The Injustice of Lady Mia Prologue Part Two
The Injustice of Lady Mia
Prologue - Part Two
The bread was dry and flavourless. Mia tried to recall the taste of the coriander bread her family’s servants would bake, but that only left her with a deep pit of longing.
For ten years, she had lived with those she called mother and father, before they had turned her out, finally unable to cope with her failure. She wanted to resent it, to blame them, but found that she could only agree. She had brought a curse upon her people - a curse that her father fought so bravely to lift.
At least, she used to believe that. She had been living as a commoner for three years now, and had found her anger building. She had to learn for herself how to survive in the vast city of Thebes, and she had to do that without finding work. If someone recognised her as the outcast daughter of the Lord Chayyim, all of his hard work in raising the status of their people would all be for naught. She could only assume that the story he posed was that she had passed away as a result of an illness.
For the years she lived on the streets, she went without her own name. And for those years, she committed many crimes unbefitting of one of noble blood - the very bread that passed her lips was skilfully picked from a small business. She had tried bartering once, but she never had anything to offer; no skills to be of use, no goods to offer in trade. All she had was her wig, and the clothes on her back. The wig, she could not afford to lose, lest the peasants recognise the blonde hair that was so foreign to their country. She had turned her dress into bandages and wrappings so often, that she was dressed in little more than a tiny skirt.
She pressed against the wall of a house as she heard several footsteps and the howls of police dogs. Sooner or later, she would be forced to run, but she was so tired, and hungry.
Mia tore off a piece of bread, and swallowed it, wishing she only had a drink of water to wash it down.
The footsteps were drawing nearer, and Mia was faced with a choice. If she was to take the remainder of the stolen loaf, it would hinder any attempt to climb. However, if she left it, who knew when her next meal would be? She certainly couldn’t carry it in her mouth. She had tried that once before and choked.
She tried to tuck it beneath the fabric of her dress, but it was hopeless; sooner or later, the movement from her running would cause the bread to fall out. Still, it was her only chance. After making sure that the loaf was vaguely secure against her hip, Mia slipped from behind the house, and ran to the cover of the next. The sounds of angry dogs were getting louder, and she prayed to Isis for protection.
There!
In the near distance, she could see a white house. She knew that it wasn’t her father’s; this was built with limestone, and even had a garden of considerable size. The most her family had was a small plot for growing herbs. If she could only reach it, perhaps she could persuade the master of the house to let her stay for dinner. At the very least, there was one service she could offer, now that she was of age, though that was something she considered of a last resort.
The decision was made. Ignoring the increasing noise behind her, Mia ran as fast as she could in her weak, starving state. She had to reach the house in time; otherwise she would be tried and punished! They would connect her back to Lord Chayyim, and she would be revealed as the disgrace she was! If that happened... her people would fall...
The thought drove her to run faster. She was so close to reaching the house of the Lord. Just a few more steps-!
‘I’ve got you!’
She yelped as she was pulled back from the house. The grip around her arm was strong, and painful. There was no way she could slip out of the officer’s grasp.
‘No! Please! Let me go!’
He gave no response. The dog at his feet growled viciously. Mia tried to step away from the beast, but it only followed.
‘Please, sir! I will pay the owner back! I’m sorry! I apologise!’
Still, the man remained silent, only dragging her back the way she came. Mia cursed to herself. All of it was over - the success her father had with their people, the hopes of her father rethinking his decision to disown her, all of it. Gone. She was not going to survive this. She was a disgrace to her people.
‘I beg your pardon, Officer?’
They stopped. Finally, the man spoke. ‘Lord Pawahsi, how can I be of help?’
Mia’s heart stopped. Lord Pawahsi? Of all the times to run into him! She allowed herself a brief glance at his face. He was not looking at her, so she couldn’t make out his features, but what she could see pointed to an esteemed gentleman of old blood. No wonder the house had looked so grand!
‘What transgression has this girl committed? She is little more than bones.’
‘My apologies,’ the officer replied with a bow of his head. ‘She was caught stealing a loaf of bread. The owner of the shop wishes for her to be prosecuted.’
A pause. Then, ‘I see. Would you please wait here for a short moment? I will be back.’
Mia was confused. What was the Lord doing? Why would he inquire into the details of her crime?
He soon returned, followed by two servants each carrying two sacks of grain. Mia’s eyes widened at this, and sent a questioning look towards Lord Pawahsi. He met it with a slight nod. ‘Would this be enough to appease the owner?’
‘M- My Lord-!’
‘I do wish for such a young child to be spared punishment. From the looks of her, she is an orphan, and has been living without a home for a long time. I should like to take her into my care, and teach her the proper ways of Egypt.’
‘You wish to adopt the criminal?’
Criminal? Adopt? Mia couldn’t make sense of the words being spoken. What kindness was the Lord offering her? What service did he want in return?
‘I do. Send this grain to the owner, along with my most sincere of apologies. I promise that this will not happen again.’
The police officer seemed to consider this, but relented. ‘Very well. I can’t question the decisions of my betters. You may have the girl.’ He passed Mia off to the Lord, keeping a suspicious glare on her as she hung her head.
Mia heard him leave with the Lord’s servants, and found herself alone with the older man. She didn’t speak, knowing that it was not her place when she was a mere peasant, despite how much she wanted to question his decision.
‘I know you,’ were the first words he spoke to her.
She gasped, and stepped away. Unable to stop herself, her head lifted to look him in the eyes. He was going to ruin everything for her parents! All of their hard work was about to come undone!
‘Come inside. I will have the servants run you a bath.’ With that, he turned his back and walked back towards his house. Mia wanted to watch after him, but he was a Lord. She could not disobey the orders of such a man of high status, and certainly not one who had saved her from imprisonment at best. She followed, warily, and as she passed the walls into the courtyard, her jaw dropped. A single acacia tree shaded the most beautiful pond she had ever seen. The sheer volume of fish she couldn’t identify amazed her, and the blue lotuses were very peaceful. She could see papyrus sedges planted not too far from the pond. The white limestone lining on the house walls glistened in the sunlight, and she knew that this Lord was very prosperous indeed.
She half hoped that he was being honest to the officer. She wasn’t sure she could take another let down after seeing this beauty.
He took her through to a sitting area, and ordered a servant to bring them drinks. He didn’t say anything, so Mia took this as her cue to speak. ‘Why are you doing this? You know who I am, why aren’t you outing my parents?’
He frowned. ‘What parents could they have been, that they would treat their own daughter as they have? Mia, I understand your fears, and I assure you that I will not reveal your secrets. I just cannot stand idly by as a young girl is doomed to suffer such a life as yours.’
‘Then you meant what you said?’
‘That I would adopt you? Indeed, I did. It is plain to see that you would do well to be raised in a better environment, if you would only allow me.’
She averted her gaze. ‘And what do you expect in return?’
There was no answer. She looked back to him, and found that he held a faraway expression in his eyes. What had caused him to look so haunted?
‘I do not expect anything from you, Mia. Only companionship.’
Her face creased. ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t... I can’t... it cannot be true. Why would you take me in as your own? I am a disgrace. I will bring you nothing! I cannot bear children - my parents told me that enough times for me to understand!’
He cupped her face in his hands, and tilted her head so she looked him in the eyes. ‘I do not wish you for my wife. I had a family once, years ago. I lost them. I need someone to love as my child. Please. That is the only thing I ask of you.’
She took his hands in hers, and brought them to her lips. Placing a soft kiss to his knuckles, she spoke, ‘I accept. I will be your daughter, if that is your wish.’
‘Thank you.’ With that, he removed her wig from the top of her head, and allowed short, blonde curls to show in its place. ‘You will not have to hide yourself here, Mia. You are beautiful, do not forget it.’
Prologue - Part Two
The bread was dry and flavourless. Mia tried to recall the taste of the coriander bread her family’s servants would bake, but that only left her with a deep pit of longing.
For ten years, she had lived with those she called mother and father, before they had turned her out, finally unable to cope with her failure. She wanted to resent it, to blame them, but found that she could only agree. She had brought a curse upon her people - a curse that her father fought so bravely to lift.
At least, she used to believe that. She had been living as a commoner for three years now, and had found her anger building. She had to learn for herself how to survive in the vast city of Thebes, and she had to do that without finding work. If someone recognised her as the outcast daughter of the Lord Chayyim, all of his hard work in raising the status of their people would all be for naught. She could only assume that the story he posed was that she had passed away as a result of an illness.
For the years she lived on the streets, she went without her own name. And for those years, she committed many crimes unbefitting of one of noble blood - the very bread that passed her lips was skilfully picked from a small business. She had tried bartering once, but she never had anything to offer; no skills to be of use, no goods to offer in trade. All she had was her wig, and the clothes on her back. The wig, she could not afford to lose, lest the peasants recognise the blonde hair that was so foreign to their country. She had turned her dress into bandages and wrappings so often, that she was dressed in little more than a tiny skirt.
She pressed against the wall of a house as she heard several footsteps and the howls of police dogs. Sooner or later, she would be forced to run, but she was so tired, and hungry.
Mia tore off a piece of bread, and swallowed it, wishing she only had a drink of water to wash it down.
The footsteps were drawing nearer, and Mia was faced with a choice. If she was to take the remainder of the stolen loaf, it would hinder any attempt to climb. However, if she left it, who knew when her next meal would be? She certainly couldn’t carry it in her mouth. She had tried that once before and choked.
She tried to tuck it beneath the fabric of her dress, but it was hopeless; sooner or later, the movement from her running would cause the bread to fall out. Still, it was her only chance. After making sure that the loaf was vaguely secure against her hip, Mia slipped from behind the house, and ran to the cover of the next. The sounds of angry dogs were getting louder, and she prayed to Isis for protection.
There!
In the near distance, she could see a white house. She knew that it wasn’t her father’s; this was built with limestone, and even had a garden of considerable size. The most her family had was a small plot for growing herbs. If she could only reach it, perhaps she could persuade the master of the house to let her stay for dinner. At the very least, there was one service she could offer, now that she was of age, though that was something she considered of a last resort.
The decision was made. Ignoring the increasing noise behind her, Mia ran as fast as she could in her weak, starving state. She had to reach the house in time; otherwise she would be tried and punished! They would connect her back to Lord Chayyim, and she would be revealed as the disgrace she was! If that happened... her people would fall...
The thought drove her to run faster. She was so close to reaching the house of the Lord. Just a few more steps-!
‘I’ve got you!’
She yelped as she was pulled back from the house. The grip around her arm was strong, and painful. There was no way she could slip out of the officer’s grasp.
‘No! Please! Let me go!’
He gave no response. The dog at his feet growled viciously. Mia tried to step away from the beast, but it only followed.
‘Please, sir! I will pay the owner back! I’m sorry! I apologise!’
Still, the man remained silent, only dragging her back the way she came. Mia cursed to herself. All of it was over - the success her father had with their people, the hopes of her father rethinking his decision to disown her, all of it. Gone. She was not going to survive this. She was a disgrace to her people.
‘I beg your pardon, Officer?’
They stopped. Finally, the man spoke. ‘Lord Pawahsi, how can I be of help?’
Mia’s heart stopped. Lord Pawahsi? Of all the times to run into him! She allowed herself a brief glance at his face. He was not looking at her, so she couldn’t make out his features, but what she could see pointed to an esteemed gentleman of old blood. No wonder the house had looked so grand!
‘What transgression has this girl committed? She is little more than bones.’
‘My apologies,’ the officer replied with a bow of his head. ‘She was caught stealing a loaf of bread. The owner of the shop wishes for her to be prosecuted.’
A pause. Then, ‘I see. Would you please wait here for a short moment? I will be back.’
Mia was confused. What was the Lord doing? Why would he inquire into the details of her crime?
He soon returned, followed by two servants each carrying two sacks of grain. Mia’s eyes widened at this, and sent a questioning look towards Lord Pawahsi. He met it with a slight nod. ‘Would this be enough to appease the owner?’
‘M- My Lord-!’
‘I do wish for such a young child to be spared punishment. From the looks of her, she is an orphan, and has been living without a home for a long time. I should like to take her into my care, and teach her the proper ways of Egypt.’
‘You wish to adopt the criminal?’
Criminal? Adopt? Mia couldn’t make sense of the words being spoken. What kindness was the Lord offering her? What service did he want in return?
‘I do. Send this grain to the owner, along with my most sincere of apologies. I promise that this will not happen again.’
The police officer seemed to consider this, but relented. ‘Very well. I can’t question the decisions of my betters. You may have the girl.’ He passed Mia off to the Lord, keeping a suspicious glare on her as she hung her head.
Mia heard him leave with the Lord’s servants, and found herself alone with the older man. She didn’t speak, knowing that it was not her place when she was a mere peasant, despite how much she wanted to question his decision.
‘I know you,’ were the first words he spoke to her.
She gasped, and stepped away. Unable to stop herself, her head lifted to look him in the eyes. He was going to ruin everything for her parents! All of their hard work was about to come undone!
‘Come inside. I will have the servants run you a bath.’ With that, he turned his back and walked back towards his house. Mia wanted to watch after him, but he was a Lord. She could not disobey the orders of such a man of high status, and certainly not one who had saved her from imprisonment at best. She followed, warily, and as she passed the walls into the courtyard, her jaw dropped. A single acacia tree shaded the most beautiful pond she had ever seen. The sheer volume of fish she couldn’t identify amazed her, and the blue lotuses were very peaceful. She could see papyrus sedges planted not too far from the pond. The white limestone lining on the house walls glistened in the sunlight, and she knew that this Lord was very prosperous indeed.
She half hoped that he was being honest to the officer. She wasn’t sure she could take another let down after seeing this beauty.
He took her through to a sitting area, and ordered a servant to bring them drinks. He didn’t say anything, so Mia took this as her cue to speak. ‘Why are you doing this? You know who I am, why aren’t you outing my parents?’
He frowned. ‘What parents could they have been, that they would treat their own daughter as they have? Mia, I understand your fears, and I assure you that I will not reveal your secrets. I just cannot stand idly by as a young girl is doomed to suffer such a life as yours.’
‘Then you meant what you said?’
‘That I would adopt you? Indeed, I did. It is plain to see that you would do well to be raised in a better environment, if you would only allow me.’
She averted her gaze. ‘And what do you expect in return?’
There was no answer. She looked back to him, and found that he held a faraway expression in his eyes. What had caused him to look so haunted?
‘I do not expect anything from you, Mia. Only companionship.’
Her face creased. ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t... I can’t... it cannot be true. Why would you take me in as your own? I am a disgrace. I will bring you nothing! I cannot bear children - my parents told me that enough times for me to understand!’
He cupped her face in his hands, and tilted her head so she looked him in the eyes. ‘I do not wish you for my wife. I had a family once, years ago. I lost them. I need someone to love as my child. Please. That is the only thing I ask of you.’
She took his hands in hers, and brought them to her lips. Placing a soft kiss to his knuckles, she spoke, ‘I accept. I will be your daughter, if that is your wish.’
‘Thank you.’ With that, he removed her wig from the top of her head, and allowed short, blonde curls to show in its place. ‘You will not have to hide yourself here, Mia. You are beautiful, do not forget it.’