36 Part 02

Now she was surprised once more as The Lady's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up on her forehead. For a minute, she thought she had overstretched the mercy of the old woman.

Then the familiar, calm and hoarse voice said: "You never cease to amaze me, girl! I would think that you would not have any positive feelings left for Mistress Sophia. She has brought this on herself, being both devious and lying, but I will do as you request, and I will do it in secret of course, and I must say you are a very forgiving creature."

She smiled and bowed her head: "Thank you, Lady Hannah. From the bottom of my heart. Done is done and I do not want to bear grudges. As well as I do not want anybody to bear grudges against me."

The old woman slowly got up, and stretched her back: "I have to leave now. No one knows I have left my ivory tower to see you, so I had better try to sneak back before they think I have gone missing and start a general search of the place. You may kiss me child."

She rose, slid her arms around the old woman's neck and kissed her on both cheeks: "Thank you, Thank you, Lady!"

"Ehh..Stop that. Behave yourself. I am an old woman -- and a Lady. You should treat me with respect!"

The latter was said as the wrinkles in her face again made it look like she smiled from her forehead to her chin.

She let go and the old woman left as silently as she had entered.

36 sat for a long time with the papers in her lap. Her eyes had stopped seeing the life outside and she felt happy and relieved.

All the misery and all the mess, Mistress Sophia had caused seemed to have been resolved in the best possible manner.

She was happy that she was not on a ship leaving this place, which she considered her home. The first real base, she had had since leaving her family in the house on the mountain, and the first place she had met real kindness since the blacksmith's house. She was glad that Sir Robert had convinced her to come along when they had first met at the inn.

She was even happier that she was not chained to a bed in The Brothel with no prospects except being used to death.

36 -- Part two

by o_girl ©

Chapter twenty-five

Goodbye...

Every day, she felt better and better. Her old strength returning. She was impatient to go back to work. The girls still took turns attending her. Making a lot of fuzz. It was all beginning to irritate her slightly.

Even though the regular and secret evening visits by one of her friends was very pleasurable and probably speeded her recovery quite a lot.

Almost no evening passed without her falling asleep with a smile on her face. After having had a serious orgasm thanks to one of them.

36 had revealed the Lady Hannah's secret to her friends and one day, as Eve was picking up the lunch tray, she remarked that today was the day Mistress Sophia would be transferred to a ship and sailed away.

She decided she wanted one last word with Mistress Sophia and spend a lot of time thinking how she would be able to sneak out unseen.

Her good old cowl had been washed and cleaned and was hanging on a hook in the corner. The trusted and worn sandals placed underneath it.

She knew what time the girls came and went and that it was very much fixed times as they used intermissions in their daily work to attend to her.

She decided to risk it. Hoping no one would notice that she had gone. If she was lucky the guards would just see her as another servant slave going into town on some errand.

Being reasonably sure that no one would come by till dinner time and with her heart hammering in her chest, she slipped out of bed and into the cowl and sandals.

Her legs were still shaking a little and she had to put a hand on the wall for support as she felt slightly dizzy.

To her surprise, the coarse material of the cowl felt good and did not hurt her almost healed welts.

It felt good to be dressed again. She had been lying in the bed for far too long and she decided she would insist on going back to work soon. Maybe even the next morning.

If her expedition went well, she knew she would be able to function in the cellar. Maybe not for a whole day, but she could help out and it would be the best way to recover.

She tip-toed to the door and carefully opened it a few inches. All was quiet in the hallway outside.

Listening for a few minutes and deciding that the coast was clear, she squeezed her now rather skinny body out,and then closed it silently behind her.

Like a shadow with the hood of her cowl pulled up and over her head as far as it would go, she moved through the big house.

She knew every corner and hallway by heart, so she was able to quickly disappear into a niche or an empty room every time she heard anybody approaching.

Her many days on the road was still almost instinctive inside her, so she moved like a cat: Silently and carefully.

Down in the yard she chose a path close to the house. Moving unseen in the shadows. Then turned in the corner and by the cover of the colonnade at the front wall, she reached the gate.

There she hid in the shadows till a cart came along and the guards were busy talking to the driver -- exchanging the latest gossip.

Carefully trying to keep the cart between her and the guards, she floated past them.

On the other side, she took a deep breath and straightened her back.

She had expected someone to call out for her to stop at any moment, but nothing happened.

She began walking and trying to look like she had every right to be there. Although she kept in the shadows at the side of the road. Someone she knew might be out on town and she definitely did not want to meet anybody.

Knowing the town almost as well as the big house, she soon found her way down to the harbour. There she asked some sailors and soon found out what ship, the Mistress would be leaving by. Apparently, it was quite a cause for gossip and even though she was not recognized, everybody seemed to know the story well.

Fortunately, no one seemed to know exactly who had engineered Mistress Sophia's release and paid for her passage.

She even had to stand and listen politely while an old salt told her all about herself and the ordeal she had been through.

She hid in the shades just off the quay-side. There was a pile of big wooden barrels waiting to be loaded on some ship and it was ideal for her to slip in between them and stand unseen.

The view was excellent and she was hidden from prying eyes.

There were usually not any women at the harbour, so she would stand out like a sore thumb if she stayed in plain view.

Leaning forward and looking left, she could see all the way down the street from the direction which Mistress Sophia had to come and if she looked right she had a full view of the ship and the gangway.

It was very noisy. Cranes moved with mechanical sounds, sailors and harbour workers shouted at each other, goods were dragged over the cobblestones and carts came and went.

Being in the shadows and having no fat left on her bones she soon began to shiver from cold. She looked at the sun. She would have to leave in order to be back before they came to serve her dinner.

Just as she was beginning to think that her expedition had been futile and was getting ready to go back, a cart passed right before her. She had not heard it over the general noise of the place and had been inattentive. Not keeping her eye on the street..

At first, she thought it was an empty cart, but then she realized that four guards would not drive an empty cart down to the harbour. Unless it was to collect something very valuable or escort a prisoner to a ship.

There were two on the elevated seat in the front. Handling the horses and two standing at the far back.

It had to be the cart she was looking for.

It first it seemed empty, but as it stopped at the gangway she could see a dark bundle lying in the straw at the back.

All four guards gathered at the rear of the cart, releasing the latches and lowering the end of it.

They all jumped up, grabbed the bundle and carelessly threw it down on the cobblestones. She could hear the rattle of chains as the bundle hit the ground. Slowly two skinny and dirty arms raised a head of short hair, a dirty face and an upper body from the ground.

It was Mistress Sophia, or what was left of her. She knew that Sophia had probably been naked at The Brothel, but someone had given her a pair of torn and dirty men's trousers and a sleeveless shirt. Both items far too big for her and both items in a bad condition.

Her hair had a close but uneven cut. Something 36 knew they did at The Brothel. Partly to avoid lice and partly not to have to wash the girls too often.

Besides she had overheard someone in an inn say that the customers needed a full view of the girl's face, when they had a blow-job.

She shivered -- but this time not from the cold.

Two of the guards lifted Sophia up by her armpits. She hung slack between them.

36 stepped out of the shadows: "Stop!" She shouted. "I'm here on behalf of Sir Robert, and I need a word with the prisoner."

Her bluff by mentioning Sir Robert's name had the desired effect. The guards looked up at her, but stayed still. Sophia hanging between their arms.

The Mistress slowly looked up at her. At first her eyes seemed quite empty, but then they lit up in recognition. Her eyes now shone as she looked at 36. It also seemed to give her some strength because she pulled her legs in under herself and stood up. Still supported by the guards.

36 noted that the heavy shackles had made bloody rings round her neck, wrists and ankles. She was happy that she could not see any other parts pf her body. The whipping Sophia had received had probably been as bad as the one, she herself had had -- and Sophia's wounds had not been treated.

Sophia's eyes shone with hatred: "Ah. The devious 36. Come to gloat on my misery, have you!" The Mistress spoke in a low, rasping voice -- but she was almost spitting the words out. There was saliva running down from the sides of her mouth, and her eyes shot lightning at 36.

"No. I have not. I have come to have a final word with you."

Sophia seemed stable on her legs now, and 36 waved the guards off. Heavily chained as she was, there was no way she could kick at 36, and as her hands were locked on her back she had few options to move at all.

Sophia was not as stable, as she had thought, she almost fell into her arms.

"Let go of me. You no good slut."

36 knew better that to let her go. She would just fall over again. So, she managed to direct her to a wooden crate that was almost beside them. Lowered her on the rough wood, and then released her grip.

"I'm sorry. We did not get you out of that place earlier, but Lady Hannah had to arrange everything with The Brothel people and the ship.

"You have no idea, what it is like -- The Brothel!"

"No, and I do not even think I can imagine it. I am sorry that you had to go through that."

"Like hell you are. I am sure you have been dancing with joy every day, since you had me put there!"

Sophia swayed back and forth and the chains rattled again.

"You know the customers can do what they like there. It all costs, but if they pay enough they can do anything. If you are able to stand on your legs, you are immediately sold to the next customer that wants to have his dirty pleasures with you."

She did not know what to say. The Brothel had probably squeezed everything possible out of Sophia while waiting to give her up for transport. They would not have worried about the long-term effects, so they would have been selling her around the clock -- for any kind of use - and abuse.

She thought that what the Mistress had gone through was probably exactly what she had intended her to go through, and with no one to help her out of it again. She could not believe anyone having so much hate that they wanted such a fate to fall on them.

"Why do you hate me so?" She finally managed to say.

"Because you are a scheming, little witch. I knew it from the minute, I set eyes on you that you would mean trouble. You think far too much of yourself and all your kindness and willingness to serve just hides your ambitions."

The Mistress spat in her face.

That made the guards inch closer, but she held a hand up to stop them.

She had heard that no matter what condition 'new meat' had, when arriving at The Brothel, the owners would make the most out of it. Using both the novelty of a new girl and getting the most money out of the body before it was worn down and they had to start giving discounts.

The Mistress bore the marks of many days and nights of abuse.

36 could not find it in herself to hate, despise or be angry, even though Sophia's saliva ran down her face.

All she felt was sorrow for The Mistress.

"I hope you will find some kind of peace wherever you are going and that we will never meet again. Have a good journey."

For a second, she thought the Mistress would spit in her face again, but she just looked at her in a way that made her happy that she was chained up.

She waved to the guards, who came over and picked the Mistress up again like she was a sack of goods. Then dragged her up the gangway and disappeared on the ship.

She stood still for a while. Not hearing the seagulls or the banging and clanging of crates and barrels. The spit drying on her face.

Sophia would probably go to some secure and closed room down in the bowels of the ship and she would not see daylight until she was at her destination. Wherever that was.

As soon as the guards were back on land, the gangway was removed, the mooring chains and ropes were released and the ship slowly began moving out of the harbour.

36 stood like a salt pillar and watched till the ship was almost invisible against the horizon. Not feeling the cold creeping in on her, or thinking that time was running. Then she tried to wipe the part of the spit that had not dried off her face, turned and walked slowly back -- crying.

She was still crying as she hurried back through the market.

Suddenly she heard a voice raised over the general commotion of the market: "Look. Look. There she is!"

She recognized the voice: Evangelina, the girl with the arm. A few minutes later she had the small arms around her neck and almost fell. Her legs and body not quite as sturdy as it used to be.

"So. So. Relax, kid. You're almost toppling her over." Her father said as he came up behind her. Reluctantly the girl let go and slipped back on the ground.

36 tried to compose herself and used a snippet of the cowl to dry her eyes.

"Hello. How are you doing? Nice to meet you again?" She smiled at the two of them.

"We're fine. Daddy says I can pick a present here before we go home again!" The girl jumped up and down.

"Well. Found anything you like then?"

The girl grabbed her hand and dragged her along. The father followed. Ending at a stall selling cheap imitation jewellery.

The girl did not hesitate, but picked up a very small gold-looking heart in an equally gold-imitated, thin chain. Her cheeks had red spots as she held it up against her chest, asked 36 what she thought, turned and demonstrated how it would look around her neck. 36 smiled and in a short vision saw herself at that age: young and innocent. And not believing anybody wanted her anything but good.

She helped the girl by fastening the chain around her neck and locking it on the back, while her father negotiated with the trader.

36 followed the haggling between the father and the seller while down on her knees and talking to the girl about the heart and chain. When they seemed to get closer and closer to an agreeable price, she rose and caught the traders' eyes. She knew him well. His family had several shops in the market. Some of them food stalls, that she had often bought supplies there for the big house.

She gave him her best smile. "Now. Samuel. On this fine and sunny day, you're not going to cheat on a little girl getting a present -- are you?"

Both men stopped, turned and looked at her. The trader's eyes flickered between her and the father. She mentioned a sum quite a bit below the figure, they had reached: "Don't you think that is a more reasonable prize? I know emotions do not count for much in your world, but making a little girl very happy should be taken in to consideration in this deal. After all it will also put a ray of sunlight in your heart for the rest of the day!"

The trader thought for a few seconds, then his face lit up in a big smile: "You're right 36. It is not all business. Accepted, and I hope you will be pleased with it, young lady?"

The father was still rather stunned as the trader weighed a few small and stamped silver nuggets as payment.

Turning away, he took her by the elbow: "I say. You have a lot of talent. May I offer you a refreshment at the Inn over there -- or are you on your way?"

She almost confessed her errand and as she knew time was running late considered taking her leave, but then decided not to and confessed: "No -- I'm actually on an illegal tour out of my sick room at the big house. It got too stuffy, so I sneaked out to see something else and get some fresh air -- and yes, I have time to sit with you for a while."

Sitting down at the inn, she and the girl had lemonade and he a large, foamy beer.

"I never got around to thanking you for saving me from The Brothel. I am most grateful to you."

"Nonsense. I will always be in debt to you for saving my daughters arm and you know I did fall for your disguise back then. I actually thought you were a poor idiot for a while. Until I saw you in the night!"

She smiled: "I know. Was a mistake to think I was alone and forgetting my role. Glad it was you that unmasked me and thus made me much more careful from then on."

They both drank in silence, then he spoke again: "You know you have exceptional skills. I hope you will use them in the future. You can do a lot of good and help a lot of people?"

"I will try. Seems that now I am back in my old position and people know I have some herbal knowledge, then I can help wherever possible without being accused of being a poisoner or a witch." She laughed.

He still looked serious: "Indeed. I will always be your friend. You can always call on me should you need help -- with anything. I promise I will stand by your side and do whatever is in my powers to help you -- with anything -- anything at all!"

She blushed, thanked him again. She felt strange having this conversation. As a common house slave, she usually only spoke to the crew in the cellar and the guards. She had never talked at any length to any of the people coming to the house. They were all far above her status and if ever she was spoken to, it was in the form of orders or short, impersonal remarks. Most of them simply never looked long enough at her to recognize her if they met her outside the house. She was just part of the furniture and now she was sitting here. Together with one of the more important people and they were talking like old friends. It was indeed a strange feeling.

He gave her the name, directions and details of his home, so she would know where to send a messenger, should she need him. They talked about the gold heart, the arm and the few things they had in common for a short while. Then she thanked him for the lemonade and he for the help in the trade. He gave her a long, warm handshake as they stood outside the inn and Evangelina hugged here again so she almost lost her breath.

She ran the short stretch back to the big house and when she reached the gate ignored any precautions. The guards smiled at her and nodded as she rushed past them. She was sure they had noticed her before, but pretended not to, so she smiled back as she rushed past them.