Swamped

You're Private Burgundy, at least for the next three months. And you're wide awake, because you're still thinking about how goddamned stupid you were today.

You volunteered to spend the night in a cell. No, it wasn't necessary, but damn it, you wanted to be sure you'd learn your lesson. Besides, it seems to have calmed down the actual prisoner here.

Ironically enough, he's standing outside the cell. Not that he can do much - his weapon's been confiscated, and there's a good half-dozen Bogknights waiting out in the hall in case he makes a run for it. But treating him as though he's on guard duty has calmed him down.

He doesn't care much for you. Most Marshguards don't. Quite aside from your personal dealings with them, there's the fact that your father was the last Captain, and he took a much more confrontational approach.

And it's not as if retirement has made him calm down. When you've gone out to visit, he's made no secret of his displeasure at how Long is running things. Gods, how are you going to even tell him you cost a soldier an arm? If he'd still been in charge, he'd have kicked you out of the Bogknights right then and there, family or not. And you can look forward to him telling you exactly that over and over, for years to come.

The worst part is that you agree with him. You should be kicked out. But Long's given you another chance, and you're damn well going to take it.

"You're awfully quiet," the prisoner suddenly says. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to hearing some of your legendary insults."

"Got too much on my mind for that right now," you say with a shrug. "Feel free to toss your sharpest barbs my way, though. I probably deserve 'em."

"Nah, there's no fun in it if you're not going to fight back."

"Fair enough. I'll let you know if I feel up for it later."

You sit back in the bed and think about what to do. Your cell's not locked, since you aren't actually a prisoner; you can leave any time if you want, though new arrangements will have to be made for your "guardsman". On the other hand, perhaps you could stay here and talk to him about something.

Either way, you don't see how you're getting to sleep tonight. Might as well do something with the time.