Guards and Order

[Aveline Vallen]

Aveline frowns then, giving the dwarf a worried look. "Did you both get  checked out? You took a few blows to the head, the both of you."

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch shakes her head, wincing in pain as she does so.

"We have survived worse rockslides than what we encountered today with no ill effect. Today shall be no different."

Yeah, that's probably true, but that dwarven stubbornness is going to mean she'll not be fit for duty tomorrow when the bruising sets in if she's not ordered to get checked out by a healer.

[Wylde]

"She only got hit the once, real bad anyway," protests Wylde. I protected her. Mostly.

[Solras, The Protector]

"A cobblestone to the shoulder. It will be fine." Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch asserts, assuming that Wylde means the hit that knocked her off her feet and not any of the kicks or punches that happened after.

[Aveline Vallen]

Vallen gives Wylde a stone-faced look, then sighs. "What am I going to do with the two of you?" she groans. 

[Wylde]

Wylde hunches her shoulders, eyes downcast. "We're very sorry?" she offers. "We didn't mean to start any trouble..."

[Aveline Vallen]

"That's the trouble honestly," Vallen says in a more open tone than she normally uses. "I've read your reports and the eyewitness testaments and so forth. Aside from Elder Private Solras being more... confrontational than ideal, neither of you did a thing wrong." She shifts her gaze from the dwarf to Wylde. "You supported your partner, attempted to disengage to get help and stood your ground when that failed. You used non-lethal force despite being in a mod situation- something that has caused guard with far more experience to lose their heads."

[Wylde]

Wylde perks up just a bit at the praise, eyes raising to study Aveline. 

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch tilts her head slightly at that.

"If that bad'dhakz complained asking for an apology..."

She shakes her head leaving the rest of the comment unsaid, probably would have been better not to start the comment but too late for that now.

[Aveline Vallen]

"Of course he has," Vallen says with an snort. "They always do. In this case, it's clear that while you played right into his hand by engaging his arguments, you were well within the bounds of civility." Her frown returns. "But that doesn't change that there were a dozen injuries and some hundred or so gold worth of damages and people are blaming the guard. Some people, enough people anyway, that the nobles are grumbling."

[Wylde]

Wylde winces. "So... what does that mean for us?"

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch glares somewhat unfocuedly at the news that that... that.... unprintable word man dared complain at being called out for being what he was. he was trying to whip the crowd up into a killing frenzy to sooth his own bruised posterior, and that's something that the watch should stop.

"We serve the people of this city. The richest and the poorest. We protect them all from those that would hurt them, exploit them, or kill them for nothing more than personal gain or satisfaction. This is what it means to be a guard."

how does one sulk in a monotone, because that's what Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch manages to do. her voice is still completely clear of inflection, and yet she's plainly sulking as she repeats part of a speech she has quoted many times before.

[Aveline Vallen]

"And if we're hamstrung by the nobles? Our budgets cut, our policies overturned? Not everyone is as virtuous as us, Elder Private. It's a hard line to walk, upholding our values while still working with others of different values, but it's one the guard has to do. Your beliefs are good, noble even... but a patrol isn't the place to preach about them. Especially not against a skilled orator in front of crowd already primed to be on his side." Vallen fixes Solras with a stern look. "Doing that only hurts the very people you're trying to protect."

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch doesn't reply, instead looking down at the floor. She knows that already. and it hurts.

[Wylde]

Wylde remains quiet, watching the debate. I just needed to protect Solras, she thinks. I couldn't let her fight alone.