(If you are visiting thought Jessa Russo's Ghostly Blog hop my short story entry can be found here: Recalled to life. )
For the pervious chapter a Place to Land or to start from the Beginning
Jorin and his sister Felicia were only the first of the Magpies
Novalee met. Their leader was a man called Mag. Mag took his name
from the black bird shaped slave tattoo on his face. The practice of
tattooing slaves was common in all the kingdoms of heimr. However
Central's the second largest class was made of slaves who had been
free. Mag belonged to this class. With his slave tattoo he had a a
freedom-ring in his ear. Whether he had bought, stolen,or been given
the ring was up for debate, but it was considered bad form to
question where a freed-man's ring came from.
It was two days after Novalee took her new name that she met with
Mag. He first asked her about the amulet Michael gave her. When he
was convinced she didn't have any idea what it was, he moved on to
asking her about what she done. “Besides spreading your legs, did
they teach you anything?”
Mag was straight forward, he was open and blunt with those under him
and he expected the same. He had a hooked crooked nose, sharp blue
eyes,and he kept his head shaved. Jorin told Novalee that Mag shaved
it when he first noticed he was losing his hair. To make up for the
lack of hair on his head, he had a thick goatee which was carefully
groomed, peppered with gray.
“I know how to read and write in three different languages.” she
said.
Mag nodded, “Could come in handy, anything else?”
“I can play the harp, and the ocarina, and I can sing.”
“A little song bird then, huh?” He thought a moment then nodded.
“I think there is a place for you here. I'm going to guess you are
fairly dexterous and agile, right?” Novalee didn't answer. “Of
course you are, I've heard of the positions they force girls like you
in.”
Novalee flushed and couldn't meet his eyes.
“Nothing to be ashamed of, that was who you were, it informs who
you are now.” A serving girl brought a plate of food to the table.
They were in a tavern that doubled as the head quarters of the
Grasping Magpies. “I need to know what you are capable of, if
anything.” he continued pushing the plate in front of her, “If
you want to stay with us and you can stay as long as you like. It is
my prctice that anyone who comes to us like you did is family.”
“Thank you sir.” said Novalee in a small voice.
“Mag, with do.” He watched her stair at the food before her.
“Well, looking at it won't get it in your stomach, eat. I'll never
understand the obsession with keeping working girls thin so their
bones can be counted.”
Novalee was hesitant; the food smelled wonderful but she didn't know
what it was. She picked up the meat by the bone it was cooked on and
took a tiny bite. The taste was unlike anything she had ever had.
Years of hunger over took her and she took huge bites hardly chewing
before she swallowed.
“Careful you don't make yourself sick.” said Mag. He chuckled at
her enjoyment. “You may also want to take this.” He put a small
vial on the table.
Novalee, her face sticking with the glaze from the meat, stopped
eating, “What is it?”
“Well, I figure like most girls who work in the pleasure houses,
you might like the opportunity to get rid of any lingering side
effects of living such a life.”
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