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Shaeda had taken her most recent delivery much further than she'd gone before, but that was ok because Koriena was really very sick and she was supposed to be going out to look a good place to sell some of the last remaining valuables her family had. She really wanted to get a job, but her father didn't want her to be *always* running off to far places and there didn't seem to be much at home for her to do. So she'd been doing these deliveries because these older boys would actually let her do stuff.
She was worried now though. They'd said they didn't have anymore deliveries for her, but they had other things, if she'd take the job. She'd made the delivery and just heard what that other 'job' would be. They wanted her to do WHAT? That! But...but...
"I don't know," her voice was slow, hesitating. As big and grown-up as she tried to act, Shaeda was really still just a little girl. She looked all the more like a child right now, hugging her 'pet' in one hand and nervously biting a finger with the other.
"Daddy told me never to..." Daddy told me never to! Shaeda's anger boiled up, and she pulled her hand from her mouth. Father never let her do ANYTHING, and now she used him as a backup?
"Daddy told me never to," and the mocking sneer made it all the worse, "I thought you were too grown-up for Daddy."
"I am!"
"Then take the job. You'd do good by it. What's a little night-walking? Or does your daddy-dear keep you under lock and key when the boogiemen come out?"
Shaeda hugged her stuffed pet tighter, fists balling from fierce indignation, "I am not a little girl! I can do what I want, and I'll take your stupid job!" His jiving had worked exactly how he wanted it to, she was too upset to even think about what she was saying.
---
It wasn't an hour later that Shaeda was being led toward an unsavory ale house and inn. She was back to biting her finger and seemed to be holding her pet for dear life. She was in now, she wouldn't back out. She refused. She wasn't a baby, she wasn't... and... besides...it was for Koriena. And Daddy would be happy, she could make Daddy happy when he thought she made a lot more off the valuables than she actually would. It was a GOOD thing all around, wasn't it? Yeah. Yeah. She could prove she was big enough and good enough and make things better for her family all in one shot. That made it good and right.
"Aren't you a little old to be carrying a stuffed toy like that?" the female voice behind Shaeda wasn't as much as a startle as the hand on her shoulder was. She spun around, clutching her pet closer, protectively, eyes flamed ready to fight like always when someone challenged him.
"Gettaway, and mind your---What are YOU doing here?" and now Shaeda did slap the arm away.
The woman raised an eyebrow, "Following you. And why have your journies brought you to this place?"
"None of your buisness!"
Shaeda didn't even see the slap coming, and was too surprised for several steps to even fight being dragged off toward the other direction, "For shame! I know you have been taught manners, where have you left them? Do you think getting yourself killed is going to solve all your problems? I can't believe the company you---"
Shaeda started off screaming, punctuating her points with kicks and blind punches, "What do you care? I can do what I want, I'm big enough! You abandoned us! You don't ever do nothing for us, and you think you're so much better! You can't say nothing to me, you ain't got no right! GET AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Funny," was the grumbled response. Shaeda was simply picked up like a young child and tossed into a waiting carriage, "To the better part of town," she told the driver curtly as she pinned Shaeda down, "You. Will. Listen. To. Me. I'm taking you to a friend's until your father can come pick you up, and you will not be seen with those boys ever again."
She sat back, satisfied that they were moving fast enough that Shaeda wouldn't try jumping out, "When you're old enough to walk around without that toy, I'll let you do what you want."
Shaeda's mother always intimidated her. She could always think of so many great comebacks later on, but she could never stare the woman in the face and think of anything. She looked down at her pet. She didn't even have a name for him, and she hadn't even been carrying him around for a year yet; however, she was inexplicably attached to him and wouldn't let him go. He was her brother's gift, and she wasn't going to let her brother go. Just like she couldn't let her mother go, even though the rare occassions she saw the woman made her dislike her all the more. For all her vices, Shaeda was bounded somehow to her family, and she would do whatever she could to please and keep and help them.
Shaeda was one lucky little girl. Her innate personality combined with an accidental sighting by a woman she hardly even knew who, for possibly the first time in years, showed some interest in her well-being just saved her from a life of deceit, robbery, and unsavory pursuits.
 SapphireLynn · Sat Oct 07, 2006 @ 05:36am · 0 Comments |
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