Julen nodded. He wasn’t going to enjoy this either. Briefly setting down the bundle Railtus had given him to carry, Julen untied his pouch from his belt. To it, he added his accumulated bishan, as well as the jeweled band he’d received from Valanghar -- which, until that moment, had still been around his wrist. Then, Julen picked the bundle back up, and pushed his pouch under Railtus’s cloak, making sure it was securely nestled amidst the wooden weapons. Such precautions seemed selfish and petty when about to be faced with so much suffering. But dirt and a broken locket wouldn’t be much of a gain for a cutpurse, while they would certainly be a grave loss for Julen. And, without the bishan, he would joining the shanty town’s residents soon enough.
“You might want to make sure your valuables are secure,” Julen advised, before starting off toward the remains of Fort Marn.
This time, they headed west. After awhile, the streets grew narrower, and the businesses appeared more rundown. Taverns advertising cheap ale sat between dark and dirty stores stocked with merchandise that looked like it had either been salvaged from the local dump or taken from owners reluctant to part with it. Once, as they passed the mouth of an alley, Julen saw a man beckon to them from the shadows, promising a taste of “something special.” But Julen hastily averted his eyes, and kept walking.
And then, there weren’t even buildings. Just hastily assembled shelters, made from old packing crates, torn blankets, and other improvised materials. Garbage lay scattered on the ground, where it was fought over by bold rats and dogs so thin their fur seemed thinly stretched across their too visible skeletons. As they battled the rats, their skirmishes disturbed countless flies, along with other, less identifiable, insects.
Despite the air, which smelled like a mixture of sour milk and sewage, Julen drew a deep breath and hesitated. He felt the need to offer Railtus some sort of assurance. To tell him that it was all too much, that no single man could help all those people, that he shouldn’t condemn himself for being unable to wipe out their misery. But he knew that Railtus already understood those things, and they wouldn’t keep him from trying. Nor would they keep him from feeling bad when he failed. So, after another shake of his head, Julen plunged into the shanty town.
At first, people just watched their passage with fear and suspicion, silently scrambling out of their way when they approached. Nobles like Railtus were almost never seen in this place, and even Julen’s patched arming coat made him look like one of the city guard to their eyes. But desperation eventually overcomes all other emotions. Before long, a young woman wearing the tattered remains of a white dress approached them.
“Gentleman,” she greeted, with what would have been a seductive smile if not for the obvious blister on her lip. “For a bishan, I can show one of you a little fun. Or for two bishan, both of you at the same time, if that’s your taste.”
Staring at her scrawny body, Julen could hardly think of a time when he felt less like having sex. And yet, but for the luck of the gods, this might have been Rosemary’s fate. Rosemary, forced to solicit strangers. Rosemary, with lice in her hair, and a black eye probably given by the man who sent her out to earn her living this way. Rosemary, diseased in places he couldn’t -- and didn’t ever, ever want to -- see. The thought of it made Julen want to throw up.
Helplessly, he looked at Railtus.
Further Steps
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Sir Karsimir
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- Name: Karsimir Von Greyssen
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Scowling fiercely, Railtus shook his head. That scowl was not directed at the woman herself, but more the sight of her wretched state, her starved, emaciated, degraded state. Burning fury seared it's way through his veins, accompanied by the impulse to lash out as if by sheer physical force he could unmake the conditions which brought such a sorrowful blight upon this girl.
Gritted teeth reluctantly parted to speak, with a voice struggling to banish the anger he felt. "You are hurt." mentioned the Angelsworn. Grim sadness set a harsh line to his mouth.
Drawing his shield across his body as if a barrier guarding his dignity, Railtus leaned the training pikes inside the curve of his arm to rest against the shield-bearing shoulder. Reaching a gauntleted hand over the shield-edge tucked in under his armpit as if in a defensive position, Railtus brushed the blistered lip lightly with his armour-clad fingers.
"No one should have to endure what you have, my lady." Not once did the absurdity of the term lady occur to Railtus. Nobility was not a birthright, and the state of desperation did not strike him as undignified. Dignity was lost through acts of crime and cruelty, treachery and the oppression of those unable to resist. How she suffered was not undignified.
At once, the blister healed. Her seductive smile was complete again.
Ruefully, Railtus thought of his money secured beneath his armour. It would be possible to reach it, with effort and full freedom of hands. Two objections stood out, one was that he did not want to unsecure his money pouch here, the other was that he did not want to be seen reaching for his money pouch after being approached by a prostitute.
Instead, he raised the leather gauntlet to his mouth and bit the edge, pulling it off with his teeth. With the gauntlet held to his armour by the tight press of his shield, Railtus slid a copper ring off with his teeth. The ring was from a past victory, although he could not remember if it was the bounty hunters or the bandits.
Keeping the ring wrapped tightly in his hand, to be hidden from sight, Railtus reached over the shield downwards towards the thin hand. Then he whispered, "Get inside, little sister. Find some food and a place to rest. Keep that hidden." Railtus referred to the ring. " You would not be grateful for the customers." As his advice was whispered, Railtus kept his thumb pressed against the other fingers on his hand, preventing anything else on that hand from being discreetly lifted.
Fitting his hand into his gauntlet, held with his shield, Railtus returned his voice to normal volume. "Miss, I'm sorry."
Gritted teeth reluctantly parted to speak, with a voice struggling to banish the anger he felt. "You are hurt." mentioned the Angelsworn. Grim sadness set a harsh line to his mouth.
Drawing his shield across his body as if a barrier guarding his dignity, Railtus leaned the training pikes inside the curve of his arm to rest against the shield-bearing shoulder. Reaching a gauntleted hand over the shield-edge tucked in under his armpit as if in a defensive position, Railtus brushed the blistered lip lightly with his armour-clad fingers.
"No one should have to endure what you have, my lady." Not once did the absurdity of the term lady occur to Railtus. Nobility was not a birthright, and the state of desperation did not strike him as undignified. Dignity was lost through acts of crime and cruelty, treachery and the oppression of those unable to resist. How she suffered was not undignified.
At once, the blister healed. Her seductive smile was complete again.
Ruefully, Railtus thought of his money secured beneath his armour. It would be possible to reach it, with effort and full freedom of hands. Two objections stood out, one was that he did not want to unsecure his money pouch here, the other was that he did not want to be seen reaching for his money pouch after being approached by a prostitute.
Instead, he raised the leather gauntlet to his mouth and bit the edge, pulling it off with his teeth. With the gauntlet held to his armour by the tight press of his shield, Railtus slid a copper ring off with his teeth. The ring was from a past victory, although he could not remember if it was the bounty hunters or the bandits.
Keeping the ring wrapped tightly in his hand, to be hidden from sight, Railtus reached over the shield downwards towards the thin hand. Then he whispered, "Get inside, little sister. Find some food and a place to rest. Keep that hidden." Railtus referred to the ring. " You would not be grateful for the customers." As his advice was whispered, Railtus kept his thumb pressed against the other fingers on his hand, preventing anything else on that hand from being discreetly lifted.
Fitting his hand into his gauntlet, held with his shield, Railtus returned his voice to normal volume. "Miss, I'm sorry."
My faith protects me, my kevlar helps.
The girl’s eyes widened as she felt the blister heal. Fortunately, unlike Julen, she didn’t drop down onto one knee. Instead, she simply caressed her newly smooth lip. And the smile she gave Railtus, while not particularly sensual, was full of bright joy.
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered in response to Railtus’s advice. The ring which he offered her was snatched with smooth skill, like a hawk seizing prey in its talons. “I wish I’d been born the sister of one such as yourself. But I’ll do as you suggest, and I’m grateful for it.”
Then, after Railtus raised his voice, she stepped back and lifted hers to match it. “Well,” she snapped, assuming an offended expression. “If you don’t know a good thing when you see it, I can’t cure your blindness. But you won’t get a better offer around here.”
Swaggering as much as her skinny body allowed, she strode past them. When Julen glanced over his shoulder, he saw her hurrying toward the business district, where he sincerely hoped she’d trade Railtus’s ring for enough bishani to buy some decent meals.
“That was nobly done,” Julen congratulated, genuinely glad that Railtus had helped the girl. “But there’s a good chance she’ll tell others. We may not pass this way so easily next time.”
This time, however, they reached the edges of the shanty town without further incident. Soon, they’d arrive at the remains of Fort Marn. Eager for a chance to put down the bundle of wooden weapons, Julen quickened his pace.
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered in response to Railtus’s advice. The ring which he offered her was snatched with smooth skill, like a hawk seizing prey in its talons. “I wish I’d been born the sister of one such as yourself. But I’ll do as you suggest, and I’m grateful for it.”
Then, after Railtus raised his voice, she stepped back and lifted hers to match it. “Well,” she snapped, assuming an offended expression. “If you don’t know a good thing when you see it, I can’t cure your blindness. But you won’t get a better offer around here.”
Swaggering as much as her skinny body allowed, she strode past them. When Julen glanced over his shoulder, he saw her hurrying toward the business district, where he sincerely hoped she’d trade Railtus’s ring for enough bishani to buy some decent meals.
“That was nobly done,” Julen congratulated, genuinely glad that Railtus had helped the girl. “But there’s a good chance she’ll tell others. We may not pass this way so easily next time.”
This time, however, they reached the edges of the shanty town without further incident. Soon, they’d arrive at the remains of Fort Marn. Eager for a chance to put down the bundle of wooden weapons, Julen quickened his pace.
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Sir Karsimir
- Citizen
- Posts: 714
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:12 pm
- Name: Karsimir Von Greyssen
- Race: Reichvolk human