mjolnir_retriever | (no subject)

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Speaking with Harry Percy was... illuminating. Sort of.

It was also confusing. Harry is much better at fuming over every word of an insult than he is at clearly explaining the events surrounding that insult.

Thor promised he'd look after Acajou's health. So that's first: he tosses himself up into the air over the Milliways lake to make sure he doesn't see any loose horses wandering unattended. Since he sees none, he visits the stable. Acajou has no nameplate, and Harry didn't give a description, but none of the horses (or other steeds) give any indication of injury or undue stress. Good enough, probably.

(Thor spends a few extra minutes hanging out in the stable. He likes horses.)

Next: to look for Javert or Teja, whomever he finds first. But mostly he's looking for Javert.

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'Monsieur-'

It is, perhaps, the eyebrows that give the first hint at Thor's intentions; the first clue that maybe a clear recollection of this tale was not the only reason he came to speak. Javert keeps very still, a curling tendril of unease making itself known in his belly. He turns his mind from it. It is a stupid thing.

When he speaks his tone is very calm, with only the slightest undercurrent of tension.

'I was in no way violent. I unbuckled a bridle and girth to reclaim my horse, which had been taken.'

"If someone unbuckled the bridle and girth of a horse you were on -- regardless of your right to the steed -- would not you call it violence done to you?"

Again, still, it's a serious question.

Hotspur's sense of honor Thor can understand intuitively, even when it leads him into stupidity. (Thor... can intuitively understand that part too.) But there's clearly a much bigger culture gap between him and Javert. He wants to be clear.

'I,' he says, quite precisely, 'would not be in such a situation. Yes, if it were done to me unjustly, I would call it violence - men are unhorsed in battle constantly, and it is surely dangerous. But that is not the same as this, where there were no other choices available to remove Sir Harry. Save just give up the horse and let him ride him as he pleased.'

He eyes Thor even as he concentrates on keeping his breathing steady, and asks his own serious question.

'Would you have done so? Left him to ride, and taunt, and sneer?'

Would it have been honourable? No, he thinks not.

"I would have pulled him from the horse's back," Thor admits, readily, and with a half-smile to acknowledge the point.

"My father would call it temper. My mother would tell me to find another with power to lift him off harmlessly, or a friend to persuade him to leave off his childish prank without turning it to a brawl. But temper's always been my besetting flaw."

"I'd have pulled him from the horse's back, turning a prank to a bout, and if he struck me in return for my blow I'd count it fair. It would be a matter between us."

"A quarrel like that, outdoors, away from bystanders -- as Security for Milliways I'd overlook it, unless it was brought to me. But if it's brought to Security, we must look at the deeds of both parties. Otherwise we're nothing but attack dogs, leashed at the heel of an accuser."

We must look to the deeds of both parties.

The tendril of unease branches, starts to seep through the nerves under his skin. Javert leans back in his seat, his arms straight, palms flat on the table, and regards Thor with his steel gaze as if that will hide the quiver inside.

'It was brought to Security because he broke the rules. Teja himself said he was not being held to account for taking Acajou, as that is not expressly forbidden. He was held because he used his fists.'

There is a large part of him that cannot believe this conversation is happening at all. And no part of him will countenance further than that.

'You are saying, monsieur, that you would have accepted his challenge and left it at that; that you would brawl as he does. Well enough, if that is your way. But it is not mine. I do not suffer from temper. I adhere to the rules, as they are written here. That is why I alerted Security.'

There is no hiding how tight his voice is now.

Thor returns that steel gaze calmly. He's the son of Odin, who's reigned in Asgard for centuries upon centuries, and the son of Frigga, wise and learned queen for just as long, and something between liege-lord and student and comrade to Heimdall, who sees all in the worlds. He's very difficult to disconcert.

"He did break the rules. He's being punished as he should be. I am saying that you broke them as well."

He lets those words sit between them a moment or two longer. Thor is all ruler now, calm and compassionate and implacable.

"You were also provoked. It was not self-defense, nor an effective defense of a horse who was spooked to two hours' wandering by his defender, but you were provoked by a great deal of childish taunting. I am not going to arrest you for it. I considered it. But under the circumstances -- no."

"Still, take this as a warning. If Security is asked to look at the deeds of one, we must look at the deeds of the other. If you do this again, be prepared for the consequences of it."

As far as Thor's concerned, that's just decency -- honor by any reckoning, whether a warrior's or anyone else's. Do what you're going to do, and stand behind it. If you're not willing to face what might come of a deed, don't do it.

Granted, he's not always great at foreseeing that 'what might come' part. And he's been known to argue against consequences with more temper than stoic dignity, now and again. (Often.) But expected or not, he does believe in meeting those consequences squarely.

Javert also believes in facing consequences - just consequences, that match the action. He has held himself to account before. What is worrying about this situation is that he did not foresee any need for it whatsoever.

'You considered arresting me.'

It is not a question, and is delivered in a tone so hollow it practically echoes. He does not know how white he has gone, but can feel a tremor in his fingers which is not calmed by the flush of relief running through him. Relief he had no idea was necessary.

'It would not have been just.'

This comes without consideration but now it is said, he feels no need to apologise for it. It is the truth. And it is not spoken arrogantly; just a low mutter, almost to himself.

Thor eyes him with a certain degree of concern.

The cells aren't that bad. Javert has worked for Security, and he's been coming here a long time; he knows that. Bad experiences in the past? There can be alternate sentences, kitchen work or the like, and he'd know that too. He's seen it given to people before.

And, again: if you can't deal with the cells, maybe don't knock people off horses in a place with a no-violence rule and cells as the standard punishment for breaking it. This is a wake-up call, then, maybe. If so, Thor is glad he opted for the warning instead of the arrest.

"Sir Harry was being an idiot," he says, not unkindly. "I've told him so, and I'll tell him again."

"But next time, unless you are worried about a maiming, perhaps consider seeking aid before you unhorse even a young idiot who's asking for a spill in the dirt."

He rises.

He does hear these words, but does not know how to respond. In the end he settles for a dumb nod, unable to unbend his arms or even look up at the man.

Thor was planning to arrest him. He does not know how to cope with that. It is everything he has spent a lifetime working against; it matters not that Milliways is not real jail, it is jail, it is a cell, and that is bad enough.

'I will remember, monsieur.'

He will not be able to forget it. He is full of horror that it was considered; the idea of how much worse it might have been leaves him numb.

'Thank you.'

Thor gives him another concerned look, and for longer.

But, well. There's nothing else he could justly have done but pursue this.

"If I'm here, you may certainly call on me. I'm happy to mediate, as a Security member or merely myself."

And... yeah, that's really about all he can offer to help soften that horrified look. He's not Javert's friend, and he came here in authority, and passed down the judgment of that authority as mercifully as his oaths to Security allowed.

"Or merely to drink together and speak of friendlier matters. Good day, monsieur."

That title has the sound of a quote, carefully repeated, with the slight question of one who's not entirely sure it applies. He doesn't know the status nuances, okay? But he's pretty sure it's not a dire insult even if it's a slight error.

He offers a hand. No hard feelings, right?

He draws his eyes up, first to the hand and then up to his face.

He has no answer. For a moment, he just holds eye contact. Then he nods again, and shakes the hand because it is there, and it is the custom of some people.

He nearly got arrested. He will not be saying much for a while. He takes his hand back and sits in silence, staring at his half-finished work.

"There," he says, "it's done. We'll speak no more of this on my account."

And with that, since Javert seems disinclined to speak further -- indeed, seems struck far deeper than anything Thor can see to warrant it in this conversation, which means he's probably not the right person to be imposing further -- he takes his leave.

If Thor knew who Javert's friends might be, he'd look for one now to tip a word in their ear: no details of the cause, but your friend could use a friend's company, I think.

But he doesn't. And some men, unaccountably, prefer solitude when their hearts are heavy; he doesn't know that about Javert, either.

He speaks to Bar, all the same. He leaves no note, but he does tip a word in her ear: if, in her judgment, Javert would benefit from company now, she might wish to advise one of his close comrades so if one comes by while it's still relevant.

That done, he takes himself off to leave a note for the rest of Security, as an addendum to Teja's report.

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