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A trade takes place

Started by Edward Teach, August 20, 2016, 02:55:10 AM

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Edward Teach

   Teach woke up in bed with a lovely young woman beside him.  He looked at her, as she slept.  Her color was much better, her hair more lush and when she woke she would find she no longer had a cold or had a morning after head.  He looked the at cold hearth and commanded fire to burn.  What the hell, after last night he had the aether to spare.  He let the room warm a bit and extricated himself from the girl's arms.  He was getting too good at doing that.  He quickly and quietly dressed and laid a small silver brooch on the pillow next the the girl and slipped out of the room.  It was time to finalize his business with the girls uncle the local tavern owner.

   Teach walked down the street, from her cottage to the tavern, and considered just how much to charge to make a good profit, but not have the man refuse the price.  Fae wine was almost unheard of outside the royal courts and not easy to come by.  Honestly he could buy and sale this hamlet over twice for what he had was worth, but that would mean a trip to court and being noticed.  It wasn't time yet, hell, it might even come in his life time, but his family would be well received at court again some day.  Money, it all came down to money.  His family needed it to be respectable when presented at court, titled or not.  Well, he would acquire it by almost any means, fair or foul.

   As he approached the tavern he thought about what it took to get the three casks he had.  The Seelie certainly were not the most trusting beings.  His long wait, then to be told; "No.  Go away", well that sort of thing just angers a man, but he bit it down and continued to wait.  After four more of these encounters, finally someone came to ask what he wanted.  Damn she was gorgeous, he only wished he had a chance with the likes of her, short of her needing is "special skills".  Finally, he brokered a deal, all four wagons of fabrics for three small cask of fae wine.  A damned good trade, the thought.  Returning this mind to the present he took in the tavern owner, a middle aged man who obviously had done well enough for himself, despite the war.  He just wasn't sure of the man knew about his niece or not.

   "Ho, Javon!" Teach hailed.  The tavern keeper answered with a nod of the head.  Teach walked over and began negotiations.  No, he would not part with all three casks.  Yes, he might be willing to take trade but seriously doubted there was enough of anything in this hamlet to pay for his wares.  Yes, gold was always so much better.  After that it was just a matter settling on a price.  He left the tavern one cask lighter but two rather large pouches of coin heavier.  Leaving the tavern, headed to the stables for his team and wagon, he saw the girl on the street.  She watched him with a look of indecision and mixed feelings on her face.  He noticed she wore the brooch though.


Edward Teach

He stepped back as he felt fingers creep along his clothing and reflexively reached out and snatched the offending hand and found it attached to a young urchin.  It took a moment to realize she was girl and that her race was even human, so dirty and beat was she.  She couldn't be no more than seven years old.  He squatted down and held her by her shoulders.  "Now you know that is a quick way to loose a hand right?"  She looked at him blankly.  He tried again; "What's your name little one?"  Again there was no answer.  Again he tried, "Where is your family?"  Still nothing.  Finally he removed one hand, firmly holding with the other so she wouldn't flee, and  ran the fingers of that free hand through his hair.  "Roon Ellen Grey, I'm seven and I don't have no family" she said defiantly.  Teach smiled a sad smile to himself.

Teach released her shoulder and took her hand and led her to the nearest rooms to rent and purchased one for the a span of time.  He took her in and secured the door.  "Now what are we going to do with you?  I can't take you anywhere smelling and looking like that and if you are going to eat I have to take you at least the common room."  He walked over and begin to pull off the sack she was calling a dress and she bite him.  That was when he remembered the tub and hot water.  Letting her go, he walked back to the door and yelled for the serving woman.  When she trundled up the told her he needed a bath prepared and some clothes brought up.  He showed her the girl and when asked what style, he looked at her blankly.  Just dressed like me I guess. She walked away with an odd expression on her face.  After the tub was brought in and the water set to the right temperature, he again reached out to pull off her sack of a dress.  She bite him, again.  He ignored it and pulled the dress off her and carried her bodily into the bath and commenced to scrubbing.  She fought him like a wild cat.  He ignored it, humming unconcernedly.  Finally satisfied with her state of cleanliness he stepped back to the bed.

Eventually she, cautiously, crept out of the tub, dripping water.  Teach looked up and sighed.  "Has it really been that long since you have had any amenities?"  She looked confused at the word amenities but answered in a halting voice; "I don't remember ever doing that before."  Again he sighed and got up and walked over to retrieve two towels.  As he moved past her, both times she flattened her back against the wall.  He sat on the bed and waved her over.  She stood stock still and stared at him.  He said, "Come here now child so I can dry you, brush your hair and dress you."  She looked at him, suspiciously and asked, "And then what?"  "Then I will take you to get something to eat", he replied.  She reluctantly came over, resigning herself to whatever would happen.  She knew she was trapped and he would do whatever he wanted anyway.  To her surprise he did exactly what he said.  He dried her and brushed her hair, she almost ran then.  It hurt!  He said it was because her head was like a rat's nest.  She never let's rats live in her hair, she assured him.  For some reason he smiled at that.  After he brushed her hair he pulled it back, making a tail of sorts with a rubber band. Then he put some strange things on her he called "panties"  they were pink with flowers on them then he dressed her a lot like himself; black slacks, a frilly shirt that laced up the front and black leather boots that came all the way to her knees.  When he was finished he led her to a mirror and showed her.  She looked behind herself and all around the room.  There had to be another girl here.  He said, "No, that's you, as you should always have been."

Teach reached down and took the girls hand, lightly this time and she didn't fight him.  He led her to the door and out.  As they walked down to the common room again.  She was visibly trying to get used to walking in the boots but kept silent.  He approached the bar he was at earlier and sat them both down.  When the owner said he couldn't bring the child in he just smiled and handed him a few gold pieces.

Sitting down, he ordered a large meal, of his favorites, not knowing what she would eat or would not.  He shouldn't have worried.  She tore into the food like that starved child she was.  After awhile he noticed she slowed down eating, but started stuffing food into her pockets.  He shook his head and said nothing.  When the meal was finished he had some rum and ordered a hot chocolate for her.  Finally getting up he walked out of the bar and looked at her.  He handed her the ticket for the room they had just used and told her it was paid up for a week.  He also handed her several gold pieces saying, "I may have a need of a girl to work in a shop for me.  Come find me in a week or two."  Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

Finally crawling into his wagon he shook his head, silently cursing himself.  He was too foolish, too soft-hearted.  Now he had to find a place to set up some kind of shop.  After awhile he found two, large commercial spaces, vacant and next to each other with living accommodations above them.  He marked the location and set out to find one of the owners.

Edward Teach

Edward Teach, 34th Lord of Roseshire had returned to town after a week and a half.  He had done some respectable trading, but his mind kept wandering to that girl.  So, here he was, in the same tavern, waiting.  He had waited all yesterday afternoon and last night.  He had waited most of the day as well, here she came walking in through the door, as if it were her own place.  She was looking around and finally saw him.  She waved, timidly and he waved her over.

   He was impressed.  She was relatively clean and still wore the same clothes, but it was plain she had not been sleeping in the streets anymore and had a greater sense of self confidence.  He patted the chair next to him.  He just stared at her for awhile.  She began to squirm and finally he realized he had been staring.  Still it never ceased to amaze him what a little kindness and hope could do to a body.  Oh, most, their spirits were better, very few had such a dramatic change as this child.  Coughing to cover the hitch in his voice.  "Here" he said, pushing the bundle of clothes, a second pair of boots and a belt knife so big that on her it was just short of being a sword.

   She sat there a long time looking at him and glancing to the bundle and knife.  She remained quiet, but took the knife and slipped it into her waist band.  "You came back", she finally said.  "I said I would", he retorted.  "I didn't think you would really come back." she whispered.  He snorted and answered, "And yet, here I am."  They looked at each other for a long moment, then she looked away when the serving girl came to the table.  He ordered a large dinner for them, spiced wine for himself and goat's milk for her.  Her nosed wrinkled at goat's milk.  Looking up she saw the prettiest pin on the serving girl, it looked like a rose, viewed from the side.  She asked bluntly, "That's a pretty pin, how can I get one?"  Edward snorted wine through his nose, the woman laughing patted his back.  "Catching them early to train up right, Edward?" she teased him.  He glared at the serving woman.  Still laughing she turned to go, saying, "The meal will be right out and your regular room is being prepared."  He called after her, "She'll be needing a room too."

   He turned and looked at Roon.  After a few minutes he took a pin out of his pocket.  It looked different from the woman's pin.  It was an open rose, face on and it was gold not silver.  He reached over, waiting at the last second to see if she would shrink back.  When she didn't, but poke her chest out instead, he smiled.  He fastened the pin to her shirt.  He looked at her wearing her pin and said: "That pin she wears is for women who.... I have a different kind of relationship with.  This here is for people who are friends and family."  She looked confused.  She didn't remember ever having family and the few friends she had were all other street kids.  She told him so.  He looked her with kindness in his eyes and said, "Not anymore, Roon, not anymore."  The food arrived and they fell to with a fury.

   They eventually went to their rooms, Edward ordering a bath for her, he'd had his in the little hours of the morning that day.  They went to their separate rooms, but a little while later there was a soft, tentative knock on his door.  When he opened it, he saw Roon standing there in just her shirt.  It came down her thighs, just short of halfway to her knees.  She was holding soap and a sponge in her hands.  She looked up at him and then down again and said in a soft voice that he heard crack.  "I don't know how..."  He leaned down and picked up in his arms and said softly into her ear, "Well, we'll just have to teach you won't we?"  She didn't seem to notice his voice cracking.

   He carried her to her room and sat her on her bed while he checked the temperature of the water and and explained how to mix it so it felt just right, to always use the skin on the inside of her wrist to test it. When he was satisfied with the water he walked over to her and stood her up.  He pulled her shirt over her head and slipped her under garments off.  He picked her back up in his arms and carried her the three steps to the tub and gently sat her down in it.  He taught her how to bath.  He was quiet and easy with her.  He even blushed when he explained how she had to be sure to clean her woman parts real good or she could get an infection.  When the bath was finished he just sat down next to the tub and sang softly or listened to her tell stories of her day to day life.  When she started to complain that the water was getting chill, he stood and picked her up again and took her back to the bed and stood her on her feet as he toweled her off.  He pulled a new shirt and new undergarments from the package and tucked her in bed saying he would see in the morning, down stairs at breakfast.

   When he got back to his room, Franny the serving woman, was waiting on him already stripped to nothing but her shirt, hanging loosely on her.  There was affection and tears in her eyes.  He took her in his arms and she shivered.  "Edward, that girl" was all she got out before a tear left her eye.  "Its a good thing you do."  He removed Franny's shirt and his own clothing and tumbled the two of them into bed.  She didn't leave till morning.

   The next morning, when she came down to breakfast, Roon looked happier, less wary and more self possessed.  She joined him at the table and he asked if she wanted to order.  She looked a little scared but he smiled at that and assured her she could do it.  She ordered eggs, ham, biscuits, grits, sausage and small beer.  She looked at him to see if she was getting it right.  She received a smile and a nod.  Then they sat there in silence for a long time.  Finally he said to her, offhandedly, "When I leave here this afternoon, you are coming with me".  The breath left her body.  When she had it back she simply said, "Ok."  Then she thought for a minute, "Ah, what do I call you?"  "Edward" he said and smiled a smile that was like the sun breaking through the clouds of a stormy day, down on her.  She beamed right back.  "Ok, Edward.  Where we going?"  Chuckling he said he was a traveling merchant and moved around a lot, but eventually they would go to is family home called Roseshire.  At the name she took her pin in her hand and looked down at it.  For the first time she could remember, she was happy.

Edward Teach

They left that afternoon and traveled for days.  In towns and villages they always had two rooms and in camp two bed rolls, until one night Roon had a nightmare and Edward woke her.  She curled in his arms and cuddled into his chest.  After that she always slept in the safety of is arms.  She never had a father, but she thought it must be a lot like this.  Safe.  Having a father must feel safe.  Edward made her feel safe.  She never asked to curl up next him and he never said anything about it.  It was just natural.  She guessed that, too, was like what having a father would be like, knowing you could take what you needed with out having to ask.  She needed his safety and he gave it.  She never asked and he never mentioned it.  It was good.  She didn't know what love was, but she guessed she might love him.  He took care of her and talked to her and listened intently to what she had to say.  But most of all he made her feel safe.  That's what she remembered from that trip.  What she would always remember.

   Over the weeks of their travels together, he watched her grow.  Every day she was less and less the grubby street urchin and more his little protege.  She walked with her head higher and a brightness in her eyes.  She was more assertive and inquisitive.  Oh, she was smart as a whip too.  She already learned her ABC's and numbers.  She was even starting to learn to figure and recognize simple written words.  He taught at every juncture.  When he bought horses she learned how.  When he haggled a deal, she watched him.  When he cooked in camp she watched and even started helping.  She was learning to use her knife and he was teaching the basics of self defense.  She was a sponge and he happily poured everything he could into her.  Oh, there were still moments.  She still had nightmares and needed to sleep with him.  He didn't make a big deal of it.  It was what she needed and it was little enough.  She still always looked to him for approval when he let her order the food or pay for supplies.  He even let her haggle a deal or two for him.  He was happy she was with him.  He did not know he could become so attached so easily.

   That's how they found themselves when they reached Roseshire.  Katherine was ecstatic to have a little girl to lavish her love and affection on.  His other brothers and sisters were generally indifferent or just unsure.  But she wore them down.  And oh, did she love Katherine.  They were inseparable.  It was an odd family.  His sister mother and he father and she happy child drinking in the love and affection from both of them.  And joy of joys, the servants loved her too.  They went out of their way to spend time with her and make her feel at home.  And she was at home.  He thought she finally was really starting to realize that.  He stayed at Roseshire longer that visit than he had in many years.

   Yet, finally the time came.  He was to make another trip to the Seelie for more fae wine and other new trading goods.  As much as he wanted to take her with him, he would never expose her to the dangers of dealing with the fae.  Besides, she had her studies and new friends.  That was not how she saw it.  She was angry, oh so angry.  He weathered her needle sharp tongue and just said that was the way it had to be.  They looked at each other for a moment.  He would be shamed to admit who started crying first. So it was the rode out of Roseshire with a new appreciation of life and hope in his heart.  He finally knew what it was to share himself so fully with someone.  He would make this as quick a trip as he could.


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