Chapter 2: Arrogant Nobles

I woke up early and rolled out of my narrow cot. I dressed quickly, it was a little chilly this morning. I stopped at one of the water barrels and splashed water on my face to wake up. In the small courtyard, I began my stretches and exercises. When I finished, I gathered an arm full of wood and carefully opened the kitchen door. A glance to the right showed that Teresa, Ginger and Ms Peace were still asleep.

At the kitchen fireplace I quietly set the wood down and turned to start the fire. I left and brought in the small pieces for the stove and got it started before going out again. This time for another arm load of wood for the common room. After all the fires were going, I went back to the stables. I moved one horse into a vacant stall and fed it before cleaning its old stall. I moved the next horse into the now clean stall and fed it before moving to clean its old stall.

When I was finished, I went out to the street to get the new barrels of water. I rolled them into place and moved the empties back to the street. I put all the old straw and horse manure into one of the newer piles beside the stables. I went to the bench by the back door where Ginger had set out a pan of warm water. I washed and knocked on the kitchen door.

Little Teresa opened the door and smiled as she stepped back. Ms Peace already had my breakfast on the big kitchen table. I ate quietly and was almost done when Mrs. Hoard came in, “Edward, I want you to go to the market this morning with Ginger. You watch over her, you hear?”

I nodded and wiped my face, “Yes ma’am.”

She looked at Ginger, “You have my list, do not forget anything.”

Ginger bobbed, “No ma’am.”

Mrs. Hoard nodded to Ms Peace and left. I finished breakfast and went out to wash. Ginger came out a few minutes later and smiled, “Ready?”

I nodded and followed her out onto the street and moved up to walk beside her. Ginger was looking around as we walked and I led her towards the large city marketplace. It took awhile but we finally got there and she seemed to wake up. She headed toward the spices first and absently handed her basket to me. After spices, it was greens and then a half wheel of cheese. We were almost to the butcher stalls when I heard the ruckus.

I knew it was young nobles acting up but was not prepared for what they wanted. The group was a small one, only six. They surrounded us and backed us against a stall. I set the basket on the stall bench as one of the older boys reached out to fondle Ginger. Another grabbed her shoulder to hold her while two boys closest to me reached out to hold me.

I grabbed one of the boys hands, twisted and wrenched it back, before kicking out into the groin of the other boy. The first boy screamed as his fingers broke and the second yelled as he folded and dropped to his knees. I was moving even before they fell away. Three boys were around Ginger and the fourth had been pulling his pants down.

The one with his pants open was the first to turn and scream as I reached down to grab, squeeze and yank. I kicked the boy groping Ginger in the side of the knee and heard it snap. The other two boys were coming for me and I let them. I shifted and stepped sideways so that one was blocking the other. I brushed a reaching hand aside, grabbing the wrist and twisted as I brought my other hand down in a strike that broke the elbow.

I kicked him behind the knee and spun to back kick the last boy as he rushed in. As he folded over I turned and brought my fist down on the back of the neck. He dropped to the ground and I was left standing with six noble boys on the ground around my feet. I moved to a sobbing Ginger as several shop owners emerged.

Normally they let the young nobles do what they wished but seeing me stand up to them had an effect. As I retrieved our basket and led Ginger away, they were bending the boys over a bench and beating them. I managed to get her to tell me what meat we were supposed to get. News in the marketplace travels fast, the butcher bowed to Ginger and folded her fingers back around the coins she held.

As we were leaving several guards were talking to merchants and the bruised and injured noble boys were hanging from their arms from a large beam. The guards looked in no hurry to get the boys down either. All the way home the streets were alive with gossip and I knew I would have to face the Master. When we got back to the inn, I opened the kitchen door and let Ginger go in first. I looked at Ms Peace, “Something happened. I need to speak with the Master.”