Waiting For Rain IC: Spring Slowly Comes

[Thanqol]

"Don't worry. There's a bath, and clothes - a bit out of date, but they'll do. And I'll be able to give you some money, I don't want you to stress about any of this mundane stuff for now." Talmage waved his hand dismissively, "What I do have to talk about, and talk about right away because this is the most important thing, are the rules.

"The Freehold has one rule which never shifts, never changes, which is the foundation of the entire thing. This rule is do not bring the Gentry to town. Offer them no shelter, offer them no aid, offer them no hospitality. Make no deals with them. If you betray any member of the Freehold to them, if you assist them in abducting any human being, then we sentence you to death by crucifixion."

Talmage sighed. "I don't support that particular rule; it's a holdover from the bad old days. And I can't change it without all the other Princes' agreement. But I would cheerfully shoot anyone who'd betray anyone to the Gentry and sleep well that night." There was no hint of a smile when he said that, "I've never had to see a man crucified and I'd take it as a personal kindness if you never put me in a situation where I had to.

"If you can't agree to that, then you can leave town now peacefully. If you do agree to that, we will take you at your word, and we won't ask your Pledge for it. There are... problems with binding an entire Freehold to the same Pledge."

He smiled. "The converse of this is that if the Gentry do come to town, everyone stands together against them. Everyone. Young and old, fighters and scholars, we all stand together and we all do our part. No one gets taken back. All for one, every time."