Jeanne leaned against a column, her hood over her head, staring out at a group of flagellants bloodying the ground as they struck their backs for the fourth day since they started watching the area. Huddled in a circle, around a dozen men and women, she counted, participating in this activity. People stopping in their errands to watch this macabre scene take place. Some getting splattered by the blood for standing so close. Jeanne, stirred, hoping the damned affair would end soon.

Their cries broke the silence, as no one nearby dared speak. Turning to her right, Jeanne saw Ben and Gabriel return. “Anything new?” Gabriel asked.

“Not a damn thing,” Jeanne said. “They haven’t stopped since you two left.”

“Any signs of this Galbert character? Or has is he still absent?” Benkin asked.

Jeanne shook her head. “No signs of him yet, but the flogging is still beginning.”

“Well, at least they’re adamant in their dedication,” Benkin said, nodding slowly.

“That’s one way to put it,” Gabriel said, spitting off to the side. “I’m surprised no one from the guard has stepped in a put a stop to this spectacle.”

“Just another perk of having friends in high places,” said Jeanne.

“And it’s a little disturbing how many people are simply watching these people injure themselves,” Gabriel said.

“Not much different from when you see crowds form in front of a burning building. More than willing to watch people burn but wouldn’t think twice to put the fire out,” said Jeanne.

“Plus, if someone’s willing to harm themselves in such a manner, how many people do you think will go out of their way to help them?” Benkin asked.

“Like some macabre exhibition into one’s darker mind,” said Gabriel.

“Yeah,” Jeanne said, “wonder how many would even give that a thought before someone gets hurt?”

“Wait a second?” Benkin said, lifting a finger from where he crossed his arms. “I think that’s our man.”

He pointed to a man closely resembling Weuve’s description. Between fifteen to sixteen winters, short cut blonde hair, brown eyes, thin build, and with a suffocating air of superiority. “Well doesn’t he look like a wonderful conversationalist,” Gabriel said to them.

“And he’s got a couple of friends with him,” Benkin, noticing the two larger men standing nearby, both a head taller than Galbert and dressed in gambeson’s sporting the heraldry of the Kolvilles.

“Oh that’s not good,” Gabriel said.

“I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m not,” said Jeanne.

“It does answer a few questions,” said Gabriel. “I think Cid will want to know this.”

“We’ll keep an eye on things here, let you know if anything happens when you get back,” Benkin.

Gabriel nodded, and silently disappeared into the shadows.

“I got to find out how she does that,” Benkin said to Jeanne.

“Probably a nice boon from being a vampyre,” Jeanne said. “I think.”

“You think?”

“I mean, she could’ve had to learn to sneak like the rest of us.”

“That’s fair.”

Jeanne grimaced as the blood could be seen pooling underneath the flagellants as they continued their self-punishment.

“You all right, Jeanne?” Benkin asked.

“It’s just a little hard sometimes to watch this.”

“Yeah, even when you’ve seen the aftermath of a battle, something like this is just not easy to stomach.”

“No, no it isn’t.”

“You want to head when Gabriel get back?”

“Yeah, I’ve had my filled of this whole … thing.”

“This seems to be effecting you more than I thought.”

“It’s not easy to explain.”

“Well, we’re not going anywhere until Gabriel gets back.”

“Just … I know some of those people are doing this for genuine reasons. Seeking divine acceptance, penance, absolution. They’re not doing because they enjoy the pain, or they want to make watch them. Something’s driving them to do this, despite society thinking it unwise, unacceptable, even sinful to the more pious. But they do it anyway because they’re searching through pain what other paths cannot lead.”

“Right, but why is it getting to you?”

“Because in weird way I can relate to them. I’ve never taken a flail to my back. But I can’t count all the times I’ve started a fight, charged into the worst of a battle, come up with plans which should’ve by all logic killed me. And for the longest time I thought it was because of some general lack of common sense. Some urge to push myself past what kept me from reaching the top. But I’ve looking back on a lot of things and I’m starting to see a new truth coming in, which is leaving me … uncomfortable.”

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“What’s that?”

“That in an unusual way. This, all of this, is my seeking penance. Like I said, I haven’t struck myself with a flail, but I can assure you my back carries more than a few scars from all the stupid escapades I’ve gotten myself into. And only the Sheperd can tell which ones were caused by some death wish I’ve had longer than I want to remember.”

“Well, I can’t say we all haven’t had such guilt weighing on us.”

“But you haven’t gotten friends hurt, Ben. You didn’t bring bounty hunters onto your doorsteps, bloodying city streets, or almost …” Jeanne turned away and put her head in her hand. “Shepherd’s guidance what may I becoming?”

“Jeanne, may I say something?”

Jeanne shook her head softly, shrugging her shoulders. “Sure.”

“I can’t say I know the loss of kin the same way you have. And I won’t insult you by saying I know the path you walk. But if I’ve learned anything in this life, it is the swiftest way to harmony is through serving the greater good, and not through inflicting harm. Regardless of who is being hurt.”

“And you became a warrior?”

“I don’t deny the initial hypocrisy. But I do what I do best, keep people safe. I don’t seek out the duel, I let it come to me.”

“Hmm,” Jeanne growled as she turned back to the flagellants. “Food for thought, then.”

“Why do think you’re putting yourself through this?” Benkin asked.

“I don’t know. The fact my sister died and I’m here. The fact that despite how much I try to get away, this mess just seems to find me. Like this is some for of punishment for who knows how much retribution I’ve collected for myself when I was younger.”

“I think you’re being more than a little hard on yourself Jeanne.”

“Well how am I supposed to feel? I act like a brat, my sister is murdered. I kill the man who did the act, I’m outlawed and exiled. I leave everything I have behind, and people go out of there way to send trouble my way. I wouldn’t even be back here if it wasn’t for the damn bounty on my head.”

“I can’t I have an answer for that, sadly. As my father would say, even the wisest cannot see all before them.”

“Yeah, that’s usually how it goes.”

“What is it you want?”

“I want to be left alone. I want people to stop going out of their way to make trouble for me and then react like I’m the villain because I socked them in the jaw.”

Benkin nodded, rubbing his hand along his chin as he pondered deeply. “Hmm, this reminds me of a saying I used to here back home.”

“What was it?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had to recall it, but I think it went something like:”

That which is still can be embraced.

All can see beauty as it is.

All can see good as it is.

Therefore be and not-be.

Embrace difficult and eases as one.

Let long and short become equal measures.

Let high and low sit together.

Let all sounds harmonize together.

Let all directions follow the same path.

Jeanne bobbed her head forward and back slowly as she took in the words. “Huh,” she said aloud.

“What is it?”

“Usually, sayings like that tend to be more vague and mysterious. But that one was fairly straight forward. A little more flowery for my liking, but still pretty up front.”

“It does help when the message actually makes sense. And it isn’t someone just saying random fancy words to remind people how rich their parents were.”

Jeanne let out a quick snort. “That’s the truth.”

Gabriel arrived back, throwing back her hood. “Cid wants us to follow good Galbert and his entourage.”

“All right,” said Benkin. “Anything else.”

“No unnecessary engagements, he wants us to keep watching them as best we can.”

“Got it,” said Jeanne, throwing on her hood.

As the sun slowly descended behind the tall buildings around them, the flagellants began lifting themselves to their feet. Some staggering under their own weight. One needing another to lift themselves up off the ground. Jeanne felt a brief compulsion to lift the man up, but remembered why she there in the first place. It was a strange feeling to experience. When even a month before she would be more than eager to jump into the fray and unleashed her fury on them. Now the mere thought made her stomach turn tightly.

“You ready?” Benkin asked her, almost taking her by surprise.

“Hmm? Oh yeah, I’m ready.”

“You sure?” he asked hesitantly.

Jeanne nodded. “Yeah,” she insisted.

The flagellants moved down the darkened streets of the city, Jeanne, Ben and Gabriel skulking in the shadows. Jeanne bent her head down, periodically looking up at their targets. It was hard keep their distance, as some were having a hard time walking, and others needed to stop after a short while. Hiding behind alleyways, crates and occasionally checking wares of nearby market stalls.

Jeanne could feel the sweat beading on her brow, her clothes beginning to dampen and stick to her skin. She could hear her heartbeats and temples pulse with each palpitation. By the Sheperd I hate this part of the job, she thought to herself as made her way forward. From the corner of her eye she saw Benkin weeding his way through a small crowd of people, trying to avoid bumping into them.

Jeanne had a harder time keeping track of where Gabriel went. The woman would move faster than Jeanne’s eyes could catch her movements. The shadows from the buildings must help prevent whatever problems the sun would bring, Jeanne thought to herself. The flagellants turned a corner into an alleyway and out of view. Jeanne and the others moving to the alley.

Two of the flagellants were sitting on crates, breathing heavy and dripping with sweat as the rest of their group continued on their way. The stragglers wheezed out words to each other for a long moment before trying to stand up and rejoin the rest of their companions.

One of the two took two steps before collapsing onto the ground with a thud. The one standing turned to the fallen flagellant and began moving towards him before someone from the group ahead shouted, “Leave him, the Sheperd shall guide is path or accept him back to the flock!”

The man shook his head at the fallen companion before leaving to join the rest. Disappearing into the darkness and out of sight. Jeanne, Ben and Gabriel peered there heads out into the alleyway.

“Looks like the coast is clear,” said Benkin.

“I can’t smell anything?” Gabriel said.

“Should I ask?” Benkin said to her.

“It’s easier for me to catch certain scents, and they a high iron tainted smell.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

“What about him?” Jeanne asked, looking at the fallen flagellant.

“We may loss the others if we stay for him,” Benkin said.

They moved down into the alley, reaching the man on the floor, a small pool of blood already forming underneath him. He weakly moaned as he tried to pull himself forward on the ground. Seeing the three approach him, he looked and reached up, his arm shaking terribly, calling out to them. “Help,” he said feebly.

“And I don’t know if Cid will be happy with you taking in more these flagellants in their midst,” said Gabriel.

“You two go, I’ll get him back,” Jeanne said, moving to help the man up.

“You sure about this?” Benkin asked.

“Seriously?” Gabriel blurted out.

“Go, before you lose them,” said Jeanne. “I can get myself back to the rest of the group.”

“Just be careful out there,” Benkin said before he and Gabriel went to follow the flagellants.

Jeanne hoisted the man’s arm over her shoulder. “Come on,” she said, “Don’t make me regret this more than I am already.”