Captive Thief, for Jeriendhal prompt in the January Prompt Bingo
This is to jeriendhal's prompt to my January Bingo Prompt call.
Title: Captive Thief
Warnings: Child struck,
Length: 823 words
Genre/Setting: Fantasy
Hendry watched with a frown as two of his guards carried a young girl into his workroom. Black hair, what looked like a black eye forming, the girl hung limp from their grip under her shoulders. When they turned by the table and started to set her down she twisted and tried to kick the newer of the guards in the shin with bound legs. What was his name? Arnov, that's right, hired a month ago with his new wife hired on to assist with the gardens. Hendry's frown grew when Arnov slapped the girl.
"Kneel thief!" The guards pressed at her shoulders and when that didn't work Arnov yanked at her bound arms and gave the back of her knees a kick. Right, that was enough.
"That won't be necessary Arnav." Hendry stood and pulled the girl back up to her feet. He brushed her hair aside to take a closer look at that eye. "I'm curious, what has this child done to earn blackening her eye?"
The other set a bag on the table and opened it. A pair of silver candle sticks and their candles, a small incense box, a good sized chunk of bread probably left over from breakfast, a wedge of cheese, fruit... most of it on closer look was food. Turning back to the girl she did seem rather slight.
"Disappointing, but again was it necessary to blacken her eye?"
The first guard growled out, "The brat bit me, sir. Scratched and kicked too, vicious brat."
"As I recall you have no children yet Arnov. Do you have any younger siblings? No? My rule on this is clear. No children will be beaten on my lands. Not my children, not among the servants, not the children of those who work for me. Discipline if necessary but no beatings."
The girl seemed to think their attention was no longer on her. It seemed as well she forgot her legs were bound for she twisted and gave a surprised cry as she started to fall. Arnov moved quickly and caught her arm before she was halfway to the floor and pulled her up again. Hendry smiled, good, perhaps he hadn't erred in hiring him.
"Good catch Arnov." He looked back to the girl, "I would rather not see you hurt, please do not try running again. Now tell me, how long has it been since you last ate?"
"What'ya mean?"
"Child, we can see your bones and most of what you stole is food. How long?"
"Some bread two days ago."
"And before that?"
"Found something, don't know what, a few days before that?"
"I thought so. Remy," Hendry called out to the errand boy waiting at the side of the room, "go to the kitchen and have Riley send over some soup." Picking up a piece of the fruit he began peeling it.
"Will you behave if your hands are freed?"
"Maybe."
Well, she was at least that honest.
"Untie her hands and help her into a chair."
Hendry waited until she'd finished the soup that came shortly after she'd devoured the fruit.
"What is your name?" She stared at him so he rolled another piece of fruit over to her. "I can't simply call you girl, so what should I call you?"
"Mar-Maribeth."
"Well Maribeth you have a choice. I could send for the Council Watch. Even at your age they will want to make an example out of you. You did try after all to steal from a member of the Council."
"You could let me go."
Hendry shook his head, "And how long until you try to steal again? No, it would simply be a slower version of the first choice. It's the Watch or... can you read and write?"
"Huh?" Maribeth shrugged, "Just easy stuff."
"Well if I sent you off to the Watch you'll most likely find yourself on a labor gang. I would not expect much mercy from the guards. As for the food I know quite well the warden hasn't asked for an increase in the food budget for longer than you've been alive. When they decide to let you go you'll be tossed back on the street with no more than the clothes on your back.
"Your other choice is to remain here. All you need do is sign some papers. You will work hard here as well, but at the end of your indenture at least you will have something to show for it. The other servants won't be too happy at first. If you steal from me you're stealing from them as well. But if you work well and don't cause trouble they will come around."
He stood and waved Arnov back over to the table. "I fear I must go to a meeting now. But if you continue behaving there's no reason Arnov can't leave your hands untied. You can give me your choice when I return."
(This is a crossposting |
replies at the original post on dreamwidth | Comment at dreamwidth | You can comment on DW posts even if you don't have an account there Using OpenID!)
Title: Captive Thief
Warnings: Child struck,
Length: 823 words
Genre/Setting: Fantasy
Hendry watched with a frown as two of his guards carried a young girl into his workroom. Black hair, what looked like a black eye forming, the girl hung limp from their grip under her shoulders. When they turned by the table and started to set her down she twisted and tried to kick the newer of the guards in the shin with bound legs. What was his name? Arnov, that's right, hired a month ago with his new wife hired on to assist with the gardens. Hendry's frown grew when Arnov slapped the girl.
"Kneel thief!" The guards pressed at her shoulders and when that didn't work Arnov yanked at her bound arms and gave the back of her knees a kick. Right, that was enough.
"That won't be necessary Arnav." Hendry stood and pulled the girl back up to her feet. He brushed her hair aside to take a closer look at that eye. "I'm curious, what has this child done to earn blackening her eye?"
The other set a bag on the table and opened it. A pair of silver candle sticks and their candles, a small incense box, a good sized chunk of bread probably left over from breakfast, a wedge of cheese, fruit... most of it on closer look was food. Turning back to the girl she did seem rather slight.
"Disappointing, but again was it necessary to blacken her eye?"
The first guard growled out, "The brat bit me, sir. Scratched and kicked too, vicious brat."
"As I recall you have no children yet Arnov. Do you have any younger siblings? No? My rule on this is clear. No children will be beaten on my lands. Not my children, not among the servants, not the children of those who work for me. Discipline if necessary but no beatings."
The girl seemed to think their attention was no longer on her. It seemed as well she forgot her legs were bound for she twisted and gave a surprised cry as she started to fall. Arnov moved quickly and caught her arm before she was halfway to the floor and pulled her up again. Hendry smiled, good, perhaps he hadn't erred in hiring him.
"Good catch Arnov." He looked back to the girl, "I would rather not see you hurt, please do not try running again. Now tell me, how long has it been since you last ate?"
"What'ya mean?"
"Child, we can see your bones and most of what you stole is food. How long?"
"Some bread two days ago."
"And before that?"
"Found something, don't know what, a few days before that?"
"I thought so. Remy," Hendry called out to the errand boy waiting at the side of the room, "go to the kitchen and have Riley send over some soup." Picking up a piece of the fruit he began peeling it.
"Will you behave if your hands are freed?"
"Maybe."
Well, she was at least that honest.
"Untie her hands and help her into a chair."
Hendry waited until she'd finished the soup that came shortly after she'd devoured the fruit.
"What is your name?" She stared at him so he rolled another piece of fruit over to her. "I can't simply call you girl, so what should I call you?"
"Mar-Maribeth."
"Well Maribeth you have a choice. I could send for the Council Watch. Even at your age they will want to make an example out of you. You did try after all to steal from a member of the Council."
"You could let me go."
Hendry shook his head, "And how long until you try to steal again? No, it would simply be a slower version of the first choice. It's the Watch or... can you read and write?"
"Huh?" Maribeth shrugged, "Just easy stuff."
"Well if I sent you off to the Watch you'll most likely find yourself on a labor gang. I would not expect much mercy from the guards. As for the food I know quite well the warden hasn't asked for an increase in the food budget for longer than you've been alive. When they decide to let you go you'll be tossed back on the street with no more than the clothes on your back.
"Your other choice is to remain here. All you need do is sign some papers. You will work hard here as well, but at the end of your indenture at least you will have something to show for it. The other servants won't be too happy at first. If you steal from me you're stealing from them as well. But if you work well and don't cause trouble they will come around."
He stood and waved Arnov back over to the table. "I fear I must go to a meeting now. But if you continue behaving there's no reason Arnov can't leave your hands untied. You can give me your choice when I return."
(This is a crossposting |
replies at the original post on dreamwidth | Comment at dreamwidth | You can comment on DW posts even if you don't have an account there Using OpenID!)