Darkened Hearts

Striding down the streets of the slums I see familiar faces, ones I have seen all of my life. Once, they looked on with some amount of fondness when I was a child anyway, then they looked on with appraisal and consideration when I was a young adult. Now, as the see me in my militia armor, the rank of soldier newly visible, they look on with disgust. Every now an then a man will spit in the streets at the sight of me, those same men who would tell stories or give me and the other children an apple in the long hot summers. They do not understand, they do not see me as more then a brood mare or work horse meant to be broken to saddle and ridden for the rest of my days. They fear my physical strength, strength I made sure to gain when I was old enough to begin to turn male heads.

My Captain did warn me before I began. I knew what she said for truth but it still hurts. I figure I will die a spinster, and a virgin. I frown as I consider it. Not that I would want any of these sad excuses for men, as if any one of them could fulfill me. I blush thinking of it. Then again what do I know about what would fulfill me. More I want a man who accepts me, not accepts what he wants me to be then will try to force me to fill that image. I frown angrily, I don't want them anyway,  the pigs!

A man who looks like trouble catches my eye as he sidles up to a large man selling fish, as he taps the man's left shoulder he reaches around the man's other side and grabs a fish hiding it under his cloak with his other hand as the man turns to look at him. "What you want gnat?" the big man asks, "Oh terribly sorry sir, I was just brushing a fly off your back." the would be thief says smoothly. "You are the fly little man." The fish seller says turning back to his wares. I, of course, was on the move when I first saw the man, grabbing the thief by the back of his cloak I put a stop to him pulling his other arm hiding the fish from under his cloak, "This does not belong to you, I say handing the startled fish seller his property. Before the angry trader can react I haul the thief away, the man cursing the entire time. It is a short walk to the stockade and the man is quickly incarcerated and I sigh. Another day, another example of what people are willing to do in my city. Oh well, at least I have a job, more than many can say right now.