| Subject: Gratitude |
Author:
Harion
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Date Posted: 19:57:06 06/24/02 Mon
Harion walked stiffly at first, practically dragged along by the arm. Gradually he
began to relax as he listened to Sahrien’s friendly chatter. He told her his name and a
little about life back home. Only when she asked about his parents did he stop. He
closed his eyes and imagined his mother’s face, reheard her scream. He forced his
eyes open again and stared at the floor. “My mother...my mother’s dead.” he said at
last in a dull voice. “My father couldn’t cope, he loved her so much, and her death
came as a shock, especially with the famine and the raids. He’s ill now, my sister and
I run the household.”
Sahrien was silent, compassionate. Harion found himself telling her information that
had been proudly kept within the family. “All the money ran out, and we had no
produce left to sell. The debts have been steadily rising, and we can’t pay them. The
landlord has shown us no pity. He sent his men to take our furniture, our farming
tools. If we do not pay soon, he will take the farm, perhaps even sell my younger
sisters into slavery to repay what we owe. That’s why I’ve come to the city. I must
find a job and send money home as soon as possible. I think I'll start looking immediantly.”
The narrow cobbled streets wound around the city, like a maze of tunnels. Time
passed and there was still no sign of Sahrien’s brother. Harion even found he could
laugh about his experiences in the marketplace. “She must have known that I was new
to the city. Farming I can cope with. I know the dangers: drought... wolf attacks...
raids...hard labour and hunger, I can deal with all them. Yet storekeepers are beyond
me!” Sahrien laughed too, a musical sound amongst the busy city streets.
Suddenly Harion stopped again, turning to look into Sahrien’s eyes. “How can I thank
you properly?” he asked “If you hadn’t helped me, I would be in serious trouble, How I can ever repay you?”
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