Wow! I got like a million reviews for the last chapter! As a reward for so
many reviews (and because I feel like it) I decided to try to update. Just
to answer a recurring question, yes, Daine will find Aly. I think that Aly
will actually play a pretty big part in this fic, but it's gonna take
another couple of chapters for me to introduce her. Be patient, she will
come! Also, thanks to CrAzYhOrSeGiRl for pointing out my error. Sorry,
there are so many evil mages that I get confused... :) I don't think that in
TRotG it ever said exactly how Numair defeated Inar, so let's just assume
for the sake of story that Numair found that trees were a very good way to
get rid of evil mages, agreed? Okay, so here's chapter 10! Enjoy and
remember, On ne mange pas les hippopotames. (One should not eat hippos,
well at least not on a regular basis...) ;)
Disclaimer (forgot this in the last chapter, so this disclaimer goes for that one too): I don't own the characters or the places in this story, they belong to Tamora Pierce.
***
Daine was surprised that she was even able to make it back to the Parrot's Beak, she was so tired. The combination of shape shifting and staying up all night was almost more than she could bear. Her eyelids seemed to weigh ten times more than they usually did. When she finally got back to the inn, she couldn't even make it upstairs to her room. Instead she settled for a comfy chair in the common room.
For it only being sunrise, the tavern was surprisingly busy. Ms. Sadinga was cheerfully bustling here and there, making sure that all of her customers were happy. She seemed to have overcome the shock of seeing her sister last night. Or was it her daughter? Daine was much too tired to make much sense of anything.
Suddenly a goblet was placed on the small table next to her chair. It was filled with a pink substance that almost looked like porridge. Daine looked up to find herself starring into the brown eyes of Ms. Sadinga's niece. Niece, that was it, she though lazily as she suppressed a yawn.
"Late night?" the girl asked quietly, her voice quivering with a trace of amusement.
"Very," she said slowly, then swore silently at herself. She thinks I was with some man, Daine realized. Hurriedly she added, "It's not what you think, I was just visiting a friend..." now she was struggling to find a lie. She had already given too much away. See what sleepiness does to you? She though as she commanded herself awake.
"Of course," The girl said, but Daine could still see the amusement dancing in her eyes.
Changing the subject, Daine asked, "What's this?" She pointed to the goblet.
"Try it." Was the only reply.
Obeying, Daine grasped the cup in her palms and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was cold to the touch. The icy copper goblet felt wonderful in her hands. Taking a sip, Daine found that the drink was cold and refreshing, a perfect cure for her overheated exhausted body. Taking another, bolder, gulp, Daine asked, "What IS this?"
"Frozen fruit juice," came the quick reply, "perfect for a hot day. Some mages down the street a ways have found a way to make ice even in temperatures like this." She waved her hand to indicate the suffocating air around them. The heat was like a blanket that Daine could shrug off. It followed her everywhere on this blasted island...
"It's delicious, thanks. What's your name?" Daine asked before she continued to drink the frozen juice greedily.
"I'm Lani, and you are Sarra. I heard you tell my aunt yesterday." Hearing a call for service, Lani grinned strode away to help other customers.
The drink cleared Daine's foggy mind and allowed it to drift to comforting thoughts of Numair, Sara and her friends back in Corus.
***
When the herald announced a visitor, Rubinyan could hardly believe his ears. Fillid Mewsman, a commoner, disturbing him at this early hour? He hardly even knew this woman, only recognizing the name from conversations with his Imajane. What does she want? Rubinyan wondered with a bored yawn
"Send her away!" he yelled to the doorman, "why did you even allow her this far?"
"Sire, she claims to have important information about..." he gulped before finishing, "About Tortall".
Tortall. The word rang in his ears like the echo of a drum. Tortall...
"Send her in," he said slowly.
Through the doors of his private dining chamber came a hunched old women dressed in a threadbare dress and a wool cloak. Keeping his dignity, Rubinyan ignored the woman at first, finishing his breakfast of eggs and the finest porridge. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched her intently, searching for anything in her demeanor that would seem to show that she was just a con.
The woman stood quietly by the door, as if afraid to come to closer to his majesty. Smart choice, Rubinyan thought amused, I hate commoners. She wrung her hands nervously in front of her, waiting patiently for him to finish. She could not stand still, looking here and there at the extravagance of his private dining room.
Finally finished, Rubinyan wiped his mouth with his napkin and looked up at her as if he had just realized that she was there.
"What do you know?" he asked.
Clearing her throat, the woman said, "Something worth a hefty price, your highness." She was a risk taker, opening a deal by saying something like that. Impressive, he thought.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, knowing full well that she was demanding money. He just wanted to dare her to say the words.
"Simply that I believe your majesties would appreciate the information I bring so much as to reward it's bearer." Came the firm reply.
Rubinyan could hardly contain his laughter, but managed, loving this game. The woman actually expected money. From him!
"Name your price." He said coolly.
This caught Ms. Mewsmen off guard. She looked at him curiously under lowered lashes and finally replied, "300 coppers."
Risky, Rubinyan thought before finally nodding to her. He reached into his belt purse, which was always on his person, and pulled three smaller sacks out, palming them in his hand.
"Three bags of one hundred copper each," he said slyly as he tossed them unexpectedly at her. She scramble to pick up the three bags, examining them each with great care. Allowing himself a smile, Rubin could not help but compare himself to a hunter and the mew keeper to a tiger. He was setting the bait down carefully, keeping his cool, patiently waiting until he saw what he wanted before he loosed his arrow.
"Right," the woman said distractedly, staring in amazement at the money in her hand. It's probably the most money she's ever held at one time, he thought. Rubinyan always had at least 2000 coppers with him at all times, with thousands of more in the palace vaults.
"You have been spied on," she said without warning. Rubinyan's breath caught in his throat. The spy Imajane had mention! Who was it? Did she know?
Suddenly aware that this conversation was more important that he had previously thought, he indicated to the two slaves who were fanning him to leave. They did so quickly, pleased to rest their aching arms.
"When?"
"Last night, sir, I overheard her speaking of some sort of plan she had found out." So it was a she, Rubinyan thought. How had whomever this woman was spied on their secret meeting? He and his council had been a sound proof, magic proof chamber with four guards standing just outside the door. I must have a mole, he thought, but I don't have any women on my council. The only woman there had been...
"What else did you over hear." He demanded
"Just that she was going to send her knowledge as fast as possible. To Tortall, I assume." They woman croaked, sensing the anger in Rubinyan's voice.
Now for the million copper question, Rubin thought, knowing that he had to ask, but not sure he wanted to hear the answer. He couldn't believe, didn't want to believe, that the only woman he had ever loved had double-crossed him.
"Who?"
After a moment the woman coughed and said, "Oh sire, I'm so old, my memory is fading..." she looked up at him and he could see that look in her eyes. She thought that she was getting the better of him. No one got the better of him.
He reached once more into his belt purse and threw her another bag of 100 coppers.
She grinned and uttered only two words. "Veralidaine Sarrasi." His first emotion was pure happiness. His wife was not a traitor, but then the true value of her words hit him.
"Verildaine Sarrasi..." he repeated absentmindedly. The wild mage? It all made sense now. She could have talked to any animals in the room, using their ears to overhear his plans. He had even heard rumor that she could transform into animals. Any animal, even a cat. His memory flashed back to Imajane pointing to the two cats that had followed her into the council room.
Unconsciously, his hands clenched into fists.
Using a falsely calm voice, he called to his doorman, "Lhiki, please see this lovely woman out and escort her back to her home." To the woman he turned and said kindly, "Thank you for your help. You have done a great service to your country."
The woman beamed with pride and turned to follow the guardsman out.
"Oh, Lhiki, a word please?" he called to the retreating back of his guardsmen. Hurriedly, the guard trotted back into the room.
"Yes, your majesty?" he asked curiously.
"See to it that I get my money back and Ms. Mewsman has a nice long, eternal, rest." He commanded.
Lhiki nodded grimly and left.
A slave curiously poked her head into the now quiet dining room.
"Do you need anything, your highness," she asked
Rubinyan slowly unclenched his fist and took a sip from a glass of water.
"Yes," he said, "Get me Captain Xinhertin, Immediately!"
The slave rushed quickly to obey his orders and began to frantically search for Captain Xinhertin, the captain of the city guards.
***
The shattering of glass awoke Daine from her dreamless sleep. Sitting up quickly, she looked about her, unsure of where she was. She soon collected herself, realizing that she must have fallen asleep in the nice comfy chair that she now occupied in the common room. Looking for the source of the noise, Daine saw Ms. Sadinga standing with her hand over her mouth as she looked in horror at the shards of glass that lay in a puddle of water at her feet.
The common room was now empty. It looked about noon, so Daine figured that most people were out and about working.
"Oh, no! I've dropped my pitcher," Ms. Sadinga sobbed.
Daine stood up quickly and went over to comfort the kindly woman.
"Don't worry Ms. Sadinga, you didn't get cut, that's all that matters," she said patting the teary eyed woman. Daine then knelt on the floor and began to pick of the larger pieces of glass.
"What happened Fartha?" Lani asked breathlessly to Ms. Sadinga as she rushed in from the back room to see what had happened. Daine couldn't help but grin as the impossibly tall girl ran awkwardly, all legs, just like a certain clumsy mage she knew.
"I... I dropped my pitcher. My first pitcher Lani! I wanted to keep it forever."
"Oh, aunty," she hugged her large aunt trying to calm her. "Here come on and lay down before you wear yourself out more. You've been on your feet for hours, no wonder you slipped up. Hey, you know what? I'll buy you another pitcher today with money that I could've never had if it weren't for you, ehh? To celebrate the three successful years of the Parrot's Beak. It's okay..." Lani led her shaking aunt to the back room, which Daine now realized must serve as Ms. Sadinga's bedroom.
Daine continued to pick up the chards of glass, dumping them into the waste bin in the kitchen.
Moment's later, Lani returned to the common room, looking somber.
"Why is Ms. Sadinga so upset," Daine asked gently, sensing that the woman had lost more than just some pitcher.
Lani looked in Daine's eyes as if searching for something. She felt as if the younger girl was looking into her very soul. Lani's eyes opened wider in surprise, for a split second, before returning to their normal appearance. Seemingly satisfied at what she saw there, she answered Daine's question in a hushed voice, as if not wanting Ms. Sadinga to hear what was being spoken of.
"Ms. Sadinga is not my blood aunt, she's closer than that you see. I met her when I was three years old, we were slaves together. She watched out for me during the worst time of my life. We were... separated a few years later, but I tried to keep track of her comings and goings between owners. About four years ago, Ms. Sadinga earned her freedom, saving her master's daughter in a spiderin attack. That pitcher was her Proof."
Seeing that Daine was still a little puzzled, she explained, "When a slave is first free, whether lawfully or by escape, they save up their money and buy something, anything that is truly their own. Their Proof, proof that they are free."
Daine nodded in understanding, trying to imagine what it would be like if she lost something that represented her freedom in such a way.
The two young women stood together in silence for a moment, starring at the remaining shards of glass. Daine knelt and picked up a rather dull, round looking piece of glass. She looked at it for a moment and noticed that it has a small hole chipped in it. Suddenly inspired, she looked around for some sort of string. Spotting some twine left from a package long ago opened on the counter, she carefully threaded it through the chip. Finally, she tied the ends of the twine together, forming a necklace.
She held it up to show Lani, who smiled softly at Daine's handy work.
"It's perfect, Sarra. I'm sure that Ms. Sadinga will appreciate it. She'll always be able to carry a piece of that pitcher with her. In the mean time, I've got to go buy another one. In a couple days, she'll be so happy again that she'll forget all about the one she lost. That's just the way she is."
As Lani left, Daine finished picking up the last few big shards of glass before asking a pair of mice who lived in the walls to pick up the rest of the smaller pieces so that no one would step on them. Once enticed with an apple core that Daine found on an abandoned plate, they happily agreed. Finally, Daine retreated to her room upstairs to rest
Sleep, however, hovered just out of reach. Every time Daine closed her eyes, she saw Ms. Sadinga and Lani, along with all her friends back home, in chains.
***
Why was this taking so long? The shopkeeper had never spent such a long time looking at the things he brought in before. The thief looked around apprehensively. At any moment one of the Rogue's court could walk in and find him out.
Jud had nabbed an excellent find; a find that he knew would fill his pockets to the brim with money. Hard earned money that he definitely didn't want to share with some Rogue who just sat on his royal butt all day, collecting high fees from every heist, large or small.
He was risking the loss of every single one of his fingers, and here was the shopkeeper, looking at the locket like he had nary a care in the world!
"This is a beautiful piece," the shop keeper said absently, "Pure gold. Why ever would you be willing to sell such a piece of jewelry, probably an heirloom, to me?"
Jud scratched his head, looking over his shoulder quickly.
"Come, you know as well as I do that that ain't no heirloom of mine. Now hurry up before the Rogue or the city guards come in and find us both!"
The shopkeeper grinned, "Boy, you're a jumpy one now aren't you?" his fingers ran expertly over every inch of the thing before finally coming to a halt on the latch.
"Wonder what's inside..." he said.
"Don't have a clue, don't care. How much is she worth then?" Jud's fingers itched to nab it back and run off with it.
"I'd say, about 50 coppers." he decided.
"50 coppers? It's gotta be worth at least five times that price!" Jud exclaimed
"You think so?" the shopkeeper said looking into the thief's ever shifting eyes. "Hum, perhaps we should have the city guards settle this dispute?"
Jud looked away. "Nah, then 50's plenty." He held out his palm and the shopkeeper dropped a small bag into it.
"It's been a pleasure," the shopkeeper said slyly, putting the necklace into a box under the counter filled with numerous other golden colored objects.
"Yah, for you..." Jud muttered as he scrambled out of the pawnshop and out into the streets that were his home.
***
Realizing that her attempts at sleep were futile, Daine sat up and looked out her window at the streets of Rajamuat, wondering for the millionth time how one person could stand to own another. She was lucky to have been born in Galla, and even luckier still to have settled in Tortall, a good land with just rulers. The regents here were cruel, hard, and even worse, crazy. They could never have Tortall, not while there was breath left in her body.
She heard a knock on her door, shaking her from her thoughts.
"Just a minute," she said, getting up to open the door, wondering who it was.
When she pulled the door open, she saw the blur of the club too late. Then everything was dark.
*** Sorry for the cliffy, I had to do it! This chapter ran on so long, that I decided to make it end here. I wanted to go a lot further with it, but I'm gonna stop myself to better build 'suspense'. Review and I shall get to work right away on Chapter 11. Thanks!
Disclaimer (forgot this in the last chapter, so this disclaimer goes for that one too): I don't own the characters or the places in this story, they belong to Tamora Pierce.
***
Daine was surprised that she was even able to make it back to the Parrot's Beak, she was so tired. The combination of shape shifting and staying up all night was almost more than she could bear. Her eyelids seemed to weigh ten times more than they usually did. When she finally got back to the inn, she couldn't even make it upstairs to her room. Instead she settled for a comfy chair in the common room.
For it only being sunrise, the tavern was surprisingly busy. Ms. Sadinga was cheerfully bustling here and there, making sure that all of her customers were happy. She seemed to have overcome the shock of seeing her sister last night. Or was it her daughter? Daine was much too tired to make much sense of anything.
Suddenly a goblet was placed on the small table next to her chair. It was filled with a pink substance that almost looked like porridge. Daine looked up to find herself starring into the brown eyes of Ms. Sadinga's niece. Niece, that was it, she though lazily as she suppressed a yawn.
"Late night?" the girl asked quietly, her voice quivering with a trace of amusement.
"Very," she said slowly, then swore silently at herself. She thinks I was with some man, Daine realized. Hurriedly she added, "It's not what you think, I was just visiting a friend..." now she was struggling to find a lie. She had already given too much away. See what sleepiness does to you? She though as she commanded herself awake.
"Of course," The girl said, but Daine could still see the amusement dancing in her eyes.
Changing the subject, Daine asked, "What's this?" She pointed to the goblet.
"Try it." Was the only reply.
Obeying, Daine grasped the cup in her palms and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was cold to the touch. The icy copper goblet felt wonderful in her hands. Taking a sip, Daine found that the drink was cold and refreshing, a perfect cure for her overheated exhausted body. Taking another, bolder, gulp, Daine asked, "What IS this?"
"Frozen fruit juice," came the quick reply, "perfect for a hot day. Some mages down the street a ways have found a way to make ice even in temperatures like this." She waved her hand to indicate the suffocating air around them. The heat was like a blanket that Daine could shrug off. It followed her everywhere on this blasted island...
"It's delicious, thanks. What's your name?" Daine asked before she continued to drink the frozen juice greedily.
"I'm Lani, and you are Sarra. I heard you tell my aunt yesterday." Hearing a call for service, Lani grinned strode away to help other customers.
The drink cleared Daine's foggy mind and allowed it to drift to comforting thoughts of Numair, Sara and her friends back in Corus.
***
When the herald announced a visitor, Rubinyan could hardly believe his ears. Fillid Mewsman, a commoner, disturbing him at this early hour? He hardly even knew this woman, only recognizing the name from conversations with his Imajane. What does she want? Rubinyan wondered with a bored yawn
"Send her away!" he yelled to the doorman, "why did you even allow her this far?"
"Sire, she claims to have important information about..." he gulped before finishing, "About Tortall".
Tortall. The word rang in his ears like the echo of a drum. Tortall...
"Send her in," he said slowly.
Through the doors of his private dining chamber came a hunched old women dressed in a threadbare dress and a wool cloak. Keeping his dignity, Rubinyan ignored the woman at first, finishing his breakfast of eggs and the finest porridge. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched her intently, searching for anything in her demeanor that would seem to show that she was just a con.
The woman stood quietly by the door, as if afraid to come to closer to his majesty. Smart choice, Rubinyan thought amused, I hate commoners. She wrung her hands nervously in front of her, waiting patiently for him to finish. She could not stand still, looking here and there at the extravagance of his private dining room.
Finally finished, Rubinyan wiped his mouth with his napkin and looked up at her as if he had just realized that she was there.
"What do you know?" he asked.
Clearing her throat, the woman said, "Something worth a hefty price, your highness." She was a risk taker, opening a deal by saying something like that. Impressive, he thought.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, knowing full well that she was demanding money. He just wanted to dare her to say the words.
"Simply that I believe your majesties would appreciate the information I bring so much as to reward it's bearer." Came the firm reply.
Rubinyan could hardly contain his laughter, but managed, loving this game. The woman actually expected money. From him!
"Name your price." He said coolly.
This caught Ms. Mewsmen off guard. She looked at him curiously under lowered lashes and finally replied, "300 coppers."
Risky, Rubinyan thought before finally nodding to her. He reached into his belt purse, which was always on his person, and pulled three smaller sacks out, palming them in his hand.
"Three bags of one hundred copper each," he said slyly as he tossed them unexpectedly at her. She scramble to pick up the three bags, examining them each with great care. Allowing himself a smile, Rubin could not help but compare himself to a hunter and the mew keeper to a tiger. He was setting the bait down carefully, keeping his cool, patiently waiting until he saw what he wanted before he loosed his arrow.
"Right," the woman said distractedly, staring in amazement at the money in her hand. It's probably the most money she's ever held at one time, he thought. Rubinyan always had at least 2000 coppers with him at all times, with thousands of more in the palace vaults.
"You have been spied on," she said without warning. Rubinyan's breath caught in his throat. The spy Imajane had mention! Who was it? Did she know?
Suddenly aware that this conversation was more important that he had previously thought, he indicated to the two slaves who were fanning him to leave. They did so quickly, pleased to rest their aching arms.
"When?"
"Last night, sir, I overheard her speaking of some sort of plan she had found out." So it was a she, Rubinyan thought. How had whomever this woman was spied on their secret meeting? He and his council had been a sound proof, magic proof chamber with four guards standing just outside the door. I must have a mole, he thought, but I don't have any women on my council. The only woman there had been...
"What else did you over hear." He demanded
"Just that she was going to send her knowledge as fast as possible. To Tortall, I assume." They woman croaked, sensing the anger in Rubinyan's voice.
Now for the million copper question, Rubin thought, knowing that he had to ask, but not sure he wanted to hear the answer. He couldn't believe, didn't want to believe, that the only woman he had ever loved had double-crossed him.
"Who?"
After a moment the woman coughed and said, "Oh sire, I'm so old, my memory is fading..." she looked up at him and he could see that look in her eyes. She thought that she was getting the better of him. No one got the better of him.
He reached once more into his belt purse and threw her another bag of 100 coppers.
She grinned and uttered only two words. "Veralidaine Sarrasi." His first emotion was pure happiness. His wife was not a traitor, but then the true value of her words hit him.
"Verildaine Sarrasi..." he repeated absentmindedly. The wild mage? It all made sense now. She could have talked to any animals in the room, using their ears to overhear his plans. He had even heard rumor that she could transform into animals. Any animal, even a cat. His memory flashed back to Imajane pointing to the two cats that had followed her into the council room.
Unconsciously, his hands clenched into fists.
Using a falsely calm voice, he called to his doorman, "Lhiki, please see this lovely woman out and escort her back to her home." To the woman he turned and said kindly, "Thank you for your help. You have done a great service to your country."
The woman beamed with pride and turned to follow the guardsman out.
"Oh, Lhiki, a word please?" he called to the retreating back of his guardsmen. Hurriedly, the guard trotted back into the room.
"Yes, your majesty?" he asked curiously.
"See to it that I get my money back and Ms. Mewsman has a nice long, eternal, rest." He commanded.
Lhiki nodded grimly and left.
A slave curiously poked her head into the now quiet dining room.
"Do you need anything, your highness," she asked
Rubinyan slowly unclenched his fist and took a sip from a glass of water.
"Yes," he said, "Get me Captain Xinhertin, Immediately!"
The slave rushed quickly to obey his orders and began to frantically search for Captain Xinhertin, the captain of the city guards.
***
The shattering of glass awoke Daine from her dreamless sleep. Sitting up quickly, she looked about her, unsure of where she was. She soon collected herself, realizing that she must have fallen asleep in the nice comfy chair that she now occupied in the common room. Looking for the source of the noise, Daine saw Ms. Sadinga standing with her hand over her mouth as she looked in horror at the shards of glass that lay in a puddle of water at her feet.
The common room was now empty. It looked about noon, so Daine figured that most people were out and about working.
"Oh, no! I've dropped my pitcher," Ms. Sadinga sobbed.
Daine stood up quickly and went over to comfort the kindly woman.
"Don't worry Ms. Sadinga, you didn't get cut, that's all that matters," she said patting the teary eyed woman. Daine then knelt on the floor and began to pick of the larger pieces of glass.
"What happened Fartha?" Lani asked breathlessly to Ms. Sadinga as she rushed in from the back room to see what had happened. Daine couldn't help but grin as the impossibly tall girl ran awkwardly, all legs, just like a certain clumsy mage she knew.
"I... I dropped my pitcher. My first pitcher Lani! I wanted to keep it forever."
"Oh, aunty," she hugged her large aunt trying to calm her. "Here come on and lay down before you wear yourself out more. You've been on your feet for hours, no wonder you slipped up. Hey, you know what? I'll buy you another pitcher today with money that I could've never had if it weren't for you, ehh? To celebrate the three successful years of the Parrot's Beak. It's okay..." Lani led her shaking aunt to the back room, which Daine now realized must serve as Ms. Sadinga's bedroom.
Daine continued to pick up the chards of glass, dumping them into the waste bin in the kitchen.
Moment's later, Lani returned to the common room, looking somber.
"Why is Ms. Sadinga so upset," Daine asked gently, sensing that the woman had lost more than just some pitcher.
Lani looked in Daine's eyes as if searching for something. She felt as if the younger girl was looking into her very soul. Lani's eyes opened wider in surprise, for a split second, before returning to their normal appearance. Seemingly satisfied at what she saw there, she answered Daine's question in a hushed voice, as if not wanting Ms. Sadinga to hear what was being spoken of.
"Ms. Sadinga is not my blood aunt, she's closer than that you see. I met her when I was three years old, we were slaves together. She watched out for me during the worst time of my life. We were... separated a few years later, but I tried to keep track of her comings and goings between owners. About four years ago, Ms. Sadinga earned her freedom, saving her master's daughter in a spiderin attack. That pitcher was her Proof."
Seeing that Daine was still a little puzzled, she explained, "When a slave is first free, whether lawfully or by escape, they save up their money and buy something, anything that is truly their own. Their Proof, proof that they are free."
Daine nodded in understanding, trying to imagine what it would be like if she lost something that represented her freedom in such a way.
The two young women stood together in silence for a moment, starring at the remaining shards of glass. Daine knelt and picked up a rather dull, round looking piece of glass. She looked at it for a moment and noticed that it has a small hole chipped in it. Suddenly inspired, she looked around for some sort of string. Spotting some twine left from a package long ago opened on the counter, she carefully threaded it through the chip. Finally, she tied the ends of the twine together, forming a necklace.
She held it up to show Lani, who smiled softly at Daine's handy work.
"It's perfect, Sarra. I'm sure that Ms. Sadinga will appreciate it. She'll always be able to carry a piece of that pitcher with her. In the mean time, I've got to go buy another one. In a couple days, she'll be so happy again that she'll forget all about the one she lost. That's just the way she is."
As Lani left, Daine finished picking up the last few big shards of glass before asking a pair of mice who lived in the walls to pick up the rest of the smaller pieces so that no one would step on them. Once enticed with an apple core that Daine found on an abandoned plate, they happily agreed. Finally, Daine retreated to her room upstairs to rest
Sleep, however, hovered just out of reach. Every time Daine closed her eyes, she saw Ms. Sadinga and Lani, along with all her friends back home, in chains.
***
Why was this taking so long? The shopkeeper had never spent such a long time looking at the things he brought in before. The thief looked around apprehensively. At any moment one of the Rogue's court could walk in and find him out.
Jud had nabbed an excellent find; a find that he knew would fill his pockets to the brim with money. Hard earned money that he definitely didn't want to share with some Rogue who just sat on his royal butt all day, collecting high fees from every heist, large or small.
He was risking the loss of every single one of his fingers, and here was the shopkeeper, looking at the locket like he had nary a care in the world!
"This is a beautiful piece," the shop keeper said absently, "Pure gold. Why ever would you be willing to sell such a piece of jewelry, probably an heirloom, to me?"
Jud scratched his head, looking over his shoulder quickly.
"Come, you know as well as I do that that ain't no heirloom of mine. Now hurry up before the Rogue or the city guards come in and find us both!"
The shopkeeper grinned, "Boy, you're a jumpy one now aren't you?" his fingers ran expertly over every inch of the thing before finally coming to a halt on the latch.
"Wonder what's inside..." he said.
"Don't have a clue, don't care. How much is she worth then?" Jud's fingers itched to nab it back and run off with it.
"I'd say, about 50 coppers." he decided.
"50 coppers? It's gotta be worth at least five times that price!" Jud exclaimed
"You think so?" the shopkeeper said looking into the thief's ever shifting eyes. "Hum, perhaps we should have the city guards settle this dispute?"
Jud looked away. "Nah, then 50's plenty." He held out his palm and the shopkeeper dropped a small bag into it.
"It's been a pleasure," the shopkeeper said slyly, putting the necklace into a box under the counter filled with numerous other golden colored objects.
"Yah, for you..." Jud muttered as he scrambled out of the pawnshop and out into the streets that were his home.
***
Realizing that her attempts at sleep were futile, Daine sat up and looked out her window at the streets of Rajamuat, wondering for the millionth time how one person could stand to own another. She was lucky to have been born in Galla, and even luckier still to have settled in Tortall, a good land with just rulers. The regents here were cruel, hard, and even worse, crazy. They could never have Tortall, not while there was breath left in her body.
She heard a knock on her door, shaking her from her thoughts.
"Just a minute," she said, getting up to open the door, wondering who it was.
When she pulled the door open, she saw the blur of the club too late. Then everything was dark.
*** Sorry for the cliffy, I had to do it! This chapter ran on so long, that I decided to make it end here. I wanted to go a lot further with it, but I'm gonna stop myself to better build 'suspense'. Review and I shall get to work right away on Chapter 11. Thanks!