Corruption Rent: Day 11

Word Count: 72,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 23:
Étienne considered Agathe's request for him to lead the women to safety while Agathe and Génevieve discussed their circumstances and the purpose of them, along with Génevieve challenging Agathe in regards to her feelings for Étienne.
Chapter 24:
Agathe thought some more about her feelings for Étienne, but she couldn't figure out what she felt and decided it wasn't really worth worrying about. Étienne then told Agathe that he was going to lead her and the women to Le Ganéis and began to work his back muscles, being as he'd just been laying around for nearly a month.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Even though Étienne didn't want to do it, he felt good now. He felt like it was right, like he'd done what he should've done. But really, deep down within himself, he just wanted to die, he wanted to give up now. But additionally he couldn't just die and leave this undone, because if he didn't do it, no one would. No one could. No one else knew about these women who would want to save them from the life they believed they were destined to if they remained. He was the only one. He had to. Even if he didn't want to, he felt good, strengthened, encouraged, and empowered to carry it out. Once it was done, then he could quit and it would all be done, and he could rest in peace — hopefully having restored his honour throughout his actions as he carried out this final task.
Étienne looked out the wagon toward the sun. It's light had paled as it'd risen higher, but it was still shining bright and glorious, it wasn't being hidden by the colds, or dulled or paled by their covering. It was shining in it's fullest force, and it almost felt like even the sun was pleased with what he'd done — as if the sun had any emotions or knowledge of what he'd been doing.
It was the right thing. Étienne felt certain of that much. None of his comrades knew anything about these women. None of the other Wouest-Suides probably knew about it either, only Le Suides knew, and they weren't going to do anything good or honourable in regards to the women, Étienne was quite certain.
Looking over at the bars that formed the walls of the wagon, Étienne raised his left hand and grabbed the bar. He gripped it tightly and steeled himself. Tensing the muscles in his arm, he pulled himself up, his jaw held firm and a grimace crossed his face, he knew.
Pain screamed and tore across his back, it was almost as if he could feel every single one of the thousands of strokes the whip tails had made across his back. It was excruciating, but he felt it had to be done or he would never be able to use his back again. He'd already been laying on it for nearly a month.
Once he was upright he relaxed. The pain still smarted across his back, but it didn't seem half as painful as it'd been before. It felt really not too bad. He looked over at Mademoiselle d'Enclume; her hand was over her mouth and she looked startled.
"I cannot lead you if I cannot move," Étienne said."