Adrianna's Dragon

Chapter 2 Den of Thieves

(three days previous)

"We found her Dad!" her cousins shouted as they released Adrianna to shove her hard to stand before her uncle. "She was hiding," they laughed. Her uncle punched her left shoulder hard then her left arm below her shoulder. His blow sent her spinning and he followed with a blow to her stomach. Adrianna collapsed gasping for breath. "Little Addie can't even stand on her own feet," her cousins taunted.

"Why did you run girl?" her uncle shouted.

"I heard you talk about selling me to the brothel," Adrianna gasped.

"You're too valuable to your family as a thief. I was just checking prices," her uncle replied.

"Besides we get first dibs Addie," her older cousin said as he leered at her. Adrianna closed her eyes and wept with fear.

"Now you scared our little Addie," her uncle added in mock sorrow as her cousins laughed. "Don't worry you're safe. You're too skinny and ugly Addie."

"You promised I could quit and you would pay for my apprenticeship to a healer."

"I did, just a few more break-ins and I'll keep my promise. No more running, do you understand?" Adrianna nodded as she wiped her tears and regained her composure. "You run again and I'll let the boys break you in then sell you."

"That would be dumb Uncle, a virgin will fetch a higher price!" Her uncle rewarded her flippant remark with a kick to her hip as she was still on the ground.

"Don't push it Adrianna, everyone knows you're just a little slut. Get up! Get up and start cooking." Bent over in pain and limping slightly from the kick she had received, she lit a fire in the hearth and started meal preparation. She realized that they really had no shortage of money. Night soil workers were not paid well, but they were allowed to keep whatever coinage and valuables they recovered in the night soil, many retiring wealthy and living well. She had witnessed many families go from rags to riches in the trade. But her family seemed to get nowhere. Even with her stealing, and that of her older brother they were always on hard times. Her older brother had been caught and she had watched in horror as he was crucified naked to the giant wheel in the forum. That was almost four years ago, when she was twelve. She suspected he was turned in by her family for the reward. He had told her he had enough and was planning to run away with her. That was their last time together. She was then given her father's break-in tools.

Very few people knew Adrianna was a girl. She always dressed as a boy and had little association with neighbors. Night soil workers were considered unclean, untouchables and avoided. Except for her brother she had been alone since her parents passing more than a decade ago. Her uncle had taken her in and trained her as a pick pocket, and then pick lock. She excelled in both craft and because of that was granted more freedom of movement than most of her extended family. Two years ago she refused to continue stealing. Her uncle then promised her to apprentice her to a local healer if she gave him just two more years. The two years ended a fortnight ago, and Adrianna had kept up her end of the bagan. Only recently had she began to doubt her uncles promise, the bargaining with the local brothel the last straw, and she ran.

The next two days were peaceful enough with her uncle's continued assurance that one or two more burglaries and she would be free. She did quite well on the last two days when her uncle stated he needed one more.

"You apprenticeship is arranged Adrianna. I've paid for most of it. Would you like to see the note?" he handed her a paper.

"I can't read uncle, what does it say?"

"You're an apprentice healer, just one small payment more. Can you handle that?"

"Yes Uncle Mort...thank you. Thank you." Adrianna hugged her uncle. When she released him she was in tears. Her happiness faltered when she heard her cousins snicker.

"We'll help you celebrate Addie," her eldest cousin whispered as he touched her fondling her bottom. She froze, no longer certain of anything. Her heart nearly stopped.

Later that night when Adrianna left the group to break into the villa her uncle whispered to the others on the crew, "We are going to cut our losses with that girl like we did with her brother. That will take the heat of us for a while." The others laughed.