Battle Song
Abby Ebon
"I can't thank you enough!" The little girl exclaimed as a stranger, with poorer clothes then herself. Helped her bring up well water her Mama needed, for the cooking at the inn, that was her home.
"Wasn't anythin' 'pecial." The street-rat said softly, it was easy to tell she didn't talk much, the little girl smiled hugely up at the stranger.
"Well, water is valuable. Mama said so. Maybe we can repay you?" the little girl thought aloud.
Clearly bemused, the stranger motioned a hand for the little girl to guild her- supposedly to where the little girl needed the water to be.
Brat knew the little girl was tired, it was easy to see that much, she had nothing she had to do, so she might as well finish the job Need led her too, she felt the sword's approval and glowed with pleasure.
"So what's your name? Mine's Suzy." The little girl told Brat, as Suzy ran ahead. It was easy for Brat to keep up, and Suzy had the light brown hair of a foreigner.
Brat was suddenly embarrassed about her name, and with a glance at the sword by her side, decided that she'd call herself Nëd, after Need, though it was familiar to her, but she couldn't place where she had heard it before.
She hoped that Need would forgive her for taking up her name.
"Nëd." Brat answered after a short pause, Suzy had stopped at an inn up ahead. Brat was glad; the water bucket seemed to be getting heavier with every step she took.
"This is it! Mama! I got the water! Come see!" Suzy hollered as only a child could. Brat winched, she wasn't used to such noises, and usually they meant trouble for a street-rat like her.
A woman came out of the inn; she was pale skinned and golden haired, and big with another child. It was obvious where Suzy got her foreigners hair.
"What's this Suzy?" The woman asked cautiously, with no hint of an accent. "Her name is Nëd, she got the water today." Suzy said with a grin.
Sharp grey eyes studied Brat, searching for something, and then with a nod she took the bucket from her, Brat flinched back, expecting a hit. The woman gave her a odd look.
"Thank you, child, Suzy there are leftover's on the table. Why don't you and your friend go eat some?" The woman suggested, Brat felt suddenly self conscious, with the sword at her side, and covered in dirt, with scraps of clothes no 'proper' person would ware.
Suzy grabbed her hand, taking over, and took her to the table. A table with more food on it, then Brat had ever seen in one sitting. Her stomach rumbled, and Suzy giggled, pulling out a chair for Brat, then seating herself as well.
"Help yourself!" Suzy exclaimed, pleased by Brat's awe-struck expression. Brat did so, setting the sword gently onto the wooden floor, and digging into the food with gusto.
Soon she was full, and Suzy's Mama ordered them both to wash up with damp rags, and then to bed.
Brat had always kept herself clean, usually by sneaking into the temple pools once a week, sometimes at the cat's insistence. But Brat wasn't about to tell Suzy, or her mom, that.
Brat slept with Need beside her, and settled into a deep sleep, wondering at Suzy and her Mama's kindness.
The cat's blue eyes watched her through the window.
The next day dawned bright, and Brat stretched, enjoying the warmth of the sun upon her skin, and yet finding it wrong some how. Then she remembered, and gripping the sword went into the kitchen, where Suzy was eating breakfast, and waved her over.
It was bisects and gravy, with dried fruit and meat, with water to wash it down. It was a small breakfast, but big by Brat's standards, Brat was lucky if she ate once a day…
Suzy was filled with questions this morning. She'd probably dreamed them up, Brat thought amusement and annoyance warring within her.
"Why do you carry that sword around?" Suzy asked with a pointed look at Need.
"It's special is all." Brat answered absentmindedly, munching on a bit of dried meat.
"Does it have a name?" Suzy asked, abandoning her dried fruit (no surprise there, Brat didn't care for it either) in favor of questioning her new-found friend further.
"Need…" Brat answered, hoping the girl wouldn't notice the similarities…too late…
"Oh! That's like your name isn't it? Did you name it after you?" Suzy questioned intently, her little nose scrunched up cutely.
"Something like that…" Brat said, holding in her laughter at Suzy's expression.
"You don't talk much do you?" Suzy told her, pouting at Brat, and making her feel like she'd just stolen the girls new doll.
"Suppose not." Brat said, not liking the feeling and hoping Suzy would stop asking questions- to no avail.
"Why?" Suzy asked, sounding truly puzzled. It was then Brat realized how truly innocent the girl was, and vowed to protect some of that innocence, Suzy didn't need to know her past after all.
"Not much need for it." Brat muttered drinking half the glass of water, hoping Suzy would lose interest in her questions.
"Why not?" Suzy asked when Brat had swallowed. Brat took her time answering, she needed to be careful, and she was treading on hot sand and fire coals.
"I live alone." Brat finally said, deciding it was a safe answer.
"Oh. Where do you live?" Suzy asked, pretending it wasn't important. Brat wasn't fooled, Suzy would be listening to this question the most.
"Around. What's it matter?" Brat said, deciding to ask a question of her own- it was only fair after all.
"It doesn't, you just talk sort of funny." Suzy stated, clearly disappointed with her answer.
"You talk too much." Brat stated simply, eating a biscuit while carefully not looking at Suzy. There was a pause of silence and Brat thought she might have gotten lucky- then;
"You talk too little." And Suzy stuck her tongue out playfully, and at Brat's outraged look, she got up giggling- and ran from the room. Brat tensed when she saw Suzy's Mama come in, and relaxed when she glimpsed the faint smile on her lips.
"You don't seem to have anywhere to go…I'll see to it you get three meals a day, and descent clothes, and wages, if you'll help me out around the inn. Is that alright with you?" She asked, grey eyes glinting with amusement at Brat's reaction- slack-jawed amazement.
"You'd trust me, just like that?" Brat said wonderingly. The woman gave her a gentle smile, one that made Brat blush with the trust in it.
"Just like that." The woman answered, Brat managed to stammer a "Thank you, Ma'am." -the woman laughed lightly. "Oh child, call me Mama, and your much welcome. Why don't you go draw some water from that well?" 'Mama' suggested, making shooing motions. Brat rushed to obey, a grin on her face.
Everything seemed to be changing so quickly, and so far, it was for the better too! When Brat got back to the inn, Mama made her change into proper clothes. Brat had never been more delighted. She didn't mind the dish washing (which was confusing until a laughing Suzy showed her how) and serving the customers was easy enough.