Standing before the small village of Canseri George a Farmer near by sighed, he had come down to buy bread and cheese but he found the market place shattered and torn, he also saw many villager’s dead, so that is where the soldiers had gone too. George frowned not a one was a live. He heard what he thought was a baby crying but then he found a young girl clutched to her mama. “Mama… wake up…” The little girl cried. “Papa’s dead, big brother is dead… please mama I need you.” the young girls eyes filled with tears.
George was taken aback, how did this young girl survive all the odds, and hadn’t been taken for a slave yet. George came to the young one who cried out and tried to run but she tripped and fell and twisted her ankle George said nothing but lifted the young one into his arms. “Your mother is gone child.” George whispered softly as he carried her to his farm, he placed her down on a bed in the back room, there were enough for three more people. “You’ve twisted your ankle, now you’ll have to stay with me until it heals.”
George was a tall man and had brown hair and brown eyes, he was incredibly strong thanks to his time on the farm, and he was quick with a weapon in his hand, it wouldn’t matter what weapon it was, knife, sword or gun, he had time to practice. George placed an ice pack on the girl and sighed. “What happened in the village he asked?”
“Taxes weren’t paid the King made an example of us.” The girl whispered “Mama told me to run, I ran expecting her to be behind me but she wasn’t must have stayed with dad.. Are you going to keep me?” she asked looking up at George.
“Just until your ankle heals then you may go on and go to your remaining family, if there is any.”
The young girl shook her head no “I don’t have any family, mama and papa were all I had.” the young girl was old enough to know how things worked in life when someone caught you that meant you were that person’s slave. “Am I a slave now?” She asked she winched a little in pain at the ankle’s tugging.
George stared at this little one, so young and brave and afraid all at once when she asked if she was a slave George’s arched an eyebrow up and looked at her and smart. “I caught you yes, but that dose not mean you are a slave young one. What is your name?” George asked softly. George smiled friendly like as not to frighten the child, she was in his house now, he owned her those were the rules but he would not make her feel owned, he did not buy her.
Anna Marie looked up at the man who had saved her life. “Anna Marie.” she whispered sniffling she was sad because her mother was dead her father was no where to be seen and now she was owned, she was child, but she was not stupid she knew the rules. She sighed “Anna Marie McKinley.” She sniffled again.
George’s eyes grew wide. “The baker’s child?” he asked softly Anna nodded softly. “I liked your old man. He was a good and kind man, I am sorry for your lost young one.” George sat down next to her and remained quiet. For the Baker’s sake George would take care of the ten year old girl, he was not sure on how to raise children, but for his friend’s sake he would try. “You know I was a weekly visitor in your papa’s store, he told me about you, said you like little dollies?” whispered George “When I go to the next village over I will get you one, but you must stay behind me and stay hidden and act like a slave when you are in public for if you don’t bad men will want to take you for their own and use you as… well as grown men would use grown women.”
Anna Marie stayed quite and rested her head on the pillow provided and cried herself to sleep, she slept a long time, a full evening, George checked in on her twice, maybe three times in the night to make sure she was alright. He softly placed a blanket over her when she started to shiver. He would legally have to adopt this one, his brother wouldn’t understand the loyalty towards a fallen foe. To George though only nodded softly.
When she was ready to leave George had a wagon and a horse hooked up to it, he would not make Anna Marie walk ten - fifteen miles to the castle, there would be no point. “Now Anna Marie, if anyone ask you who you belong to my name is George, Dad or master, preferably the first two, and I understand that dad is a sacred word.” George whispered gently the rode off towards his brother’s home.
George sighed as they pulled his cart and horse into a spot, he paid a boy to watch over it. “And five more gold coins when I come back, and if everything is still in tact.” The boy’s eyes grew wide and nodded he understood this man wanted his belongings safe. George saw the paddy wagon filled with prisoners just pulling up, some even from the village near where he had met. His eyes grew wide, it was not like his brother not to take care of putting them into cells right away. He could hear the slaves with in crying for mercy and water, as the men walked by them it reaked and most people wouldn’t even stay for a chat. George sighed “Come along Anna Marie.”
“George…” Anna Marie whispered frightened, that could be her in there she grabbed her master’s arm and cowered in them, she did not want to see anyone from that village she wanted to remember them the way they were, with pride and clean.
George stopped and looked at a lazed solider and shook his head “Wake up fool.” the prisoners inside the padded wagon turned to see George, and a few of them even recognized Anna Marie. “Wake up I say… Good god man, get these people some fresh water and a shower, the king’s orders!” George snapped and showed his brother’s ring, this showed that he had the right to authorize orderds about, not many people knew this. “Make sure they are fed and placed in suitable holding cells until auction time.”
“Yes… yes sir.” The soldier saluted then hollered for a few near by and they began to help him.
“Anna…” a weak voice called for her but his voice was so weak she would not hear her father calling for her. “Anna Marie…” The Baker saw George the man who had his daughter and sighed, at least he knew she would be safe, whatever happened to him, she would be safe.
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Originally Posted by LightingStrikes
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