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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 8:28:45 GMT
After visiting the money changer and the pawn shop, Johanna asked around for the house of a woman called Helretha. It felt good to be performing her good deeds again. It was something ordinary and normal after her wild adventures.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 10:38:25 GMT
It takes a bit but she finds it, a small flat in a much larger tenement building. Urchins roam the streets and poor men and women beg for coins or food or push their little produce carts about selling their wares. Helreth’s apartment has a door that’s slightly ajar.
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 10:52:44 GMT
Johanna knocked and look through the gap. "Helreth? Hello? I'm a friend, come to help."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 16:00:05 GMT
There's a definite slight draft in the flat and no one answered, but Johanna could hear someone sobbing from farther back in the flat. A cursory look through the door makes it appear there's at most two rooms in the place and the living room she is staring into looks ransacked.
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 16:09:18 GMT
Johanna scowled and pushed the door open far enough that she could step inside. She looked for the person who was crying. As she did so, she picked up a few pieces of furniture that had fallen over.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 16:30:36 GMT
A woman was curled up on the floor sobbing. She turned to face Johanna and seemed surprised. "Sending women to kill me now?" she said. "I told them it didn't matter if they took my son. I don't have the money," she said dully. "So just make it fast."
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 16:33:27 GMT
Compassion filled Johanna's heart. "I'm not going to kill you, nor harm your son. I've come to offer help. Money, for starters. Let's talk about what you owe, and then you can tell me about the people you owe it to."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 16:40:11 GMT
Helretha looked at her uncertainly. "Money?" she said. "I owe a few gold here and there," she said. "This is about my son. His father's come back and taken him from me. Said I wasn't a fit mother," she went back to sobbing.
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 17:47:03 GMT
"That's monstrous cruel of him." Johanna frowned. "Tell me about your son, and his father. I might have a friend who can help find your son."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 17:57:26 GMT
"Michel is eight," she said. "His father is a merchant named Robert. He...used to frequent the tavern I ran. He's married and the affair got buried, but lately he's been asking about Michel. He has no son with his wife and he wants an heir. I told him he never cared for him until now so he should stay away. I..." she cried, "I didn't know he'd gotten friends in higher places. They took him a few hours ago, trashed this place, said if I complained to anyone the house isn't what they're tear apart next time."
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 18:08:08 GMT
Johanna frowned. She had come expecting to donate money, not rescue a captured child.
"Bastards. Listen, try to stay calm. If you have friends, see if you can get someone to stay with you for now. Tell me about Robert. Where does he live? What is his business?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 18:18:40 GMT
She thought a second. "He lives near the Academy," she said. "He sells like...he sells herbs and minerals and all that to the wizards for their little rituals and all."
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 18:26:53 GMT
"An apothecary. I will remember that." Joanna paced the room. " Is this Robert successful? I don't want to hurt you but would your son have a better life, in his father's house?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Sept 5, 2020 18:35:28 GMT
"He's rich," she said, "but cruel. If he were nice he'd not have sent killers to my house and threatened my life," she said. "My son is a sweet boy. And his wife is a holy terror herself. I think she's worse than him, because he isn't her son. He will be ill treated, I know it."
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Post by Silvia Raizer on Sept 5, 2020 18:45:53 GMT
"I see. I had to know." She thought for a moment, continuing to pace for a while. "I'll help you. Or my friend will. Perhaps Robert can be persuaded to contribute towards your son's welfare. And then, when Michel is older, he might choose for himself if he would like to know more about his father, and his father's business."
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