The Abbey

[Outisakanobody]

"Son, we all have our failures. We have all lost friends, in some ways. But this will always be a safe place for you, so you need not give into your fear." Grace says, putting her free hand on the man's shoulder.

[relentless]

Duval had quickly tightened the straps on his boot, pulled tight and ready to go. He tapped the side of his shoes with one another, looking down as he did so, then bringing about his hand to comb over his hair; slicking it back into its 'greaser' style of hair. For a moment, he takes one look back at the door, that bombastic knight made his fingers itch. He never really liked Knights, always up their arse about something.

But the man seemed to have calmed down, so he assumed Grace was safe. He looked forward toward the hallway, taking a couple steps forward before he hesistated on the third, stepping back a little as he pointed his index finger up with a cocked elbow, before bringing it to his chin and stroking it in thought.

"Nooow... what to do... annnnd what to... do."
Duval says as he leans against the wall for a moment, staring blankly at the ground for half a minute before he removed his thinking finger and clicked them together.

"..Ah! George! That'll be a good laugh!"
Duval chimed happily, clicking his heels together and beginning his cocky sway out of the Abbey; applying his exotic perfume onto his neck like he had done many times before, a smirk quirked up on his face.

[Duval is beginning to make his way out of the Abbey, then down the stairs, across the street toward the Guild Hall.]

[Shinzon]

"I guess we all do indeed. Thanks for the hospitality, though." He visibly did not know how to react to the sudden contact of the Abbey's headmistress hand onto his shoulder, feeling ashamed of how dirty his tabard was in this moment. "Is there anything else you need, madam?"

[Outisakanobody]

"Is there anything you need?" Grace asks, focusing more on his needs.

[Shinzon]

"Not really", said the man as he looked everywhere but at Grace. "I mean. I thirst for more ale and some meat, but to be honest, I don't think it's a good thing to get right now."
Shaking his head, he then turned is head to look at the woman's hand on his shoulder. "Guess I could use a shave and a bath, though. Time to kick myself up." A small smirk passed onto his face, bringing out his scars.

[Outisakanobody]

"That is recommend. Perhaps a fresh set of cloths as well." Grace suggests gently.

[Shinzon]

"Eh. Thanks for the help, madam. If you need me, do not hesitate."
He adjusted his sheath and his belt, looking around, confused and embarrassed. "Although, uh... I'll admit I have no idea where to go to to even bathe in this place. If that's no trouble, could you please tell me where to go?" he asked with a bit more confidence than a few minutes ago.

[Outisakanobody]

"The bathhouse would be best I think. It is attached to the abbey." Grace says.

[Shinzon]

"I have no idea where that is", he admitted, before realizing what she had just said. "Wait. Whose idea was it to make a bathouse next to... here? And I guess I'll have to pay a few crowns to get in, right?"

[Outisakanobody]

"I do not know who made it or why, and i think you must pay, yes." Grace answered.

[Shinzon]

"Well, bugger", said the knight as he passed his hand onto his beard. "Guess I'll have to do without, then." He shrugged, trying to pass it off as a minor inconvenience; although he *longed* to feel a bit cleaner. "Thanks for the help then, madam. I appreciate that."

[Outisakanobody]

"We also have some baths here. They are not fancy, but it should suffice. You should use them." Grace says, giving him directions to the baths.

[Shinzon]

"Fancy", he said with a whistle. "I'll go there in a few, then." With that, he bowed lightly, and let a smile disturb the stern expression of his face. "You're good at reigniting the fire that lies within people. That's rare, in our times."
Placing a finger onto his eyepatch, he let out a chuckle. "Don't ever lose that."

[Outisakanobody]

"Thank you, son. Also, I am planning on giving a sermon soon. I would like you to be there." Grace says as he goes to leave.

[Shinzon]

"Eh, I'll make sure to have a good seat all right. If you can raise hearts and minds like you did with me, this is going to be interesting."

With that, he brought his hand to his forehead in a salute, a smirk remaining on his face as he did, before making his way around the Abbey. Nicholas would eventually go and wash himself at the baths, enjoying the feeling of finally stepping into his clothes and feeling this light feeling of freshness wash over him. Although, as he moved to shave himself, the man paused for a moment. Back in the Italian wars, while playing cards with his officers, he had noticed the pattern of his beard and mustache. The man had said it was quite common within his Lander in Germany; and now, years later, the knight remembered this expression it gave him. Respectable, proud.

Before he even knew it, he had done it; imitated the same cut his officer once had. Although he winced at the sight of his old scars, passing a finger onto them, he knew things were about to turn around as he gazed at his armor, in the corner of the room. Sighing, he went to grab the different parts of his armor, groaning as he put himself inside of it; it had been months since he jumped into what felt like his second skin. Putting his helmet onto his head, he realized he had almost forgotten how heavy the thing was. Taking his halberd, he left his room, then the Abbey, squinting as he tried to see which way to go.
"God damn streets look like gutters", he grumbled as he set to walk in the streets of the sordid Hamlet, looking to find the Blacksmith.

[Nicholas is departing the Abbey toward the Blacksmith, into the Hamlet's Streets.]