Chapter Twenty-Two

[thebestseller]

Kate Beckett left the castle this morning.

If anyone needs me, I'll be at the Death Match getting shit out of my head drunk.

Comments

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Sounds like a plan to me.

Know her well?

voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

So, there is something that can make the jester sad...

_{[ It's not said in a mean or condescending way, more like he's upset that Richard isn't really his usual upbeat self. ]}

I am sorry, Castle.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

Is that something that happens a lot?

Voice

[hasmommyissues]

How sad ... she was such a good host.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Yeah. She's my girlfriend, actually- we lived together.

voice;

[thebestseller]

[Awww.]

Not much laughter in the court of Cair Paradisa tonight, nope.

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

More often than we'd like. There's no real rhyme or reason behind who stays and who goes.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

She did have quite a way with criminals.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

What happens to them?

Dictated

[hasmommyissues]

Firm but fair ... how I like all my women.

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Tough break. [He does sound genuinely sympathetic at least.]

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

It does not sound like it.

Do you care for company in your drinking?

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Yeah. I mean, I guess it had to happen to one of us eventually, but... I dunno. I was kinda hoping if we had to leave, we'd go together. Life sucks like that.

[thebestseller]

Misery loves company and all. I won't be a very good companion, though.

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

They go home, most likely. Of course, I don't think there's any way to tell for certain.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

It's what makes her such a damn good cop, after all.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

That's disconcerting.

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

Sorry to break it to you, but the castle laughs at dreams like that.

Dictated

[hasmommyissues]

Did she ever ... learn how to switch off?

I mean she seemed to take her work so seriously ... I found it so hard to picture her lighter side.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Life in general tends to.

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

Right. It's not something I try to dwell on.

Dictated

[thebestseller]

Oh, there are so many layers to her, I don't think anyone will ever discover all of them.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

I can imagine. Compared to inevitabilities like death or drifting apart, a loss like this seems... unnatural.

Can I ask what the Death Match is?

[handwritten]

[thebestseller]

Tell me about it.

It's a bar located inside the castle. [He draws a simple sketch of where it's located.] I tend there part-time, since I have an appreciation for fine alcohol.

[handwritten]

[fearbringer]

It's one of the places I've overlooked, then. I've explored the castle extensively, but apparently not comprehensively.

What do you serve?