The Journey To Acre

Chapter 21

In the days that followed, Guy was venomous.

This confused his friends exceedingly, for it was certainly not the behaviour of a man who'd just got laid. Clearly, something had gone very wrong.

Though privately much was speculated on the subject, the men knew better than to say anything in Guy's presence and though the question as to what had gone amiss lay on the tip of many tongues, nobody dared to ask.

Most took to badgering Sully for information, having assumed that Guy had confided in him. In this they were mistaken, for Guy had not only avoided his closest friend, he'd taken to bunking down in the hold, far from the crew. It made the carpenter concerned to say the least.

He kept his distance at first, but eventually his concern got the better of him and that's how he found himself standing at the door to the hold one night, wondering if this was a good idea.

"We've got beds and blankets, y'know," he says as he comes in, getting a good look at the knight who's sitting on the floor with only the clothes on his back between him and the boards. The glare he receives for this comment makes it clear he's not welcome, but he carries on regardless, "Can bring 'em down if yer like, prob'ly better for you."

Guy clearly cares nothing for the suggestion because he ignores it.

"Look, we don't have to talk about it, if yer don't want..."

"Good. Because I don't."

Sully nods, having expected as much, but is not discouraged. Guy's tone and demeanour are cold, but the carpenter knows it's nothing personal – this is his friend in defensive mode, to expect a discussion about feelings would be ludicrous. Funnily enough, this is the exact opposite of what happened with Marian, who'd had no trouble whatsoever filling him in on her side of the story in what can only be described as a terrifically awkward exchange. He wonders what that says about him that he feels more at home with a man who won't tell him anything than a woman who tells him everything.

"Well then, if you'll not be chattin', I figures yer might as well be drinkin'," Sully grins, placing a flask in his friend's hand, "if yer are so daft as to crash on the floor then you'll be needin' a bit o' sumthin to help yer sleep."

For a moment, Sully thinks he'll refuse and send him away and he's not wrong in this assumption because Guy does consider it, but relents, bone weary from it all.

A comfortable silence follows. The flask travels from man to man. Sully wants to say something comforting, but thinks better of it – platitudes never did help much, so he figures he'll get to the point because well, that's what he's here for.

"We're running out of time my friend."

He leaves the words there a moment for Guy to digest and it's clear that he does because he nods and says "I know."

"She's going to need you."

Guy's features darken. A storm of emotions bubble just below the surface. "She never needed me."

"That's not true and you know it," Sully says, steeling his jaw, "Who took care of her all this time? It wasn't some dead man, I can tell ye that!"

"It makes no difference!"

"It does! You're all she has!"

"And that's just it isn't it? I'm all she has! If he were here..."

"But he's not! He's not here! You are! An' you can play the 'what if' game all yer like, but when we dock in Acre it isn't gonna be 'im she'll be counting on, is it?"

"She's done nothing but use me from the start!" Guy yells, practically vibrating with anger.

"She's just a kid!" Sully argues, "Christ, most taxin' decision most her age have to deal with is what dress they'll be wearin' that day! She's lost her entire life as she knew it an' ended up wi' us lot! She's been locked up fer months wi' that bullyin' dunghead makin' her life a misery," he gestures in the direction of Vaisey's berth, "has the threat of him murderin' her hangin' over her day and night - I think we can forgive her if she looks to bygone times for solace!" He puts the brakes on here because he realises he's yelling, surprising himself along with Guy, and takes a swig from the flask to calm down. It works and the resulting tone is much softer, "The only thing she had to hold onto in all this was you."