Chapter 180: On Quiet Feet
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Chapter 180: On Quiet Feet
On Quiet Feet
Martel could think of several things that Julia needed. First on that list would be a home above ground. While Martel did not have one of those available, the solution seemed simple enough. Weasel and his gang should have room; considering everything Martel had done for them, including inadvertently getting them the house where they now lived, he expected they would accept his request to let Julia live with them.
It might still be a hard sell though given her current state. Not just her clothes, ragged even by the standards of homeless children; Martel wondered how she would survive winter without freezing to death. Also, a life in the sewers left a mark that any nose would notice. But that could also be dealt with. It just required money. And Martel had spent his very last coins when buying the ingredients for the pain remedy he had made for Eleanor. Fortunately, he had a solution for that as well.
"Max, can I borrow some money?"
The mageknight looked up from his game of cards in the common room of the boys' tower. He gave a grunt and untied his purse, throwing it on the table. "Take what you need."
"Thanks!" Martel helped himself to several pieces of silver. If only every problem could be helped so easily.
Across the table, Maximilian's opponent looked at the novice. Putting down her cards, Eleanor adopted a suspicious expression. "Urgent need of money, and you have been taking food from the dining hall. What are you up to now?"
Of all the people in the Lyceum, being interrogated by Eleanor felt particularly galling. What was she doing, watching him like some inquisitor trying to catch him in the act? If she did not wish to be his friend, she had no right nor reason to ask him about his intentions or whereabouts. "I'm opening a tavern." As Maximilian gave a snort, the novice strode away.
~
"Yes. The dress is not my size, so you'll have to use it," he jested with a vague smile. She did not reciprocate but simply continued to eat. "Listen, I know of a place where you can stay."
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm suggesting. It's a nice house with other children your age."
"I lived in a nice house with my parents. I'm never going back to that. Not anywhere that the inquisitors can come for me."
Martel wanted to ask more, both curious to understand who her parents might have been, but also to assess whether there was any actual danger for Julia. Even though he had no knowledge of her parentage, he could not imagine the Inquisition would be on the hunt for a young girl who could not possibly have violated any of their tenets. But such questions could wait; what mattered most was getting her out of her filthy hideout and somewhere safe, fitting for habitation. "I promise you, this place is in the copper lanes. The inquisitors won't ever think to look for you there, if they are even searching. And you'll live with several other children you can hide among."
Julia finished the food. "I'm not going." She looked at the items in his lap, as if considering whether to grab them and bolt.
"Will you at least consider it? I can't return tomorrow, as I have somewhere I need to be. But the night after that, I'll be back, and I can take you to a place with a proper bed that doesn't smell of sewer water. I'll bring more food as well."
"Alright. I'll think about it."
Hoping that her common sense would defeat her fears, Martel handed over the clothes and other items he had bought for her. Once she had everything in her small grasp, she disappeared down the alley without making any noise.Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
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Chapter 180: On Quiet Feet
On Quiet Feet
Martel could think of several things that Julia needed. First on that list would be a home above ground. While Martel did not have one of those available, the solution seemed simple enough. Weasel and his gang should have room; considering everything Martel had done for them, including inadvertently getting them the house where they now lived, he expected they would accept his request to let Julia live with them.
It might still be a hard sell though given her current state. Not just her clothes, ragged even by the standards of homeless children; Martel wondered how she would survive winter without freezing to death. Also, a life in the sewers left a mark that any nose would notice. But that could also be dealt with. It just required money. And Martel had spent his very last coins when buying the ingredients for the pain remedy he had made for Eleanor. Fortunately, he had a solution for that as well.
"Max, can I borrow some money?"
The mageknight looked up from his game of cards in the common room of the boys' tower. He gave a grunt and untied his purse, throwing it on the table. "Take what you need."
"Thanks!" Martel helped himself to several pieces of silver. If only every problem could be helped so easily.
Across the table, Maximilian's opponent looked at the novice. Putting down her cards, Eleanor adopted a suspicious expression. "Urgent need of money, and you have been taking food from the dining hall. What are you up to now?"
Of all the people in the Lyceum, being interrogated by Eleanor felt particularly galling. What was she doing, watching him like some inquisitor trying to catch him in the act? If she did not wish to be his friend, she had no right nor reason to ask him about his intentions or whereabouts. "I'm opening a tavern." As Maximilian gave a snort, the novice strode away.
~
"Yes. The dress is not my size, so you'll have to use it," he jested with a vague smile. She did not reciprocate but simply continued to eat. "Listen, I know of a place where you can stay."
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm suggesting. It's a nice house with other children your age."
"I lived in a nice house with my parents. I'm never going back to that. Not anywhere that the inquisitors can come for me."
Martel wanted to ask more, both curious to understand who her parents might have been, but also to assess whether there was any actual danger for Julia. Even though he had no knowledge of her parentage, he could not imagine the Inquisition would be on the hunt for a young girl who could not possibly have violated any of their tenets. But such questions could wait; what mattered most was getting her out of her filthy hideout and somewhere safe, fitting for habitation. "I promise you, this place is in the copper lanes. The inquisitors won't ever think to look for you there, if they are even searching. And you'll live with several other children you can hide among."
Julia finished the food. "I'm not going." She looked at the items in his lap, as if considering whether to grab them and bolt.
"Will you at least consider it? I can't return tomorrow, as I have somewhere I need to be. But the night after that, I'll be back, and I can take you to a place with a proper bed that doesn't smell of sewer water. I'll bring more food as well."
"Alright. I'll think about it."
Hoping that her common sense would defeat her fears, Martel handed over the clothes and other items he had bought for her. Once she had everything in her small grasp, she disappeared down the alley without making any noise.Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
Chapter 180: On Quiet FeetOn Quiet FeetMartel could think of several things that Julia needed. First on that list would be a home above ground. While Martel did not have one of those available, the solution seemed simple enough. Weasel and his gang should have room; considering everything Martel had done for them, including inadvertently getting them the house where they now lived, he expected they would accept his request to let Julia live with them.It might still be a hard sell though given her current state. Not just her clothes, ragged even by the standards of homeless children; Martel wondered how she would survive winter without freezing to death. Also, a life in the sewers left a mark that any nose would notice. But that could also be dealt with. It just required money. And Martel had spent his very last coins when buying the ingredients for the pain remedy he had made for Eleanor. Fortunately, he had a solution for that as well."Max, can I borrow some money?"The mageknight looked up from his game of cards in the common room of the boys' tower. He gave a grunt and untied his purse, throwing it on the table. "Take what you need.""Thanks!" Martel helped himself to several pieces of silver. If only every problem could be helped so easily.Across the table, Maximilian's opponent looked at the novice. Putting down her cards, Eleanor adopted a suspicious expression. "Urgent need of money, and you have been taking food from the dining hall. What are you up to now?"Of all the people in the Lyceum, being interrogated by Eleanor felt particularly galling. What was she doing, watching him like some inquisitor trying to catch him in the act? If she did not wish to be his friend, she had no right nor reason to ask him about his intentions or whereabouts. "I'm opening a tavern." As Maximilian gave a snort, the novice strode away.~"Yes. The dress is not my size, so you'll have to use it," he jested with a vague smile. She did not reciprocate but simply continued to eat. "Listen, I know of a place where you can stay.""No.""You don't even know what I'm suggesting. It's a nice house with other children your age.""I lived in a nice house with my parents. I'm never going back to that. Not anywhere that the inquisitors can come for me."Martel wanted to ask more, both curious to understand who her parents might have been, but also to assess whether there was any actual danger for Julia. Even though he had no knowledge of her parentage, he could not imagine the Inquisition would be on the hunt for a young girl who could not possibly have violated any of their tenets. But such questions could wait; what mattered most was getting her out of her filthy hideout and somewhere safe, fitting for habitation. "I promise you, this place is in the copper lanes. The inquisitors won't ever think to look for you there, if they are even searching. And you'll live with several other children you can hide among."Julia finished the food. "I'm not going." She looked at the items in his lap, as if considering whether to grab them and bolt."Will you at least consider it? I can't return tomorrow, as I have somewhere I need to be. But the night after that, I'll be back, and I can take you to a place with a proper bed that doesn't smell of sewer water. I'll bring more food as well.""Alright. I'll think about it."Hoping that her common sense would defeat her fears, Martel handed over the clothes and other items he had bought for her. Once she had everything in her small grasp, she disappeared down the alley without making any noise.Nvl--1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
