Mithril: City of Blood

[Hrtofdrkns]

(for Crooked)

Gale stood outside of the small cell, steeling himself for what was coming. He hoped she wouldn't make this too difficult for herself.

He was only in his thirties, but right now he felt like a man much older.

The door swung open to reveal two large men wearing full plate armor (Gale himself only wore leather armor specially made to allow freedom of movement for spellcasting), the symbol of the stern god Hedrada on their chestplates. One of them held a strange pair of shackles that contained mitten-like gloves separated by a heavy chain. On the gloves one could see inscribed magical phrases that glowed when brought near Gale. These shackles made spellcasting very difficult. Gale quickly bowed in respect, then used his keys to unlock the door to the cell.

"Vagrant and thief Marianna." Said the man who was not holding the shackles, his voice echoing in his armor. "It is time for your hearing. In the name of Hedrada I order you to come quietly. Put your hands behind your back. Failure to comply will result in further charges."

One damn fruit too many. She had gotten greedy, that was all. Now, a young, indignant thief, one with firey red hair tied up in a neat bun behind her head and a poutful scowl in her orange eyes, sat huddled in a cold cell. A thousand explanations had come to her why she had gotten caught today of all days, and not one of the hundred times before that she could recount when she had gotten sloppy, when a merchant had almost caught her by her hair. Today was different. The salesmen she was after was a common victim of hers… so they were ready. She already had a decent stash, too. A selection of fruits, even a few smaller slabs of meat… but it wasn’t enough. She wanted that last apple. So she went in for it… and it cost her.

Now, Marianna Nefeli sat alone in her cell, her gaze unblinking while she muled over what went wrong for the a thousandth time. Her hand gently caressed her wrist, still sore from where she had been dragged. It wasn’t the first time she had ended up in a cell like this. But tonight felt different. The Calvary was involved, and she wasn’t going to be let off with a warning from a disgruntled jailkeeper today, it seemed.

The door to her cell was thrown open. A new light protruded the lonely block, with three imposing shadows standing in its path. Her head only turned the slightest notch, her irises piercing through the dark. The clinking of shackles sounded behind her. Her wrists were still sore. She had no desire to put them through those miserable mittens.

Rather than obey orders, Marianna stood at her name and ducked back into the shadows, facing the guards face-first and not saying a word. She didn’t put her hands behind her back, and she didn’t step forward. If she could just bait them in a little longer… maybe she could break free.

[Hrtofdrkns]

Unfortunately for Marianna the two guards standing in front of her might as well have been a solid wall. One quickly grabbed her hands, and the other placed the shackles on her. When she struggled he drew his hand back and gave her a hard swat on the rear.

Gale watched as the girl was dragged out of her cell, himself following behind. Even the normally stern Hedradan guards seemed to think of her more as a naughty child than a criminal. Perhaps there would be hope for the judge to feel the same?

He followed behind as the girl was dragged to a courtroom. The judge was already sitting in wait. He glared sternly at the girl as she was held between the two guards and forced to kneel.

"Marianna Nefel." The judge began. "You have been found guilty of theft from a knight of the city of Mithril, resisting arrest, and assault on a knight of Mithril. In most cases you would receive forty lashes followed by three year of corrective punishments by the Hedradan church." He paused, letting that sink in. "However, in light of your age and..." He looked to Gale. "other considerations, I am willing to offer you an alternative sentence."

Now or never. As the guards closed in, Mari darted forward, hands in front of her face expecting to barrel right through those pesky jailers. Instead, she hit the first one right on the chest and was bounced back. With a soft grunt, she bounced back right into a cuffed wrist, her eyes opening wide while her window of escape narrowed. No time to think. Foolishly, Mari pulled against her restraints, half-hoping her arm could just pull sink right out – but instead, it only brought her captor closer. “Let GO of me!” The spitfire demanded, her voice shrill and scared, but her demand was only responded to with a firm smack to her bottom. “Ah-!” She hissed, baring her teeth to show two tiny fangs hidden beneath.

One smack wasn’t enough to hinder her attempted escape, though, and by the time they reached the jury, both guards had to hold Mari down just to keep her from injuring herself with hopeless flailing. When she finally arrived, she looked around the room at the hundred pairs of eyes focused on and judging her. She could tell none took her seriously. Her breathing was heavy, having worn herself out just on the short venture over here, yet she still resisted commands. Marianna wasn’t about to kneel for any nasally judge, much less –

Unfortunately, Marianna didn’t get much of a choice in the matter. Forced down onto one knee, she was made to look up to her judge rather than keep eye-level contact with him. And she hated every second of it. With a final huff, she tensed up and awaited her sentence.

…three years. That part hit Mari first. The lashings, she could cope with. Not the first time she had been threatened with them before and she avoided them every time, now would be no different. The three years of asylum… that, there was no getting around. Luckily for her, though, the judge wouldn’t stop there – and the thief perked awake at the idea of an ‘alternative’ punishment. Though she was cautious. And she didn’t like anything about being made an exception for because of her age, but she’ll take whatever unfair advantages she could get.

“It was self-defense! And I was going to pay him back…” Marianna lied through her teeth, but her head dropped down. She knew that wasn’t the way out of this. “…what is the alternative.” She hissed, her throat burning just to ask.

[Hrtofdrkns]

"As Gale, Knight of The Gold Order, was the man you stole from, he has suggested the following." The judge began. "You will instead become his apprentice for a period of one year. During such time you will be fed, clothed, and housed as you are trained by him and his order to be a golden knight."

Gale looked to the girl. "However, don't think that you're getting off lightly. You will be required to obey me and submit to discipline. We are a military order after all."

He saw that she was thinking on it, and continued. "You will be spanked when you are disobedient. You've already earned a spanking for your crime, and I won't hesitate to give you more. If you refuse to obey me, talk back, are rude, or steal, I will be forced to punish you." The man stood before the kneeling girl. "It's your decision. A flogging and three years rotting in a cell, or a punishment fit for a naughty child tonight and one year training with me."

‘Yes.’ The words were so close to flying off her forked tongue, but Mari held them back. Of course they wouldn’t let her off with free housing for a year as a ‘punishment’ - there had to be a catch. And naturally, there was. Obeying Gale’s every order… so cleaning floors and arduous training? It sounded boring, and as one might assume, against her commitment to independence. But she could escape, most likely. She’d just have to pretend to live with him for a week or so and then plan her big getaway… but Gale wasn’t finished talking yet. Another downside…?

Mari’s thought train halted so fast that it practically derailed off the tracks and crashed. The jury didn’t know how to feel about this decision either. Many of them turned to mumble to their neighbors, few turning up their noses at the offer. Some found it too generous. Others thought it was just what she needed. Marianna didn’t care what they thought, no stranger - especially not this big, dumb knight - was going to spank her! “S-Spanked?” Marianna repeated, looking around her to make sure she had heard correctly. She had. The jury was still split on the decision, some more than happy to throw Mari in a cell and toss away the key - after all, what of those fangs and devil’s eyes? It was only a matter of precaution.

Others, who saw Marianna by her age and not her physical characteristics, nodded with agreement. A brat like her had it coming. Bickering began to pick up in the crowds as the jury began taking sides, murmurs of disdain crossing the court such as “Lock her away!” and “a thief like her deserves much worse than he can give her.” While others declared, “Put her across a knee here and now!” and others agreed “Discipline her once a day for the next three weeks!”

“Quiet!” Mari yelled above the crowds, drawing them to a quick yet uneasy hush. “I am not going to jail and I am not getting whipped!” She fought back, moving her leg to get back up to her feet - though a simple tug on her chains dropped her right back down. After catching her breath, Mari turned to Gale, a clear look of uncertainty in her orange eyes. “And no one is s-... spanking me either.” She confidently asserted, “But I’ll join your ‘cult…’ we can talk about the other things later.” Mari glared back to Gale to try and prove she had no interest in arguing. Her small stature did her no favors.

[Hrtofdrkns]

Gale nodded in response. The guards brought Mari over to him, then unlocked her restraints. Before she could even think of running away the man began using hand motions to cast a spell. He didn't tell her, but this spell would alert him whenever she left the temple ground and, with concentration, allow him to track her. The girl didn't know it yet, but she was in for the long haul.

"Now then." He began, running a hand through his dark hair as the guards finished removing her chains. "This can be either the most rewarding time of your life, or the worst. It will be your choice." He offered his hand to her. "But first thing's first. I am Gale, Knight of The Gold Order and your new teacher. Pleased to meet you."

He didn't really expect her to take his hand. He knew the girl likely had trust issues, and hoped by being strict but fair he could help her past them. But before that he had to have her obedience.

"This is the part where you say 'Pleased to meet you.' and tell me your name." He gently nudged her. "Go ahead, I don't bite."

The jury was a restless bunch and they certainly weren’t happy with the outcome. Mari herself was surprised her negotiation worked, but she happily accepted the extra smugness and turned her confused expression into a more confident, ‘mature’ one. Or at least what she expected ‘mature’ to look like. The shackles released around her wrists for the second time that day, and she rubbed the skin sorely while not even bothering to rise to her feet. The crowd erupted into ‘Boo’s!’ and even some personal heckling thrown towards the knight and the thief themselves… but one rise of the judge’s hand put an end to that. Still, many displeased jury members mumbled to themselves that this impudent street rat was getting off without so much as a single swat to her bottom to prove to them she’d be made to behave.

Marianna, on the other hand, still stared off into the distance, troubled as she thought about what this meant for her future. Who was this man, Gale, the knight? Was he a trustworthy friend, or a foe? All members of the crown tended to swing towards the latter for her and so she didn’t trust that offered hand for a second, especially after it promised the ‘worst time of her life.’ On shaky legs, she neglected the outreached hand and propped herself up, her weak ankles shaking under her own weight. But after a few close calls with almost collapsing, she straightened herself out and squinted up at Gale.

“I’m… Mari.” She answered, as if her full name wasn’t given just a few minutes ago by the judge. Marianna still wasn’t going to give this man the time of day, much less her full name. “...and the pleasure is all yours.” She assured him, crossing her arms and turning a shoulder towards Gale. Though, that cold act couldn’t last forever - the alternative was three years and forty lashings, after all… so even if she knew she’d grow to hate this man and was eager for an easy way out, she did have to pay some respects.

“...but thank you for…” She paused again, shutting her eyes and sighing poutily. “...giving me a second chance.” Marianna finished in a quiet, hushed mumble.

[Hrtofdrkns]

Gale drew his hand back after the girl refused to take it. Well then, looks like it would be the hard way after all. He motioned her to follow him out of the courtroom. He knew she was probably hungry, and could use a bath. But before all of that he had to make sure she understood her new situation.

"I wasn't joking you know." He began. "If you give me a rude, disrespectful attitude you will find yourself over my knee. Don't think for a moment you're too old for a spanking." He paused. "However, you are still welcome. I only hope you will one day trust in me."

It was easy for Marianna to make quick observations and conclusions about someone, especially if she had pre-determined that she didn’t like them. The poshness in his voice. The insistence on obedience. Even his mannerisms were grating on Mari’s nerves, but in the presence of the court, she was vastly outnumbered. So rather than give him her lingering mouthful about just what she thought about his ‘expectations’ for her ‘behavior,’ Mari slid her forked tongue over her sharp teeth and crossed her arms over her chest, keeping an eye behind her while she moved out from the courtroom.

Sweet release. Even if it was with this clown, at least she was heading the opposite direction of anything judiciary. And how does her new (and if you ask her, very, very temporary) guardian decide to address her? By treating her like a child. She was not a child. She was a teenager, and could guarantee her fifteen years of age had berated her with many more hardships than any frilly knight working for the crown had faced in twice that.

“There you go again about s-!... sp-!...” Mari tripped over the very word like it was some kind of sacreligious curse. Spanking. “That!” She hated the idea of even saying it. Her father didn’t spank her, the church only caned her palms, the orphanage would just send her to bed early. No one was allowed to lay a hand on her, especially not some big, dumb knight. “If you want me to trust you, you’ll stop talking about it…” Marianna practically ordered, looking off to her side with fiery cheeks.

Why yes, the idea of being put over this stranger’s knee was embarrassing for her. But embarrassment was power. She didn’t want him knowing that! “I am too old.” She insisted, “I’m fifteen!”