Wedding

[Sly Cooper]

Damon, still holding on to Malachai, his eyes narrowed so his lashes hid the color. The look directed at Esau, "With all due respect, Rebekah found the child alone and crying on the stoop of the police station." He hunched over, realizing that all in all the whole thing was really stupid. "Rebekah has the child now. Where Rebekah is, I don't know."

[Bunny]

Isaac opened his mouth to respond, but did not get to do so.

Because Rebekah had found her way back to Gatlin. And, astonishingly, she was as energetic as ever.

The girl carefully picked her way through the corn, but as soon as she was in the clearing she lifted the baby Noah to the heavens, following her with a shriek: "I got Noah!" She cradled the baby, and half-skipped half-staggered towards Isaac, a grin on her face, nearly masking the fact that her face was lined with dirt and smudge.

"Hey, Isaac," she said chipperly, staring down at the smaller boy, "I gave birth to this." She pointed at Noah. "We should christen it in the name of He Who Walks Behind the Rows." She glared at Damon. "He helped me make it, I guess."

She hadn't forgotten the fight. She'd have her revenge, somehow. When she returned to Gatlin there hadn't been a great welcoming party, so she figured that Isaac obviously hadn't been informed of her great expedition. Obviously, He Who Walks Behind the Rows thought it would be best to keep just how she got the baby a secret.

[Sly Cooper]

Damon cleared his throat trying to change the subject. "I'm going to take Malachai back to the school, to lock him up. Is someone coming with me to make sure I do it? I think I'd actually feel better if--" He trailed off, rambling more to himself, mostly because he was nervous. It was more the wrath of his wife that he feared more than Isaac, He Who Walks Behind the Rows, or even Malachai.

[Vixen]

After seeing Isaac's blatant mercy - a trait that was not exalted by He Who Walks Behind the Rows - even Zipporah, who took so much care in deciding what and what not she showed to the world, could not contain her rage. "We are merely binding him!?" she cried.

No no no no no no no no. That was not good. She had killed the Blue-Woman, and she had been about to kill Malachai. She was almost there! She was about to become Isaac's favored, and the second-most-powerful person in Gatlin second only to Isaac himself (until she found a way around him, too) and now the little squirt was going to still allow Malachai to live!?

But she knew that Isaac would be angry with her, now. She had to amend her words, give him a reason for her outburst that he would find admirable. "He tried to harm the Word!" she jerked her head towards Isaac, pouring panic into her voice. "The Giver of His Laws! He deserves death! He Who Walks Behind the Rows will not forgive someone who committed such a grievous sin! Isaac," she lifted the hem of her skirt and rushed towards him, dropping into a low curtsy, "I fear for your safety. Where would we all be without your guidance? I feel we must protect you at all costs. Surely some of us do still have affection for Malachai in memory of all that he did for us, but that will only make him more dangerous. I feel he must be eliminated, My Lord."

She paused. Isaac wouldn't like it if he thought she was giving him orders. "But your will is the Lord's will, and I will follow your orders without question. Your wisdom comes from He Who Walks Behind the Rows himself. But I must ask," now to remind him of her great-outlander-killing-skills, "what shall we do with the blue-woman? Her blood has been spilt." It would be arrogant to say 'by me', but Zipporah knew the arrow sticking in the woman's face would tell Isaac who had done the deed.

[Bunny]

Zipporah was a true servant of the Lord. Thinking only of the congregation, of the safety of the Lord's voice -- the seventeen-year-old was a virtuous woman to be emulated. And her words held a truth that Isaac would not argue. As long as air flourished in Malachai's veins neither he nor any of the Lord's children would be safe.

"You show great wisdom my child," Isaac said to the girl who had three years on his age, "and your devotion has not gone unnoticed. He Who Walks Behind the Rows is most pleased with you." He offered her a small smile, hardly curling his lips, but a smile nonetheless. "You will be honored for spilling the blood of the blue-woman. But the Lord has spoken that he wants to care for Malachai himself. We must not interfere.

"But let us not dwell on him any longer," Isaac was eager to change the subject, happy with the truth of his words: the Lord would eliminate Malachai. He was no longer a threat whether his throat was slit or bound in the schoolhouse, "instead let us celebrate the demise of the blue-woman and the secured safety of this Happy Place. Offer the Blue-Woman up unto the cross so that she may be a warning to all heathens," he spoke this word with a furious glance towards Esau, "will know their fate." He was taking great pains to ignore Rebekah, who had begun to wave the baby in his face.

He looked towards Damon. "John will assist you in removing Malachai from this Holy Place." He nodded towards the small teenager, ordering him to assist the other believer.

John, however, had different plans. He walked over to Damon, his arms locked over his chest, and glared at Isaac. "This is stupid," he muttered. "I always have to do this."

OOC: >.> Long post. Isaac should have reacted more to Rebekah. Sorry.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth squealed with delight, and, once again ignoring the standard for behavior, scurried over towards Rebekah, her eyes wide with wonder as she speculated the baby. "It's adorable!" she cried. "What's it's name?" She looked towards Isaac. "Are we going to keep her?" As soon as the words escaped her mouth she hung her head low, ashamed of herself. She was acting so, as Isaac would probably say, insolent. "I apologize," she mumbled. "I just wanna know." Hopefully she wouldn't end up sacrificed with the blue-woman. But He Who Walks Behind the Rows was probably getting full. Lucrisha, Malachai, and the Blue-woman? He wouldn't have room for a Ruth!

Hopefully.

[Sly Cooper]

"Are you going to help?" Damon huffed at John, "Isaac said--" He frowned. "-- He said to help me. So, whether you do it all the time or not, you're s'posed to do it this time." He thought for a moment, dragged Malachai's feet across the dirt, then grunted. "I guess, I said I only needed someone to come with me to make sure I have done the deed--" He headed toward into the corn as he haphazardly hoisted the red head over a shoulder.

[esau12]

Who would deliver his punishment? When will it be delivered? These questions flashed through Esau's mind in a second. He stared at the scene unfolding in front of him; the faithful, damaged Damon following orders, Rebekah being, well, Rebekah, Zepporah continuing to attempt to fill Malachai's shoes, and Ruth being her cute self.

After taking a few moments to thoroughly comprehend the situation, Esau, once again, turned to Isaac. He angled his head slightly and spoke, "Isaac, is there anything I can do to help?"

[Dot Dot Dot]

Solomon had been standing on the edge of the clearing, a silent pillar, his dark eyes missing nothing of the events unfolding before him. He had missed Malachai's crusade against Isaac, but he was seeing the punishment. And the disrespect to Isaac.

"John," Solomon said slowly, the massive boy stalking over towards the other child. "Do your duty." He was a boy of few words, but he crossed his arms aggressively. His eyes strayed over towards Esau who was bothering Isaac again. A hand curled into a fist. "Should I punish?" he called to Isaac.

OOC: Never posted as Solomon before. Figured now was as good as ever.

[esau12]

A powerful voice pierced the air. The arrow that was this voice shot true and landed on each and every person within earshot. Startled, Esau turned to look at Solomon. He had not noticed him among them until then. Once his shock wore off, Esau turned again to Isaac, "Yes, Isaac, if it is yours and His will, I won't resist by justified retribution."

[Bunny]

Isaac did not immediately acknowledge Solomon nor Esau. Instead he finally allowed for Rebekah's presence. She had not stopped babbling since she had entered the cornfield, and the boy preacher had been making it a point - an admittedly immature point, but a point nonetheless - to ignore her until she silenced herself.

Eventually, do to the realization that she was not being heard or boredom, or lack of air, or a combination of all three, Rebekah finally held her tongue. And the baby.

"You have committed a most grievous sin," Isaac began, turning towards the disobedient girl and raking his gaze over her.

Rebekah held the child closer, and flushed beneath Isaac's stare. He was just looking and not even in a lecherous way. But she probably would have been more comfortable if she didn't feel like the Lord's Chosen was picking through her every weakness, and deciphering every one of her flaws.

Isaac, however, didn't have to search at all. The girl wore her heart on her sleeve. "You had fled from this joyous place, coercing your husband to be by yours side. You had even taken an unbeliever with you. Rejoice that you also were able to return them, or their deaths would be upon your soul. And your soul has enough weighing against it."

Rebekah wasn't about to surrender. Not yet, anyway. "I gave birth to the kid myself!" she asserted. "I did, I did, I did! Now christen Noah!"

Isaac spoke over her, not batting an eyelash at a single syllable. "Solomon, administer the punishment. Send the child to one of the wet-nurses. I must consult with the Lord on whether accepting her into our fold is His will."

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth's eyes bulged ath the word 'punishment' but Solomon merely inclined his head respectfully to Isaac, and lumbered over towards Eseu, moving to grab the smaller boy's arm. "Come," he said simply. To Rebekah he said, louder but not even nearing the territory of a scream, "You too."

[esau12]

"Aye Aye, Isaac. Let the retribution be dealt," Esau said with a bit too much excitement. Who knows, maybe he this event would turn into a new found fetish; sado-masochism.

OOC: You are not dreaming, I did just make that statement.

[Vixen]

Zipporah didn't like to smile. When she did, her lips seemed to vanish, leaving only a wall of pointed teeth. A rather jealous girl (she had to be jealous. That was the only reason anyone would dislike Zipporah) had once said, cruely that Zipporah's smile was reminiscent of a demon's grin. Zipporah took the mockery to heart, and generally only allowed her eyes to crinkle, or giggle a little behind a hand.

But she could not contain herself this time. She beamed as Solomon went to lead Esau and Rebekah away. Esau had escaped death due to Isaac's excessive mercy - something that Zipporah hoped to fix when she was Malachai's acknowledged replacement - but he would not escape the whip. Maybe some of his demons would be beaten out of him. Regardless, hopefully he would be broken.

Zipporah was not Isaac. She would have no patience for rebelling. When she was leader, of course.

Rebekah had always been of a rebellious nature. She had never been aggressively sinful, no, but her loud mouth and impulsive nature had been a thorn in Zipporah's side for quite some time. Besides, she had a nicer smile - one that guys really liked to see - and frankly, she had it coming.

But then her mood soured. Her smile vanished even without a reminder of how hideous she looked when she wore one. "Isaac!" she couldn't keep the shock from her face or voice. "You mean that you are actually considering accepting...that" she gestured wildly towards the baby, "as one of us? An outlander cannot cease to be an outlander! She bears the Lord's curse, as all of them do. If he wanted her, he would have had her born among us! Abandon her, let her starve in the cornfield, and let her corpse be food for the crows!"

Isaac wouldn't appreciate that.

She bowed her head. "I mean, please let us abanon her, let her starve in the cornfield, and let her corpse be as feed for the crows, My Lord. Let the will of He Who Walks Behind the Rows be done. I merely worry about the safety of our congregation."

[Bunny]

Isaac's reprimand to Zipporah's outburst was rather trite. Though her offense was of such negligible value compared to her peers, and her intentions so obviously pure, Isaac's reprimand was also rather half-hearted. "Question me not, Zipporah. I act according to His will."

He fixed a cold azure gaze onto her, and did not lift it as he explained the necessity of waiting for a sign, "The Lord allowed this Outlander to be taken into our Lands. We do not slay every Outlander, for if we did, powerful forces from beyond this happy place would converge upon us and all would be lost. We must wait for He Who Walks Behind the Rows to guide us on whether we shall accept her, reject her..." he hesitated. "return her." It was possible. If the Outlanders searched for the child, they may enter the Happy Place. He Who Walks Behind the Rows wished for separation from his children and outsiders.

ooc: >.<