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inthewildwood2010-02-26 10:21 pm
evewithanapple.livejournal.com) wrote in inthewildwood2010-02-26 10:21 pm
Original: "Learning From Examples"
Title: Learning From Examples
Characters: Bess, cameo appearances by Alice and Thomas.
Summary: "It's not much, but it's enough to give her an idea."
Warnings: Groping.
She is twelve the first time it happens. Serving mugs of beer at the tables, she's drawn into conversation with one of the customers, and doesn't notice that one of the others- a man well into his cups, drunk enough to be slurring his words and weaving back and forth in his seat- has noticed her, and is trying to get her attention. She only realizes when she feels a hand pawing at her dress, tugging at her belt. Her smile freezes on her face as she turns to face him. "Please don't."
He only grins sloppily in response, pawing harder at her hip. She's increasingly aware of the feeling of his heavy hands, his sweat staining the fabric of her skirt. She wants to shout, to slap his hands away, but the mantra of don't anger the customers, be a good girl is drumming in her head, and she's frozen in place as his clammy hands creep lower. "Please stop," she says, her voice shaking.
Her father hears. Roaring like an angry bull, he comes running over to throw the offender out by the scruff of his neck, daring the other customers to complain by the look in his eyes. Afterwards, he tells her that she needn't put up with that sort of thing- just shout for him, and he'll take care of it. She's relieved, but she can't scrub away the feeling of being pawed at for days afterwards.
* * * *
Of course, it happens again. And again. Each time, she calls for her father, and the man in question is thrown out immediately. She's relieved to not have to put up with it, but a part of her hates having to call for help, not being able to slap the men herself. Her hand itches to take the stupid drunken grins off their faces, but she grits her teeth and bears it.
A year and innumerable gropings after the first incident, she and Alice go for a walk in the marketplace. They're so engrossed in looking at bolts of cloth that she doesn't notice the commotion at first, only turning to look at the sound of shouting. A woman and a man are standing in the center of the marketplace, his arm tight around her waist as she sturggles to free herself. A crowd of onlookers have gathered, watching the scene unfold with interest; there's precious little entertainment to be found these days. Her stomach flips, and she wants to turn away.
The woman shouts again, warning him to let go, but he only pulls her tighter against him. She wrenches- or tries to wrench- away before drawing her arm back and slapping him hard across the face. The crowd gasps, and the man is so shocked by the gesture that he lets her go and stumbles back. The woman takes to her heels, and the stunned crowd parts for her as she runs away. She hears later that the woman wasn't seen again; the man she'd slapped was her husband, and she'd have been punished as a scold if she'd remained to face her punishment. Likely she'd gone to stay with a family member in some safely far-away town. It's not much, but it's enough to give her an idea.
* * * *
Of course, it happens again. This time, a drunken customer leans over to try and peer down the front of her dress; when she straighens quickly, he only chuckles and cups a hand around her thigh.
She's prepared this time. Turning, she draws an arm back and punches the man squarely in the nose. He's much bigger than she is, but he's also unprepared and more than a little drunk, so the punch sends him rocking back in his chair. Blood blooms at his nose, and he clutches at his face and bawls.
She walks away smiling.
Characters: Bess, cameo appearances by Alice and Thomas.
Summary: "It's not much, but it's enough to give her an idea."
Warnings: Groping.
She is twelve the first time it happens. Serving mugs of beer at the tables, she's drawn into conversation with one of the customers, and doesn't notice that one of the others- a man well into his cups, drunk enough to be slurring his words and weaving back and forth in his seat- has noticed her, and is trying to get her attention. She only realizes when she feels a hand pawing at her dress, tugging at her belt. Her smile freezes on her face as she turns to face him. "Please don't."
He only grins sloppily in response, pawing harder at her hip. She's increasingly aware of the feeling of his heavy hands, his sweat staining the fabric of her skirt. She wants to shout, to slap his hands away, but the mantra of don't anger the customers, be a good girl is drumming in her head, and she's frozen in place as his clammy hands creep lower. "Please stop," she says, her voice shaking.
Her father hears. Roaring like an angry bull, he comes running over to throw the offender out by the scruff of his neck, daring the other customers to complain by the look in his eyes. Afterwards, he tells her that she needn't put up with that sort of thing- just shout for him, and he'll take care of it. She's relieved, but she can't scrub away the feeling of being pawed at for days afterwards.
* * * *
Of course, it happens again. And again. Each time, she calls for her father, and the man in question is thrown out immediately. She's relieved to not have to put up with it, but a part of her hates having to call for help, not being able to slap the men herself. Her hand itches to take the stupid drunken grins off their faces, but she grits her teeth and bears it.
A year and innumerable gropings after the first incident, she and Alice go for a walk in the marketplace. They're so engrossed in looking at bolts of cloth that she doesn't notice the commotion at first, only turning to look at the sound of shouting. A woman and a man are standing in the center of the marketplace, his arm tight around her waist as she sturggles to free herself. A crowd of onlookers have gathered, watching the scene unfold with interest; there's precious little entertainment to be found these days. Her stomach flips, and she wants to turn away.
The woman shouts again, warning him to let go, but he only pulls her tighter against him. She wrenches- or tries to wrench- away before drawing her arm back and slapping him hard across the face. The crowd gasps, and the man is so shocked by the gesture that he lets her go and stumbles back. The woman takes to her heels, and the stunned crowd parts for her as she runs away. She hears later that the woman wasn't seen again; the man she'd slapped was her husband, and she'd have been punished as a scold if she'd remained to face her punishment. Likely she'd gone to stay with a family member in some safely far-away town. It's not much, but it's enough to give her an idea.
* * * *
Of course, it happens again. This time, a drunken customer leans over to try and peer down the front of her dress; when she straighens quickly, he only chuckles and cups a hand around her thigh.
She's prepared this time. Turning, she draws an arm back and punches the man squarely in the nose. He's much bigger than she is, but he's also unprepared and more than a little drunk, so the punch sends him rocking back in his chair. Blood blooms at his nose, and he clutches at his face and bawls.
She walks away smiling.