrisha into eternal hellfire."

He took a slow intake of air, stabling himself more than sustaining himself, before sweeping his gaze around, noticing, not for the first time, Zipporah. Ready to shoot Malachai. Why was she waiting?

Isaac blinked at the realization. He was too close. The virtuous did not want to strike him down.

"Let not this holy ground be tainted with the blood of the Lord's voice," he went on diplomatically. But his courtier demeaned vanished in an instant, and his voice grew loud and frantic like a raging storm as he once again put distance between himself and his attacker and ordered, "Let it be purified with the blood of a heretic! Release your arrows!"

[Vixen]

Isaac would not have to request it twice. It wasn't a peculiarity when the demands of He Who Walks Behind the Rows met perfectly with Zipporah's own ambitions, but it was still a celebrated occurrence.

"I ask He Who Walks Behind the Rows to allow my arrow to strike true," she repeated the prayer she had sung earlier before the Blue-Woman met death by her hands, and she carried out Isaac's request.

She released her arrow.

[Sly Cooper]

Her arrow hit! It hit! But it was only enough to injure Malachai's right arm. It was still enough to weaken his movements and bring him down. Damon quickly rushed over to grab the red head off the ground and hold Malachai by the wrists from behind. "What should we do with him Isaac?"

OOC: I just want all you to know i got permission to do that! <.<

[esau12]

A long, monotonous task can disrupt anyone's mental stability. In Esau's case, this task was the twenty mile hike between Hemingford and Gatlin. He had grown bored, very bored. So much so that he had resorted to skipping in a jolly manner while singing at the top of his lungs, "I KNOW A SONG THAT GETS ON EVERYBODY'S NERVES, EVERYBODY'S NERVES, EVERYBODY'S! YES, I KNOW A SONG THAT GET ON EVERYBODY'S NERVES, AND THIS IS HOW IT GOES!"

In this manner he entered into the cornfield. Being previously unaware of the turmoil that had been occurring in his absense, he asked, "What is going on?" After realizing he had asked an obvious question, he came back to himself. His eyes widened to the size of an owl's and his eyebrows rose to the very top of his brow.

Seeing Malachai in the grasp of Damon, Esau jumped to action. He ran. He ran, not so far away. Instead he ran to Isaac.

"Why have you done this? What has he done? Why not leave his punishment to He Who Walks Behind The Rows?"

[Bunny]

The unbeliever's arrogance surely knew no bounds. "Question me not, Esau," Isaac reprimanded, though he did not meet the infidel in the eyes; instead he eyeing Malachai with the cold detachment that he would offer any Outlander or captured beast.

His eyes crinkled into a smile, even if his lips did not curl into one. To Damon, the current keeper of Malachai he praised, "I am most pleased with you. You have kept your faith even in the face of most grievous penalties. You have the heart of the word of He Who Walks Behind the Rows."

Once again, Isaac's ever-more dominant inner, sardonic voice growled: Not the brains, though. He couldn't suppress a shiver.

Malachai was subdued, and for the first time in hours Isaac was permitted to gather his thoughts. And in a heartbeat, he whirled onto Esau, Damon's accomplice in his crime off --- stupidity.

"I have not forgotten your treachery," he snarled, "nor have I forgotten your insult unto me. An insult unto him! Malachai had dared to raise a blade against the Giver of His Laws." He turned to Damon, and nodded at Zipporah, already prepared to pass judgment, "For such a prideful, arrogant, disrespectful transgression against the Lord's Word he must --- " He broke off, his mind reeling.

Malachai had not been alone in sin today. He Who Walks Behind the Rows had come to Isaac, just hours earlier, speaking unto him his intention: that he wanted to take Malachai himself. He had asked Isaac to send warriors to kill the Blue-Woman, and, as a reward, would take Malachai's life.

Isaac had been about to order Malachai's death. He had been about to deny a gift from He Who Walks Behind the Rows himself. He was about to insult He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Just like Malachai.

Just like Esau.

"Take him away from me," Isaac ordered. "Barricade him within one of the old school-rooms. I must wait for the Lord's guidance on this matter."

[esau12]

The scene was a curious one. With its weapons, and victims, and those who did hurt unto the victims. Esau had a curious feeling inside of him, of all things. He was back in the throw of things and all he could feel was the tugging want to just exclaim, "Wow, you guys really go crazy without me as a scapegoat!" So he did. "Wow, you guys really go crazy without me as a scapegoat!"

After he once again gathered himself from his curious state of mind, he turned to Isaac. He felt no want to kneel, nor did he see the point. The damage he had done unto himself was already piled up. He felt that kneeling would only make Isaac resent him more, so instead he spoke. "Isaac, forgive me, but, as you know, I've been absent for the past several hours. Please excuse my lack of comprehension of the current situation. I just thought that if it was He Who Walks Behind The Rows's will that Malachai be killed, then he will do it."

[Bunny]

The boy-preacher flicked a cursory glance at the sinner. "Indeed, you have been absent for the past several hours. Damon has informed me that the two of year, along with the headstrong Rebekah, trespassed into Hemingford, spilled the blood of a woman, and have taken a child from that place."

His eyes narrowed at Esau's lack of respect. Not even the standard inclination of the head was offered. The infidel's continuous outbursts were growing tiresome themselves, now the boy was leading the Lord's children into the playpen of heathens, and questioning the Lord himself. "You know little of He Who Walks Behind the Rows regardless of my teachings and his Holy Presence. He calls upon us to do his will, Esau. Did he spill the Blood of the sinful adults three years ago? Does he take the life of every Outlander that trespasses against us? He calls for us to uphold his laws."

Even though they were still shadowed by their lids, Isaac's eyes took an undeniable sadistic glint. Esau had been troubling him from the beginning of the day, and although Isaac was thoroughly convinced that the child was sent by He Who Walks Behind the Rows to test his children, he was no longer willing to tolerate Esau's sinful nature.

"When Malachai has been properly bound," Isaac spoke without lifting his gaze from Esau, "take Esau. Chastise him. Ten lashes." He paused deliberately. "To begin."

[esau12]

Crap, he thought. Once again he had gotten himself into quite a pickle. However, he smirked. He hated that he did he just thought of something outrageously funny. Isaac must be pmsing. It had to be the only explaination for his orders. He quickly wiped it, and thought. What in the world could he say. Perhaps he could stall.

"Before that, sir, might I offer some truth? First off, it was not I who led Rebekah and Damon into the land of the outlanders. I merely followed them so that they would not get in too much trouble. However, when they caused a scene, I got caught up and they went on without me. It was then that they did the deed. Damon came and gave me the child they had taken. I had thought this to be wrong since the beginning, so I took her to the police station. Damon and Rebekah will tell you otherwise, that I was for their 'adoption' plan. However, I was not. Again, I went to keep them from getting in too much trouble. Obviously, I failed."

[Bunny]

Neither Isaac's body nor conviction wavered from its firm stance. "You knew of this foolish endeavor and chose not to interfere, then? You chose not to come to either myself or..." he caught himself before he said 'Malachai' "one of the other older children to prevent this?" He kept his face controlled, but the more he thought about Gatlin's position the more his panic rose. He had not been lying to Damon earlier when he spoke of the grave danger he had placed the Children in.

"But fear not, Esau," he said in the perfect mockery of placation, "I have not forgotten Rebekah nor Damon. Their lives will be spared due to Damon's assistance in subduing Malachai, and Damon's body will not receive a mark upon it. Rebekah shall take her lashings as well as Damon's. I thank you, Esau, for reminding me of such."

[esau12]

Esau felt relieved. He was okay, in a way. He, being Esau, still wanted to push this. "Yes, Isaac, the thought crossed my mind to tell you, but considering your distaste with me at the time I felt that I should not have bothered you. So, I went with them. In your righteous opinion, did I do right in returning the child?"

[Bunny]

Isaac stared blankly at Esau. "Return the child?" he asked. "Damon informed me that the child is in Rebekah's possession."

OOC: short post. >.> I made a few earlier like 400, 500 word posts. Gimme a break.

[esau12]

With the words of Isaac fresh in his mind, Esau felt puzzled. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. He was worried. A genuinely confused look came across his face. He spoke slowly, at first, but eventually rose to a normal speak of iteration. "No, I do not think so. With all due respect, Isaac, I believe you have been misinformed. As I recall, I was given the baby by Damon and he went to help Rebekah. I then took the baby to the police station." He looked into Isaac's eyes. The look Esau sent him held within it genuine confusion and wonder similar to that of a friend pondering with another friend upon a trivial subject.