title he was entitled to since he officially owned a dragon.
The guard turned to the dark skinned man. “And you?”
The man scowled. “Merchant Cadoc Cobbler.”
“Ah, a cobbler, that was on my list of things to do today.” Even if he hadn’t needed them, he still would have said he did in an effort to help Mouse’s cause. “Tell me, a sturdy pair of boots, good for around the dragon stables, good for riding in, what will you charge? I don’t have time to change boots every minute of the day. They need to be able to stand up to the rough treatment they’d get around a dragon,” Fen said.
“Well now, that sort of leather doesn’t come cheap,” Cadoc began.
“I realise,” Fen said. “Quality always has a price.”
“Please sir, can we deal with the matter at hand first?” the guard asked Fen.
“Yes, yes, of course. Empty out the thief’s pockets and you’ll see he’s mine to deal with. Give back the knife to the good merchant here and take whatever else to the guard house where people can claim it when they realise it’s gone,” Fen said.
“You’ll be over to order boots after this?” Cadoc asked Fen.
“Of course,” Fen said.
Cadoc nodded and turned to the guard. “I’m happy with that arrangement.”
The guard ignored Mouse’s protests and quickly found all the items hidden on him. As well as the knife and red velvet moneybag, there were several plain cotton moneybags, a few loose coins, a child’s bracelet and a half eaten bun.
Ignoring the whining and complaining from Mouse, Fen asked the guard, “Do you have a length of rope or leather to bind his hands? I don’t want him to run off before he gets the whipping he deserves.”
“Certainly sir.” The guard pulled a length of leather from his belt pouch and efficiently bound Mouse’s hands, leaving a piece long for Fen to hold. “He won’t get out of that none too fast. Is everything in hand now?”
Fen took the end of the leather. “Thank you. Everything’s fine.”
Most of the crowd had disappeared. Only Fen, Cadoc and the two teenage boys were left. The guard nodded briefly to the merchant, bowed slightly to Fen then continued his rounds of the market.
“What are the directions to your shop? I’d best deal with this one before we talk boots,” Fen said.
Cadoc gave directions before he strode off through the market. The two boys stayed.
“Can you tell us now?” the first boy asked. His sullen friend stood beside him with a bored expression.
“I have to deal with this scum.” Fen firmly gripped Mouse with one hand.
“I’ll hold him for you while you give him a flogging,” the boy offered eagerly.
“I have my own people for that.” Fen pulled a coin from his new moneybag and flipped it towards the boys. “The baker stall with the blue awning still has quite a large selection of sweet buns.” Fen nodded in the direction of the baker he’d visited earlier.
“Thanks. When can you tell us the story?” the boy persisted.
Fen grinned at him. “How about next time you see me about come and say hello. If I’ve got a few minutes I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Wow,” the boy breathed before he grabbed his mate and dashed off.
“I know who you are,” Mouse said when they were alone. “And if you think you’re flogging me I’ll be squealing to everyone. You’re no Dragon Lord.”
Chapter Twelve
Fen stared at him for a minute. “I guess it’ll have to be a hanging then.”
Mouse was quiet for barely a second and then he tried to run. Fen dragged him through the market as he kicked and cursed. Mouse managed a few good kicks to Fen’s shins but not hard enough to make him let go. He’d suffered worse. At the edge of the market, Fen grabbed Mouse by the throat and pulled him close.
“That was for your benefit. No proper thief goes to a flogging without a protest. Now quit your carrying on.”
“And what’s this for? You never pushed me round like this ‘afore,” Mouse
The guard turned to the dark skinned man. “And you?”
The man scowled. “Merchant Cadoc Cobbler.”
“Ah, a cobbler, that was on my list of things to do today.” Even if he hadn’t needed them, he still would have said he did in an effort to help Mouse’s cause. “Tell me, a sturdy pair of boots, good for around the dragon stables, good for riding in, what will you charge? I don’t have time to change boots every minute of the day. They need to be able to stand up to the rough treatment they’d get around a dragon,” Fen said.
“Well now, that sort of leather doesn’t come cheap,” Cadoc began.
“I realise,” Fen said. “Quality always has a price.”
“Please sir, can we deal with the matter at hand first?” the guard asked Fen.
“Yes, yes, of course. Empty out the thief’s pockets and you’ll see he’s mine to deal with. Give back the knife to the good merchant here and take whatever else to the guard house where people can claim it when they realise it’s gone,” Fen said.
“You’ll be over to order boots after this?” Cadoc asked Fen.
“Of course,” Fen said.
Cadoc nodded and turned to the guard. “I’m happy with that arrangement.”
The guard ignored Mouse’s protests and quickly found all the items hidden on him. As well as the knife and red velvet moneybag, there were several plain cotton moneybags, a few loose coins, a child’s bracelet and a half eaten bun.
Ignoring the whining and complaining from Mouse, Fen asked the guard, “Do you have a length of rope or leather to bind his hands? I don’t want him to run off before he gets the whipping he deserves.”
“Certainly sir.” The guard pulled a length of leather from his belt pouch and efficiently bound Mouse’s hands, leaving a piece long for Fen to hold. “He won’t get out of that none too fast. Is everything in hand now?”
Fen took the end of the leather. “Thank you. Everything’s fine.”
Most of the crowd had disappeared. Only Fen, Cadoc and the two teenage boys were left. The guard nodded briefly to the merchant, bowed slightly to Fen then continued his rounds of the market.
“What are the directions to your shop? I’d best deal with this one before we talk boots,” Fen said.
Cadoc gave directions before he strode off through the market. The two boys stayed.
“Can you tell us now?” the first boy asked. His sullen friend stood beside him with a bored expression.
“I have to deal with this scum.” Fen firmly gripped Mouse with one hand.
“I’ll hold him for you while you give him a flogging,” the boy offered eagerly.
“I have my own people for that.” Fen pulled a coin from his new moneybag and flipped it towards the boys. “The baker stall with the blue awning still has quite a large selection of sweet buns.” Fen nodded in the direction of the baker he’d visited earlier.
“Thanks. When can you tell us the story?” the boy persisted.
Fen grinned at him. “How about next time you see me about come and say hello. If I’ve got a few minutes I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Wow,” the boy breathed before he grabbed his mate and dashed off.
“I know who you are,” Mouse said when they were alone. “And if you think you’re flogging me I’ll be squealing to everyone. You’re no Dragon Lord.”
Chapter Twelve
Fen stared at him for a minute. “I guess it’ll have to be a hanging then.”
Mouse was quiet for barely a second and then he tried to run. Fen dragged him through the market as he kicked and cursed. Mouse managed a few good kicks to Fen’s shins but not hard enough to make him let go. He’d suffered worse. At the edge of the market, Fen grabbed Mouse by the throat and pulled him close.
“That was for your benefit. No proper thief goes to a flogging without a protest. Now quit your carrying on.”
“And what’s this for? You never pushed me round like this ‘afore,” Mouse
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