Scribbles and Drabbles

Notebook Drabbles 52 - Collecting Enemy Children

Jordan found Roxanne in a cage in the local market of some town he was camped out in for the week. He hadn't been looking for black market materials, nor had he considered what happened to the familiars since the war. Their Dad was trapped in the crossover marshes, doomed to be stuck in the black oozing tendrils of the mirrorplane. Jordan tricked him into place during a fair game that Sound tried to poison, and Jordan took shameful advantage of it.

"'Ello, sweet pea," Jordan said, crouching down to study her. She liked masking as a cat the most. Her brothers and sisters preferred birds of bats. But she liked having claws. Jordan had a scar or too. She didn't look well. Her eyes were dull and her full patchy. He reached into her cage and scratched her head. She didn't try to bite. Her ears were cold.

He had no obligation to help. They were enemies. He had no compulsion to help nor duty of care. Jordan also had a bleeding heart, and he'd lost his friends, family, teammates and his partner to the war and the results of his role. Playing the spy left him in a rough boat.

"Sir," the shopkeeper went to talk, but Jordan didn't have time for it.

"Slavery is illegal; that includes the fae," Jordan said, tone light but cutting. "Anymore black market goods about that I need to worry about?"

"Of course not, sir."

Jordan didn't quite believe him, but he couldn't sense any more heartbeats in the room. No bats hid in the rafters, nor were their birds in cages. Where were Roxanne's siblings? "I'll take her,"

He didn't give the man a coin. He let the man continue breathing; that was payment enough. Roxanne didn't fight as he took Roxanne from the cage and placed her on his chest and shoulder. She was too small. He wrapped her up in his scarf and cradled her as he walked home. She didn't outwardly react.

It started to rain as he walked. He didn't have half the supplies that he needed, but the weather took the choice out of his hands. He ran home, protecting his precious bundle as he went. Roxanne needed warmth and food. She wouldn't have the energy to shift to her humanoid form.

He got home and put her down near the fire, collecting some dry rags and a cushion to make a bed for her. She curled, her ears twitching. She didn't try to stand or move. She shivered in front of the fire.

Jordan stripped off his wet clothes and pulled some dry ones on, uncomfortable with being half naked in front of the girl, regardless of her being a cat currently. He dealt with her in her human guise. It didn't rub right. His clothes dripped, soaking wet, and he hung them to dry. He needed them dry tomorrow for the farm work.

"Sweet pea?" he called, checking on her.

She didn't respond. He rubbed over her back again and felt her heart beating against his fingers. Roxanne was 14? Give or take a year. She was the oldest of Sound's brats. Jordan left her again to go to the kitchen and prepare some food. He had fish. He mashed it up and put some on a plate for her, and put it next to her bundle. She didn't stir.

"Come on, Sweet pea, you need to eat," Jordan said, voice low, but he moved away to give her peace and made his dinner. He preferred a warm dinner, but Roxanne needed some space. She didn't trust him and had less reason than if he was a stranger.

The rain continued outside, roaring against the walls and dripping against the windows. The fire burned hot, and his hair dried fast. He ate bread and some meat jerky. He had to plant some crops tomorrow in his garden. He grew enough to feed himself. Anything more would be bad if he had to leave without warning.

He lived on the whim of his Prime.

He settled on a chair and started reading a book. It was either that or do some wood carvings, but he didn't want to hold a knife with Roxanne shivering by the fire. He ignored her for the most part. He'd been in scenarios before where he didn't know what was happening. It was better to let people come back to themselves slowly.