Gorlen slowed down as they reached the gates. Some children played in the dirty streets, filled with soot and grime. Women and men walked about, sat around fires and boiling pots. Most of them disgraced and discarded, faces sour and wrinkled from hardship and life on the streets, hunger-starved and sad in their destitution.
"Just stay close" he said, looking at a pair of rough looking individuals slithering along the roads, jaded and malicious eyes glancing at the pair that walked in, whispering to each other. "There's no need be scared" Gorlen assured Pip, handing her the basket and touching the hilt of his dagger, lightly resting his hand on the weapon.
The young woman carried the basket, trying her best to smile but the sight of the unwashed and hopeless faces makes her blink and look down, embarrassed.
Gorlen walked down the road. 'There's tent around the corner. Let's go there first"
Gorlen nodded a curt greeting to an eager faced youth of perhaps five years old, trying to keep a stern face as he bent down, hitching up his pants to squat in front of the boy.
"Ya been in trouble?" Gorlen asked, arching a brow at the child. The child clasped his hands behind his back innocently, nodding silently. His eyes glanced up at Pip. "Food, missus?" he croaked.
She walked just behind him, glancing over at a man who squatted, his bony knees protruding from holes in his ragged trousers, he grinned at her, his crooked teeth yellow and his dark eyes seemed lit with a fever from within. He watched them and called out, "Bringing bread!? We're hungry!"
Gorlen hissed at the man that watched Pip. "The children first. You know that"
Piperel smiled tentatively at the child, "Yes, we brought some food from the Dawn Hall." She spoke it aloud, so that others could hear, not just so they knew who the generous patrons were but also a warning.
The crooked man licked his cracked lips as she opened the basket, "Aye, we're 'ungry, too. Them little 'uns don't eat much."
Piperel glanced nervously at him, his eyes never leaving them and there are two other men who seem to move out of the shadows behind him. She took a paper soaked with the juices from the roast beef, the meat bundled within, "Here, and this is some bread." She handed him a half loaf of barley bread.
Gorlen offered the man a reserved smile, nodding. He turned his attention back to the boy as he stands up. "Yes, let the kids line up there by Martha's tent, she knows most of them, anyway" he told Pip. "Come, come! Lads, girls, Martha's tent. Brought something to sink yer teeth into tonight...and cauliflower" he mumbled at the last word, offering Pip the slightest of smirks.
The young sellsword waved his hands in the air, calling the children over, pointing at group of which played near the dustbins to the tent in question, "Don't' be shy now. Alex! Leave the cat!"
Piperel laughed at him, her smile returning, lighting up her face and her green eyes brightened. She relaxed, her attention turning from the men to the children gathering around. She offered the bread and a wooden bowl of the cheesy cauliflower that the children peer into, sniffing at it. Martha lumbered over, a large woman with arms like slabs of beef, gathered three of the smaller children against her huge bosom. then pushed them towards the table, "Little uns, first."
Gorlen turned to the man, noticing his brazen stare at Pip. His hand tightened around his dagger, a lock of his dark hair escaping and hung in his face, "You try something, cunt, I swear your head will fall quicker off your ass than your shit will hit the ground" he hissed softly.
Piperel moved towards the tent, offering the basket to the woman called Martha who started to divide the food up.
The man snarled a grin at Gorlen, "I ain't doing nothing, just sitting here watching them rats eat all the food while we're starvin'. Ain't we deserve something to eat too?" One of the other men picked at his thick thumb nail, the old dagger worn but the blade still sharp.
Gorlen stood protectively over Pip, smiling slightly as he watched the rest of the folks take their meals, ruffing a few lads and girl's heads as the moved past. "Tis good, I promise" he said, rubbing his stomach with his free hand. His eyes, though, kept a cautious watch on the pair of unsavory beggars in the streets.
He lifted his chin the man, "You just sit right there, fellow, and neither will I be doing anything" he cautioned him, hand still upon his dagger. "Let the children eat. The Dawn's no charity."
Piperel watched as the children tasted the cauliflower and devour it, licking the cheese off their grubby fingers. She smiled and looks surprised when one of the girls hugged her leg and offered to let her hold her dolly. Piperel took it and made a show of cooing over the rag doll as if it was a real baby.
The crooked man sneered at the sight, making no move towards them. "Right, the Bloody Dawn ain't much of anything." One of the other men backed up, looking nervous at the crooked toothed man who spoke.
Gorlen watched Pip cuddle the doll, smiling with loving affection. At the man's words, he turned and snapped, "You watch yer mouth! We do more for your fucking child than you do, cunt. What about go hunting for once in yer life, lazy bastard. Say that again, it'll be the last words out of yer bloody mouth"
The young woman looked up sharply at Gorlen, the children watching for a moment before turning back to eating and playing, arguments and threats of violence not being unusual. She moved closer to him, whispering to Gorlen, "He's just running his mouth, there's just enough for those children, anyway."
The man snorted and spit, the thick phlegm landing with a plop on the cobblestones, "Like as not some of these little bastards might be mine. I've tupped enough of the wenches back here." He laughed, an ugly harsh sound, his crooked teeth flashing. "Might I make another soon," he quipped, looking at Piperel boldly.
She made a face, "Gross. I'd not give you a crumb let alone anything else."
He licked his lips and laughed again, "Who says anything about giving, lass? I take what I want." The other men looked at Gorlen, the one with the knife, eyeing the sellsword nervously.
Gorlen grunted, "Aye, but you see that lass over there?" he said, only nodding towards a lone girl near the rock, no other children around her. She sat silently and picked at her food, not seeming to have an appetite. A large bruise adorned her cheek, blue-purple in color. "See her bruise, he is her father"
Gorlen heard the man speak up again, turning his attention from a browned haired boy, pinching his cheek as he scurried past. "I dare you. I dare you to just lift yer ass from that seat of yers. Oh my gods I dare you" Gorlen said, walking to the crooked toothed man, pulling out his dagger.
Piperel watched the girl, her brow furrowing over the bruise. She was a small, underfed girl in a ragged dress and Piperel's temper flared. She turned on her heel and stood beside Gorlen. "He deserves a beating of his own!"
The man looked up lazily at Gorlen, his eyes registering the knife but he staid still, "Let your woman run her mouth like that, and you'll end up bent over for my lads here while I enjoy that tight little cunny she's got." He stared at Gorlen, no fear in his dead dark eyes. In the shadows, more men stood up, some armed with clubs and sticks, some with knives. "This Alley ain't a fucking playground."
Gorlen whispered softly, voice filled with warning. "Pip, get out of here."
His eyes kept on watching the man, a slight smile playing on his lips, a malicious and almost eager smile gracing his features. "Oh, is that so? You just as well think of this woman skewed, you're a dead man" He noticed the other men stand and gather their weapons, "You all stand right where you are. This is this is between this cunt over here and me. Or... if you want yer intestines for dinner, served out yer ass, be my guest, but I'll get some of ya. Oh... I'll get a few before I go down" Gorlen said, seeming to know what he was doing, eyes flicking dangerously from one to the other.
Gorlen slowly pulled out his sword, letting the blade sing out in the falling rain. With his dagger in one hand, the sword in the other. "We give yer lads and galls food, look after the children as much as we can afford. And what has this cunt do but beat at a little girl? Ha. Come, come all if you want. Just know you're dying for a bastard."
Piperel stepped back, looking at him with wide eyes. The children sensed the tension and started to quiet down, watching with suspicious excitement as the fight seems eminent. The man cleaning his nails, a broad squat man with a broken nose, looked down at the scrawny crooked toothed man. "Aye, boss...he's Bloody Dawn, yeah? Even if we kill him, they'll come down on us."
The seated man snarled at Gorlen, "Like you know anything about anything, that little bitch mouthed off and deserved a smack, I'm her father, I know what's best." He stood up, looking at his daughter and motioned to her with a snapping gesture. The little girl put her plate down and ran quickly to him, her head hanging, a tangled mess of dark hair obscuring her soft face and stood before the man. He looked back up at Gorlen, "Gonna cut me down now, lad?Me, a man just trying to do best for my child in this hopeless world?" He grinned, and put his hand on the girl's matted hair. The child stood directly in front of the man, her bruise vivid on her pale skin, her brown eyes downcast.
Gorlen pushed the girl way suddenly, filled with insatiable anger and hatered from a past best left forgotten. While the girl was busy falling the side and his hand with dagger left her shoulder, a mighty, bone crunching kick was aimed at the seated man's crooked toothed grin face.
Piperel screamed, covering her mouth as Gorlen acted swiftly. She grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her away, the child sobbing, "Daddy!" The man fell backward, groaning at the kick, spitting broken shards of teeth onto the cobblestone. The man with the knife froze, unsure what to do.
Gorlen pointed his knife at the squat man. "Move and this dagger's faster in your soft stomach than the bile will flow from your mouth," he hissed. With total disregard, he kicked the crooked man in the stomach. "Never. Ever. Ever, touch that girl again. This won't be the last you see of me," he spat out.
Piperel held the girl, who struggled to get to the man. Martha came over, snatching the child up and removing her from the scene of her father being stomped on. The man with the knife held his hands up, "I ain't got the quarrel with you or the Bloody Dawn, Mister." His eyes darted to the ornery man getting kicked and then he slunk back into the shadows were the others stayed, none stepping forward to help the loud mouth. The man who once had crooked teeth, his mouth now full of bloody stumps, was doubled over, vomiting a noxious pool of rancid ale and bread. He groaned, rolling over, trying to protect himself from the heavy boot.
The young sellsword, satisfied with state the man was in, gave him more kick. Bending over the man, dagger hand on his knee, "You listen to me, and you listen to me good - that little lass is the only thing that might still love such a sick fuck as you, and if I hear, I will hear, of you ever laying hand on her, you'll never see her, or another cunt for your over eager cock to polute. Know what, half a mind ripping the thing off right here"
Piperel watched, half shocked and half proud of him. The man pulled his legs up, as if to protect his groin. "Fush off..." he muttered through blood and pain. Piperel stepped over, "Gorlen...that's enough. I think he's got the idea." The man rolled his eyes and nodded, grimacing.
Gorlen grunted and spat a ball of gob next to the man, disgusted. "Yes. Let us go" As he put his sword back in the scabbard, he looked up at the rest of the men in the Alley, watching if any of them came closer.
Piperel went to get the basket, looking at the kids, "I'll...we'll be back again. With more, another day." She glanced back at the man, groaning on the ground. The little girl broke away from Martha and ran to her father, standing over him and wringing her small hands, unsure of what to do. Pip looked at Gorlen, murmuring, "Come on, let's go. I can't stand it."
Gorlen mumbled, "I'm... I'm sorry you had to see that"
Piperel moved closer to him, hooking her arm in his, "You did the right thing...right?" She sighed and rubbed her hand over her mouth, "He's a piece of shit, he deserved worse but that little girl...poor thing."
Gorlen sighed, nodding. "I know. But there's not much else one can do. I've seen it too many times. Fathers brutalizing their own kids, them only coming back. It's sad, there's nothing you can do. All I hope is that he's learned his lesson. Not that I have much hope in it."
Piperel nodded and then leaned on his arm, "It is sad, even if he didn't learn his lesson, maybe you've scared him shitless so that he won't try anything again." She sighed and glanced back, "I feel terrible for them. I've never known hunger like that before and my parents never hit us, maybe just a spanking or something but not like that."
Gorlen shook his head, allowing her to lean against him as the made their way out of the Alley. "It's not a pretty sight. I guess it's a horrible way to be brought up, not feeling the love of your parents," he smiled at her faintly. "Don't think he'd be able to keep anything down for the next two days, hoping that would help him remember. Not all of them are like that, though, remember."
Piperel nodded, "I know...that Martha seems very nice." She looked at him and then kissed his cheek, whispering, "You would have been a good Dad." She blushed, looking away awkwardly, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have brought that up."
Gorlen smiled slightly. "It's okay. Nothing's too late though," he said as a gave a playful wink. "She is. She looks out for most of the children in the Alley, a safe place to go for them when it all becomes too much."
Piperel brushed her hair behind her ear, biting her lip slightly at his meaning. "She must be a tough lady, too." She looked up at Gorlen, "I'd like to think I could be that tough and selfless in her place...I don't know if I would be."
Gorlen looked at her blushing, only smiling at her action. "Yeah, she is. Butch, as well. A real bull of a woman, big as an ox," he said, broadening his arms to show off precisely. "Doubt I'd want you like that."
Piperel giggled and looked at him, "Well...I doubt you'd like that, either."
Gorlen winked and snaked his arm around her waist, hugging her tightly. They left the Alley, winding their way back up into the center of Bree, each in their own thoughts until they found the stairs that led to her rented room. It was full dark now and the torches of patrolling Watchers glowed like bright embers in the gloom.
She pulled him to the door, ignoring the twitching curtains of the neighbor across the street, "Let's get your boot washed up, in case someone comes to ask questions about it. Though I doubt it, I'm sure a lot goes on in that Alley that the Watch is never notified about."
