Quinten Log 114 - 16 05 2006
RW Abbey: Great Hall
The Great Hall of Redwall Abbey. Countless paw falls have echoed from these stones, and untold numbers of feasts and merry gatherings have been held here. A table, not nearly so grand or large as its predecessors, but quite functional for mealtimes, rests near the center of the hall. Chairs exist here aplenty, though most of them are obviously not from the same set. High above, the stain glass windows give the Great Hall a beautiful appearance. The glasswork is exceptionally done, crafted by a skilled artist. The floor is clean and swept. A fire is kept burning in the fireplace at almost all times of the day and night, and there are several more comfortable chairs and cushions set up here, of varying sizes. One looks large enough to easily accommodate a badger.
The Tapestry hangs proud and tall, and while the rest of Redwall may still bear the scars of natural disaster, this most famous of Redwall's relics remains unharmed by beast, time, or the elements. The figure of Martin the Warrior seems to be watching over his own with an unchanging, kindly gaze.
Red, blue, orange, green...vibrant patterns of color are painted on the floorstones of Great Hall by the high afternoon sun that is streaming through the stained glass windows.
Harper has finally escaped from scullery duty after a good two hours of scraping and cleaning. At least he hadn't been assigned to the cauldrons, this time. Instead, he'd been set to washing dish after dish after dish in a long line of dishes. He is not covered in grime, but the front of his habit is wet and the tips of his fingers look like prunes under his fur, which is wet up to the elbows. Oof, what a job. "Ain't gonna be able to lift my arms above the shoulders fer a week..." Mutter.
Quinten is sat in an armchair, a writing board on his lap, practicing his hand writing, none of that blocky recruit script, proper joined up writing, words flowing from his ben like water. He glances at harper and waves his hears "Hey Harp gud tae see ye"
.. Ooh. Quinten's ears twitch, twitch, and flatten back. He turns slowly, eyes narrowing in silent thought. "Quint." He surveys the other buck before starting toward him. His tone is gruff, but he's making an effort to make the words nonchalant. "So I hear you were talkin' to Flax."
Quinten frowns "I had a bit of an arguement with her the other day aye, been trying to track her down and say sorry" he dips his pen in the ink again "Was a bit stupid really, so wots it like down in the scullery?"
"Dirty," he offers in one-word reply. He arrives before Quinten, staring down at him. "Said you were talkin' about me. That so?"
Quinten looks up at the bigger buck and blinks scratching an ear "I did? you know i don't rightly remember, was all silly heat of the moment stuff, she started going on about the Major, i said something back about him being too old and too much of a proper officer, some of that rot" he looks at his page and sets it down, pouring sand on it to dry "So Dirty? that all? I got to start down there in a day or so on my rota." not seeming to notice anything wrong.
Harper's eyes narrow, his arms crossing over his chest. "Heard you said a lot of interestin' things about the Major. 'Bout the major 'n' me, matter fact. You know anything about /that/?"
Quinten frowns "Wot?" he laughs suddenly and shakes his head "Oh tha, i said she'd have more chance flirting wid ye then the major, really Harp didn't think it was a bad thing to be saying." he leans back in the chair "Sorry if tha offended ye Harper, really was just an example could have easily have been Greg or Harry or someone" damn...what did he say? must have been something to get a reaction like this.
Harper's expression doesn't lighten. "Flax said you said I fancied her. I ain't /never/ said anything about that to you. Where d'you get off, mate?" And the crux of the matter, "And what's this with her asking about my father, huh?"
Quinten blinks and waves a paw "Ahhh come on Harper twas just a bally arguement, an i never said that damn, flighty doe" he lifts his paws of the arm rests, just holding them over his stomach... in case harper goes for him. "As for your father Harper i don't know anything, Major was going on an on about you after we got here, made me give him a full on report about your actions on the way here. I mentioned your step dad hitting you, oddest report i ever had to make" he raises his eyes to look at Harper firmly, jaw firming .
Harper's jaw drops. "My /actions/? What about my /actions?" His fingers twitch where they rest on the opposite forearm. Tap-tap-tap. "And why'd you go 'n' tell him that, huh? You think it's something I want folks knowing, let alone /him/?"
Quinten looks at Harper in disbelief "You wot....you expect me to stand there and lie to the Major? he grilled me Harper, like he'd just caught me sneaking back back to my room after lights out."
"Tell him I fell! Tell him anything! Just don't tell him that!" He throws his arms open wide, looking exasperated. "I can't believe you, Quint!"
Quinten looks totally baffled "Harper calm down...sheesh all i told him was what you did on the way here, same as the rest of us, paddled thos blasted paddle boats, tried to outsmart that GUOSIM gauntlet up the river bank, yeeesh hardly like i told him anything private"
Harper lets out a hissing breath which is almost a sigh through gritted teeth. "... Yeah. Right. Do me a favor. Keep yer opinions about me 'n' Flax or me 'n' Jarril to yerself. Got it?"
Quinten sighs and hangs his ears down the back of his head "Fine...." he closes his eyes and slumps down in his chair "Great that makes like...the only two recruits i know now hating me..." he flings his quill pen into the fireplace and lowers his head into his paws "Arrr why is nothing ever easy"
Harper doesn't even wait to listen to the other buck's mutterings. He merely nods. "Good. That's good. Right." And... he turns, storming off to the other side of the hall. He doesn't leave, though. He just... sits. /Facing/ the other way. Mm-hm.
Quinten is trying not to cry, really he is, he's leagues from home, Gabby is all too busy being wrapped up in making a new life for herself to spend any time with him, and now his best friend hates him and so does Harper. Great wonderful start, depressed from everyone leaving yesterday and now this, the short buck starts to cry softly into his paws
.. Oh, are you kidding me? Harp's ears flit backward and his head starts to turn. But then, with a grunt, he stills its course. "... No. His own damn fault," he mutters, reclining back in his chair. His arms fold high over his chest.
Quinten stands up and wipes his eyes dry and grits his teeth /Stupid...idiotic harper, it's all his stupid fault/ Quinten moves past him towards te stairs "I hope that insane otter shoves you in a cauldron and boils you" he hisses "All i did was follow orders" he kicks the back of Harper chair, hard with a hind leg and then sprints up the stairs.
"Hey!" Harper's eyes widen, his chair all of a sudden collapsing forward on him. He scrambles up and to his feet, watching Quinten go with widened eyes. The only thing that keeps him from charging after Quinten is the sudden appearance of one of the Sisters from the kitchen, who calls to him. With a grimace, he rights the chair and turns to jog over
End Log -
