Pied Piper fragment
Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 07:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsaikoThis fragment was a reward for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
maderr because she dug up something I had managed to lose in my own LJ.
"What do you plan on doing to them?" Mathis asked at noon on the seventh day. At his side was the bag he had taken from his father's office. Inside was all the gold he had been able to find in seven days. It took all his strength not to drop it on the steps of the city hall. Guilt was a heavy load.
The Piper looked from where he was sitting. He squinted into the sun, but did not raise a hand to shield his eyes. "If I tell you, will you warn them?"
Mathis didn't even bother trying to lie. "Yes."
"Then you understand why I cannot tell you," the Piper replied. As the days had gone by colors had disappeared from his clothing: first black, then purple, then blue, then green, then yellow, and finally orange. Now on the seventh day he wore nothing but shades of red. It was not a comforting sight.
"I brought part of you payment. Don't take revenge."
At his words, the Piper stood. He looked down at Mathis. "Only part?"
"I couldn't find any more. This is all I have," Mathis replied.
The Piper stroked his thumb against Mathis's cheek, slow and gentle. He shivered. Golden eyes seemed to pin him in place. "Your honestly and your honor are wasted on this city. Leave. What happens to them shouldn't concern you."
"I can't," Mathis said. "They are all I know. I can't abandon them."
"I would expect nothing less from you." Mathis did not realize how warm the Piper's touch was until it was gone. The Piper took a step back and Mathis could feel the distance between them.
"For the price of 1,674 gold pieces I promise you that I will not harm anyone from the town of Hamlin." Mathis jerked in shock, wondering how the Piper knew the exact amount of gold without ever opening the bag. "Will that suffice?"
"Is there no way I can persuade you to forego your revenge?"
"Not unless you can come up with the additional gold pieces. A contract is a contract, even if it is only spoken, and I must abide by the terms." The Piper inclined his head. "I will exact my revenge at sundown."
maderr because she dug up something I had managed to lose in my own LJ."What do you plan on doing to them?" Mathis asked at noon on the seventh day. At his side was the bag he had taken from his father's office. Inside was all the gold he had been able to find in seven days. It took all his strength not to drop it on the steps of the city hall. Guilt was a heavy load.
The Piper looked from where he was sitting. He squinted into the sun, but did not raise a hand to shield his eyes. "If I tell you, will you warn them?"
Mathis didn't even bother trying to lie. "Yes."
"Then you understand why I cannot tell you," the Piper replied. As the days had gone by colors had disappeared from his clothing: first black, then purple, then blue, then green, then yellow, and finally orange. Now on the seventh day he wore nothing but shades of red. It was not a comforting sight.
"I brought part of you payment. Don't take revenge."
At his words, the Piper stood. He looked down at Mathis. "Only part?"
"I couldn't find any more. This is all I have," Mathis replied.
The Piper stroked his thumb against Mathis's cheek, slow and gentle. He shivered. Golden eyes seemed to pin him in place. "Your honestly and your honor are wasted on this city. Leave. What happens to them shouldn't concern you."
"I can't," Mathis said. "They are all I know. I can't abandon them."
"I would expect nothing less from you." Mathis did not realize how warm the Piper's touch was until it was gone. The Piper took a step back and Mathis could feel the distance between them.
"For the price of 1,674 gold pieces I promise you that I will not harm anyone from the town of Hamlin." Mathis jerked in shock, wondering how the Piper knew the exact amount of gold without ever opening the bag. "Will that suffice?"
"Is there no way I can persuade you to forego your revenge?"
"Not unless you can come up with the additional gold pieces. A contract is a contract, even if it is only spoken, and I must abide by the terms." The Piper inclined his head. "I will exact my revenge at sundown."
