Inspired by a post on tumblr by incorrect-tortall-quotes
Menace to Society
Lalasa stood with her hands twined together nervously as Guardsman Hansl Tate questioned her counter-girl about the injured and bound ne'er-do-well just outside the back door of her shop. She pulled her fingers apart, laced them, twisted them apart again and refolded them once more.
She was almost completely certain she wouldn't be taken down to the guard station, but she'd never had to defend herself to the point of incapacitating anyone before. In the years since her shop opened she'd only had to use the skills her former mistress, Keladry of Mindelan, had taught her a few dozen times. She'd spent more time teaching the other women and a couple of slight and often harassed young men as well. Not to mention soothing nerves and comforting those who'd also had to use their skills to escape abusers and would-be-attackers.
She reminded herself, for the third time, that she had the information of the Mindelan family's advocate. She was loath to summon him if only to not use the favor she was given, or to impose on her mistress for the cost of the lawyer's fees. Then again, if she needed one and didn't summon him her former mistress turned good friend would be put out with her.
"You're all clear Mistress Isran," Guardsman Tate's voice broke into Lalasa's racing thoughts, stunning her wordless for a moment.
"Ah, clear?" she asked, "that's," she raised an eyebrow, an expression she'd picked up from Nealan of Queenscove, "that's all?" she was incredulous but grateful.
"Aye, Blake Metlan's known to all of us at the station. This'n'll get him sent to a work farm at the least, or cutting the new road for the towns that sprung up in the north to settle the war refugees. Depends on the magistrate's patience with the whinging he's bound to do."
He walked to the door and leaned out, two burly men who drove the barred cart used for carrying criminals off came in to drag the dazed Blake outside
One of the men, a curly headed half-Bazhir, grinned at her, "Nice work lady, couln'ta happened to a nicer fellow. He'll never live it down that a pretty woman laid him out flat when he tried to rob her, and we'll make sure it gets around. We'll keep your name out o'course, but it'll do his reputation a good blow. He'll not show his face in Corus again if he survives hard labor."
Once they'd gone she finally closed up the shop. She'd still need to work on a commission for the princess tonight, but really the only thing left was some beading on the bodice and finishing the trim on the hem. It definitely wouldn't be that much of a chore with Tian teasing her about the 'battle' she'd fought and won and the fun they'd have afterward. Tian would definitely want to reward her, and although she didn't truly see it as something she should be praised for she wouldn't mind the sort of reward her Tian could come up with. She'd just tell herself it was for doing a good job on the gown instead of using some of the new skills the Shang Firefly had taught her in exchange for repairing most of her wardrobe last year…
Note:
This was actually the first fic I've written in years, I wrote it a month or two ago. I'm considering writing more one shots, focusing on background or minor characters in Tortall and perhaps Emelan. I'm just going to see if people even enjoyed this before I commit since I have two chaptered stories running and one shots to do for those already.