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If there was one thing that Skylla was above anything else, it was stubborn. It didn't matter to her that her mother had told her to stay away from the little slave boys that her father had brought home on his last trip. She wanted to talk to them again. Without the threat of Billa appearing out nowhere or her father yelling at her for being annoyingly nosey. She didn't see any of this as an issue, but she was young and curious and stubborn. There was going to be nothing that stopped her from getting a look at the new slaves. Besides, she was sure that there wasn't anyone to watch them anyway.
Her short little chiton fluttered in the breeze as she climbed up the stone path toward the cave where the slaves were held. Skylla had come up here before, but there had never been children close to her age behind the bars. Usually, it was just angry adults who yelled at her in their frustration. But this was all normal. Her father brought slaves often and Skylla never questioned it. They were people lower than herself and her family.
Not that her little brain truly comprehended the right from wrong. To her, this had been the right and normal course of action for these people. Until they settled down or until Sophos took them to sell, they would be kept here. Many people had come and gone on the island, so Skylla wasn't really expecting the boys to stay. This was what fueled her curiosity and she just wanted to talk to them once. If they were mean, she would tell them to shove it and skip happily back into the village with the other little ones her age.
Huffing a little with the exertion of the climb, Skylla made it to the top of the hill, staring at the cave with wide eyes. Bouncy and excited, she all but skipped to the bars, though she didn't get close enough to them for anyone to grab her. She had made that mistake once and Sophos had killed the one who had done it and then punished her for being an idiot. Small or not, she wasn't dumb enough to make the same mistake twice.
"Hello?" she called into the cave, "I wanted to see the boys from the docks," the child explained as if it were the most normal and sensible thing on the planet. She took another step back when one of the bigger men started to approach the bars, her hands settled perfectly behind her back. Taunting him with being just out of his reach, she knew not to give her father another reason to kill some idiot fool who might try to hurt her. People didn't like to be caged, but they really didn't have that choice, did they?
Eyeing the bigger man, he finally got the point and shifted back into the darkness. Skylla smiled brilliantly, stepping closer in order to see if she could spot her potential new playmates. "I don't bite!" she lied, bouncing on her toes.
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Sept 9, 2019 21:25:41 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 9, 2019 21:25:41 GMT
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If there was one thing that Skylla was above anything else, it was stubborn. It didn't matter to her that her mother had told her to stay away from the little slave boys that her father had brought home on his last trip. She wanted to talk to them again. Without the threat of Billa appearing out nowhere or her father yelling at her for being annoyingly nosey. She didn't see any of this as an issue, but she was young and curious and stubborn. There was going to be nothing that stopped her from getting a look at the new slaves. Besides, she was sure that there wasn't anyone to watch them anyway.
Her short little chiton fluttered in the breeze as she climbed up the stone path toward the cave where the slaves were held. Skylla had come up here before, but there had never been children close to her age behind the bars. Usually, it was just angry adults who yelled at her in their frustration. But this was all normal. Her father brought slaves often and Skylla never questioned it. They were people lower than herself and her family.
Not that her little brain truly comprehended the right from wrong. To her, this had been the right and normal course of action for these people. Until they settled down or until Sophos took them to sell, they would be kept here. Many people had come and gone on the island, so Skylla wasn't really expecting the boys to stay. This was what fueled her curiosity and she just wanted to talk to them once. If they were mean, she would tell them to shove it and skip happily back into the village with the other little ones her age.
Huffing a little with the exertion of the climb, Skylla made it to the top of the hill, staring at the cave with wide eyes. Bouncy and excited, she all but skipped to the bars, though she didn't get close enough to them for anyone to grab her. She had made that mistake once and Sophos had killed the one who had done it and then punished her for being an idiot. Small or not, she wasn't dumb enough to make the same mistake twice.
"Hello?" she called into the cave, "I wanted to see the boys from the docks," the child explained as if it were the most normal and sensible thing on the planet. She took another step back when one of the bigger men started to approach the bars, her hands settled perfectly behind her back. Taunting him with being just out of his reach, she knew not to give her father another reason to kill some idiot fool who might try to hurt her. People didn't like to be caged, but they really didn't have that choice, did they?
Eyeing the bigger man, he finally got the point and shifted back into the darkness. Skylla smiled brilliantly, stepping closer in order to see if she could spot her potential new playmates. "I don't bite!" she lied, bouncing on her toes.
If there was one thing that Skylla was above anything else, it was stubborn. It didn't matter to her that her mother had told her to stay away from the little slave boys that her father had brought home on his last trip. She wanted to talk to them again. Without the threat of Billa appearing out nowhere or her father yelling at her for being annoyingly nosey. She didn't see any of this as an issue, but she was young and curious and stubborn. There was going to be nothing that stopped her from getting a look at the new slaves. Besides, she was sure that there wasn't anyone to watch them anyway.
Her short little chiton fluttered in the breeze as she climbed up the stone path toward the cave where the slaves were held. Skylla had come up here before, but there had never been children close to her age behind the bars. Usually, it was just angry adults who yelled at her in their frustration. But this was all normal. Her father brought slaves often and Skylla never questioned it. They were people lower than herself and her family.
Not that her little brain truly comprehended the right from wrong. To her, this had been the right and normal course of action for these people. Until they settled down or until Sophos took them to sell, they would be kept here. Many people had come and gone on the island, so Skylla wasn't really expecting the boys to stay. This was what fueled her curiosity and she just wanted to talk to them once. If they were mean, she would tell them to shove it and skip happily back into the village with the other little ones her age.
Huffing a little with the exertion of the climb, Skylla made it to the top of the hill, staring at the cave with wide eyes. Bouncy and excited, she all but skipped to the bars, though she didn't get close enough to them for anyone to grab her. She had made that mistake once and Sophos had killed the one who had done it and then punished her for being an idiot. Small or not, she wasn't dumb enough to make the same mistake twice.
"Hello?" she called into the cave, "I wanted to see the boys from the docks," the child explained as if it were the most normal and sensible thing on the planet. She took another step back when one of the bigger men started to approach the bars, her hands settled perfectly behind her back. Taunting him with being just out of his reach, she knew not to give her father another reason to kill some idiot fool who might try to hurt her. People didn't like to be caged, but they really didn't have that choice, did they?
Eyeing the bigger man, he finally got the point and shifted back into the darkness. Skylla smiled brilliantly, stepping closer in order to see if she could spot her potential new playmates. "I don't bite!" she lied, bouncing on her toes.
It wasn’t Lukos who came to the bars. It was Typhian. He crouched along the floor and looked at her through the slats of the wooden gate across the entrance of the cave. It was hard to see her clearly. The spaces between the bars were small and irregular, due to the gate being comprised of young tree trunks lashed together with strong, braided reed rope. The top and bottom of the gate did not fit the jagged cave entrance perfectly and there were gaps where an arm could fit underneath. Perhaps if someone was industrious and didn’t feel like potentially getting stuck, they might be able to climb over the gate. But this was an island and it wasn’t like they could disappear. No one tried it.
“What do you want, little girl?” Typhian asked, with a smidge of superiority in his voice. He eyed her with obvious dislike. To him, she was exactly like the kind of people who stole them in the first place.
The other three boys were now curious, Lukos among them, and all three drew up to the wooden gate. Normally they would have seen a little girl in grubby clothes that they cared nothing for or about. They didn’t want to play with her and they didn’t usually play games she would be interested in anyway. But she was interesting to Lukos for the simple fact that she was waltzing around the island, free as a bird.
Lukos looked her up and down as his body curled against the bars of the gate. “Why do you get to run around?” he asked. He’d been looking to see if there were any guards about, anyone who would beat them for speaking, but there didn’t appear to be any. What he could hear were the occasional hoots and hollers from the beach below. From here, he could see the whole of the useable island.
A crescent beach and the dock to his right, and across the lagoon, up from the beach and onto the dirt, were rows of little village houses, all in some kind of haphazard order and none of the houses looking particularly impressive. But to a child, he saw houses and he saw the lights of cooking fires. Shadowed figures moved around and occasionally shone orange against the halos of firelight as they moved about their business. It was both magical and terrifying.
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Sept 9, 2019 21:29:53 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 9, 2019 21:29:53 GMT
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It wasn’t Lukos who came to the bars. It was Typhian. He crouched along the floor and looked at her through the slats of the wooden gate across the entrance of the cave. It was hard to see her clearly. The spaces between the bars were small and irregular, due to the gate being comprised of young tree trunks lashed together with strong, braided reed rope. The top and bottom of the gate did not fit the jagged cave entrance perfectly and there were gaps where an arm could fit underneath. Perhaps if someone was industrious and didn’t feel like potentially getting stuck, they might be able to climb over the gate. But this was an island and it wasn’t like they could disappear. No one tried it.
“What do you want, little girl?” Typhian asked, with a smidge of superiority in his voice. He eyed her with obvious dislike. To him, she was exactly like the kind of people who stole them in the first place.
The other three boys were now curious, Lukos among them, and all three drew up to the wooden gate. Normally they would have seen a little girl in grubby clothes that they cared nothing for or about. They didn’t want to play with her and they didn’t usually play games she would be interested in anyway. But she was interesting to Lukos for the simple fact that she was waltzing around the island, free as a bird.
Lukos looked her up and down as his body curled against the bars of the gate. “Why do you get to run around?” he asked. He’d been looking to see if there were any guards about, anyone who would beat them for speaking, but there didn’t appear to be any. What he could hear were the occasional hoots and hollers from the beach below. From here, he could see the whole of the useable island.
A crescent beach and the dock to his right, and across the lagoon, up from the beach and onto the dirt, were rows of little village houses, all in some kind of haphazard order and none of the houses looking particularly impressive. But to a child, he saw houses and he saw the lights of cooking fires. Shadowed figures moved around and occasionally shone orange against the halos of firelight as they moved about their business. It was both magical and terrifying.
It wasn’t Lukos who came to the bars. It was Typhian. He crouched along the floor and looked at her through the slats of the wooden gate across the entrance of the cave. It was hard to see her clearly. The spaces between the bars were small and irregular, due to the gate being comprised of young tree trunks lashed together with strong, braided reed rope. The top and bottom of the gate did not fit the jagged cave entrance perfectly and there were gaps where an arm could fit underneath. Perhaps if someone was industrious and didn’t feel like potentially getting stuck, they might be able to climb over the gate. But this was an island and it wasn’t like they could disappear. No one tried it.
“What do you want, little girl?” Typhian asked, with a smidge of superiority in his voice. He eyed her with obvious dislike. To him, she was exactly like the kind of people who stole them in the first place.
The other three boys were now curious, Lukos among them, and all three drew up to the wooden gate. Normally they would have seen a little girl in grubby clothes that they cared nothing for or about. They didn’t want to play with her and they didn’t usually play games she would be interested in anyway. But she was interesting to Lukos for the simple fact that she was waltzing around the island, free as a bird.
Lukos looked her up and down as his body curled against the bars of the gate. “Why do you get to run around?” he asked. He’d been looking to see if there were any guards about, anyone who would beat them for speaking, but there didn’t appear to be any. What he could hear were the occasional hoots and hollers from the beach below. From here, he could see the whole of the useable island.
A crescent beach and the dock to his right, and across the lagoon, up from the beach and onto the dirt, were rows of little village houses, all in some kind of haphazard order and none of the houses looking particularly impressive. But to a child, he saw houses and he saw the lights of cooking fires. Shadowed figures moved around and occasionally shone orange against the halos of firelight as they moved about their business. It was both magical and terrifying.
Skylla was pleased to see at least one of the boys approach the gate. The little girl followed suit, crouching down so that she could look at Typhian face to face. Her brown gaze glittered excitedly and she slipped a little closer to the gate, trying to get a better look at him. She carried a small pack with her and had stuffed a bit of food in it just in case.
She eyed a few of the adults as the other three boys joined Typhian and she sunk to her knees so that she could meet their gazes. She ignored Typhain's superior tone, glancing at him once before observing all of the other boys. Leaning close to the grate and whispering to them, she reached into her pack, pulling out some bread, goat cheese, and fish. "I brought you some food," she offered quietly, looking distrustfully to the adults behind them.
The last thing she wanted was for them to be attacked, so the child silently implored that they ate without any of the people behind them noticing. Sleight of hand would do them well, especially in this situation.
Lukos' question drew her attention and she righted herself once she set the food out for them. That seemed like a really stupid question to her, but she did understand that they were in a cage and she was running free out on the island. But that was her birthright. She had been born here. It would have been strange to keep her cooped up and locked in the cave they were in. Skylla even tried to imagine her other friends locked up in the cave after having had their freedom so long.
"I was born on this island," Skylla said easily, not finding any fault with that answer, "My papa is the Captain," she stuffed her hands into the front of her dress in a rather unceremonious manner. Casual and with hardly any manners at all, Skylla shrugged her little shoulders, her dark curls cascading freely down her back. "It would be super strange if he locked me up," she observed, rather innocently and without realizing that she was making herself a target.
Skylla didn't think that these boys would hurt her, but desperate people did desperate things. Not that she would know. If anything she would probably find out the hard way. She had brought them food because she had wanted to be nice and wanted them to like her. It never occurred to her that they might hate her because of Sophos.
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Sept 9, 2019 21:33:39 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 9, 2019 21:33:39 GMT
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Skylla was pleased to see at least one of the boys approach the gate. The little girl followed suit, crouching down so that she could look at Typhian face to face. Her brown gaze glittered excitedly and she slipped a little closer to the gate, trying to get a better look at him. She carried a small pack with her and had stuffed a bit of food in it just in case.
She eyed a few of the adults as the other three boys joined Typhian and she sunk to her knees so that she could meet their gazes. She ignored Typhain's superior tone, glancing at him once before observing all of the other boys. Leaning close to the grate and whispering to them, she reached into her pack, pulling out some bread, goat cheese, and fish. "I brought you some food," she offered quietly, looking distrustfully to the adults behind them.
The last thing she wanted was for them to be attacked, so the child silently implored that they ate without any of the people behind them noticing. Sleight of hand would do them well, especially in this situation.
Lukos' question drew her attention and she righted herself once she set the food out for them. That seemed like a really stupid question to her, but she did understand that they were in a cage and she was running free out on the island. But that was her birthright. She had been born here. It would have been strange to keep her cooped up and locked in the cave they were in. Skylla even tried to imagine her other friends locked up in the cave after having had their freedom so long.
"I was born on this island," Skylla said easily, not finding any fault with that answer, "My papa is the Captain," she stuffed her hands into the front of her dress in a rather unceremonious manner. Casual and with hardly any manners at all, Skylla shrugged her little shoulders, her dark curls cascading freely down her back. "It would be super strange if he locked me up," she observed, rather innocently and without realizing that she was making herself a target.
Skylla didn't think that these boys would hurt her, but desperate people did desperate things. Not that she would know. If anything she would probably find out the hard way. She had brought them food because she had wanted to be nice and wanted them to like her. It never occurred to her that they might hate her because of Sophos.
Skylla was pleased to see at least one of the boys approach the gate. The little girl followed suit, crouching down so that she could look at Typhian face to face. Her brown gaze glittered excitedly and she slipped a little closer to the gate, trying to get a better look at him. She carried a small pack with her and had stuffed a bit of food in it just in case.
She eyed a few of the adults as the other three boys joined Typhian and she sunk to her knees so that she could meet their gazes. She ignored Typhain's superior tone, glancing at him once before observing all of the other boys. Leaning close to the grate and whispering to them, she reached into her pack, pulling out some bread, goat cheese, and fish. "I brought you some food," she offered quietly, looking distrustfully to the adults behind them.
The last thing she wanted was for them to be attacked, so the child silently implored that they ate without any of the people behind them noticing. Sleight of hand would do them well, especially in this situation.
Lukos' question drew her attention and she righted herself once she set the food out for them. That seemed like a really stupid question to her, but she did understand that they were in a cage and she was running free out on the island. But that was her birthright. She had been born here. It would have been strange to keep her cooped up and locked in the cave they were in. Skylla even tried to imagine her other friends locked up in the cave after having had their freedom so long.
"I was born on this island," Skylla said easily, not finding any fault with that answer, "My papa is the Captain," she stuffed her hands into the front of her dress in a rather unceremonious manner. Casual and with hardly any manners at all, Skylla shrugged her little shoulders, her dark curls cascading freely down her back. "It would be super strange if he locked me up," she observed, rather innocently and without realizing that she was making herself a target.
Skylla didn't think that these boys would hurt her, but desperate people did desperate things. Not that she would know. If anything she would probably find out the hard way. She had brought them food because she had wanted to be nice and wanted them to like her. It never occurred to her that they might hate her because of Sophos.
None of the boys were older than ten and none of them had ever gone this long without food before. As soon as she showed them the bread and the goat cheese, they were grasping through the bars for it. In the scuffle, her little offerings fell in the dirt but none of the boys cared. Nor did they have the good sense to hide what they were about. One second, they were all sitting side by side by side by side, listening to her reveal that she was not only born here, but the offspring of Captain Sophos. The next second, Lukos nearly broke his wrist trying to jerk away bread from Typhian through the bars.
The two of them got into it, with Lukos diving onto Typhian and yowling at him. The other two boys were in a similar struggle. All at once, the adults figured out what was going on and stampeded towards the gate. Lukos was flung bodily into the gate, groaning out a little whine. One of the other boys was quite literally thrown on top of him and the fish and cheese that she brought for the children was gobbled up by the starving adults.
Lukos, meanwhile, was stuffing his fist full of bread into his mouth, only to have it slapped out. The bread fell on the floor and several people dove for it, including him. The little girl was totally forgotten as the fray escalated. An elbow slammed into his eye and he hit the floor flat on his nose. Blood was everywhere.
It was the spilling of that first blood that raised the fury further. Someone hurled themselves at the cage, howling at Skylla, shouting obscenities and curses upon her. Dazed, Lukos didn’t fight it when someone picked him up by the scruff and shoved his bloody face against the bars. He groaned and grasped the little tree trunks, realizing there was a tall man standing behind Skylla.
Captain Sophos.
More men joined him to form a unit, all staring at the slaves hooting behind the bars. Lukos, Typhian, and the other two boys, Mellios and Galen, were all being crushed against the bars. Typhian cried out first but Lukos didn’t dare. Not with Captain Sophos staring calmly at the people who’d suddenly turned into animals over a few fish and some bread.
One of the captain’s men held a torch. None of the men so much as looked at Skylla. The man with the torch flinched as Captain Sophos tore it from his grip and waved it at the bars. “Back, back,” he snarled. “Catos, get this cage open. These dogs are no good to me dead.”
It took Lukos a minute to realize that the captain meant him and the others. They were the dogs. Captain Sophos slung the torch around fast and steady, catching the sleeve of one of the slaves. She yelped and patted hard at her arm as her dress caught fire. That was enough for the rest, who quickly worked on dousing her while Catos and the other men nabbed the boys out of the cave.
Lukos was held up by the front of his chiton. He felt the material trying to rip against his weight and he blinked away from the light of the torch held so near his face, he could feel the heat. Captain Sophos peered at him. The light threw strange angles along the captain’s face and hid the man’s eyes in half moon shadows of black.
“Don’t cry,” Sophos ordered. Lukos battled so hard against doing that very thing that his head ached but the Sophos’s face blended with the torchlight anyway in a watery betrayal of tears. “Stop. Crying.” Sophos barked and flung Lukos down. The boy rolled a little and skidded to a stop on his stomach. His fingers dug into the roots of the grass as he watched Sophos’s boots coming closer and closer.
“I have no use for boys who cry,” Sophos reminded him. “You wanna take a dunk in that lagoon?”
Lukos shook his head so hard his hair flew in all directions, bouncing to a stop as he looked back up at the captain. Sophos turned abruptly when he heard Galen draw in a sharp breath. Like Lukos, Galen had been set upon pretty hard and the boy was bleeding every bit as much. But Galen didn’t have a handle on his crying and it earned him a hard kick in the ribs.
”Take them to Billa’s,” Sophos said calmly, as though he hadn’t just caused a child to curl up in agony. Galen made the mistake of an actual wail, earning him yet another hard kick. He was quiet after that. ”I don’t feel like dealing with these animals tonight.”
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Sept 10, 2019 0:02:35 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 10, 2019 0:02:35 GMT
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None of the boys were older than ten and none of them had ever gone this long without food before. As soon as she showed them the bread and the goat cheese, they were grasping through the bars for it. In the scuffle, her little offerings fell in the dirt but none of the boys cared. Nor did they have the good sense to hide what they were about. One second, they were all sitting side by side by side by side, listening to her reveal that she was not only born here, but the offspring of Captain Sophos. The next second, Lukos nearly broke his wrist trying to jerk away bread from Typhian through the bars.
The two of them got into it, with Lukos diving onto Typhian and yowling at him. The other two boys were in a similar struggle. All at once, the adults figured out what was going on and stampeded towards the gate. Lukos was flung bodily into the gate, groaning out a little whine. One of the other boys was quite literally thrown on top of him and the fish and cheese that she brought for the children was gobbled up by the starving adults.
Lukos, meanwhile, was stuffing his fist full of bread into his mouth, only to have it slapped out. The bread fell on the floor and several people dove for it, including him. The little girl was totally forgotten as the fray escalated. An elbow slammed into his eye and he hit the floor flat on his nose. Blood was everywhere.
It was the spilling of that first blood that raised the fury further. Someone hurled themselves at the cage, howling at Skylla, shouting obscenities and curses upon her. Dazed, Lukos didn’t fight it when someone picked him up by the scruff and shoved his bloody face against the bars. He groaned and grasped the little tree trunks, realizing there was a tall man standing behind Skylla.
Captain Sophos.
More men joined him to form a unit, all staring at the slaves hooting behind the bars. Lukos, Typhian, and the other two boys, Mellios and Galen, were all being crushed against the bars. Typhian cried out first but Lukos didn’t dare. Not with Captain Sophos staring calmly at the people who’d suddenly turned into animals over a few fish and some bread.
One of the captain’s men held a torch. None of the men so much as looked at Skylla. The man with the torch flinched as Captain Sophos tore it from his grip and waved it at the bars. “Back, back,” he snarled. “Catos, get this cage open. These dogs are no good to me dead.”
It took Lukos a minute to realize that the captain meant him and the others. They were the dogs. Captain Sophos slung the torch around fast and steady, catching the sleeve of one of the slaves. She yelped and patted hard at her arm as her dress caught fire. That was enough for the rest, who quickly worked on dousing her while Catos and the other men nabbed the boys out of the cave.
Lukos was held up by the front of his chiton. He felt the material trying to rip against his weight and he blinked away from the light of the torch held so near his face, he could feel the heat. Captain Sophos peered at him. The light threw strange angles along the captain’s face and hid the man’s eyes in half moon shadows of black.
“Don’t cry,” Sophos ordered. Lukos battled so hard against doing that very thing that his head ached but the Sophos’s face blended with the torchlight anyway in a watery betrayal of tears. “Stop. Crying.” Sophos barked and flung Lukos down. The boy rolled a little and skidded to a stop on his stomach. His fingers dug into the roots of the grass as he watched Sophos’s boots coming closer and closer.
“I have no use for boys who cry,” Sophos reminded him. “You wanna take a dunk in that lagoon?”
Lukos shook his head so hard his hair flew in all directions, bouncing to a stop as he looked back up at the captain. Sophos turned abruptly when he heard Galen draw in a sharp breath. Like Lukos, Galen had been set upon pretty hard and the boy was bleeding every bit as much. But Galen didn’t have a handle on his crying and it earned him a hard kick in the ribs.
”Take them to Billa’s,” Sophos said calmly, as though he hadn’t just caused a child to curl up in agony. Galen made the mistake of an actual wail, earning him yet another hard kick. He was quiet after that. ”I don’t feel like dealing with these animals tonight.”
None of the boys were older than ten and none of them had ever gone this long without food before. As soon as she showed them the bread and the goat cheese, they were grasping through the bars for it. In the scuffle, her little offerings fell in the dirt but none of the boys cared. Nor did they have the good sense to hide what they were about. One second, they were all sitting side by side by side by side, listening to her reveal that she was not only born here, but the offspring of Captain Sophos. The next second, Lukos nearly broke his wrist trying to jerk away bread from Typhian through the bars.
The two of them got into it, with Lukos diving onto Typhian and yowling at him. The other two boys were in a similar struggle. All at once, the adults figured out what was going on and stampeded towards the gate. Lukos was flung bodily into the gate, groaning out a little whine. One of the other boys was quite literally thrown on top of him and the fish and cheese that she brought for the children was gobbled up by the starving adults.
Lukos, meanwhile, was stuffing his fist full of bread into his mouth, only to have it slapped out. The bread fell on the floor and several people dove for it, including him. The little girl was totally forgotten as the fray escalated. An elbow slammed into his eye and he hit the floor flat on his nose. Blood was everywhere.
It was the spilling of that first blood that raised the fury further. Someone hurled themselves at the cage, howling at Skylla, shouting obscenities and curses upon her. Dazed, Lukos didn’t fight it when someone picked him up by the scruff and shoved his bloody face against the bars. He groaned and grasped the little tree trunks, realizing there was a tall man standing behind Skylla.
Captain Sophos.
More men joined him to form a unit, all staring at the slaves hooting behind the bars. Lukos, Typhian, and the other two boys, Mellios and Galen, were all being crushed against the bars. Typhian cried out first but Lukos didn’t dare. Not with Captain Sophos staring calmly at the people who’d suddenly turned into animals over a few fish and some bread.
One of the captain’s men held a torch. None of the men so much as looked at Skylla. The man with the torch flinched as Captain Sophos tore it from his grip and waved it at the bars. “Back, back,” he snarled. “Catos, get this cage open. These dogs are no good to me dead.”
It took Lukos a minute to realize that the captain meant him and the others. They were the dogs. Captain Sophos slung the torch around fast and steady, catching the sleeve of one of the slaves. She yelped and patted hard at her arm as her dress caught fire. That was enough for the rest, who quickly worked on dousing her while Catos and the other men nabbed the boys out of the cave.
Lukos was held up by the front of his chiton. He felt the material trying to rip against his weight and he blinked away from the light of the torch held so near his face, he could feel the heat. Captain Sophos peered at him. The light threw strange angles along the captain’s face and hid the man’s eyes in half moon shadows of black.
“Don’t cry,” Sophos ordered. Lukos battled so hard against doing that very thing that his head ached but the Sophos’s face blended with the torchlight anyway in a watery betrayal of tears. “Stop. Crying.” Sophos barked and flung Lukos down. The boy rolled a little and skidded to a stop on his stomach. His fingers dug into the roots of the grass as he watched Sophos’s boots coming closer and closer.
“I have no use for boys who cry,” Sophos reminded him. “You wanna take a dunk in that lagoon?”
Lukos shook his head so hard his hair flew in all directions, bouncing to a stop as he looked back up at the captain. Sophos turned abruptly when he heard Galen draw in a sharp breath. Like Lukos, Galen had been set upon pretty hard and the boy was bleeding every bit as much. But Galen didn’t have a handle on his crying and it earned him a hard kick in the ribs.
”Take them to Billa’s,” Sophos said calmly, as though he hadn’t just caused a child to curl up in agony. Galen made the mistake of an actual wail, earning him yet another hard kick. He was quiet after that. ”I don’t feel like dealing with these animals tonight.”
The fight that ensued was not like anything Skylla had ever imagined would happen. In fact, the little girl had streaked to the bars in total alarm, trying to implore they be careful. That they didn't make a scene. She had brought enough for the four of them! Why was this happening? Flinching sharply, the girl backed from the bars when Lukos was shoved against them, panic settled sharply in her tiny body. This was not what she had wanted. She had just wanted to help. There was that tiny streak of kindness and a need to be accepted that made her want to help them. This was not okay. None of this was okay.
In her panicked state, the child found herself at a loss for words. That alone was surprising simply because she usually never stopped talking, much to her mother's dismay. But it was the appearance of her father, almost suddenly like he was a hound in a scent, that sent her skittering away into the trees. She planted her feet behind one of the largest trunks and only peaked a little around the side. With her brown eyes wide with fear, her fingers dug into the bark so hard she scraped the tips of them open. Skylla was terrified, but she remained rooted to her hiding place, not wanting to be in the way or admit to the fact that she had started the fight.
She flinched at the cruelty her father showed toward the other children, wanting to stand up to him but knowing very well that she could end up like Lukos or Galen if she did. Billa would be beside herself and angry at her and Skylla didn't have to live with her father. But she did have to live with her mother. Having to look away until the Captain snarled to bring the boys to her home, Skylla finally inched out from behind the tree.
Her father had dropped Lukos promptly after giving the order, still paying absolutely no mind to his own daughter. She stood behind him, her countenance entirely changed to display her fear and her intent to run if anyone turned their ire on her. She half expected one of the boys to come at her but was relieved when she was left alone.
As a group, they moved down the paths and into the little village. The cooking fires left the air a little hazy, but everything smelled delicious. Skylla would have been hungry were it not for all of the blood on the four boys and the various injuries they displayed. Right now the child just felt sick. She actually wanted her momma this time. When the house came into view, Skylla shot forward between the boys and the men leading them, completely ignoring her father and bolting right to the front door. She flung it open, letting it slam on the hinges. Her tiny feet carried her right to her mother, holding onto her skirts and hiding very pointedly behind her back, only looking around her hip when the four boys were lead into the small home.
Billa, with her hands dirtied by a gutted fish stared pointedly, almost stunned, at the bloody display of the children. Her gaze lifted to Sophos, opening her mouth to speak and then thinking better of it. "Skylla, what did you do?" Billa said with a sharp bite to her tone.
Balking and stumbling back, Skylla felt her bottom lip waver. "I-I-I… Momma…" she said quickly, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. Then she dropped her gaze to her feet. Billa left Skylla standing there, motioning all of the boys to sit down on the floor so she could check them over one by one. Skylla hovered close, wanting her mother to give her an order, and was happy that she was told to run and fetch more water.
The child was out the door in moments, leaving the group behind and attempting to escape her guilt over the fight.
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Sept 10, 2019 20:43:07 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 10, 2019 20:43:07 GMT
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The fight that ensued was not like anything Skylla had ever imagined would happen. In fact, the little girl had streaked to the bars in total alarm, trying to implore they be careful. That they didn't make a scene. She had brought enough for the four of them! Why was this happening? Flinching sharply, the girl backed from the bars when Lukos was shoved against them, panic settled sharply in her tiny body. This was not what she had wanted. She had just wanted to help. There was that tiny streak of kindness and a need to be accepted that made her want to help them. This was not okay. None of this was okay.
In her panicked state, the child found herself at a loss for words. That alone was surprising simply because she usually never stopped talking, much to her mother's dismay. But it was the appearance of her father, almost suddenly like he was a hound in a scent, that sent her skittering away into the trees. She planted her feet behind one of the largest trunks and only peaked a little around the side. With her brown eyes wide with fear, her fingers dug into the bark so hard she scraped the tips of them open. Skylla was terrified, but she remained rooted to her hiding place, not wanting to be in the way or admit to the fact that she had started the fight.
She flinched at the cruelty her father showed toward the other children, wanting to stand up to him but knowing very well that she could end up like Lukos or Galen if she did. Billa would be beside herself and angry at her and Skylla didn't have to live with her father. But she did have to live with her mother. Having to look away until the Captain snarled to bring the boys to her home, Skylla finally inched out from behind the tree.
Her father had dropped Lukos promptly after giving the order, still paying absolutely no mind to his own daughter. She stood behind him, her countenance entirely changed to display her fear and her intent to run if anyone turned their ire on her. She half expected one of the boys to come at her but was relieved when she was left alone.
As a group, they moved down the paths and into the little village. The cooking fires left the air a little hazy, but everything smelled delicious. Skylla would have been hungry were it not for all of the blood on the four boys and the various injuries they displayed. Right now the child just felt sick. She actually wanted her momma this time. When the house came into view, Skylla shot forward between the boys and the men leading them, completely ignoring her father and bolting right to the front door. She flung it open, letting it slam on the hinges. Her tiny feet carried her right to her mother, holding onto her skirts and hiding very pointedly behind her back, only looking around her hip when the four boys were lead into the small home.
Billa, with her hands dirtied by a gutted fish stared pointedly, almost stunned, at the bloody display of the children. Her gaze lifted to Sophos, opening her mouth to speak and then thinking better of it. "Skylla, what did you do?" Billa said with a sharp bite to her tone.
Balking and stumbling back, Skylla felt her bottom lip waver. "I-I-I… Momma…" she said quickly, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. Then she dropped her gaze to her feet. Billa left Skylla standing there, motioning all of the boys to sit down on the floor so she could check them over one by one. Skylla hovered close, wanting her mother to give her an order, and was happy that she was told to run and fetch more water.
The child was out the door in moments, leaving the group behind and attempting to escape her guilt over the fight.
The fight that ensued was not like anything Skylla had ever imagined would happen. In fact, the little girl had streaked to the bars in total alarm, trying to implore they be careful. That they didn't make a scene. She had brought enough for the four of them! Why was this happening? Flinching sharply, the girl backed from the bars when Lukos was shoved against them, panic settled sharply in her tiny body. This was not what she had wanted. She had just wanted to help. There was that tiny streak of kindness and a need to be accepted that made her want to help them. This was not okay. None of this was okay.
In her panicked state, the child found herself at a loss for words. That alone was surprising simply because she usually never stopped talking, much to her mother's dismay. But it was the appearance of her father, almost suddenly like he was a hound in a scent, that sent her skittering away into the trees. She planted her feet behind one of the largest trunks and only peaked a little around the side. With her brown eyes wide with fear, her fingers dug into the bark so hard she scraped the tips of them open. Skylla was terrified, but she remained rooted to her hiding place, not wanting to be in the way or admit to the fact that she had started the fight.
She flinched at the cruelty her father showed toward the other children, wanting to stand up to him but knowing very well that she could end up like Lukos or Galen if she did. Billa would be beside herself and angry at her and Skylla didn't have to live with her father. But she did have to live with her mother. Having to look away until the Captain snarled to bring the boys to her home, Skylla finally inched out from behind the tree.
Her father had dropped Lukos promptly after giving the order, still paying absolutely no mind to his own daughter. She stood behind him, her countenance entirely changed to display her fear and her intent to run if anyone turned their ire on her. She half expected one of the boys to come at her but was relieved when she was left alone.
As a group, they moved down the paths and into the little village. The cooking fires left the air a little hazy, but everything smelled delicious. Skylla would have been hungry were it not for all of the blood on the four boys and the various injuries they displayed. Right now the child just felt sick. She actually wanted her momma this time. When the house came into view, Skylla shot forward between the boys and the men leading them, completely ignoring her father and bolting right to the front door. She flung it open, letting it slam on the hinges. Her tiny feet carried her right to her mother, holding onto her skirts and hiding very pointedly behind her back, only looking around her hip when the four boys were lead into the small home.
Billa, with her hands dirtied by a gutted fish stared pointedly, almost stunned, at the bloody display of the children. Her gaze lifted to Sophos, opening her mouth to speak and then thinking better of it. "Skylla, what did you do?" Billa said with a sharp bite to her tone.
Balking and stumbling back, Skylla felt her bottom lip waver. "I-I-I… Momma…" she said quickly, her cheeks heating with embarrassment. Then she dropped her gaze to her feet. Billa left Skylla standing there, motioning all of the boys to sit down on the floor so she could check them over one by one. Skylla hovered close, wanting her mother to give her an order, and was happy that she was told to run and fetch more water.
The child was out the door in moments, leaving the group behind and attempting to escape her guilt over the fight.
Lukos had seen Skylla peering out at them from the trees but he hadn’t said a single thing about her. There was no way that the captain hadn’t seen her, and it confused him as to why this child ran around freely and yet apparently meant nothing. He’d been loved by his mother. He knew what that felt like and if what this girl was boasting about was true, then her father didn’t love her at all. That, he also understood.
But his thoughts turned from Skylla when he was grabbed by his scruff again and told to ”Get walking.” His face throbbed and his vision was returning to normal. A heavy hand clamped down on his left shoulder while Galen walked down the hill, touching him the whole way because he was being held by the right shoulder and the two of them were pushed together like oxen.
Because of the hand on his shoulder, he didn’t slip like he feared he might at a few points. They made it down the shadowed slope of the hill and hit a well worn dirt path that ringed the grassy portion just before the beach down to the lagoon. He didn’t know who Billa was or what kind of house she had. He wasn’t even sure it was better than the cave.
What he was not prepared for was Skylla bursting through and darting ahead of them into the night. Because of the natural curve of the island, the village followed suit, so all he saw was her darting around the first house and disappearing into the night. Someone sighed from somewhere behind him. He didn’t know if it was Captain Sophos or not, but he imagined it might be. He was too afraid to turn and look.
Sophos walked into Billa’s first and held the door while the boys were shoved inside. He didn’t look Billa in the face. Just somewhere vaguely in her direction as he spoke. ”I’m keeping these.” And then he left. Lukos sighed once the hand lifted off his shoulder and took a sidestep away from Galen. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of raw fish permeating the place but his attention was on Skylla and Billa once Skylla started getting into trouble.
When Billa motioned for them to sit, each boy did so without having to be told twice. She was the first nice person they’d come across, aside from her little daughter and every single boy was looking at her the same way with the same thought: would this woman somehow let them go home? Lukos stared up into her face while she checked him over. “How do we go home?” he asked, not bothering to wipe the glistening blood off his nose, mouth, and chin.
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Sept 11, 2019 0:31:46 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 11, 2019 0:31:46 GMT
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Lukos had seen Skylla peering out at them from the trees but he hadn’t said a single thing about her. There was no way that the captain hadn’t seen her, and it confused him as to why this child ran around freely and yet apparently meant nothing. He’d been loved by his mother. He knew what that felt like and if what this girl was boasting about was true, then her father didn’t love her at all. That, he also understood.
But his thoughts turned from Skylla when he was grabbed by his scruff again and told to ”Get walking.” His face throbbed and his vision was returning to normal. A heavy hand clamped down on his left shoulder while Galen walked down the hill, touching him the whole way because he was being held by the right shoulder and the two of them were pushed together like oxen.
Because of the hand on his shoulder, he didn’t slip like he feared he might at a few points. They made it down the shadowed slope of the hill and hit a well worn dirt path that ringed the grassy portion just before the beach down to the lagoon. He didn’t know who Billa was or what kind of house she had. He wasn’t even sure it was better than the cave.
What he was not prepared for was Skylla bursting through and darting ahead of them into the night. Because of the natural curve of the island, the village followed suit, so all he saw was her darting around the first house and disappearing into the night. Someone sighed from somewhere behind him. He didn’t know if it was Captain Sophos or not, but he imagined it might be. He was too afraid to turn and look.
Sophos walked into Billa’s first and held the door while the boys were shoved inside. He didn’t look Billa in the face. Just somewhere vaguely in her direction as he spoke. ”I’m keeping these.” And then he left. Lukos sighed once the hand lifted off his shoulder and took a sidestep away from Galen. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of raw fish permeating the place but his attention was on Skylla and Billa once Skylla started getting into trouble.
When Billa motioned for them to sit, each boy did so without having to be told twice. She was the first nice person they’d come across, aside from her little daughter and every single boy was looking at her the same way with the same thought: would this woman somehow let them go home? Lukos stared up into her face while she checked him over. “How do we go home?” he asked, not bothering to wipe the glistening blood off his nose, mouth, and chin.
Lukos had seen Skylla peering out at them from the trees but he hadn’t said a single thing about her. There was no way that the captain hadn’t seen her, and it confused him as to why this child ran around freely and yet apparently meant nothing. He’d been loved by his mother. He knew what that felt like and if what this girl was boasting about was true, then her father didn’t love her at all. That, he also understood.
But his thoughts turned from Skylla when he was grabbed by his scruff again and told to ”Get walking.” His face throbbed and his vision was returning to normal. A heavy hand clamped down on his left shoulder while Galen walked down the hill, touching him the whole way because he was being held by the right shoulder and the two of them were pushed together like oxen.
Because of the hand on his shoulder, he didn’t slip like he feared he might at a few points. They made it down the shadowed slope of the hill and hit a well worn dirt path that ringed the grassy portion just before the beach down to the lagoon. He didn’t know who Billa was or what kind of house she had. He wasn’t even sure it was better than the cave.
What he was not prepared for was Skylla bursting through and darting ahead of them into the night. Because of the natural curve of the island, the village followed suit, so all he saw was her darting around the first house and disappearing into the night. Someone sighed from somewhere behind him. He didn’t know if it was Captain Sophos or not, but he imagined it might be. He was too afraid to turn and look.
Sophos walked into Billa’s first and held the door while the boys were shoved inside. He didn’t look Billa in the face. Just somewhere vaguely in her direction as he spoke. ”I’m keeping these.” And then he left. Lukos sighed once the hand lifted off his shoulder and took a sidestep away from Galen. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of raw fish permeating the place but his attention was on Skylla and Billa once Skylla started getting into trouble.
When Billa motioned for them to sit, each boy did so without having to be told twice. She was the first nice person they’d come across, aside from her little daughter and every single boy was looking at her the same way with the same thought: would this woman somehow let them go home? Lukos stared up into her face while she checked him over. “How do we go home?” he asked, not bothering to wipe the glistening blood off his nose, mouth, and chin.
Billa found herself staring after her daughter with a look of slight frustration. She did not so much as respond to Sophos, her body language guarded and taut until he fully exited her home. It was then that she breathed out slowly, wiped her fishy hands on her small, dirty apron, and approached the boys. Crouching before them, she seemed to mentally sort through their wounds, reaching forward to turn Lukos' face this way and that.
Curse that man for taking children. She was young and uneducated, but she wasn't stupid. Having Skylla so young had been enough of a wake up call for Billa to understand the lengths that Sophos would go for ambition. Skylla was useless to him. A boy would have been on his ship already, possibly already discarded if he had shown himself to be weak. Billa had wept silently with relief when she had birthed the Captain a daughter instead of son. Even at the young age of sixteen she had known it. Neither one of them would have been loved, but one of them was almost surely never to die by his hand.
The way he spoke of the boys irked that simmering temper that she always kept in check, more afraid of his ire than her own. Like they were inhuman. Animals. Vermin instead of little boys. Little boys who had been ripped from their homes just as she had been so many years ago.
Billa shook her dark mop of hair, her dark, frizzy curls drifting over her shoulders as she did so. Dark eyes, eyes as dark as Skylla's, held the slightest amount of pity for the children. "You don't," she said honestly, finding that it was better not to mince the words that they would need to hear. If she didn't tell them, they would find out on their own and in the worst possible way. "You don't, sweet. You don't," she whispered, giving a weak smile.
It was then that Skylla waddled in with a heavy bucket of water being carried awkwardly in her little hands. Billa pressed gracefully to her feet, reaching for the bucket and taking it from her daughter. "Skylla, find me some clean rags," she murmured softly, trailing her fingers gently against her daughter's jaw as the child looked up at her with wide, dark eyes.
"Yes, momma," Skylla said quietly, slipping into the deeper part of the small home to fetch the rags that her mother had asked for. She came back with another armful of supplies as well as some herbs she already knew her mother would ask for.
"Sit down and crush those, love," Billa said absently about the herbs, taking one of the rags to dunk into the water. Then she lifted delicate, lithe hands and brought the cloth to Lukos' nose, wiping away blood and dirt to get a better look at his face. "What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?" she asked firmly, her tone leaving no room for silence or an argument.
Skylla tensed on the stool in front of the large stone mortal and pestle, her gaze dropping right to the herbs she was working at grinding up. She said nothing, silently hoping the boys wouldn't say anything either. Even though her mother would find out one way or another, Skylla was trying to put off the punishment for as long as possible.
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Sept 11, 2019 0:53:55 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 11, 2019 0:53:55 GMT
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Billa found herself staring after her daughter with a look of slight frustration. She did not so much as respond to Sophos, her body language guarded and taut until he fully exited her home. It was then that she breathed out slowly, wiped her fishy hands on her small, dirty apron, and approached the boys. Crouching before them, she seemed to mentally sort through their wounds, reaching forward to turn Lukos' face this way and that.
Curse that man for taking children. She was young and uneducated, but she wasn't stupid. Having Skylla so young had been enough of a wake up call for Billa to understand the lengths that Sophos would go for ambition. Skylla was useless to him. A boy would have been on his ship already, possibly already discarded if he had shown himself to be weak. Billa had wept silently with relief when she had birthed the Captain a daughter instead of son. Even at the young age of sixteen she had known it. Neither one of them would have been loved, but one of them was almost surely never to die by his hand.
The way he spoke of the boys irked that simmering temper that she always kept in check, more afraid of his ire than her own. Like they were inhuman. Animals. Vermin instead of little boys. Little boys who had been ripped from their homes just as she had been so many years ago.
Billa shook her dark mop of hair, her dark, frizzy curls drifting over her shoulders as she did so. Dark eyes, eyes as dark as Skylla's, held the slightest amount of pity for the children. "You don't," she said honestly, finding that it was better not to mince the words that they would need to hear. If she didn't tell them, they would find out on their own and in the worst possible way. "You don't, sweet. You don't," she whispered, giving a weak smile.
It was then that Skylla waddled in with a heavy bucket of water being carried awkwardly in her little hands. Billa pressed gracefully to her feet, reaching for the bucket and taking it from her daughter. "Skylla, find me some clean rags," she murmured softly, trailing her fingers gently against her daughter's jaw as the child looked up at her with wide, dark eyes.
"Yes, momma," Skylla said quietly, slipping into the deeper part of the small home to fetch the rags that her mother had asked for. She came back with another armful of supplies as well as some herbs she already knew her mother would ask for.
"Sit down and crush those, love," Billa said absently about the herbs, taking one of the rags to dunk into the water. Then she lifted delicate, lithe hands and brought the cloth to Lukos' nose, wiping away blood and dirt to get a better look at his face. "What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?" she asked firmly, her tone leaving no room for silence or an argument.
Skylla tensed on the stool in front of the large stone mortal and pestle, her gaze dropping right to the herbs she was working at grinding up. She said nothing, silently hoping the boys wouldn't say anything either. Even though her mother would find out one way or another, Skylla was trying to put off the punishment for as long as possible.
Billa found herself staring after her daughter with a look of slight frustration. She did not so much as respond to Sophos, her body language guarded and taut until he fully exited her home. It was then that she breathed out slowly, wiped her fishy hands on her small, dirty apron, and approached the boys. Crouching before them, she seemed to mentally sort through their wounds, reaching forward to turn Lukos' face this way and that.
Curse that man for taking children. She was young and uneducated, but she wasn't stupid. Having Skylla so young had been enough of a wake up call for Billa to understand the lengths that Sophos would go for ambition. Skylla was useless to him. A boy would have been on his ship already, possibly already discarded if he had shown himself to be weak. Billa had wept silently with relief when she had birthed the Captain a daughter instead of son. Even at the young age of sixteen she had known it. Neither one of them would have been loved, but one of them was almost surely never to die by his hand.
The way he spoke of the boys irked that simmering temper that she always kept in check, more afraid of his ire than her own. Like they were inhuman. Animals. Vermin instead of little boys. Little boys who had been ripped from their homes just as she had been so many years ago.
Billa shook her dark mop of hair, her dark, frizzy curls drifting over her shoulders as she did so. Dark eyes, eyes as dark as Skylla's, held the slightest amount of pity for the children. "You don't," she said honestly, finding that it was better not to mince the words that they would need to hear. If she didn't tell them, they would find out on their own and in the worst possible way. "You don't, sweet. You don't," she whispered, giving a weak smile.
It was then that Skylla waddled in with a heavy bucket of water being carried awkwardly in her little hands. Billa pressed gracefully to her feet, reaching for the bucket and taking it from her daughter. "Skylla, find me some clean rags," she murmured softly, trailing her fingers gently against her daughter's jaw as the child looked up at her with wide, dark eyes.
"Yes, momma," Skylla said quietly, slipping into the deeper part of the small home to fetch the rags that her mother had asked for. She came back with another armful of supplies as well as some herbs she already knew her mother would ask for.
"Sit down and crush those, love," Billa said absently about the herbs, taking one of the rags to dunk into the water. Then she lifted delicate, lithe hands and brought the cloth to Lukos' nose, wiping away blood and dirt to get a better look at his face. "What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?" she asked firmly, her tone leaving no room for silence or an argument.
Skylla tensed on the stool in front of the large stone mortal and pestle, her gaze dropping right to the herbs she was working at grinding up. She said nothing, silently hoping the boys wouldn't say anything either. Even though her mother would find out one way or another, Skylla was trying to put off the punishment for as long as possible.
This woman’s assertion that they didn’t go home, no matter what, was a little too much for poor Mellios. Unlike Galen and Typhian, who were both ten, Mellios was only just nine and was not brave. He burst into tears as soon as Billa finished speaking. Galen elbowed Mellios hard but that didn’t stop the boy from sobbing.
Lukos stared at Billa as she turned his head this way and that. He wide eyes searched her face. Even this young, he was searching for indicators of weakness - some sign that she might pity them enough to help. When he did not find this, he averted his gaze to Skylla as the girl came through the back door. Water sloshed out of her bucket but she didn’t seem to mind. The bucket was set down with a deep thud and then she was racing off elsewhere.
He said nothing while the other boys were either starting to beg or to cry. The mistake of crying he’d made on the hill would not be repeated. Whether this woman was kind to him or not, there were other people on this island who weren’t. If he broke down every time he felt like it, he knew he’d always be crying. His eyes landed on Skylla again when she came back into the room with rags and herbs. He was curious about her existence and jealous in the extreme that she got to stay with her mother.
"What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?"
His eyes cut to Skylla. “She brought us food and we got jumped on,” he said without inflection. It was the truth and he wasn’t truly thinking about getting her into trouble...nor was he in any way concerned with keeping her out of it either. Flinching away from Billa’s rag, he ducked a little and scooted back, wanting to get out of her reach.
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Sept 11, 2019 13:55:46 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 11, 2019 13:55:46 GMT
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This woman’s assertion that they didn’t go home, no matter what, was a little too much for poor Mellios. Unlike Galen and Typhian, who were both ten, Mellios was only just nine and was not brave. He burst into tears as soon as Billa finished speaking. Galen elbowed Mellios hard but that didn’t stop the boy from sobbing.
Lukos stared at Billa as she turned his head this way and that. He wide eyes searched her face. Even this young, he was searching for indicators of weakness - some sign that she might pity them enough to help. When he did not find this, he averted his gaze to Skylla as the girl came through the back door. Water sloshed out of her bucket but she didn’t seem to mind. The bucket was set down with a deep thud and then she was racing off elsewhere.
He said nothing while the other boys were either starting to beg or to cry. The mistake of crying he’d made on the hill would not be repeated. Whether this woman was kind to him or not, there were other people on this island who weren’t. If he broke down every time he felt like it, he knew he’d always be crying. His eyes landed on Skylla again when she came back into the room with rags and herbs. He was curious about her existence and jealous in the extreme that she got to stay with her mother.
"What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?"
His eyes cut to Skylla. “She brought us food and we got jumped on,” he said without inflection. It was the truth and he wasn’t truly thinking about getting her into trouble...nor was he in any way concerned with keeping her out of it either. Flinching away from Billa’s rag, he ducked a little and scooted back, wanting to get out of her reach.
This woman’s assertion that they didn’t go home, no matter what, was a little too much for poor Mellios. Unlike Galen and Typhian, who were both ten, Mellios was only just nine and was not brave. He burst into tears as soon as Billa finished speaking. Galen elbowed Mellios hard but that didn’t stop the boy from sobbing.
Lukos stared at Billa as she turned his head this way and that. He wide eyes searched her face. Even this young, he was searching for indicators of weakness - some sign that she might pity them enough to help. When he did not find this, he averted his gaze to Skylla as the girl came through the back door. Water sloshed out of her bucket but she didn’t seem to mind. The bucket was set down with a deep thud and then she was racing off elsewhere.
He said nothing while the other boys were either starting to beg or to cry. The mistake of crying he’d made on the hill would not be repeated. Whether this woman was kind to him or not, there were other people on this island who weren’t. If he broke down every time he felt like it, he knew he’d always be crying. His eyes landed on Skylla again when she came back into the room with rags and herbs. He was curious about her existence and jealous in the extreme that she got to stay with her mother.
"What in the Gods happened to the lot of you?"
His eyes cut to Skylla. “She brought us food and we got jumped on,” he said without inflection. It was the truth and he wasn’t truly thinking about getting her into trouble...nor was he in any way concerned with keeping her out of it either. Flinching away from Billa’s rag, he ducked a little and scooted back, wanting to get out of her reach.
Billa wasn't going to let the boy fidget. Pulling the cloth away from his face, she furrowed her brows at him, shaking her head full of curls. "I need to see if you have any other injuries," she told him calmly, her brows furrowed. Then her gaze flicked to the other boys. Dark eyes rested on Mellios and Billa frowned a little deeper.
"Crying will earn you a watery grave, child," Billa said very carefully, levelling him a look that stated that he better quiet. The chances of Sophos returning was low, but not out of the realm of possibility. The last thing Billa wanted to see was the Captain lose his temper. She struggled to compartmentalize the cruelty he could show toward even children and it made her tense beyond most sense of reason.
Billa then glanced back at her daughter, shaking her head again. "She has good intentions, I'm sure," the older woman murmured. Good intentions, though misguided and out of place on Sophos' private island filled with people that belonged to him. Including her. Including Skylla. And now these children. These little boys who had been ripped from their own mothers and fathers. Sighing heavily, she motioned for Lukos to come back to her.
"The sooner I clean you four up, the sooner I can give you a proper meal," Skylla's mother said with an easy calm. "Skylla, those herbs?" she asked, turning her body to watch her daughter.
Skylla looked up from her work and then back down into the basin. Nodding she went to the small cooking fire with a pot of water boiling over it, her hands full of crushed herbs. Throwing them in, Skylla watched them boil about, still feeling rather ashamed of herself. Then she was laddeling out cups of hot tea and bringing them over one by one.
Billa patted Skylla's backside as if to get her to move faster, then grabbed her wrist to make her look at her. "You've learned your lesson, I'm sure?" Billa questioned the child, earning a sharp, quick nod. "Good. Food. Go on," she waved Skylla off, leaving Billa to tend to the boys. "Tea. I'll help with some of your pains," another motion to the cups gave them all the order to take one. Then her gaze landed on Lukos and all of the blood.
She tossed him the rag, "Clean yourself up so I can look at your face. I want to make sure that nose isn't broken."
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Sept 12, 2019 13:16:24 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 12, 2019 13:16:24 GMT
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Billa wasn't going to let the boy fidget. Pulling the cloth away from his face, she furrowed her brows at him, shaking her head full of curls. "I need to see if you have any other injuries," she told him calmly, her brows furrowed. Then her gaze flicked to the other boys. Dark eyes rested on Mellios and Billa frowned a little deeper.
"Crying will earn you a watery grave, child," Billa said very carefully, levelling him a look that stated that he better quiet. The chances of Sophos returning was low, but not out of the realm of possibility. The last thing Billa wanted to see was the Captain lose his temper. She struggled to compartmentalize the cruelty he could show toward even children and it made her tense beyond most sense of reason.
Billa then glanced back at her daughter, shaking her head again. "She has good intentions, I'm sure," the older woman murmured. Good intentions, though misguided and out of place on Sophos' private island filled with people that belonged to him. Including her. Including Skylla. And now these children. These little boys who had been ripped from their own mothers and fathers. Sighing heavily, she motioned for Lukos to come back to her.
"The sooner I clean you four up, the sooner I can give you a proper meal," Skylla's mother said with an easy calm. "Skylla, those herbs?" she asked, turning her body to watch her daughter.
Skylla looked up from her work and then back down into the basin. Nodding she went to the small cooking fire with a pot of water boiling over it, her hands full of crushed herbs. Throwing them in, Skylla watched them boil about, still feeling rather ashamed of herself. Then she was laddeling out cups of hot tea and bringing them over one by one.
Billa patted Skylla's backside as if to get her to move faster, then grabbed her wrist to make her look at her. "You've learned your lesson, I'm sure?" Billa questioned the child, earning a sharp, quick nod. "Good. Food. Go on," she waved Skylla off, leaving Billa to tend to the boys. "Tea. I'll help with some of your pains," another motion to the cups gave them all the order to take one. Then her gaze landed on Lukos and all of the blood.
She tossed him the rag, "Clean yourself up so I can look at your face. I want to make sure that nose isn't broken."
Billa wasn't going to let the boy fidget. Pulling the cloth away from his face, she furrowed her brows at him, shaking her head full of curls. "I need to see if you have any other injuries," she told him calmly, her brows furrowed. Then her gaze flicked to the other boys. Dark eyes rested on Mellios and Billa frowned a little deeper.
"Crying will earn you a watery grave, child," Billa said very carefully, levelling him a look that stated that he better quiet. The chances of Sophos returning was low, but not out of the realm of possibility. The last thing Billa wanted to see was the Captain lose his temper. She struggled to compartmentalize the cruelty he could show toward even children and it made her tense beyond most sense of reason.
Billa then glanced back at her daughter, shaking her head again. "She has good intentions, I'm sure," the older woman murmured. Good intentions, though misguided and out of place on Sophos' private island filled with people that belonged to him. Including her. Including Skylla. And now these children. These little boys who had been ripped from their own mothers and fathers. Sighing heavily, she motioned for Lukos to come back to her.
"The sooner I clean you four up, the sooner I can give you a proper meal," Skylla's mother said with an easy calm. "Skylla, those herbs?" she asked, turning her body to watch her daughter.
Skylla looked up from her work and then back down into the basin. Nodding she went to the small cooking fire with a pot of water boiling over it, her hands full of crushed herbs. Throwing them in, Skylla watched them boil about, still feeling rather ashamed of herself. Then she was laddeling out cups of hot tea and bringing them over one by one.
Billa patted Skylla's backside as if to get her to move faster, then grabbed her wrist to make her look at her. "You've learned your lesson, I'm sure?" Billa questioned the child, earning a sharp, quick nod. "Good. Food. Go on," she waved Skylla off, leaving Billa to tend to the boys. "Tea. I'll help with some of your pains," another motion to the cups gave them all the order to take one. Then her gaze landed on Lukos and all of the blood.
She tossed him the rag, "Clean yourself up so I can look at your face. I want to make sure that nose isn't broken."
It wasn’t Billa’s sigh that made him scoot back to her. It was her off handed promise of food. He was right up in her arms at that, his small face stuck up close to hers, staring into her eyes again. She did not seem at all like the captain or any of his crew. When she spoke, he believed her. There also weren’t cages in this house - no hooks for someone to be shackled on. There were a lot of shelves and bowls and clay jars, but no implements of torture. The other boys also slid closer to Billa, all now wanting cleaned up, even Mellios.
Billa turned to get herbs and Lukos took the opportunity to look at the other three boys. They weren’t his friends. He hadn’t met them before the cages, so he wasn’t overly attached to them except that they’d all been taken around the same time and from the same region. They were both familiar and foreign, whereas Billa and Skylla were completely unknown.
He sat still, his gaze on Skylla as she wandered over to the boiling pot and ladled out water after putting the herbs in the cups to steep. At the moment, he didn’t feel anything at all. No heart break. No anxiety. No sadness. No more jealousy. Just...nothing. The storm inside him had calmed completely and he had his hands clasped in his lap, grinding his knuckles against the rug on the dirt floor, over and over as he watched Skylla walking to and fro, bringing cups of tea to each of them.
Once the pungent liquid was pushed under his nose, he wrinkled it and finally looked down. The tea was an inky green and smelled like cut grass. Undrinkable. "Tea. It'll help with some of your pains,” Billa said and motioned for them to drink. Lukos hesitated, still blatantly unsure about this concoction. Finally, he took a single sip. It was as gross as he’d assumed it would be. Setting the cup down, he barely looked up in time to see the rag flying at him.
He snatched it out of the air before it could hit his face and glaced from it to Billa and back again. Under her order of cleaning himself off, he gingerly began wiping at his face while watching her. Some of the blood was dry and required a little bit of scrubbing, but most came away easily, until he sat before her. His nose wasn’t broken, thankfully. Just bruised, and all his teeth were still intact.
Galen wasn’t so lucky. His nose was definitely broken and sat at an unfortunate angle. Lukos hadn’t been concerned about his nose. He was concerned about his ribs from the kick. Because he was only eight and didn’t really know how to lie well yet or understand that adults saw things, he rubbed at his side as he looked up at her.
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Sept 12, 2019 15:20:18 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 12, 2019 15:20:18 GMT
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It wasn’t Billa’s sigh that made him scoot back to her. It was her off handed promise of food. He was right up in her arms at that, his small face stuck up close to hers, staring into her eyes again. She did not seem at all like the captain or any of his crew. When she spoke, he believed her. There also weren’t cages in this house - no hooks for someone to be shackled on. There were a lot of shelves and bowls and clay jars, but no implements of torture. The other boys also slid closer to Billa, all now wanting cleaned up, even Mellios.
Billa turned to get herbs and Lukos took the opportunity to look at the other three boys. They weren’t his friends. He hadn’t met them before the cages, so he wasn’t overly attached to them except that they’d all been taken around the same time and from the same region. They were both familiar and foreign, whereas Billa and Skylla were completely unknown.
He sat still, his gaze on Skylla as she wandered over to the boiling pot and ladled out water after putting the herbs in the cups to steep. At the moment, he didn’t feel anything at all. No heart break. No anxiety. No sadness. No more jealousy. Just...nothing. The storm inside him had calmed completely and he had his hands clasped in his lap, grinding his knuckles against the rug on the dirt floor, over and over as he watched Skylla walking to and fro, bringing cups of tea to each of them.
Once the pungent liquid was pushed under his nose, he wrinkled it and finally looked down. The tea was an inky green and smelled like cut grass. Undrinkable. "Tea. It'll help with some of your pains,” Billa said and motioned for them to drink. Lukos hesitated, still blatantly unsure about this concoction. Finally, he took a single sip. It was as gross as he’d assumed it would be. Setting the cup down, he barely looked up in time to see the rag flying at him.
He snatched it out of the air before it could hit his face and glaced from it to Billa and back again. Under her order of cleaning himself off, he gingerly began wiping at his face while watching her. Some of the blood was dry and required a little bit of scrubbing, but most came away easily, until he sat before her. His nose wasn’t broken, thankfully. Just bruised, and all his teeth were still intact.
Galen wasn’t so lucky. His nose was definitely broken and sat at an unfortunate angle. Lukos hadn’t been concerned about his nose. He was concerned about his ribs from the kick. Because he was only eight and didn’t really know how to lie well yet or understand that adults saw things, he rubbed at his side as he looked up at her.
It wasn’t Billa’s sigh that made him scoot back to her. It was her off handed promise of food. He was right up in her arms at that, his small face stuck up close to hers, staring into her eyes again. She did not seem at all like the captain or any of his crew. When she spoke, he believed her. There also weren’t cages in this house - no hooks for someone to be shackled on. There were a lot of shelves and bowls and clay jars, but no implements of torture. The other boys also slid closer to Billa, all now wanting cleaned up, even Mellios.
Billa turned to get herbs and Lukos took the opportunity to look at the other three boys. They weren’t his friends. He hadn’t met them before the cages, so he wasn’t overly attached to them except that they’d all been taken around the same time and from the same region. They were both familiar and foreign, whereas Billa and Skylla were completely unknown.
He sat still, his gaze on Skylla as she wandered over to the boiling pot and ladled out water after putting the herbs in the cups to steep. At the moment, he didn’t feel anything at all. No heart break. No anxiety. No sadness. No more jealousy. Just...nothing. The storm inside him had calmed completely and he had his hands clasped in his lap, grinding his knuckles against the rug on the dirt floor, over and over as he watched Skylla walking to and fro, bringing cups of tea to each of them.
Once the pungent liquid was pushed under his nose, he wrinkled it and finally looked down. The tea was an inky green and smelled like cut grass. Undrinkable. "Tea. It'll help with some of your pains,” Billa said and motioned for them to drink. Lukos hesitated, still blatantly unsure about this concoction. Finally, he took a single sip. It was as gross as he’d assumed it would be. Setting the cup down, he barely looked up in time to see the rag flying at him.
He snatched it out of the air before it could hit his face and glaced from it to Billa and back again. Under her order of cleaning himself off, he gingerly began wiping at his face while watching her. Some of the blood was dry and required a little bit of scrubbing, but most came away easily, until he sat before her. His nose wasn’t broken, thankfully. Just bruised, and all his teeth were still intact.
Galen wasn’t so lucky. His nose was definitely broken and sat at an unfortunate angle. Lukos hadn’t been concerned about his nose. He was concerned about his ribs from the kick. Because he was only eight and didn’t really know how to lie well yet or understand that adults saw things, he rubbed at his side as he looked up at her.
Billa did not seem at all surprised at how quickly the children listened with the promise of food. If anything, it made her feel better that maybe Sophos hadn't broken their spirits entirely. The young woman met Lukos' gaze, giving him a gentle smile. She was a prisoner too. She knew how he felt. It had never been her desire to live on this island, but there was no means of escape and if she had tried, she was sure that Sophos would have drowned her years ago.
Once Skylla had been born she hadn't had those thoughts anymore. Leaving her daughter to just the monster that was her father was not something she was keen on doing. Even now, with these boys in her home, part of her knew to fight for them, but the rest of her knew she needed to keep her head attached to her shoulders.
Skylla handed the boys wetted cloths to clean themselves up and then slipped off to the side to sit quietly, watching her mother work with keen interest.
Galen seemed remiss to drink the tea after seeing Lukos' reaction, but Billa pressed it more toward him. "You'll need it if I'm to set your nose," she said easily, "I promise you you will wish you had drained your cup," the added warning was bold and to the point. She knew what she was doing. It was one of the only things her mother had been able to teach her before she had been taken from her home. Healing was in her blood, as it was in her daughter's. Whatever Skylla ended up doing with it with an upbringing as she was earning now... was yet to be seen.
Out of the corner of her eye, Galen chugged the tea all at once, not seeming to notice how hot it was.
Giving Lukos a quick once over when it came to his face, she determined that he was mostly fine. "One of your teeth looks wiggly," she commented, lifting an eyebrow, "If you play with it a bit over the next few days it should fall out on its own." Then there was a pause, "It'll grow back in, but only once. So try not to get hit in the face from now on," Billa advised him as if this were all so very normal.
Her gaze drifted to Galen to look at his nose, but her attention was once more caught by Lukos' movements. Lifting an eyebrow, she reached for the edge of his shirt, pulling it up and sighing deeply through her nose. "Where does it hurt?" she asked. It was already bruising and she knew she'd have to set it. And keep him in bandages. "Skylla, look for the wax and get me the long bandages," she said over her shoulder.
Hopping back up from her perch on the stool by the mortar and pestle, the child disappeared back into the backroom once more, the sounds of her rummaging around rather prominent until she returned with her arms full of more supplies.
"Curse that man," Billa said almost viciously. "Taking children," she said it quieter. Then she looked up, pressing her finger against her lips as if to implore his silence on her opinion. "I think it might be broken. We'll need to set it. Drink your tea."
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Sept 12, 2019 21:54:21 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 12, 2019 21:54:21 GMT
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Billa did not seem at all surprised at how quickly the children listened with the promise of food. If anything, it made her feel better that maybe Sophos hadn't broken their spirits entirely. The young woman met Lukos' gaze, giving him a gentle smile. She was a prisoner too. She knew how he felt. It had never been her desire to live on this island, but there was no means of escape and if she had tried, she was sure that Sophos would have drowned her years ago.
Once Skylla had been born she hadn't had those thoughts anymore. Leaving her daughter to just the monster that was her father was not something she was keen on doing. Even now, with these boys in her home, part of her knew to fight for them, but the rest of her knew she needed to keep her head attached to her shoulders.
Skylla handed the boys wetted cloths to clean themselves up and then slipped off to the side to sit quietly, watching her mother work with keen interest.
Galen seemed remiss to drink the tea after seeing Lukos' reaction, but Billa pressed it more toward him. "You'll need it if I'm to set your nose," she said easily, "I promise you you will wish you had drained your cup," the added warning was bold and to the point. She knew what she was doing. It was one of the only things her mother had been able to teach her before she had been taken from her home. Healing was in her blood, as it was in her daughter's. Whatever Skylla ended up doing with it with an upbringing as she was earning now... was yet to be seen.
Out of the corner of her eye, Galen chugged the tea all at once, not seeming to notice how hot it was.
Giving Lukos a quick once over when it came to his face, she determined that he was mostly fine. "One of your teeth looks wiggly," she commented, lifting an eyebrow, "If you play with it a bit over the next few days it should fall out on its own." Then there was a pause, "It'll grow back in, but only once. So try not to get hit in the face from now on," Billa advised him as if this were all so very normal.
Her gaze drifted to Galen to look at his nose, but her attention was once more caught by Lukos' movements. Lifting an eyebrow, she reached for the edge of his shirt, pulling it up and sighing deeply through her nose. "Where does it hurt?" she asked. It was already bruising and she knew she'd have to set it. And keep him in bandages. "Skylla, look for the wax and get me the long bandages," she said over her shoulder.
Hopping back up from her perch on the stool by the mortar and pestle, the child disappeared back into the backroom once more, the sounds of her rummaging around rather prominent until she returned with her arms full of more supplies.
"Curse that man," Billa said almost viciously. "Taking children," she said it quieter. Then she looked up, pressing her finger against her lips as if to implore his silence on her opinion. "I think it might be broken. We'll need to set it. Drink your tea."
Billa did not seem at all surprised at how quickly the children listened with the promise of food. If anything, it made her feel better that maybe Sophos hadn't broken their spirits entirely. The young woman met Lukos' gaze, giving him a gentle smile. She was a prisoner too. She knew how he felt. It had never been her desire to live on this island, but there was no means of escape and if she had tried, she was sure that Sophos would have drowned her years ago.
Once Skylla had been born she hadn't had those thoughts anymore. Leaving her daughter to just the monster that was her father was not something she was keen on doing. Even now, with these boys in her home, part of her knew to fight for them, but the rest of her knew she needed to keep her head attached to her shoulders.
Skylla handed the boys wetted cloths to clean themselves up and then slipped off to the side to sit quietly, watching her mother work with keen interest.
Galen seemed remiss to drink the tea after seeing Lukos' reaction, but Billa pressed it more toward him. "You'll need it if I'm to set your nose," she said easily, "I promise you you will wish you had drained your cup," the added warning was bold and to the point. She knew what she was doing. It was one of the only things her mother had been able to teach her before she had been taken from her home. Healing was in her blood, as it was in her daughter's. Whatever Skylla ended up doing with it with an upbringing as she was earning now... was yet to be seen.
Out of the corner of her eye, Galen chugged the tea all at once, not seeming to notice how hot it was.
Giving Lukos a quick once over when it came to his face, she determined that he was mostly fine. "One of your teeth looks wiggly," she commented, lifting an eyebrow, "If you play with it a bit over the next few days it should fall out on its own." Then there was a pause, "It'll grow back in, but only once. So try not to get hit in the face from now on," Billa advised him as if this were all so very normal.
Her gaze drifted to Galen to look at his nose, but her attention was once more caught by Lukos' movements. Lifting an eyebrow, she reached for the edge of his shirt, pulling it up and sighing deeply through her nose. "Where does it hurt?" she asked. It was already bruising and she knew she'd have to set it. And keep him in bandages. "Skylla, look for the wax and get me the long bandages," she said over her shoulder.
Hopping back up from her perch on the stool by the mortar and pestle, the child disappeared back into the backroom once more, the sounds of her rummaging around rather prominent until she returned with her arms full of more supplies.
"Curse that man," Billa said almost viciously. "Taking children," she said it quieter. Then she looked up, pressing her finger against her lips as if to implore his silence on her opinion. "I think it might be broken. We'll need to set it. Drink your tea."
Because he was little, her gentle smile soothed him. It was one his mother would have used on him, except that his mother would have stroked his hair and gathered her against him. Billa did not do this and, even as young as he was, he had no issues about not seeing her as a mother figure. He’d already had one of those. What she would be to him was a nice lady who didn’t kick him. That was something.
Where his real interest lay was in Skylla and how to go about avoiding the captain like she did. Why did he ignore her? His own terrible father hadn’t even treated him like air. Admittedly his father was almost never around, but at least the man acted like he cared. Sometimes. At least until he’d needed money. That was partially how Lukos had come to end up in Sophos’s clutches. Lukos had been bartered as part of debt repayment. Where the other boys had come from, he didn’t know. They’d never talked about it while in the hold of the ship.
While Skylla’s eyes were on her mother, his settled on her. She did what she wanted, it looked like. He would do that too. Whatever he wanted. Only, those thoughts ended when Billa ordered Galen about and then turned her attention back to him, moving his tooth.
“It what?” he gaped, covering his mouth with a grubby hand. “No!” The thought of losing all his teeth was horrific. Even though she was telling him they’d grow back, he couldn’t reconcile that idea. “It’ll hurt! I don’t want my tooth to fall out. Fix it.” But then she was demanding he show her where he’d been kicked and he pulled his shirt up. It did hurt to breathe. Still, he was growing to trust Billa less and less. Wiggly teeth? Hurting Galen by setting his nose? Now she was going to set his side? It was too much.
Lukos struggled to his feet, knocked over his tea, and darted out the door and into the night. He wasn’t entirely sure where he was supposed to go but certainly not with that crazy in there. Voices followed him and he did the first thing he could think of, which was to hurl himself across the street and burst into that house. It was nothing but a shack and probably her father should have been home, but he wasn’t. He landed in the dirt and came face to face with the plainest girl he’d ever seen. She was scrawny and knobby and staring at him in alarm. Immediately she hung her head, her lank hair screening her face and retreated to a far corner of the shack.
The voices were gaining on him and so he followed her, worming his way between her and the wall. She was shaking a bit and staring at him like she wasn’t quite sure what to do with him. But she didn’t speak and she didn’t cry out. Lukos put his finger to his mouth and widened his eyes at her. She better not give him away.
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Sept 12, 2019 22:45:26 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 12, 2019 22:45:26 GMT
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Because he was little, her gentle smile soothed him. It was one his mother would have used on him, except that his mother would have stroked his hair and gathered her against him. Billa did not do this and, even as young as he was, he had no issues about not seeing her as a mother figure. He’d already had one of those. What she would be to him was a nice lady who didn’t kick him. That was something.
Where his real interest lay was in Skylla and how to go about avoiding the captain like she did. Why did he ignore her? His own terrible father hadn’t even treated him like air. Admittedly his father was almost never around, but at least the man acted like he cared. Sometimes. At least until he’d needed money. That was partially how Lukos had come to end up in Sophos’s clutches. Lukos had been bartered as part of debt repayment. Where the other boys had come from, he didn’t know. They’d never talked about it while in the hold of the ship.
While Skylla’s eyes were on her mother, his settled on her. She did what she wanted, it looked like. He would do that too. Whatever he wanted. Only, those thoughts ended when Billa ordered Galen about and then turned her attention back to him, moving his tooth.
“It what?” he gaped, covering his mouth with a grubby hand. “No!” The thought of losing all his teeth was horrific. Even though she was telling him they’d grow back, he couldn’t reconcile that idea. “It’ll hurt! I don’t want my tooth to fall out. Fix it.” But then she was demanding he show her where he’d been kicked and he pulled his shirt up. It did hurt to breathe. Still, he was growing to trust Billa less and less. Wiggly teeth? Hurting Galen by setting his nose? Now she was going to set his side? It was too much.
Lukos struggled to his feet, knocked over his tea, and darted out the door and into the night. He wasn’t entirely sure where he was supposed to go but certainly not with that crazy in there. Voices followed him and he did the first thing he could think of, which was to hurl himself across the street and burst into that house. It was nothing but a shack and probably her father should have been home, but he wasn’t. He landed in the dirt and came face to face with the plainest girl he’d ever seen. She was scrawny and knobby and staring at him in alarm. Immediately she hung her head, her lank hair screening her face and retreated to a far corner of the shack.
The voices were gaining on him and so he followed her, worming his way between her and the wall. She was shaking a bit and staring at him like she wasn’t quite sure what to do with him. But she didn’t speak and she didn’t cry out. Lukos put his finger to his mouth and widened his eyes at her. She better not give him away.
Because he was little, her gentle smile soothed him. It was one his mother would have used on him, except that his mother would have stroked his hair and gathered her against him. Billa did not do this and, even as young as he was, he had no issues about not seeing her as a mother figure. He’d already had one of those. What she would be to him was a nice lady who didn’t kick him. That was something.
Where his real interest lay was in Skylla and how to go about avoiding the captain like she did. Why did he ignore her? His own terrible father hadn’t even treated him like air. Admittedly his father was almost never around, but at least the man acted like he cared. Sometimes. At least until he’d needed money. That was partially how Lukos had come to end up in Sophos’s clutches. Lukos had been bartered as part of debt repayment. Where the other boys had come from, he didn’t know. They’d never talked about it while in the hold of the ship.
While Skylla’s eyes were on her mother, his settled on her. She did what she wanted, it looked like. He would do that too. Whatever he wanted. Only, those thoughts ended when Billa ordered Galen about and then turned her attention back to him, moving his tooth.
“It what?” he gaped, covering his mouth with a grubby hand. “No!” The thought of losing all his teeth was horrific. Even though she was telling him they’d grow back, he couldn’t reconcile that idea. “It’ll hurt! I don’t want my tooth to fall out. Fix it.” But then she was demanding he show her where he’d been kicked and he pulled his shirt up. It did hurt to breathe. Still, he was growing to trust Billa less and less. Wiggly teeth? Hurting Galen by setting his nose? Now she was going to set his side? It was too much.
Lukos struggled to his feet, knocked over his tea, and darted out the door and into the night. He wasn’t entirely sure where he was supposed to go but certainly not with that crazy in there. Voices followed him and he did the first thing he could think of, which was to hurl himself across the street and burst into that house. It was nothing but a shack and probably her father should have been home, but he wasn’t. He landed in the dirt and came face to face with the plainest girl he’d ever seen. She was scrawny and knobby and staring at him in alarm. Immediately she hung her head, her lank hair screening her face and retreated to a far corner of the shack.
The voices were gaining on him and so he followed her, worming his way between her and the wall. She was shaking a bit and staring at him like she wasn’t quite sure what to do with him. But she didn’t speak and she didn’t cry out. Lukos put his finger to his mouth and widened his eyes at her. She better not give him away.
Billa had expected such a reaction. Children were flighty things, especially when it came to pain. These children had been done in by each other and by adults much older than themselves. She was honestly surprised that they weren't more worse for wear. But Galen's side, the way he listed slightly to the side and held his own ribs, she was unsure what she could do if there was copious amounts of internal bleeding. If he wasn't already feeling woozy, he might start soon and that suddenly became more of a concern than a child running out into the night.
Skylla, stunned by the sudden volley of emotions from what appeared to be the most stoic of the children her father had brought onto the island, slipped off the stool. Darting out after him and into the night, she called after him. "Wait!" she called quickly. She didn't even know his name yet and it made her just that more frustrated with the situation. When she watched him bolt into one of the little houses, her heart sunk.
That weird girl with the really mean father. It was their house and now Skylla was on edge as she stopped in the doorway. A few of the adults seemed irritated, following Skylla as she dipped into the house and approached the strange girl and Lukos. She put her hands up as if to ward off any attacks, her dark eyes wide. "Hey, you. Boy," she said quietly, "You need to get out of here. Her papa is super mean. He's swatted me before," Skylla hissed into the darkness, "Swatted me hard," she reached her hand out to him. "If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla tried to coax him, not thinking about anything but getting out of this tiny house with the strange stringy girl and her awful father. Sometimes she thought he was worse than Sophos.
Glancing backward, Skylla cast a worried gaze to the door, still reaching her hand out to him. Then she got an idea. She opened her mouth and pointed to a gap in her teeth, "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday," she tried to soothe him, hoping that it would make him comfortable and less afraid than he clearly was right then.
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Sept 15, 2019 17:23:41 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 15, 2019 17:23:41 GMT
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Billa had expected such a reaction. Children were flighty things, especially when it came to pain. These children had been done in by each other and by adults much older than themselves. She was honestly surprised that they weren't more worse for wear. But Galen's side, the way he listed slightly to the side and held his own ribs, she was unsure what she could do if there was copious amounts of internal bleeding. If he wasn't already feeling woozy, he might start soon and that suddenly became more of a concern than a child running out into the night.
Skylla, stunned by the sudden volley of emotions from what appeared to be the most stoic of the children her father had brought onto the island, slipped off the stool. Darting out after him and into the night, she called after him. "Wait!" she called quickly. She didn't even know his name yet and it made her just that more frustrated with the situation. When she watched him bolt into one of the little houses, her heart sunk.
That weird girl with the really mean father. It was their house and now Skylla was on edge as she stopped in the doorway. A few of the adults seemed irritated, following Skylla as she dipped into the house and approached the strange girl and Lukos. She put her hands up as if to ward off any attacks, her dark eyes wide. "Hey, you. Boy," she said quietly, "You need to get out of here. Her papa is super mean. He's swatted me before," Skylla hissed into the darkness, "Swatted me hard," she reached her hand out to him. "If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla tried to coax him, not thinking about anything but getting out of this tiny house with the strange stringy girl and her awful father. Sometimes she thought he was worse than Sophos.
Glancing backward, Skylla cast a worried gaze to the door, still reaching her hand out to him. Then she got an idea. She opened her mouth and pointed to a gap in her teeth, "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday," she tried to soothe him, hoping that it would make him comfortable and less afraid than he clearly was right then.
Billa had expected such a reaction. Children were flighty things, especially when it came to pain. These children had been done in by each other and by adults much older than themselves. She was honestly surprised that they weren't more worse for wear. But Galen's side, the way he listed slightly to the side and held his own ribs, she was unsure what she could do if there was copious amounts of internal bleeding. If he wasn't already feeling woozy, he might start soon and that suddenly became more of a concern than a child running out into the night.
Skylla, stunned by the sudden volley of emotions from what appeared to be the most stoic of the children her father had brought onto the island, slipped off the stool. Darting out after him and into the night, she called after him. "Wait!" she called quickly. She didn't even know his name yet and it made her just that more frustrated with the situation. When she watched him bolt into one of the little houses, her heart sunk.
That weird girl with the really mean father. It was their house and now Skylla was on edge as she stopped in the doorway. A few of the adults seemed irritated, following Skylla as she dipped into the house and approached the strange girl and Lukos. She put her hands up as if to ward off any attacks, her dark eyes wide. "Hey, you. Boy," she said quietly, "You need to get out of here. Her papa is super mean. He's swatted me before," Skylla hissed into the darkness, "Swatted me hard," she reached her hand out to him. "If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla tried to coax him, not thinking about anything but getting out of this tiny house with the strange stringy girl and her awful father. Sometimes she thought he was worse than Sophos.
Glancing backward, Skylla cast a worried gaze to the door, still reaching her hand out to him. Then she got an idea. She opened her mouth and pointed to a gap in her teeth, "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday," she tried to soothe him, hoping that it would make him comfortable and less afraid than he clearly was right then.
The stringy girl beside him shook like a leaf but she didn’t move away from him. Her owl wide eyes were pointed now at the door where a short shadow darkened the doorway. Lukos pressed harder against the small girl he’d accidentally cornered as Skylla charged into the house. He didn’t understand what was supposedly scary about this house, other than it had a cold feel to it, despite the warm air. She held out her hand, calling him ‘boy’ and he realized for the first time that he knew her name but she didn’t know his...which was a bit strange. Until recently, he’d never had to introduce himself to anyone. Everyone knew him in the house and mines he came from.
"If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla said in a way that made it sound a little bit like a conspiracy and definitely a secret. Her backward look only made him nervous. "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday,” she said and opened her mouth to show him. If her face hadn’t been completely in shadow, he would have been able to see an adorable little gap where her baby tooth had been. This didn’t soothe him as much as she’d intended, because he didn’t totally believe her. However, this shaking girl was curling her thin fingers around his wrist and it reminded him so much of stories he’d heard where seaweed clung to someone’s legs and they drowned, that he finally consented to go with Skylla.
He accepted her hand and stood, having to take his wrist out of the other little girl’s grasp. She looked up at him with such a desperate hopelessness that he felt disturbed more by that than anything else he’d seen or been subjected to by far. Whatever was in this house had to be worse. If Skylla was afraid, he should be too, he decided.
Together, they darted out of the doorway and back into the dirt street. He looked back, half expecting the seaweed girl to follow him. Even now, he was picturing her with a green hue. Her stringy hair might have been seagrass, her skin comprised of pale algae, her long fingers were tendrils of seaweed, grasping and never letting go until he suffocated. Suddenly he was as frightened of her as anything else. The street held shadows and strange adults. He imagined them all to be coming after him and it was now he who was pulling Skylla back across the street, back toward Billa’s house.
Her house was small and narrow, but did boast a shadowed garden beside it, fenced in and clearly only meant for her use. Beside this, and between the next ramshackle house was a thin path. Lukos darted toward this. He did not know, but down at its end were blackberry bushes, huge and prickly. Already he’d forgotten that Skylla said she had her own place and even though he didn’t know her very well, he was bent on making her come with him because he was now scared of being alone.
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Sept 15, 2019 23:19:06 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Sept 15, 2019 23:19:06 GMT
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The stringy girl beside him shook like a leaf but she didn’t move away from him. Her owl wide eyes were pointed now at the door where a short shadow darkened the doorway. Lukos pressed harder against the small girl he’d accidentally cornered as Skylla charged into the house. He didn’t understand what was supposedly scary about this house, other than it had a cold feel to it, despite the warm air. She held out her hand, calling him ‘boy’ and he realized for the first time that he knew her name but she didn’t know his...which was a bit strange. Until recently, he’d never had to introduce himself to anyone. Everyone knew him in the house and mines he came from.
"If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla said in a way that made it sound a little bit like a conspiracy and definitely a secret. Her backward look only made him nervous. "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday,” she said and opened her mouth to show him. If her face hadn’t been completely in shadow, he would have been able to see an adorable little gap where her baby tooth had been. This didn’t soothe him as much as she’d intended, because he didn’t totally believe her. However, this shaking girl was curling her thin fingers around his wrist and it reminded him so much of stories he’d heard where seaweed clung to someone’s legs and they drowned, that he finally consented to go with Skylla.
He accepted her hand and stood, having to take his wrist out of the other little girl’s grasp. She looked up at him with such a desperate hopelessness that he felt disturbed more by that than anything else he’d seen or been subjected to by far. Whatever was in this house had to be worse. If Skylla was afraid, he should be too, he decided.
Together, they darted out of the doorway and back into the dirt street. He looked back, half expecting the seaweed girl to follow him. Even now, he was picturing her with a green hue. Her stringy hair might have been seagrass, her skin comprised of pale algae, her long fingers were tendrils of seaweed, grasping and never letting go until he suffocated. Suddenly he was as frightened of her as anything else. The street held shadows and strange adults. He imagined them all to be coming after him and it was now he who was pulling Skylla back across the street, back toward Billa’s house.
Her house was small and narrow, but did boast a shadowed garden beside it, fenced in and clearly only meant for her use. Beside this, and between the next ramshackle house was a thin path. Lukos darted toward this. He did not know, but down at its end were blackberry bushes, huge and prickly. Already he’d forgotten that Skylla said she had her own place and even though he didn’t know her very well, he was bent on making her come with him because he was now scared of being alone.
The stringy girl beside him shook like a leaf but she didn’t move away from him. Her owl wide eyes were pointed now at the door where a short shadow darkened the doorway. Lukos pressed harder against the small girl he’d accidentally cornered as Skylla charged into the house. He didn’t understand what was supposedly scary about this house, other than it had a cold feel to it, despite the warm air. She held out her hand, calling him ‘boy’ and he realized for the first time that he knew her name but she didn’t know his...which was a bit strange. Until recently, he’d never had to introduce himself to anyone. Everyone knew him in the house and mines he came from.
"If you want to hide from my momma, I have a different place," Skylla said in a way that made it sound a little bit like a conspiracy and definitely a secret. Her backward look only made him nervous. "I lost this one the other day. It didn't hurt and momma says a new, bigger one will grow back in someday,” she said and opened her mouth to show him. If her face hadn’t been completely in shadow, he would have been able to see an adorable little gap where her baby tooth had been. This didn’t soothe him as much as she’d intended, because he didn’t totally believe her. However, this shaking girl was curling her thin fingers around his wrist and it reminded him so much of stories he’d heard where seaweed clung to someone’s legs and they drowned, that he finally consented to go with Skylla.
He accepted her hand and stood, having to take his wrist out of the other little girl’s grasp. She looked up at him with such a desperate hopelessness that he felt disturbed more by that than anything else he’d seen or been subjected to by far. Whatever was in this house had to be worse. If Skylla was afraid, he should be too, he decided.
Together, they darted out of the doorway and back into the dirt street. He looked back, half expecting the seaweed girl to follow him. Even now, he was picturing her with a green hue. Her stringy hair might have been seagrass, her skin comprised of pale algae, her long fingers were tendrils of seaweed, grasping and never letting go until he suffocated. Suddenly he was as frightened of her as anything else. The street held shadows and strange adults. He imagined them all to be coming after him and it was now he who was pulling Skylla back across the street, back toward Billa’s house.
Her house was small and narrow, but did boast a shadowed garden beside it, fenced in and clearly only meant for her use. Beside this, and between the next ramshackle house was a thin path. Lukos darted toward this. He did not know, but down at its end were blackberry bushes, huge and prickly. Already he’d forgotten that Skylla said she had her own place and even though he didn’t know her very well, he was bent on making her come with him because he was now scared of being alone.
Little Skylla was silently triumphant when Lukos took her hand and stole from the little, cold house. With the weird girl that even Skylla was weirded out by. Billa had never expressly said not to play with her, but she was sure that Billa had implied it more than once in recent times. The girl was strange and not really someone Skylla even wanted to play with, but she was also too meek for the likes of the captain’s daughter. Even so young, she could tell how stressed out the situation had made Lukos. He tugged her out of the small house and into the street and Skylla paid little more attention to the adults around them. Sophos likely would not care about the two kids running about, escaping and hiding from Billa.
The healer had much more… important things to deal with than two runaway children. One of which was her own flesh and blood. Though she was kind and sweet to Galen, there was a silent awareness that she would be sitting beside the young boy for most of the night and into the morning. If he got better, he would be fine. If he started to fall more listless and shakey, Billa was entirely sure that they would be sending him to Hades come morning. It saddened her that such young boys were being treated like this. She only hoped that at least one of them was to live in the end.
Skylla, sure that they were not in as much danger as Lukos seemed to think they were, allowed him to pull her through the village and back toward her home. But they wandered in between the two small houses. She knew exactly what was at the end of the pathway and started to tug on Lukos’ hand. “There are berry pushes down there. They’ll scratch us up if you don’t slow down,” she protested, tugging on his arm to get him to slow down. “We’re safe, boy. My mother isn’t following us. Neither is anyone else!”
She started to dig her heels into the dirt, determined to get him to calm down and to not let him drag her around like a baby dragged its favorite doll. “Can you tell me what to call you?” Skylla piped up, hoping that learning his name would maybe ease him a little. For someone to know him and for him not to be alone. She was, however, ready to kick him if he didn’t let her go, and her dark eyes expressed as much. They were safe. The weird girl hadn’t followed him and no one gave them any more attention.
Besides, the child was happy to be out of her mother’s hot hut with her concerned looks and her orders to do this and that. As much as her mother’s profession interested her, she was just a child. She wanted to play. And now that she was finally alone with this boy, she could finally make friends of him!
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Oct 13, 2019 19:45:07 GMT
Posted In persnickety. on Oct 13, 2019 19:45:07 GMT
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Little Skylla was silently triumphant when Lukos took her hand and stole from the little, cold house. With the weird girl that even Skylla was weirded out by. Billa had never expressly said not to play with her, but she was sure that Billa had implied it more than once in recent times. The girl was strange and not really someone Skylla even wanted to play with, but she was also too meek for the likes of the captain’s daughter. Even so young, she could tell how stressed out the situation had made Lukos. He tugged her out of the small house and into the street and Skylla paid little more attention to the adults around them. Sophos likely would not care about the two kids running about, escaping and hiding from Billa.
The healer had much more… important things to deal with than two runaway children. One of which was her own flesh and blood. Though she was kind and sweet to Galen, there was a silent awareness that she would be sitting beside the young boy for most of the night and into the morning. If he got better, he would be fine. If he started to fall more listless and shakey, Billa was entirely sure that they would be sending him to Hades come morning. It saddened her that such young boys were being treated like this. She only hoped that at least one of them was to live in the end.
Skylla, sure that they were not in as much danger as Lukos seemed to think they were, allowed him to pull her through the village and back toward her home. But they wandered in between the two small houses. She knew exactly what was at the end of the pathway and started to tug on Lukos’ hand. “There are berry pushes down there. They’ll scratch us up if you don’t slow down,” she protested, tugging on his arm to get him to slow down. “We’re safe, boy. My mother isn’t following us. Neither is anyone else!”
She started to dig her heels into the dirt, determined to get him to calm down and to not let him drag her around like a baby dragged its favorite doll. “Can you tell me what to call you?” Skylla piped up, hoping that learning his name would maybe ease him a little. For someone to know him and for him not to be alone. She was, however, ready to kick him if he didn’t let her go, and her dark eyes expressed as much. They were safe. The weird girl hadn’t followed him and no one gave them any more attention.
Besides, the child was happy to be out of her mother’s hot hut with her concerned looks and her orders to do this and that. As much as her mother’s profession interested her, she was just a child. She wanted to play. And now that she was finally alone with this boy, she could finally make friends of him!
Little Skylla was silently triumphant when Lukos took her hand and stole from the little, cold house. With the weird girl that even Skylla was weirded out by. Billa had never expressly said not to play with her, but she was sure that Billa had implied it more than once in recent times. The girl was strange and not really someone Skylla even wanted to play with, but she was also too meek for the likes of the captain’s daughter. Even so young, she could tell how stressed out the situation had made Lukos. He tugged her out of the small house and into the street and Skylla paid little more attention to the adults around them. Sophos likely would not care about the two kids running about, escaping and hiding from Billa.
The healer had much more… important things to deal with than two runaway children. One of which was her own flesh and blood. Though she was kind and sweet to Galen, there was a silent awareness that she would be sitting beside the young boy for most of the night and into the morning. If he got better, he would be fine. If he started to fall more listless and shakey, Billa was entirely sure that they would be sending him to Hades come morning. It saddened her that such young boys were being treated like this. She only hoped that at least one of them was to live in the end.
Skylla, sure that they were not in as much danger as Lukos seemed to think they were, allowed him to pull her through the village and back toward her home. But they wandered in between the two small houses. She knew exactly what was at the end of the pathway and started to tug on Lukos’ hand. “There are berry pushes down there. They’ll scratch us up if you don’t slow down,” she protested, tugging on his arm to get him to slow down. “We’re safe, boy. My mother isn’t following us. Neither is anyone else!”
She started to dig her heels into the dirt, determined to get him to calm down and to not let him drag her around like a baby dragged its favorite doll. “Can you tell me what to call you?” Skylla piped up, hoping that learning his name would maybe ease him a little. For someone to know him and for him not to be alone. She was, however, ready to kick him if he didn’t let her go, and her dark eyes expressed as much. They were safe. The weird girl hadn’t followed him and no one gave them any more attention.
Besides, the child was happy to be out of her mother’s hot hut with her concerned looks and her orders to do this and that. As much as her mother’s profession interested her, she was just a child. She wanted to play. And now that she was finally alone with this boy, she could finally make friends of him!