100 Things 49/100: A Better Fate
Title: A Better Fate
Fandom: Original Fiction
Rating: Gen
Word count: 581
Prompt: HC Dungeons
30 Days of flashfic: Prompt: an overheard conversation
Jina leaned close to the bars as she heard voices. She recognized the Sheriff's accent. It wasn't often he came down here, and when he did, something always happened, for good or ill. She tried to hear what he was saying, a little fair warning could mean the difference between being at the front of the food line or being yanked out of her cell and used as an example in some demonstration.
"There's plague in Rockville. They lost every prisoner in the cells. Have you had any sign of bloody flux?" the Sheriff asked the jailor.
"Not as yet, sir. We heard from Circle Town, they've got it there."
The Sheriff sighed. "Let the ones serving short sentences go. Keep the political prisonersand ransoms separated from the rest. We can't risk losing money if they die in here."
"Yes sir. So, I'll let the whores out?"
"Yes." Jina smiled. It seemed she might be getting out early. But the next words made her frown. "Send them to the docks, there's a ship of indentured servants leaving. See that they go to the colonies."
She was taken from her cell and led through the dungeons. Along the way she saw others that were not as fortunate, that would not be getting out. Men held in chains leading from the wall gave her dirty looks. She walked closer to the guard leading her, not that he would do much to protect her.
The air was fresher outside, when they left the dank cells behind. She was pushed up a ramp onto a wagon, where there were a dozen other prisoners huddled.
"Now listen up, you lot. You're being given an opportunity to start over in a new land. You'll sign a contract to pay for your passage to the colonies. When you've paid your debt, you'll be free."
Some of the women began to sob. Jina wrapped an arm around the girl beside her, who looked to be no more than fourteen. "Cheer up," she whispered to the sobbing girl. "We're being sent away from the plague. We'll have a new life. The jails all around us have plague."
"I don't want to go on a ship."
"It will be good. You'll see. Fresh air. What's your name?"
"Anna."
"Stay by me, Anna, we'll be friends." The girl reminded Jina of the sister she had lost, she was of a similar coloring and age.
Anna's sobs subsided as the wagon began to move. A new life. Jina wouldn't have to sell her body anymore to make enough coin to eat. The wagon rumbled onto the docks and the ship came into view.
Jina held tightly to Anna's hand as they went up the gangplank. The tiny bundle that contained her other dress was clutched tightly to her chest. She was going across the sea with only a single change of clothing and no other possessions but a bone-carved comb.
The ship's man came and gave each of them a document to sign or make their mark upon. Anna began to sob again, but Jina hugged her and tried to cheer her by telling her they were lucky to only have three years of service in the colonies, some others had much longer to work.
This was a new life. It had to be better than the old. It just had to. Originally posted at http://rinkafic.dreamwidth.org/