Chapter 73: Mary gets into trouble

Mary stood with her tuned instrument and was excited to play a song she heard playing from a tavern that her dad went into. She had heard quite a rousing song about marching off to war and wanted to play it for the other children like she did with other songs in each of the towns so far. Mary had told a couple of the washing women that morning that she planned to play for any children if they wanted to have a show. If anything the women of each of the towns had seen it as a fun distraction for their children.

A dozen and a half children of varying ages and some of them much older than Mary herself came into the town square as Mary sat at the foot of a wooden carving. It was of Sondet’s visage. This town was known as quite the center for trade. Though she noticed that quite a few messengers were streaming about. Much more than a usual town.

“Hello everyone,” She said in a cheery voice. I’m going to be playing a song for everyone. I hope you all enjoy it. I just learned it.

I hear the call of my Queen

My sword has long been dusty!

I hope she will be friendly

So that it may be sheathed!

She asks for me to serve her

I kneel and taste her fruit!

She calls to the gods above

Soon I will be sheathed!

The older boys started to snicker when Mary got to this part and she continued paying it no mind. She didn’t see why the story would be funny at this point but she enjoyed the strings that accompanied it.

No she calls my name

We march together forward!

We call to the gods…

A mother ran forward with a scandalized look on her face. “You can’t sing of such things young lady!” The woman snatched the lute from her hands as her face grew much more flushed. “Such dirty language.” She pulls Mary by her wrist suddenly.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“You’re hurting me! Let me go!” Mary screams.

“Where is your mother! She has to hear this, you naughty little thing.” She pulls even harsher on Mary’s arm as she looked around for anyone that should have been attending to watching Mary.

“My mother passed away. My father takes care of me. He is meeting with someone very important. Now let me go!” Mary tried to explain as the woman stopped and looked at her.

“Well then I will have to discipline you!” The woman dragged Mary kicking and screaming into a home. She tossed Mary’s lute carelessly aside and it clanged crying like a struck cord as one of the strings snapped at the ill treatment.

Fear burned in Mary’s heart as she was forced to sit down by the fuming woman. She looked with as much fury and indignation the little girl could. “You better just leave me alo…”

The woman grabbed Mary by the jaw and shoved a bar of soap into Mary’s mouth. “I’ll clean your mouth out! Singing such a foul song to children! You should be ashamed!”

Mary struggled trying to spit out the soap but the woman held her mouth firm. She mumbled and screamed against the soap as someone began pounding on the door to the house. Mary recognized her father’s voice. “I was told you have my daughter!”

The woman let go of Mary and she spit out the soap. The woman opened the door and looked at her father. “You’re this foul mouthed girl's father! You should know she was singing a very foul song to the children!”

“You’ve no right to take my daughter from where I left her! She doesn’t even know any songs besides lullabies!”

The woman leaned in and harshly whispered, Mary could barely hear what she was saying. “That foul child was singing Whore Queen. She tainted the ears of my children.”

Mary watched as a flush creeped up her father’s throat, “That still gives you no right to abduct my child. Now hand her back to me and we will leave it at that.”

“Dad, she threw my lute on the ground! I think a string broke!” Mary rushed over to her most prized possession and cradled it like some girls cradled dolls. She saw that not only did a string snap but the front of the lute cracked. She had no idea what that meant for the instrument but it couldn’t be good. “It’s cracked now!” Mary wailed.

“Served you right! An instrument playing that song deserves to be shattered and burned!” The woman screamed. Mary didn’t expect the sharp slap her father gave the woman. The woman clutched her cheek and tears began to well in her eyes. “How dare…”

“That is for destroying my property. Now I’m taking my daughter and you'll leave us be.” Mary’s father stepped forward and took Mary by the hand and led her gently away.

“Dad, what did I do wrong?” asked Mary with tears in her eyes. Her mouth tasted foul of soap and a little blood from where her teeth cut her cheek from the woman grabbing her mouth so hard.

Her father brought her to the cart and lifted her up onto it and motioned for her to sit down. “Now Mary, that song is something that men sing. They only sing it when they’re drunk and it shouldn’t be for children’s ears. Now where did you learn this song?”

“You left me at the inn but I followed you to the tavern you went to and heard it through the window. I thought it sounded really nice and I practiced all night so I could play it today.” Mary’s voice was weak and quiet.

Mary’s dad placed a single hand on her head and pressed their foreheads together. “You should always stay in an inn when I leave you there. It isn’t safe on streets at night. Next time you hear a song tell me about it before you play in front of people again.”

“What about my lute? I don’t have any money to fix it.” Tears began to run down Mary’s cheek. The fear leaving a trail of sorrow in her soul.

Her father frowned and cupped a cheek, “You’ll have to earn the money. There is still some polish and water proofing that shouldn’t have dried out by now. You have to learn from your actions. Don’t sing that song again, and learn to be more careful about what you’re singing.”