In Spades 2b/??
anonymous
August 19 2011, 04:15:53 UTC
Alfred stared at the ground, at his own striding feet. “A long time ago.”
“How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
Yao made a thoughtful 'hmm' sound. “Surely you have not been caring for your brother alone since you were six?”
“Oh. No. Our parents died of the illness, but our neighbor took us in. She'd lost her own family, and liked having us around. But she died five years ago. I've cared for him on my own since then.”
“I see.”
They fell silent. Alfred wondered if it would be rude to ask where Yao was from. But he was terrible with geography, so anywhere outside the Four Kingdoms would be meaningless anyway, so what was the point?
They walked the rest of the way in silence. As soon as they reached the door to Alfred's small house, he burst in in a mild panic he had worked himself into as they had neared. “Mattie?”
The fire had gone out, a small lamp the only source of light in the room. Matthew was laying in his usual spot, shivering. He was paler than usual, body covered in a light sheen of sweat despite his shivers.
“Mattie, I'm here.” Alfred knelt beside Matthew, swallowing around the lump that had risen in his throat. “I'm so sorry. Are you okay?”
Matthew slowly lifted his head to peer at Alfred. “You're back,” he mumbled. “I was worried.” His violet eyes widened as they focused on the man standing behind Alfred. “Who...?”
Alfred glanced over his shoulder in time to see Yao bow slightly. “I am Yao, the Jack of Spades.”
“Jack...?” Matthew's gaze returned to his brother. “Al, are you in trouble?”
“Um. Well, you see-”
“Forgive us.” Yao bowed again, deeper. “That was inconsiderate of us to stop here first. We are on our way to the apothecary.”
Alfred blinked. They were?
“Your brother is going to be working at the palace now,” Yao continued.
“He is?” Matthew's eyes never left Alfred's face. Alfred wondered if he was lucid enough to notice how shocked Alfred was.
“He is. In the stables, he's starting tomorrow. Come now, Alfred, let's get going.”
“Uh...” Alfred finally turned, gaping at Yao. “Uh, r-right. The apothecary!” Unable to really comprehend what had just happened, Alfred tucked the blanket tighter around Matthew. “Will you be okay here for a bit longer?” He wanted to rekindle the fire, but didn't want to take the time... He'd have to anyway to boil the water, but Yao was waiting.
Matthew nodded. “Go.”
“Okay.” He smoothed down Matthew's damp hair, then rejoined Yao and they left the house.
“What...” Alfred ran the Jack's statement through his head. “What just happened?”
Yao glanced over at him, smiling. “You are working at the palace now. In the stables. You don't mind, do you? One of our stable boys is eager to become a soldier instead, we could use a replacement.”
“But...” Alfred swallowed. A job? He was being offered a job? “I...”
“You don't need previous experience. Someone will show you what you need to do tomorrow.”
“But...”
“How much does the medicine cost?” Yao was pulling a pouch out of his coat.
“Oh.” Alfred told him.
“Hmm. I can see how that could be difficult for a beggar.” Yao pulled coins out of his bag. “I'll pay for it today, you can owe me.”
Alfred numbly held a hand out to accept the coins. “Oh, right. I'll pay you back.”
“Well, I was joking, but whatever you prefer. You'll be paid twice that amount daily, how does that sound?”
Alfred finally stopped, gaping at the smaller man in shock. “What?” Twice that amount... every day? He'd be able to buy medicine every single day, with plenty leftover?
It was hard to even wrap his brain around.
“We should hurry,” Yao said.
Alfred nodded dumbly, then grabbed Yao and pulled him into a hug.
“Ahh...” Yao chuckled, patting Alfred on the back. “You're welcome.” He pulled away.
Alfred sniffed and wiped his eyes. “Y-yeah. We should hurry.” He all but ran the rest of the way to the apothecary.
They purchased the medicine and wasted no time, heading immediately back. On the way, Yao gave Alfred instructions about where and when to show up, then bid him good night and they parted ways, the Jack returning to the palace.
“How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
Yao made a thoughtful 'hmm' sound. “Surely you have not been caring for your brother alone since you were six?”
“Oh. No. Our parents died of the illness, but our neighbor took us in. She'd lost her own family, and liked having us around. But she died five years ago. I've cared for him on my own since then.”
“I see.”
They fell silent. Alfred wondered if it would be rude to ask where Yao was from. But he was terrible with geography, so anywhere outside the Four Kingdoms would be meaningless anyway, so what was the point?
They walked the rest of the way in silence. As soon as they reached the door to Alfred's small house, he burst in in a mild panic he had worked himself into as they had neared. “Mattie?”
The fire had gone out, a small lamp the only source of light in the room. Matthew was laying in his usual spot, shivering. He was paler than usual, body covered in a light sheen of sweat despite his shivers.
“Mattie, I'm here.” Alfred knelt beside Matthew, swallowing around the lump that had risen in his throat. “I'm so sorry. Are you okay?”
Matthew slowly lifted his head to peer at Alfred. “You're back,” he mumbled. “I was worried.” His violet eyes widened as they focused on the man standing behind Alfred. “Who...?”
Alfred glanced over his shoulder in time to see Yao bow slightly. “I am Yao, the Jack of Spades.”
“Jack...?” Matthew's gaze returned to his brother. “Al, are you in trouble?”
“Um. Well, you see-”
“Forgive us.” Yao bowed again, deeper. “That was inconsiderate of us to stop here first. We are on our way to the apothecary.”
Alfred blinked. They were?
“Your brother is going to be working at the palace now,” Yao continued.
“He is?” Matthew's eyes never left Alfred's face. Alfred wondered if he was lucid enough to notice how shocked Alfred was.
“He is. In the stables, he's starting tomorrow. Come now, Alfred, let's get going.”
“Uh...” Alfred finally turned, gaping at Yao. “Uh, r-right. The apothecary!” Unable to really comprehend what had just happened, Alfred tucked the blanket tighter around Matthew. “Will you be okay here for a bit longer?” He wanted to rekindle the fire, but didn't want to take the time... He'd have to anyway to boil the water, but Yao was waiting.
Matthew nodded. “Go.”
“Okay.” He smoothed down Matthew's damp hair, then rejoined Yao and they left the house.
“What...” Alfred ran the Jack's statement through his head. “What just happened?”
Yao glanced over at him, smiling. “You are working at the palace now. In the stables. You don't mind, do you? One of our stable boys is eager to become a soldier instead, we could use a replacement.”
“But...” Alfred swallowed. A job? He was being offered a job? “I...”
“You don't need previous experience. Someone will show you what you need to do tomorrow.”
“But...”
“How much does the medicine cost?” Yao was pulling a pouch out of his coat.
“Oh.” Alfred told him.
“Hmm. I can see how that could be difficult for a beggar.” Yao pulled coins out of his bag. “I'll pay for it today, you can owe me.”
Alfred numbly held a hand out to accept the coins. “Oh, right. I'll pay you back.”
“Well, I was joking, but whatever you prefer. You'll be paid twice that amount daily, how does that sound?”
Alfred finally stopped, gaping at the smaller man in shock. “What?” Twice that amount... every day? He'd be able to buy medicine every single day, with plenty leftover?
It was hard to even wrap his brain around.
“We should hurry,” Yao said.
Alfred nodded dumbly, then grabbed Yao and pulled him into a hug.
“Ahh...” Yao chuckled, patting Alfred on the back. “You're welcome.” He pulled away.
Alfred sniffed and wiped his eyes. “Y-yeah. We should hurry.” He all but ran the rest of the way to the apothecary.
They purchased the medicine and wasted no time, heading immediately back. On the way, Yao gave Alfred instructions about where and when to show up, then bid him good night and they parted ways, the Jack returning to the palace.
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