Fall From Grace - Part 2 - Duncan

[Jerusha]

Part 2 – Duncan

Duncan Howard McLain, Archbishop of Rhemuth, knocked quietly on the door and then pushed it open.  Master Randolph finished adjusting the cool cloth he had applied to Morgan's forehead then straightened, drying his hands on another cloth before coming forward.

"Excellency," the surgeon murmured as he bowed and kissed the amethyst ring Duncan held forward.

Duncan nodded and gripped the older man's shoulder.  "How is he, Ran?  Is there any improvement?"

Randolph shook his head slowly.  "I keep hoping the fever will break, but so far there are no signs of it.  I've done about all I can.  It's up to His Grace now, or perhaps God. "

Duncan managed a small smile.  "I've been doing what I can from that perspective.  I held a special Mass this morning, which was very well attended, by the way.  I've spent quite some time in the St. Camber chapel as well, although the thought of a saint interceding on his behalf might make Alaric uncomfortable."

"Right now I'll take whatever intercession you can arrange." Master Randolph placed both hands on the small of his back, stretched, and was rewarded by a faint cracking sound.  Straightening, he said, "I should check on Her Grace.  Will you stay with him for a while?" 

"Of course.  I stopped to see Richenda on my way here." 

"Do you know if she has eaten anything?"

"I think so.  At least the remains of a meal were still on the side table.  She and Grania were trying to distract themselves by embroidering feminine apparel.  I thought it best not to look at it too closely."  Duncan stopped, knowing that if Alaric had been awake, he would have made some sort of sardonic reply.

And he would have welcomed it!  He would have welcomed any sarcastic response or none too gentle jesting; anything that would end the cool distance that had grown between them these last few months.  He had meant to make an overture himself, to address the issue and talk it through.  He was a priest, after all; he was supposed to be skilled at such things, able to understand people and guide them with wisdom. 

He shook his head at his own folly.  Archbishop of Rhemuth he might be, but this was Alaric; his strong-willed, self-confident cousin who did not easily concede any point of discussion, let alone a heated argument!  Duncan had not intended for the "discussion" to become an argument, but one thing had led to another and Alaric had walked out of Duncan's study stiff-backed and unyielding.   

Duncan sank down onto the chair beside the bed.  Alaric looked uncomfortable, as if he was having an unpleasant dream.  Duncan reached across and straightened the compress Master Randolph had placed on Alaric's forehead.  It didn't really need adjusting, but it was at least something he could do.

Duncan sighed.  He had never considered that Alaric's life could end this way.  No! He would not believe it – not yet.  Not as long as there was the slightest thread of hope to be grasped.   Alaric would recover, and they would settle this uncomfortable estrangement.  They had to; he would not accept anything else.  Duncan slid from the chair to his knees beside the bed, folded his hands where they rested on top of his cousin's damp shoulder, and began to pray.

At the very edge of his concentration, he heard the bells begin to toll for Nones.

***

"What, exactly, are you doing here?" Morgan asked, looking up at the dragon and not releasing his grip on his sword's hilt.

"I could ask you the same question, Champion.  You're not supposed to be here."

Small wisps of smoke escaped from the dragon's mouth as it spoke.  Morgan wrinkled his nose at the smell, but it didn't seem as bothersome now.  Perhaps he was getting used to it.  He hoped not.

"How would you know where I'm supposed to be?" he countered. 

"You should be sharing a glass of Old Ballymar scotch with your cousin," the Dragon said dryly.  "But it seems you are not."

"Obviously not," Morgan replied curtly and scowled at the dragon.  "Duncan and I are not particularly speaking at the moment."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Are you implying that it's mine?" Anger edged its way into Morgan's reply.

"Ah, we're a bit touchy, aren't we?"  The dragon dipped its head closer to Morgan. "Now why would that be?"

Morgan squared his shoulders and stood his ground.  Duncan had looked at him in much the same way, and he had resented it.  "I do not take risks that could be avoided because I have the talent to Heal."  He had said the same to Duncan.  "I certainly don't treat the importance of another man's life casually because I might be able to save it, and I do not feel the need to prove anything to anybody!"

The dragon cocked its large head to one side.  "But prove it you did.  At least he didn't die."

"I volunteered to help immediately, but he refused," Morgan answered angrily.  "Stupid, stubborn pride!"

"His, or yours?"

Morgan pushed strands of damp, blond hair back from his forehead.  Damn impertinent dragon!  It was as difficult to argue with as Duncan.

When Morgan didn't answer immediately, the dragon continued.  "You could have walked away from it."

"I tried."  Morgan saw the scene play out again in his mind, as he had too many times. The summer tournament had ended; nobles, knights and retainers milled about, some happy with the day's results, some not.  Simon Sinclair, third son of a landed Marley knight, had unexpectedly thrown his gauntlet at Morgan's feet in challenge.  Morgan had returned it on the point of his sword, suggesting the young man should reconsider.  Sinclair had smirked, making a rude comment about not being a son with traitor's blood....

And that had been that.  The fight had been short, starting and ending before anyone could intervene.  Morgan's sword had ripped up and through Sinclair's sword arm from elbow to shoulder, cutting through muscle, tendon, and bone.   He had followed as Sinclair was carried to the Sinclair pavilion, but his offer of assistance had been refused by both father and son.  Duncan had  offered assistance later, once the initial hot tempers had cooled, but was also refused.  Simon Sinclair had lost his sword arm and Morgan had left the Earl of Marley, his step-son, with a problem to deal with.

"What else could I have done?" Morgan asked.  "Turned my back and walked away, hoping young Sinclair had enough sense not to stick his dagger in it?"

"Perhaps you should ask your cousin."  The dragon settled farther back on its haunches, lifting its foreleg to examine the bottom of its foot.

"I can't," Morgan replied uncertainly.  "He's not speaking to me."  He shifted his feet; the ground felt uncomfortably warm.

"Ask him anyway, Champion." The dragon looked down at Morgan through its sharp, upturned claws.  "While you still have time."

Part 3 can be found at: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,978.0.html

[Evie]

* Evie gives a happy sigh at seeing Duncan again, however briefly....   

"...She and Grania were trying to distract themselves by embroidering feminine apparel.  I thought it best not to look at it too closely."

LOL!   

[Elkhound]

As skilled a swordsman as Alaric could have disarmed him without. . . dis-arming him.

[Evie]

Even an experienced swordsman sometimes can't stop or redirect a swing in time if the opponent does something very unexpected or downright stupid.  But in any case, it sounded to me as if Alaric meant to injure the lad enough to teach him a lesson, but had expected that his offer to heal the injury immediately afterwards would be accepted (as it would have been by nearly anyone who wasn't either thoroughly Deryni-hostile or else too stubborn to have any walking-around sense).  And if not tended to properly, even a minor wound could fester afterwards, leading to the loss of an arm, but in this case, since thorough Healing was offered and flatly refused, the blame for the outcome falls just as much on the wounded guy as it does on Alaric.  Excessive pride cut both ways on this occasion, it seems.

[Jerusha]

As skilled a swordsman as Alaric could have disarmed him without. . . dis-arming him.

In a perfect world, perhaps, but fate, or chaos, has a way of stepping in from time to time.  

[Jerusha]

Just to comment a bit further, Elkhound; that was the source of the arguement between Morgan and Duncan.  Should Morgan have used a bit more restraint in the confrontation, or did he not, knowing that he could heal any injuries if things went a little farther than intended?  Had he indulged his pride just a bit too much?  Unfortunately, this time he was denied the opportunity to put things right.

[Evie]

I think one reason I enjoy KK's heroes so much is that they aren't perfect and don't always do the right thing.  That makes them come across as more human and easier to relate to.  Alaric is utterly devoted to the Haldanes, but he is also somewhat proud and arrogant at times and needs to be called on it (as Cardiel does in his admonition to Alaric of what his "darkling phase" attitude is conveying to others about Deryni in general).  Denis is devoted to protecting the Deryni race at all costs, which usually brings his goals in line with the other heroes' goals, but sometimes puts them in conflict with each other, and his tendency to be a bit of a curmudgeon doesn't help matters.  Kelson allows his temper to get the better of him in the Mearan conflict when he refuses to allow Prince Ithil a chance to make a final confession before he is hanged, and Alaric has to confront his young King on that and remind him of the necessity of maintaining a proper balance between justice and mercy.  Duncan comes across as more even-tempered most of the time, but sometimes makes error judgments or allows his temper to win out, especially when thinking with his heart--killing the Torenthi hostage in the heat of anger after seeing his father executed, "outing" himself as Deryni to please Dhugal without consulting with others first and/or fully considering the potential long-term consequences of his actions, even marrying Maryse MacArdry when he did rather than waiting for the clan feud to die down and taking more time to consider whether he had a true vocation or not.  (He was already a seminarian at the time he met and fell in love with Maryse, as I recall, and he admits to Dhugal in QFSC that, looking back, he wasn't sure that even his love for Maryse would have been strong enough to have held him back from his true calling for long.)  So one thing I like about this scene is that once again we see Alaric getting his pride pricked a bit and reacting rashly in a way that is inappropriate, yet I think still very much in character for him.  And Duncan would have definitely called him on that, not just as a priest, but as Alaric's cousin who loves him and knows his heart and motivations better than most.

[Elkhound]

Oh, I never said that I didn't like the story.  I like it very much.  But A. showed a deplorable lack of self-control, which would be understandable in a young man, but not in a mature, seasoned warrior which he is by now.  If he had just slapped the brat with the flat of his sword and knocked him on his a$$, it would have made the point without maiming or killing him.

[Jerusha]

But Morgan is an aging, seasoned warrior, challenged by a young pup who might have escaped unscathed if he had not made allusions to Bran Coris' treachery and insulted Morgan's stepson.  He feels the need to show quite clearly that he is still a force to be reckoned with.  Morgan is not perfect, and the occasional lapse of judgement happens to us all.  Morgan has a demon or two to face in this story, even if they look like dragons.

[Alkari]

And aging, seasoned warriors can often become DEAD seasoned warriors if they take young challengers too lightly.  Or any challenger for that matter - remember the cathedral duel in DR, where Alaric turned his back on a not-quite-dead challenger, who them threw a knife and nearly killed him?  

If he had just slapped the brat with the flat of his sword and knocked him on his a$$, it would have made the point without maiming or killing him.

In all honesty, Elkhound, the fancy finesse that you seem to think was possible really only happens in movie swordfights.  Giving him a swat with his sword - sounds wonderful, but how exactly does Alaric get behind the young man in order to do it?!!   Sinclair had a sword of his own       And a dagger, as Alaric also notes.   I don't see anything wrong with how Alaric wounded the young idiot in the fight: once it came to a fight, then he would have been entitled to kill Sinclair, not just maim him.

The issue is not whether Alaric could have done something fancy, but whether he could have avoided the fight altogether.  Maybe said that he wanted the fight in front of witnesses, that he wanted Sinclair to repeat the challenge in front of Brendan, as Sinclair's feudal lord.   Or maybe just pointed his sword at Sinclair and told him that it had been a long day, that everyone was tired, that Sinclair should go back to his father, etc, and stood there on guard until Sinclair backed down and walked away.  

[Elkhound]

I've fenced and studied both kendo and aikido; I know something about swords.  Much as I love Alaric, he was clearly wrong in this case.  Given his skill as a fighter and his experience as a statesman and diplomat, he should have found a way to either diffuse the situation or to have subdued the young man with out hurting him much.

[Evie]

Much as I love Alaric, he was clearly wrong in this case.

Well, yes, but that's why he and Duncan ended up having the falling-out over it.  Alaric allowed his pride to overcome his better judgment, and Duncan called him on it.  That was sort of the point being made with that scene, I thought.   Alaric wouldn't be wrestling with his "inner dragon" now over it, so to speak, if deep down he wasn't aware that he didn't make the best choice that day.  

[Alkari]

Well, assuming Alaric survives, there IS one good thing.   Whatever inner demons are bothering him, and whatever the rift between him and Duncan, the incident did prove to all and sundry that the King's Champion may be getting older, but he isn't 'past it' as a swordsman.      Never hurts to remind people of your skill ...

I wonder what Brendan thinks of it all.  Can't imagine he'd be too thrilled with either of them.  Young Sinclair for a totally stupid challenge (what on earth did he hope to achieve by it?  did he want to commit suicide?!) And Alaric, for 'being Alaric' and leaving Brendan with a very angry Sinclair family to deal with.  Of course, regardless of Alaric being hotheaded, the fact that one of Brendan's vassals challenged a man who is 1. his stepfather, with an insult aimed at Brendan, 2. a Duke, and 3. the King's Champion, would not exactly go down very well with the Earl of Marley.  

[Elkhound]

I wonder what Brendan thinks of it all.  Can't imagine he'd be too thrilled with either of them.  Young Sinclair for a totally stupid challenge (what on earth did he hope to achieve by it?  did he want to commit suicide?!) And Alaric, for 'being Alaric' and leaving Brendan with a very angry Sinclair family to deal with.  Of course, regardless of Alaric being hotheaded, the fact that one of Brendan's vassals challenged a man who is 1. his stepfather, with an insult aimed at Brendan, 2. a Duke, and 3. the King's Champion, would not exactly go down very well with the Earl of Marley.  

Never mind Brendan. I wouldn't want any member of the Sinclair family to get anywhere near Briony.

[Alkari]

What on earth would Briony have to do with it, and why would the Sinclairs be anywhere near her?  By the date of this fic, she's aged 20 and could easily be betrothed or married.  I mentioned Brendan because he is the Sinclair's feudal lord, the insult was essentially aimed at him and Bran as his father, and Alaric reflects that he's left the Earl of Marley with a problem to deal with.   (Anyway, after seeing Morgan's reaction to an insult aimed at his stepson, I hardly think even a completely dumb, thick-headed Sinclair, father or son, would be insane enough to take any sort of action/threat against the Duke's daughter and the King's god-daughter.)