True Justice

"No, wait!" A voice said from the shadows of the room. Aeryn stood, and slowly came to the door, peering out. "What is your name?" she asked, puzzled. Why would he, a complete stranger and a sailor upon this ship who's captain had just molested her, promise to try and protect her? She stood back from the bars, still unsure. She saw a glimpse of him, in the lit up corridor, and swallowed, suddenly wishing for that light in with her. The room was stifling, hot, and dark.

True Justice

Shay watched as the other man ran down the street. He seemed distraught, but people usually were when they found out someone close to them was a traitor. She waited till the man had completely disappeared, then turned back to Terence. "Yes. Maybe I do need to meet more people, but that's my concern and not yours." Shay whooshed out a breath and leaned against the mercantile's outside wall. "A job... really? Well, I have to ask... what makes you want to hire a blonde 'snippet' like me? Also, shouldn't you be getting inside the mercantile? Riley will be closing any minute if he hasn't already... like I said."

True Justice

Terence was surprised to see that Shay hadn't left. "I'd hire you mostly because the jobs are too tedious for me, and, obviously, those are the jobs you like, considering you've worked for Riley," he lowered his voice, "who saves the best jobs for himself and keeps the irksome work for others under his hire."

"But if you don't want the job, you can be on your merry little way and I can purchase my items and return to my work." He stepped inside the mercantile door, heard Riley make a complaint, but ignored it as he focused his attention on Shay. "If you do want it, wait for me."

True Justice

"I'll take that back, if you don't mind." Shay snatched her bag of beef jerky out of the man's hands just before he disappeared.

Shay sulked, leaning against the wall. Not only had she been forced out of her room because Riley wanted to close the shop, but she had also encountered one of the rudest people she'd ever met. He was right, of course, in saying that she didn't meet many people. That was the way that Shay liked it.

Now, he was offering her a job. What for? Shay was slightly suspicious. But, it was money. And if it meant she could stay in Griande a little longer, well... she was all for it. Yes, her boss may be rude, but Shay had seen worse. And who was she to shrink in the face of a challenge?

Shay chomped on some beef jerky to satisfy her growling stomach, and settled back to wait.

***

Riley groaned in protest when yet another customer entered his shop. His frown disappeared when he realized who it was.

"Terence! It's you. How are you, old friend?"

True Justice

Terence chuckled as he looked at Riley. "Good, good. Just pestering your worker, the blonde one with the quick tongue. What's her name, by the way?"

Terence gathered a few items up and placed them on the desk in front of Riley. From his pocket, he pulled a few gold coins out and slid them toward the man. "That should be enough. I know you want to be on your way."

True Justice

It took time for Adrian to get to Aeryn's home; longer than he would have liked. Halfway there he was kicking himself for not getting a horse from the livery stable, and three quarters of the way there he realized that he hadn't eaten breakfast. Bad idea, that.

The Rivera Manor, situated on the outside of the city, seemed quiet from far off, and the impression did not change as Adrian came closer. It was as though a hush had fallen over this home in an effort to be ignored. He didn't like it. The hope that he'd felt before began to die.

He entered the yard by the gate, but no one was there. Strange. The door was open, just a little, and Adrian cautiously pushed it open the rest of the way.

The house looked normal, which was reassuring; no ransacking, nothing out of place except for the people. Where were they? A step sounded on the stairs to his left and Adrian turned to look. It was a stranger.

------

The sound of a lady's voice made Jean stop walking away. He turned the question over in his head, pondering whether or not to respond. It couldn't hurt more than deciding to protect her would.

"Jean. Jean Delacroix." He said, looking back at last. "What's yours?"

True Justice

Riley laughed long and loud. "Yes, she's a feisty one, isn't she? Her name is Shay O'Teale. My parents knew hers, so I try to look out for her when I can. Not that she needs much looking out for, mind you..."

Riley added up the price of Terence's items, and made a notation in a small leather book of his. "Don't worry about that. I was just on the way to see who the traitor is. Plus, half the reason I'm closing up is because it doesn't look like I'll be getting many customers anyway. However, it seems that your business has temporarily fixed that problem." Riley grinned.

True Justice

Terence nodded. "Glad I could be of service." He gathered up his items, put them in a satchel at his side and said, "Good day, Riley. I've got a ship to build and she won't build herself. I'll hear about the traitor when I hear about it. I don't think I'll go out of my way to pay much attention to it."

Terence left the mercantile, shutting the door behind him. He looked at Shay and said, "I see you've waited, Miss O'Teale." His tan cheeks lifted with a slight smile. "So either you want the job, or you've taken the example of the lovers' and the dog to rest and not be in such a hurry."

True Justice

Jinna Longham pressed through the mass of people that spread across the main street. Angeline and Paul clutched her skirts in their sweaty fists and Sarah, the youngest so far, Jinna held in her arms, high above the hubbub. Mark, her oldest child, was more able to fend for himself, and it was all that Jinna could do just to keep him within ten feet of herself. He was always so eager to learn new things, run about, see people, go places. He seemed more like five than eight, as far as energy levels went, and yet there was an intelligence about him that surpassed many adults. He was so very much like Gracie.

Gracie. Just after Jinna had married her husband John, they had found an orphaned baby on their doorstep. John had agreed to take the child in, and they had raised her until she was four years old. Then, one day, she had run off and drowned. By the time they had found out what had happened, young Gracie had already been buried. Jinna often felt a sharp pain in her chest when she thought of how she had never even gotten the chance to say goodbye to Gracie, who both she and John had considered to be theirs just as much as if she had been their flesh and blood. Now she was gone. But in the years after Gracie had died, Jinna and John had had more children, and the then one-year-old Mark had grown up to be an energetic, happy little boy, so much like his older sister Gracie whom he had hardly even known. Jinna sighed and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. A whoop from Mark brought her instantly back to the present.

"Ma! Ma! They say there was a traitor!!"

Is that what all the fuss was about? Jinna smiled at Mark and shifted Sarah to her other hip. "Really, honey?" It didn't matter to Mark that there had already been so many traitor's arrested in the past several months. To Mark, any news was exciting. Each day held something fresh, new and wonderful.

"Yeah, Ma. A traitor. And a woman this time!!"

A woman, again? "Alright Mark, honey; stay close to me. I need to get to the mercantile so I can buy some more supplies."

"Can I go, ma? Can I??"

Jinna nodded and slipped the list into Mark's outstretched, dusty hand. He took off with as much energy as ever, leaving Jinna to wonder what on earth was so exciting about soap, lard and honey. Shrugging, she herded the younger children in the mercantile's direction, trying to keep Mark in sight.

True Justice

Aeryn took a breath, and answered. "Aeryn. My name is Aeryn Rivera." she looked down for a moment, swallowing. "Thank you for your promise." she said. She was half tempted for a moment to ask him if he was going to keep his word, I've always heard such men make empty promises.... she looked up, and into his eyes.

~~~~~

"Sir Adrian?" The gentleman there asked, pausing for a moment and staring at him. "I am Thomas, Lady Aeryn's butler, you must be Master Adrian!" he hurried down the steps, his black coat flapping out. He was an older man, with graying hair and kind worried eyes. "I've seen you with my Lady before, you are Adrian! They have taken her, sir! As a traitor!" he made a face, and looked away. "I'm not completely sure why....there I things I can't tell you, but you must find her and save her! She isn't guilty!"

Jinna managed to make it through the doorway within a few minutes of Mark's prior arrival at the mercantile. There was a woman and man talking outside and she nodded to them as best she could when in such a hurry as she was. Mark was already fishing around the store for the necessary items and Jinna realized that the shop-owner had been preparing to leave before they had arrived. Jinna hurried over to Mark and grabbed his hand before addressing the shop-owner.

"I'm sorry, sir, if you were closing up." She made her way closer to the door. "We will come back at a more opportune time."

"Wait, Ma! Don't you wanna ask him about the traitor? Maybe he knows more than we do. After all, he works in this shop; maybe he's heard something from the people who came in to buy things."

Jinna glanced down at the wide-eyed Mark and then back at the shop-owner. "Pardon us, sir. We don't mean to cause any trouble, and we do not need to know who else has committed or been accused of treachery." With a curtsy Jinna turned to the door.

True Justice

Jean felt the need to explain himself as she looked at him with that intense gaze. "I've got sisters. Back home. No one should treat a girl like that." He said. Then he swallowed. "Alright. Lady Aeryn. I've got my duties to do. So goodbye." It was difficult, but he managed to tear himself away from her gaze and walked down the hallway, away from her. What was that all about? He asked himself.

-----

Here it was, the confirmation Adrian had been looking for, yet dreading. "How can I find her? Where are they taking her?" He asked.

True Justice

Shay watched as a woman and her son entered the mercantile, and turned back to Terence. "Well, you're the one who said I sailed fast, not I." She frowned. "I see that Riley has told you my name. Before I take the job, I request the same courtesy. Who are you?"

***

Riley sighed as yet another person entered his mercantile. Apparently, getting off for the day would have to wait. He was half-tempted to close the doors before anyone else dared to enter. But... since business had been so slow, he didn't mind a few extra customers.

"Ma'am, it's alright. I can wait a few extra minutes before closing up shop. How can I help you?"

Jinna turned back from the door. She didn't want to hold up the man, but she did need some supplies, and this was the best place to get them. Besides, the man had said it was alright, and who knew how long the town would be in a ruckus following this traitor business? The shop might be closed for days, as far as she knew.

"Thank you kindly, sir." Jinna said, smiling at the man. "I need these things on my list, and I can get them myself to save you the trouble."

As soon as the shop-owner had said that it was alright, Mark had darted off to shop and had by now collected most of the necessary items, having had the chance to 'search them out' before his mother had come. Jinna got the last few, harder-to-find items and laid them on the counter besides Mark's. She then took a small purse out of the waistband of her apron and dug out the necessary currency in payment. As she paid the man Mark gathered everything into his arms and fixed his eyes on the man.

"Sir, do you know who the traitor is?" Mark asked. Jinna shot him a look and he blushed; he always seemed to get into trouble, though he rarely knew why. Hadn't his mother only said that they had to leave, that they didn't need to know about the traitor? Since they were staying to shop, didn't that mean he could ask? He shot his mother a troubled look and she sighed and put her hand on his shoulder. "Mark," she whispered "We do not need to be nosy." Looking at the clerk she smiled weakly, thanked him for allowing them to shop, and pushed Mark out of the door and down the street.

True Justice

"Terence Rowland. I'm a shipwright, and due to that fact, you won't hear my name much around in the center of town. However, at the docks, it's pretty common."

He smiled. "Do you accept the offer or not?"