by Lisa Daniels
Her blonde hair shone like sunshine, a few stray strands dangling beside her face as the young woman pressed forward. It would be her twenty-first birthday soon, but she had no expectations. The stable master was the only person in her life that actually seemed to care about what happened to her, and he would not be back in time. Not that she wanted to celebrate. The stable master had been like the father she had never known, so she just wanted him to come back so the nightmare that had been her job without him would end. One of the other stable hands had taken to harassing her in the stable master’s absence, and the acting master wasn’t about to do anything to stop the boy. Taja had plenty of experience keeping boys like that away, but it was wearing on her. That and her mother’s steady decline into the bottle. Taja didn’t feel sorry for herself. She just needed that one ray of sunshine back that had made life worth living.
Taja was not a tall woman, just barely over five feet tall. The first impression people had of her was that she resembled a large doll. Despite working outside, her skin was pale and soft. Her large brown eyes were surrounded by thick lashes that combined with her unnaturally yellow hair, hinting that she was perhaps not fully human. The perfect symmetry of her dainty features was striking, and it had gotten her into plenty of trouble when she was young. It was only after she met the stable master that Taja had calmed down and started trying to make a better life for herself. That had been three years ago. Until that point, she had been a complete mess, sleeping with any boy who would give her gifts and expensive items. Her mother had used her daughter as much as possible, turning expensive gifts into high debts with many of the taverns. The stable master had given the young woman something worth living for outside of her different types of abuse.
It was times like these as she was darting through the crowds that Taja was really thankful for being so small. She was able to more easily slip through spaces between people.
Still not fast enough. I’m going to be late. Her mind was already calculating her distance and current rate of speed. Moving her legs a little faster, she shifted to the outside of the crowd. It was risky, particularly since she would be moving so close to the carriages and horses, but it was the only way she was going to get through the crowd in time.
As soon as she reached the outside of the crowd, Taja’s speed more than doubled. With a grin on her face, the young woman hurried past the throng.
Without warning, one of the people moving in the opposite direction stepped into her. He had been trying to step out of the way of a noble lady, and did not notice the young woman trying to get by on the other side.
Taja lost her balance, and fell. Instinctively, her arms tightened around the things she had brought, trying to keep them from spilling all over the road. Scrambling to get up without dropping anything, Taja looked up. A horse was making its way quickly right toward her.
With a little gasp, the stable hand tried to crawl out of the way without getting the things dirty.
“Seriously? Is that stuff more important than your life?” The voice was unfamiliar, but warm. The accent was light, but it was obvious that the owner of that voice was not from the area. And he was clearly male. Taja felt a pair of hands on her waist and she was suddenly lifted off of the ground. Clutching the items to her chest, she couldn’t believe that someone had stopped to help her. Her mind registered the miracle as a warm and firm body pressed against hers. The sound of the horse’s hoofs rumbled past her as she tried to fully comprehend what had just happened.
As soon as the horse was past, she heard the rider calling it to stop. The warmth moved away from her body as she tried to get a hold of herself.
An angry voice was so close to her, and Taja knew it was the rider. “Do you know what you almost did to my horse?”
Taja turned to look, to apologize, but someone else spoke first. “Are you a fool or an idiot? Oh, yes, I see, you are one of the noble. A bit of both, then.”
Taja’s eyes went wide as she turned to look at the man who had pulled her from the ground. Her gaze went back to the noble, and his expression read the way she felt. Neither of them had heard a noble insulted so publically before. Her head turned and she saw the people in the crowd starting to watch them.
The noble had found his voice. “How dare you insult me!”
“Ah, you make it all too easy. A woman is knocked into the street, and you yell at her for what, exactly? Being in danger? Blaming the victim is easy, but it is also very clear who the villain is in these cases.” He tilted his head to the side. Taja couldn’t see his features very well, but his stance suggested that the man was accustomed to power. He was not tall for a man, but standing this close to him she could tell he was about 5 foot 8 or 5 foot 9. His body was not bulky, but remembering what he had felt like as he held her, she knew that the man was muscular. Sinewy, her mind supplied.
The man’s clothing was very nice, which meant that he was at least upper class, if not something higher. His hair was an inch or two long, a style that she had never seen before. Though it was a dark brown color, it shone, highlighting the fact that he was clearly more than just a commoner.
The noble moved his hand like he was about to strike when the young man held something up at him. Taja couldn’t see what it was, but from the look on the noble’s face, the man who had rescued her was far above the noble’s level.
With her concern growing about who the man was, as well as knowing that she was again at risk of being late no matter how quickly she moved, Taja slipped into the crowd and continued toward work.
The rest of the trip back to the stables went much smoother, and Taja made it back with a little time to spare. The acting stable master frowned down at her, eyeing her muddy clothing, but there was nothing he could say since she had returned with everything before the items were needed.
Knowing that smiling at him would only anger the man, Taja lowered her head and inquired, “What would you like me to do next, sir?”
Apparently she had struck the right tone and posture because the man had no insults for her. When she risked looking up at him, she saw his beady eyes looking around. Unlike the stable master, this man was clearly out of shape. His stomach hung over his pants in a way that suggested his body was trying to escape the confines of clothing. His hair was long and greasy. This was pretty normal for stable hands given what they did, but it generally took a full day’s work to look as bad as the man did early in the morning. It was clear from the man’s features that he was once handsome. Time and his ego had led to his decline, a fact that had not improved his personality. He couldn’t have been older than early forties, yet he acted like an old man with a grudge against life.
“Damaris, sir,” the simpering voice of the boy who had been harassing her grated on Taja’s ears. The look of annoyance on the acting stable master’s face nearly matched the way she felt.
Damaris turned to the stable hand, his expression one of barely contained rage at being interrupted. The stable hand saw his mistake and immediately started to bow to the man. His hair was a dirty blond color that might have been nice if he tried to keep it clean.
Taja doubted the boy cleaned more than once a month, a fact that had often helped her as she could smell him coming. The boy was 17 years old and very self-assured, although Taja had no idea why. His face was always covered in pimples and scabs. His nose was nice, but the way he grinned made him look very unattractive. The boy also had a very uncommon name – Semaj – as if his parents were trying to force a better future on him than he was ever likely to have. Semaj’s personality alone would keep him down his entire life.
The boy was bowing lower. “Damaris, sir,” he simpered, “I was wondering if you would like for the two of us to work together.”
Damaris looked down at the stable hand, then turned his gaze to Taja. “I bet you would like that, wouldn’t you?” His question was directed at Taja.
Fighting the urge to violently shake her head, Taja tried to keep her voice level. “I only want to compl
ete my work today to your satisfaction, sir. If you wish for me to work with others, I will make sure to be more efficient.” If she had flat out denied wanting to work with Semaj, Damaris would have put them to work together just out of spite. If she had said she wanted to work with the boy, Damaris would have some very nasty words, and probably some physical punishment for showing interest in the boy. As it was, all Taja did was hint that she didn’t mind, but the choice was entirely up to Damaris.
He gave a huff, then looked between them. “Semaj, I dare say you are trying to get someone else to do your work. Panding duty for you for your hubris.”
Semaj’s face fell as he realized that he would not be able to see Taja again for at least a day, perhaps more. It was clear that he wanted to argue, but there were worse things than panding. “Yes, sir. I will make sure it is done well.” He tried to use the same flattering words that Taja used, but there was bitterness in them. Damaris missed the boy’s expression and had already lost interest in the whole affair. He wiped his grimy hand on his nose as he looked down at Taja, who still stood in readiness to do as he said.
“Go home, Taja.” She had to fight to keep her eyes trained on the ground. His words were a shock, but she knew that he could easily change the orders. “You look like a pig who escaped the slaughter house and found a river of mud.” He laughed at his own words and walked away. Taja grinned. Damaris wanted to make sure she knew that he wasn’t doing it out of any satisfaction derived from what she had done, but because of the way she looked. Considering she would usually look much worse than she did after falling in the road, Taja knew the real reason he was sending her home – he was too lazy to figure out what she should do.
It doesn’t matter, her thoughts were very clear. The acting stable master didn’t care if she was there or not, but it gave her the time she needed to finally recover from being overworked for months on end. Her heart was light as she turned toward the door to leave.
A hand grabbed her upper arm and forced Taja to turn around. “I am waiting for you, Taja.” Semaj was too close, his blue eyes looking down at her too eagerly.
With a smile, Taja told him, “You can do so much better than me, Semaj. Even your name shows that you will do well someday. Why don’t you focus on the women who deserve your attention instead of an old lady who works in the stables?” She smiled up at him.
The young woman had to fight the shudder that tried to pass over her body as his eyes took in her body again. He wanted her to know that he was thinking about what she looked like under her clothing. “I can clean you up, make you feel young again.”
Taja slipped out of his grasp with a dainty laugh, “You know that you are in a worse state than I am right now. I dare say you will want to wash up as soon as you get home after all of your work for the day.”
She knew very well that he had done virtually nothing, leaving the work to others, but the look on his face showed that he didn’t understand the real meaning behind her words. “Perhaps if you were willing to wash me, I would enjoy bathing.”
She frowned at him, “That is the duty of your wife, not a stable hand. You had best be careful or you will give me the wrong idea.”
Semaj stepped toward her. “Maybe I want you to get the wrong idea.”
She turned and moved away as his hand shot out again to grab her. “Semaj, you are such a tease. Now if you will excuse me, my mother needs me-”
“I need you.” His voice was firm.
On the other side of the barn several older servants entered. Their voices carried across the barn, forcing Semaj to adopt a different pose. Taja frowned at the boy and shook her head. The men saw it and immediately headed over to talk to the pair.
“Taja, is Semaj bothering you again?” The first man to approach was smiling, but there was concern in his voice.
“Indeed he is, sir, but it isn’t anything I can’t handle.” She bowed at the man. He worked with the lord, so his concern meant something, but she also knew that he would not be there if anything happened.
He gave her a quick bow. “Well, you let me know if he becomes too much and I will have a word with Damaris.”
She bowed low. “Thank you very much for your concern. I shall keep that in mind.” Taja knew full well that Damaris would do nothing if the matter was brought to his attention. She just had to wait for Braylon to return, then everything would be fine.
As she raised her head, she gave both of the newcomers a gracious smile and said, “Have a very pleasant day.” With that, she turned and left.
From a little distance, she heard the men talking as they walked in a different direction. “She really is a pretty young thing, isn’t she?”
“Yes. It seems a bit harsh to put a beauty like her in the stables, but can you imagine what it would be like if she were inside?” They both laughed. “It has been enough of a challenge just having her working close to the lord’s home. We’ve had to make sure that the young master doesn’t find out about her because he will certainly try to…” their voices trailed off.
Taja sighed. It was always the same, people always thought of her looks first. It was like she wasn’t even a person, just a plaything for others to use as they saw fit.
Suddenly a warm voice went through her thoughts. “Seriously? Is that stuff more important than your life?” “Blaming the victim is easy, but it is also very clear who the villain is in these cases.”
Taja shook her head, trying to clear out the images and any residual feelings. The man hadn’t gotten a look at her, or he wouldn’t have done what he did. He would have kept a hand on her, making sure she could not escape. Anyone who could intimidate a noble the way that man did was in a high position indeed. He would certainly have required payment for what he had done.
“My life is worth less than that,” the young woman muttered as she walked toward home, “but it doesn’t mean I don’t hope for better.”
Chapter 2
An Errand and a Price
Taja felt a little uneasy as she went home. She was certainly happy that she would get away from work for a bit, but her home life wasn’t exactly something that was enviable. The temptation to just run away and figure things out on her own, if only for a few hours, slowed her steps. Still, there was no way she could go through with it. Her mother needed her. The only person Taja had in the world right now was her mother, and despite everything, she wanted to take care of the woman who had given her life. It was why Taja worked so hard at the stables, and why Taja endured so much even now with Damaris in charge.
Braylon will be back soon. I just need to wait a little longer. Besides, it’s not like this is the worst I’ve ever had to deal with, so it’ll be fine. Everything is going to be fine. It had become her mantra over the last few months as she tried to give herself the courage to get through everything.
While she didn’t feel energized enough to speed up, Taja was able to smile as she headed home. After all, dealing with her mom was something the young woman had been doing forever. It was far easier than dealing with a guy like Semaj, and she knew exactly what her mother was thinking.
Taja was still smiling as she opened the door. The smile vanished as something smashed close to her head. Reflexively Taja ducked, but the shards had already struck her neck and ear. Most of the bottle fell to the floor, and she immediately began to pick them up, ignoring the blood trickling out of the cuts from the rest of the bottle.
“You are home early.” Her mother’s voice was slurred and threatening. “Don’t tell me you have been fired already.”
Taja looked up and forced a smile. “No, mother. I was paid this morning, and I finished all of my work early, so Damaris let me come home early.”
Her mother huffed, “Then the man is a fool. And you are an idiot. You could have stayed and worked more. Gotten more money. How am I supposed to pay for both of us? Do you think that money just comes out of the ground?” Her face was turning redder as she watched her daughter clean up the broken bottle. “What are you s
miling about?”
Taja pressed her lips together. “Because I have a surprise for you, mother.” The young woman threw the glass into the trash, then walked over to her mother. Pulling the money out of her pocket, she held it up. “I was paid extra. See?”
At first her mother’s eyes went wide. Her hands were much faster than anyone would have believed was possible considering the woman’s state, but Taja knew exactly how quick her mother was when it came to money. “Good, you can buy my alcohol too, then.” The woman pushed the money back at Taja. “Get going. I made a list over on the table of everything we need. Make sure you pick up more of my Montelia while you are out. And don’t try to get any of that cheap, watered-down stuff. Stanglen will know what I want.”
“But, mother, I thought that-”
Before she finished talking, her mother’s hand had struck Taja across the face. The blood from the cuts smeared across the young woman’s face all the way to her mouth.
Her mother snarled at her, “Don’t think that I’m giving you a dime. We are in this situation because you gave up the life that made us rich. If not for your stupidity, I would be living up in one of the manors. Since you like living in filth, you can pay for everything.” Her mother tried to get up to intimidate her daughter, but she only managed to fall off of the couch. By the time the woman hit the floor, she was already asleep.
Taja looked down at her mother, her heart full of shame. It was her fault they lived like this because she hadn’t wanted to continue to be a toy. Because of that, they had been forced out of a chateau and into this hovel. Taja picked her mother up as gently as possible and set her on the couch. Her mother’s stringy grey hair fell over a face that was too skinny. Once the woman had been beautiful, but alcohol and life had taken that away from her. It was the reason Taja had gotten out when Braylon had offered her a position in the stables. But that selfish decision for something better had forced her mother into poverty during the last years of her life.
