Anastacia asks, "Is this satisfactory?"
Punzel nods stiffly.
Punzel watches Anastacia.
Anastacia leans against the northern table.
Punzel sits down on the southern table.
Anastacia glances at Punzel, "Ser Lobo thought this might do some
good... I'm not so sure..."
Punzel nods worriedly, "Nor am I, sera. But let us try."
Anastacia sighs softly.
Punzel inhales deeply.
Punzel exhales deeply.
Punzel gazes patiently at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "I do not know why you have such... strong
feelings... about me."
Anastacia continues, "All that I know is that one day you appeared..."
Punzel glances at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "And you seemed to come predisposed against me."
Punzel frowns confusedly, "One day I appeared? I believe I have
been here as long as you, sera."
Anastacia says, "I have seen that you have compassion in your
heart..."
Punzel shuts her pair of thin lips.
Punzel gazes apologetically at Anastacia.
Punzel listens patiently to Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "You championed Ser Thanos for goodness
sake..."
Anastacia says, "What I do not understand is why you have none
for me... I do not ask for it... but you seem to give me just the
opposite of compassion."
Anastacia says, "The things you hold against me, happened
within my first week of waking."
Punzel gazes patiently at Anastacia.
Anastacia adds, "I was newly awakened... scared.... not knowing
who was friend, and who was not."
Punzel nods slowly.
Anastacia says, "All the reasons you excuse Ser Thanos
behaviour, behaviour which was assaultive, and carried out
against innocents like Briget, and Tara."
Anastacia sighs.
Anastacia says, "I was minding my own business when I was
confronted by the Watchman."
Punzel listens attentively.
Anastacia says, "In fact, I was in a great deal of distress, I
had had a terrible misunderstanding with Martel the night
before.. and I was seeking him."
Anastacia says, "I felt I had no choice at every turn... but
the Watchman... he did. He could have listened to my pleas and
stopped what he was doing at any time."
Anastacia says, "I can not help that it was his first day, and
was inexperienced."
Anastacia says, "Petris should have trained him better before
setting him loose."
Anastacia shrugs, "How can that be held against me?"
Punzel gazes impassively at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "I only complied with what he asked."
Anastacia says plainly, "What I am trying to say is that I did
not have choices, and he did. If you should be upset that
things raged out of control, you should speak to those that had
that control."
Anastacia says, "I only asked Ser Martel to defend my honour
after the Watchman publically called me... well, basically a harlot."
Punzel raises her thin eyebrow.
Anastacia says, "The matter was to have been settled before
that, but things were heated, and words he probably wishes he
could retract. he uttered in front of a crowd."
Anastacia says, "How could Martel let such a thing be said?"
Anastacia says, "That is why they were to duel... "
Anastacia adds sadly, "I did not want that, I never wanted that..."
Anastacia says, "I hoped to spare Ser Martel the indignity of
my presence... ever again... but Sera Tara stopped me, and when
Martel found out, he made me feel like maybe things would be
alrught."
Punzel raises her thin eyebrow.
Anastacia says, "He convinced me not to end my life."
Anastacia frowns, "So you see Sera... I have tried at every turn
to do what would benefit others, and preserve honour for all."
Anastacia gazes at the pantry floor, "Even if it meant I would
have to sacrifice myself."
Anastacia glances tearfully at Punzel, "Of course, it matters not
anymore..."
Punzel raises her thin eyebrow.
Anastacia sighs, "So, hate me if you must, but I will never
understand what I have done to slight you."
Punzel asks quietly, "Are you done?"
Anastacia sighs softly, "Unless you wish to ask questions, I
suppose I am."
Punzel nods slowly.
Punzel inhales slowly.
Punzel exhales slowly.
Punzel gazes at the pantry floor.
Punzel says carefully, "I know not what you would have me say, sera."
Anastacia rubs her pair of deep green eyes.
Punzel says, "When first we did meet in this room, I did offer
you my friendship, out of loyalty to Ser Martel ... I did hope
to be a friend to you both ..."
Punzel says, "But I could not be dishonest ... I felt that I must
admit that ... I did not agree with all of your choices ..."
Anastacia shakes her head, "I do not know of many choices that
I have had."
Anastacia frowns seriously.
Punzel says quietly, "We each of us make choices every day ...
you have made many, sera, whether you take responsibility for
them or not."
Punzel says earnestly, "Everything we do is a choice."
Punzel says, "Everything we say."
Punzel gazes seriously at Anastacia.
Anastacia sighs, "I suppose in that way, we all do have many
choices"
Punzel nods slowly, "I would not fault you for mistakes you made
in fear ... I have known fear, and I have acted from it ..."
Anastacia glances at Punzel.
Punzel insists, "But I would have you take responsibility for
those mistakes ... admit your own choices ... own up to your
own behavior ..."
Punzel gazes earnestly at Anastacia, "That is what did ... anger
me ... I did feel that you did not do so ...."
Anastacia asks, "Sera, if the Watch asked you to do something,
would you not do it?"
Punzel asks quietly, "Did Watchman Philo ask you to undress?"
Punzel gazes at Anastacia.
Anastacia sighs, "I should not be talking about this....."
Anastacia inhales.
Anastacia exhales.
Punzel nods, "I know ... and I was surprised that you did so ..."
Anastacia says, "Sera...."
Punzel says, "... when you will not allow the Watchman to tell his
side of it."
Punzel assure Anastacia, "I would not have you break your oath
with the Watchman ... that is not what I ask."
Punzel gazes earnestly at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "The Watchman said that two items were
missing... "
Anastacia says, "He said that one, ONE could not be hidden upon
my person."
Anastacia says, "Then we went to my room to search... I only
was trying to comply with his order."
Anastacia says, "I asked to be search publicly..."
Anastacia says, "he insisted that we go to my room."
Punzel nods slowly, "You made a choice ... and discovered
afterward that it was a foolish one ... no?"
Anastacia says, "I complied with the order of the guard... to
do otherwise would have been the foolish choice"
Anastacia says, "Give me a moment Sera..."
Punzel nods.
Punzel gazes at the pantry floor.
Anastacia says, "We all have memories... many of them not very
pleasant."
Anastacia says, "My village was leveled, and I raped by enemy
soldiers."
Anastacia says, "That is what I remember."
Punzel glances at Anastacia.
Punzel asks softly, "What color did they wear?"
Anastacia gazes sadly at you, "Then a week later I am faced
with another soldier... "
Anastacia bites her pouting lip.
Anastacia glances at the pantry floor.
Anastacia straightens.
Anastacia says, "I apologize"
Punzel glances questioningly at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "I did try to fight the soldiers at first, but
they only made it hurt more"
Punzel winces.
Anastacia says, "I learned to comply"
Anastacia says, "You say I made a mistake... I say I made the
only choice"
Punzel says quietly, "But that choice was not Watchman Philo's
fault, sera."
Punzel insists quietly, "Your past is not his fault."
Anastacia says, "I know now that Watchman Philo is not like
they were ..."
Anastacia says, "but I did not know it that day, and he was very.... "
Anastacia says, "he was very zealous in his duty."
Punzel nods slowly, "I have heard this. And I have heard that he
did apologize."
Punzel glances at Anastacia.
Punzel asks quietly, "Did you ever apologize?"
Punzel says, "For misjudging him?"
Anastacia says, "By his own admission he was ill trained for
the task."
Anastacia says, "We reached a private resolution Sera, we did
discuss the events most thoroughly."
Punzel nods slowly, "That is not what I asked."
Punzel gazes at Anastacia.
Anastacia says, "There are things about the private resolution
that I would like to remain private."
Punzel nods slowly, "That, again, is your choice."
Anastacia says, "I find discussing this matter to clear my name
humiliting enough."
Punzel says solemnly, "I do not besmirch your name, sera."
Anastacia says, "I have never wished ill for another, and only
wish to live out my time here in peace."
Punzel says, "Ser Martel did ask me not to speak of you, and I
have complied."
Punzel sighs, "And I do not wish ill for you, either."
Anastacia says, "I do not know what Ser Lobo hoped would come
of this conversation"
Punzel shrugs slightly, "Better understanding?"
Anastacia sighs, "Have we that?"
Punzel asks quietly, "Do you understand better my own feelings? I
think I do better understand yours."
Anastacia glances at Punzel, "Nay Sera, I do not see how any of
this has ever been your concern."
Anastacia says, "All I know is that you have made it so."
Punzel says, "Ser Martel and Watchman Philo are two of my closest
friends in this place, and have been so for many weeks now ...
that is how it does concern me, sera. I do care for them, and
like not seeing them ... hurt."
Anastacia smiles gently, "I have done nothing to hurt them
intentionally, though I am sure you believe differently. As I
said, I tried to stop this, so that all could continue in peace."
Punzel nods slowly, "Aye ... and you did say that Sera Tara did
stop you. Which I found odd ... considering the fact that I
heard Apprentice Severin say that it had been him."
Punzel gazes at Anastacia.
Anastacia adds, "I tried to stop the boys bickering at every turn."
Anastacia smiles, "Severin."
Anastacia says, "Aye Severin apeared many days later... and did
nearly drive me to jump all on his own."
Punzel raises her thin eyebrow.
Anastacia says, "He should confine his practice of medicine to
the physical body."
Punzel says quietly, "Sera ... I do believe you that you did not
intentionally hurt anyone ..."
Punzel says, "... but that does not change my own emotional
reaction when I did see my friends in pain ..."
Punzel says quietly, "... and that is where my own feelings
toward you did start. I did but hope to explain that they did
stem from protectiveness of those I care about."
Punzel says quietly, "Whether you did intend it or no, you did
cause pain."
Anastacia asks, "Are you asking me to accept that you can have
an emotional reaction, when you call that bad judgement when
others do the same?"
Punzel smiles gently at Anastacia, "I did not question your
judgment for feeling, sera ... I questioned your judgment for
disrobing."
Punzel continues gently, "And I do not fault you for that ... I
understand fear ..."
Punzel gazes earnestly at Anastacia, "Believe me in this."
Punzel continues, "I too have behaved badly out of emotion ... in
this very room ..."
Anastacia says, "He did say that he needed to search me, and
that one of the items could be secreted on my person.... I do
not know what else I should have done."
Punzel gazes at Anastacia, "I am sorry that I did not better
control my temper when we did speak before."
Anastacia shrugs helplessly.
Punzel tells Anastacia, "If you do disrobe every time someone
does express concern that you may be hiding something ... I think
you will have serious problems, sera."
Punzel moves from the southern table to the pantry floor.
Punzel stands up on the pantry floor.
Anastacia says, "When the Watch suspects you of theft it is a
little bit different."
Punzel says quietly, "As I have said, I think I do better
understand your thoughts on this."
Punzel says, "I am sorry you cannot seem to hear what I am
saying, in order to better understand me as well."
Punzel says, "And now, I must retire, sera. I am sorry that this
conversation did not yield better results."
Punzel curtsies to Anastacia.
Punzel begins to move west.
A clean white kitchen with two long tables in the center.
A sideboard and an ordinary cook are standing near here. You
are standing near the east door. A leg of lamb and a carmelized
onion are lying on a sideboard. A roll, a sausage, a potato, a
carmelized onion, a leg of lamb and a white cheese are standing
on a sideboard.
Punzel begins to move south.
Punzel walks through the swinging south door.
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