OOM: In the forge, for Jean Valjean

[ostro_goth]

[[OOC: Immediately following this conversation]]

Teja is in the forge this evening, sharpening a new blade on his whetstone by the window.

Work goes slower without Javert; but then, on the other hand, the Goth has no war to outfit now, and he can make his swords at his leisure. This one is light and narrow, a thing that would have been used in the rennaissance or beyond, not a heavy medieval longsword.

The fire is burning low but steady, and the cats are sleeping by the hearth-stones, all four of them rolled up, with only one or two watchful eyes cracked open when a visitor enters.

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"In this matter, that which one needs to know, and that which one would scour one's mind with a wire-brush to un-know, lie far too closely together," Teja says. "He and this vampire are not anything; it would be the vsmpire's wish they should even be spoken of in the same sentence, but I assure you, they ought not."

Teja looks at him almost ruefully, as Iif the metaphorical offer of said wire brush was now in order.

"I would hope that he gives you answers; for he is a true master of dogged silence and the refusal to speak. Until then, one must infer and guess. You should indeed speak with him, if you are not wholly enemies in that way. Two things, though, I would ask of you in this."

[road_to_calvary]

If a wire brush were on hand, he would indeed take it at this point. Good Lord, he never imagined - no, he will not think of it. It is not important.

Instead, he thinks of a time where Javert was only too willing to speak, and wondering if he should want him to return to it. He has known the man to always talk much, and say little, but it clear that things are different now.

'You may ask.'

[ostro_goth]

"One, I would ask you to go and speak also with Guppy Sandhu, the healer who has treated Javert in this, just after he came in from the river Seine, and later, when he was in the infirmary again, from whence he then went with the blood-drinker. Guppy was the one who was locked into a latrine; but not that is what you should speak about, but all that of Javert which you would share, for it would help in treating him," Teja says. "I consult with him as well, even though he may not tell me all he knows, bound by his professional oath of confidence, just as I may not tell him all I know, if one takes me into his trust. You need not tell him of what you spoke of to me, but whatever you feel free to tell without dredging up darkness from your own soul, tell him. I would give you a note that I see you as important in the matter, so he would not simply see you as a stranger come to speak with him about one of his patients. He would not take this at all well; he has a very high ethic in his work. He is from the early 21st century, a time much different from yours or mine, so if for a moment you cannot understand what he says, it is not the translation spell breaking down, it is a mere mismatching of concepts. I still do not know what that 'discharge summary' is, the medical procedure that was apparently violated."

Teja shrugs.

"The edge of 'must be known' and 'may not be spoke' again is so, so narrow in this."

[road_to_calvary]

He thinks hard about this. He feels himself being pulled into something - something he has absolutely no desire to be part of. But if he must, he must. One cannot pick and choose where help is most needed. Still, he is loathe to agree to tell perfect strangers details he himself is not sure of.

'And the second?'

[ostro_goth]

All that are concerned by this will be drawn to places that they would not wish to see; it lies in the nature of the woe they are dealing with. Milliways had never before truly needed a suicide watch, or had a Bound patron that was nigh beyond help.

"Do not press the subject of the blood-drinker when speaking with Javert; he is more than spooked from it all, and his soul is not whole. Sometimes, it may happen that the mere memory of a thing will plunge a man into darkness beyond his own help. Whatever happened, or happened not, he took it very badly while maintaining that it is all, in some way, his own fault."

Again, an offer of a wire brush might well be in order. Teja shrugs ruefully.

This must be spoken of.

[road_to_calvary]

'I will not press the subject.'

He most certainly does not wish to press any subject. Well, that is clear. But he is too preoccupied with the notion of the man no longer being whole in soul; for the first time, there is a hint of curiosity to his thoughts, above and beyond the desire to right a possible wrong.

'I apologise for drawing you back into this, Teja. I simply did not know who else to ask. I cannot promise to be of any help to him - if it is as you say, and he left this place at the mention of my name, I may only make it worse. I will not press him. I will do what is best, even if it means withdrawing entirely, and speaking to him only when it is necessary to conclude our business in our own world.'

[ostro_goth]

"Do not apologise," Teja says. "Talking, and listening, and speaking in turn is how one must, apparently, solve this. If this can be solved. I would do what I can to help the man, not only because he works for me, but because if I am here, I am the one that must help, by mere virtue of my presence."

[road_to_calvary]

'And you are admirable because of it. I have the feeling you will be far more useful in this than I will manage to be.'

He sighs, just a little, and sets his empty cup down.

'I will not agree to speak to the doctor until I have spoken to Javert. It is not fair to decide anything about him, without the man himself being heard. And if he asks me to go away, and never speak to him again, I expect I will heed him.'

Even he, he thinks, would not be able to resist such an invitation. To walk away from arrest, after years of being persued? He does not think he is strong enough to refuse the chance. Not if it means he will be able to stay with Cosette.

But then, he does not truly believe - even now - that Javert will allow this. In truth, he has no idea what he will do, or say, or how such a meeting will progress.

[ostro_goth]

"I shall consult with Guppy, however," Teja says. "He has been treating the man, and would be again, the next time anything happened. His only duty is to his patients; he has no divided loyalties or any own involvement in this."

[road_to_calvary]

He raises an eyebrow here - something else is expected to happen? But that is not his affair either, and he will not pry into any further circumstances without first meeting his old adversary.

'That is your choice, of course. Tell me then, how I will recognise this doctor, should the need to meet with him arise.'

[ostro_goth]

"Truly, do seek him out, I mean it," Teja says. "Once you spoke with Javert, that is. Guppy is small and dark and curly-haired; his ancestors were from India, but he is English. He often has one or more of his three little children with him, as he is a very dedicated father."

[road_to_calvary]

'Thank you. I will give the matter some thought. And again, I thank you for speaking with me on this subject.'

He bows shortly, and then straightens his coat.

'No doubt we will meet again. Good evening, Teja.'

[ostro_goth]

Teja bows shortly as well, and looks Valjean in the eye.

"I am sure we will," he says, "and eventually, I shall play you music, and we shall not have to speak of dire, painful things. Now is not yet the time, though. I am sorry for that, but thus is fate."

[road_to_calvary]

'I should like that very much.'

If there is ever such a time where dire, painful things do not rear their heads.

'But you are right; it seems it is God's will to have us delay. So be it. There is time enough.'

A smile then, brief but genuine, and he slips out of the door.

[ostro_goth]

After he is gone, Teja tidies up the forge, sends the cats out into the night, and then goes to find Guppy.