A Proper Young Thief: Chapter 21 :Manners

A Proper Young Thief

M.K.Barry

Chapter 21: Manners

Lissa watched her mother's face, watched her eyebrows, which were strangely thin and sharp looking now, raise up in a look of sudden surprise, then lower. She watched her mother's lips, unnaturally red, a strange look for her, press together and become thin. She was much thinner than she remembered, and her hair was twisted and pinned to the top of her head.

Her mother looked so much more severe than she remembered. Sharper from the soft motherly person she remembered. She wore a tight dress of red silk that looked decidedly uncomfortable on her, especially since Lissa know that her mother had always been the kind of person who cared more about being comfortable and being able to move in her clothes than looking good.

But she always looked better then than she did now.

“Hey, Mara! Package.”

She stood up, and turned to face Len, “Oh, how nice. And who's this adorable little boy?”

Len shrugged, “Delivery boy.”

“And have you given this poor boy anything for his troubles yet?”

Len laughed, “Look, around here, we don't give a kid extra pay for just doing their job.”

“Well, where I'm from, if someone's nice enough to bring something over to you, you at least offer them something to drink. Or are there no manners in the city?”

“...Mara, it's a delivery boy.”

“And I'm supposed to forgot all the manners, and the common curtsies that I leaned just because I'm in the city now?” She gave Len a hard look, which to Lissa's mind wouldn't have worked if she hadn't had those sharp eyebrows. “Now, go get me a bottle of wine, and a couple of glasses so that I can show this poor boy the proper manners that I was brought up with.”

There was a long moment of tense silence. Len looked like he wanted to snap something at her, and despite the fact that she was standing very tall and still, Mara looked very unsure, and a little afraid.

“Of course, anything that Lawson's wife desires.”

“Then get to it.”

Len scowled at her, but turned quickly, slamming the door after him.

Lissa took a step closer to her mother. “... mom?”

“Oh gods lissa.” She whispered. She ran up to her and grabber her in a tight hug.

“Mom.. what are you doing here?! You're Lawson s' Wife?”

Mara gave Lissa a tight squeeze before letting her go so that she could see her face. “ I”m so glad you made it here safe. How long did it take you? How long have you been here? How did you get-”

“I.. I got here just fine mom. I'm ok. I have a place to sleep, and I have job... of sorts. I'm ok... why are you here? Why are you Lawson's wife?!”

She sighed, and pulled Lissa by the hand over to the table. And let her sit on the bed. The bed was softer than any that Lissa had sit on before, and she was surprised when she sunk so deep into it.

“It wasn't my idea.” She muttered, “I didn't really have a choice, the way things were going there.”

“What do you mean, the way things were-”

“Lissa, you, the servant of Lord Marshal, were accused of killing a noble. Lord Marshall had no children left, the plans he had made with Lawson were ruined entirely. So, they hatched up another plan.”

“That involved you marrying Lawson?”

“Yes.” She said quietly. “I Marry Lawson, and come here. Lord Marshall marries Lawson's daughter, and she moves in with him.”

“But I thought that Lord Marshall couldn't have any more-”

“He can't.” She said. “ That doesn't matter. Turns out, Lawson wanted to rush things because his daughter is pregnant.” She gave a soft snort, “That's why he was so willing to go along with Lord Marshall's plans.”

“And you?”

“Well, Lawson still wanted compensation. Lord Marshall got a new, younger lover, and Lawson got a new bride.” She shrugged, “Me”

“Why did you agree though?”

“Lissa... if I didn't, Lord Marshall wouldn't have kept me around anyway, and I wouldn't have been able to find any charity in the town now, given that I was married to a thief... and that everyone thought my daughter was a murderer.” She sighed, “Lissa, I would have starved or frozen on the streets.”

Lissa couldn't help it, but in her mind, she remembered sleeping in the woods, as it got colder and colder, as she got hungrier and hungrier. Stealing from that inn never felt more right then it did then.

BUT if she found her own way through that, why couldn't her mother?

She refused to let herself think on that. No, not while she at least had her mother back. Besides, she had an idea.

“Mom, you dont' have to stay here.” she said.

“Of course I do, I'm married to-”
“No! There's better.” she gave a large smile. “I found auntie Ella. Auntie Ella, and the whole crew, That's how I got into the city.

Mara's face grew blank, and she paled, “You found...”

“Yes, they're all alive.” She grabbed Mara's hands and squeezed them, “They dont' know about dad, but they don't know for sure he's dead.” She smiled broadly, “Look, we can leave, I'm sure they can find a place for you, you don't have to stay here, and-”

“Lissa. I'm married.”

“Ok, yes, but that Lan guy said you weren't' his proper wife, so-”

“That just means.. Nevermind. You'll learn when you're older what it means.”

“Well, it doesn't matter. You don't love him, so come on, and -”

“Lissa, the only person I love, the only person I ever did love, was your father.”

Lissa was silent for a moment, “Yes, I know that.”

“Lissa. I'll never love anyone else again. This. Being married, being used... IT doesn't matter anymore, because I did love someone, and I'll never love again. This is just a means to survive.”
“but-”

“And you want me to leave, to go run off with that Ella bitch, and leave this, to live in some rundown shack, cooking, no doubt, for a bunch of thieves?” She shook her head. “No. I'm comfortable here. I look like a fool, but I can rest. I dont' have to run around and work myself ragged here. There's even a garden in the back that I can work on if I want.”

“.. But, you won't have to-”

“Lissa, I like it here. There's things I dislike, there's things I like. This is the best place I've been in since your father died.” She gently pried her hands from Lissa's.” I'm not going to give it up.

“He could still be alive.” Lissa whispered.

“Who?”

“Dad.”

Mara shook her head, “If he was still alive, why didn't he come back for us?”

Lissa took a deep breath, nodded slowly, then stood up. “Then stay here.” She snapped, “Be Lawson's half wife, or whatever you are. I'm leaving.”

“What, and you think hanging out with thieves is any better than what I'm doing? I'm at least respectable!”

Lissa got up, and went to the door. Len was just coming back in as she was reaching for the handle.

“I brought the wine-”

“I have to leave.” Lissa grunted. She turned and gave a quick bow, “I humbly thank Lawson's wife for her hospality, but regret that I have other things to attend to.”

She stalked off down the hall. Behind her, she heard Len mutter something, then run after her, obviously intending to show her out properly.”

M.K.Barry

A Proper Young Thief: Chapter 20 :Brothel

A Proper Young Thief

M.K.Barry

Chapter 20: Brothel

Lawson's house was a large, red townhouse, squat between two other houses, one of grey stone, and one of wood. She had expected the house to look less classy. From what she had heard bout Lawson, from what she knew, she expected the house to look like a brothel, though she didn't know what a brothel looked like. She had half imagined scantily clad women to be lingering outside the building, pulling men into what she had certainty imagined as a shady and dark doorway.

She didn't' imagine a place that looked like a nice respectable family might live there. It was made of red stone, the doors of were plain wood, smoothed out nicely, with matching shutters on all the windows. The windows on the second floor were open wide, but all the ones on the bottom were closed.

She almost felt a little disappointed.

She jogged across the street, ran up the three marble stairs to the door. A simple brass knocker, a simple circular panel with the ring hanging down with no decoration, was the only adornment on the door. She reached out, an gave it several quick knocks before standing back from the door. A moment passed, and then the door glided open. There was a tall man on the other side, very pale, and very pretty, with long brown hair, and no facial hair. He had the look of a skinny person who had recently gained a lot of weight. He looked down at Lissa, staring for a moment.

“You look a little young.” he said in a high, feminine voice.

“Pardon?”

“Of course, it's no problem if you're young, just most kids dont' know what they're-”

Lissa felt her face redden quickly, “I' just here to deliver a package.” She snapped.

“Oh.” He said. He opened the door wider, “Come in then, don't stand out there cluttering up the door.”

Lissa talked through the threshold, and into the front room, which was done up like an inn. He went behind a wooden counter, and opened up a book. “Ok, who is this one for?”

“Lawson's new wife?”

“Oh!” he quickly closed the book, “Sorry, I assumed it was a present from one of the regulars. You'll have to go see her then. I can take packages for the girls, but not for the family.”

“That's fine.” she said. She realized that she didn't have any paper, and that the apothecary hadn't given her anything to have signed. She hoped that the new wife would be nice enough to give her a note or something.”

“Ok, to get to her room, you-” His voice faltered as footsteps echoed out from the hallway. They turned just as Lawson himself, looking just as old, just as alert as he had when she first saw him. He glanced quickly at her, then at the man.

“New customer, Len?”

“No, just a delivery boy. Package for Mara.”

Lissa twitched. She had been about to turn to Len, and demand to know just who he meant. It couldn't be her Mara? It couldn't her her mother.

“Good enough.” Lawson said, “ If this doesn't loosen her up, I'm going to have to send away from the islands for something. Good gods, you'd think she had ice in her-” He glanced back at Lissa, “Nevermind... Sorry kid, used to having older, more, shall we say, experienced people around here?” He shrugged, then turned to Len, “Go on, take him to Mara. I have other things to attend to.” He went to the desk, and picked up a slender book.” I just needed this.” He turned on his heel, and strolled back down the hall.

“Come on then. Let's hurry. I have to get back here in case anyone shows up.” Len said. He sounded hurried, but at least not mean. He gave Lissa a quick smile as he passed her, “this way kid.”

Lissa followed him down a hallway, with numbered doors on either side. From two of them, she heard grunts and moans, but the others were quiet, save for one where she heard two women talking and laughing. The floor was covered in a long, threadbare carpet of purple and black, and the walls were all of polished redwood. Between every two doors, there was a table with a pottery vase, with a collection of flowers inside.

At the end of the hall, there was another door, with a large lock on it. He took a key from a chair that hung around his neck, and quickly unlocked the door. On the other side was the entrance to what looked like a proper house, but it looked the same as the brothel. The same wood, the same carpets. They entered through was was a side door in a large entryway, with a single staircase leading up to the second floor. A large set of double doors with large stained glass windows were at the other side, casting coloured light onto the carpet. Obviously a separate entrance going into Lawson's proper house, which she had not been told about.

Rather than take her up the staircase, Len led her behind the stairs, towards a small door, tucked away in the corner.

“... His wife lives here?”

Len nodded, “Yes. Until she pleases him, she sleeps here, Afterwards, she can share a bed with him.”

“That's horrible!”

“.. why is it? He doesn't want to share a bed with her if she's frigid. Besides, she's not being mistreated.” He knocked the door twice with the back of two fingers, “Mara? You have a package.”

A moment passed. Lissa heard a click come from the door. Len waited a moment, then opened the door, and stood aside for Lissa.

Inside, it was a small room, with the same carpet and walls as the rest of the house. A small bed sat along one wall, a plain wardrobe stood alone on the opposite wall, and between them both was a vanity, with a large oval mirror on it. Lissa could see her own reflection in the mirror, next to the reflection of her mother, who was sitting, her back to Lissa, at the vanity.

ok. after a lot of just getting things organized and figuring stuff out, the new chapter will be THIS SUNDAY.