Consoling the Widow

[Sintaqx]

The events of this tale occur after the headless corpse of a citizen of Immurk's hold was found outside the Sharktooth Tavern and subsequently taken to the Windwalker's Fain for preperation for burial.

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Ragged sobs filled the small, stone room in the Windwalker's Fane where a middle aged woman knelt beside the lone alter upon which her slain husband lay, his severed head nowhere to be found. Her sounds concealed the slight creaking of the door as it opened to admit a pale elven woman. Ashtara softly closed the door behind her before quietly moving the short distance to the alter. There, standing slightly behind the grieving widow, she stared at the corpse she and the others had found only hours before.

"What d'ye want," cracked the woman, brushing her hands across her face to wipe away the tears. Ashtara stared at the corpse for a short while more before turning her attention to the widow.

"It is always difficult to lose someone you love, especially in such a violent and senseless way," replied Ashtara, "I know this because I too have been through such a loss myself. I am here to help you through this. Can you tell me what you know about how this happened?"

The woman wailed in dispair and buried her face in her arms, "'twas my fault. I sent 'im out fer a bottle o' milk fer the babe without thinkin' o' the dangers in the dark. Th' babe coulda waited until th' morn, I shouldn'a sent 'im out. Now 'e's dead cause'a me an' there's none ta provide fer my other childr'n!"

Ashtara knelt and softly laid a hand on the grieving woman's shoulder and waited for her wracking sops to subside before speaking.

"Yes, if you sent him out into the night, then it would be your fault that he is dead, but listen to me." Ashtara gently turned the widow's head to look her in the eyes.

"You need not worry about the future, for you posess resources enough to survive. Tell me, how old are your children?"

The woman's sobbing stilled somewhat at the unexpected turn of events. "Adan'll be twelve next month, Ceicl's 10, Eilise's 5, Ashley's 4, 'n Davin's only a year old. Oh, my babes, what'm I goin' ta do!" The widow flung her arms around Ashtara's neck, sobbing into her shoulder.

"Shh, it will all be alright." Ashtara gently unwound the woman from her neck and looked at her squarely. She reached over and brushed the woman's tears from her face, smiling a little.

"Here is what you will need to do for now. Your Adan and Ceicl are old enough to help you in earning a living. Have them go down to the docks each morning. They should ask around to see if any of the captains need any errands run, or if they can earn a coin or two swabbing a deck or hull. Teach them how to use a needle and thread and they can patch sails too. They should also talk to the fishermen, to see if they could lend a hand on a boat, or gather in the lobster baskets. Do you understand?"

The widow nodded, her sobs subsiding once again. Ashtara continued, "Now, you can't leave your young children home alone during the day of course, so you will have to work in the early evenings when your other two get back home. A woman of your beauty, properly cleaned and dressed, will have no trouble at all in earning a good number of coin in only a few short hours."

Confusion shown in the woman's eyes, but was quickly replaced by understanding, and then horror. "Surely ye don' mean..." Ashtara places a delicate but firm hand over the woman's mouth to still her protests.

"You really do not have many options, do you," said Ashtara smoothly. "The taverns here about have enough serving girls already, and in all honesty the tavern keepers prefer the younger lasses. You may not be so young, but you definitely have a presence about you that many men will find appealing, and your beauty alone would be enough to attract men. And once you find another to marry, you would not need to work any longer."

As Ashtara spoke the horror in the widow's eyes slowly faded and she sighed. Ashtara took her hand away from her mouth.

"Ye're right, I c'n see that. It's just.... I've ne'r considered such a thing.... I don' know...." The widow trailed off.

Ashtara took the widow's hands in her own. "I'm sure you know where the brothels are around here. Come with me and I will get you set up there. The Mistresses take good care of their employees, so you will do fine. Your husband has gone to meet the gods, but I know that he would want his children taken care of. Come with me, I will help you."

The widow nodded numbly and Ashtara stood, helping her to her feet. The elf draped a compassionate arm about the woman's shoulders as they both stood looking one last time at the body of her husband.

[SoulChrusher]

*claps*

Well done.

[Vampirebunnyrabbit]

Nice story.

[Zakharra]

She's a pimp!!

*nice story btw*