The prison constable sneered wearily at Duo’s taunt, eying Wufei askance. Disheveled, dressed in travel-stained clothing, and sick at heart, Wufei did not feel particularly infamous. Yet despite that, and despite the two large and fully-armed guards that hung back behind the constable as an escort, the man looked faintly nervous as he pointed out, “He’s not restrained.” Duo’s grin turned sardonic. “I’m not handing over my good chains to you,” he said dryly. “Use your own damn restraints. You’re supposed to be paying me for this, not the other way around. And I do expect to be paid for this, constable -- what’s the holdup?” “You’ll get your money, bloodhound,” the constable said coldly. He opened the large, flat book he’d been carrying, and pulled out a sheet of paper. Fumbling in his pocket for a piece of charcoal, he jerked his chin towards the guards, who looked rather bored. “Men, take this criminal to the prison and find a cell for him -- a secure one, underground would be best. Move another prisoner if you have to; he’s scheduled for execution in a few days anyway.” “Am I to have no trial?” Wufei made his voice calm and dry, raising his chin in defiance and catching the constable’s eyes even as the armed guards moved in him. Each guard seized an arm, jostling him, and he wondered that the his pounding heartbeat wasn’t visible in his throat. Say something, Duo, he begged silently. Look at me, Duo... The constable laughed nastily, scribbling on the paper. “Oh, you’ll get a trial all right. Not that you’ll actually get to attend, for all the good it will do you. Don’t worry, everything will be nice and legal at your hanging.” Barbarians... Wufei swallowed the seething anger on his tongue, and glanced over at Duo. He looked faintly bored, his attention focused on the constable. “I’m waiting for my pay, constable,” he said, a faintly dangerous tone edging his voice. “And I’d better get all of it. It’s not wise to short-change the Shinigami.” “Very well,” the constable said wearily. He handed Duo the sheet of paper. “Take this to the paymaster, you’ll get your money.” Duo nearly snatched the sheet of paper. “I’ve already wasted too much time with this one mark. I’m heading up north to White Falls. I hear they have a problem with bandits.” He glanced at the sum listed on the paper, and grinned. “Always glad doing business with you, constable.” Giving the guards a mocking parody of a salute, he wheeled around, his braid flying out behind him, and started jauntily away. Wufei stared after him, chest aching inexplicably, he allowed the guards to manhandle him towards the foreboding prison building. Duo never even once looked back.
Re: THE DRAGON AS AN OBJECT OF PREY (cont.)
Date: 2006-02-21 10:13 am (UTC)Duo’s grin turned sardonic. “I’m not handing over my good chains to you,” he said dryly. “Use your own damn restraints. You’re supposed to be paying me for this, not the other way around. And I do expect to be paid for this, constable -- what’s the holdup?”
“You’ll get your money, bloodhound,” the constable said coldly. He opened the large, flat book he’d been carrying, and pulled out a sheet of paper. Fumbling in his pocket for a piece of charcoal, he jerked his chin towards the guards, who looked rather bored. “Men, take this criminal to the prison and find a cell for him -- a secure one, underground would be best. Move another prisoner if you have to; he’s scheduled for execution in a few days anyway.”
“Am I to have no trial?” Wufei made his voice calm and dry, raising his chin in defiance and catching the constable’s eyes even as the armed guards moved in him. Each guard seized an arm, jostling him, and he wondered that the his pounding heartbeat wasn’t visible in his throat. Say something, Duo, he begged silently. Look at me, Duo...
The constable laughed nastily, scribbling on the paper. “Oh, you’ll get a trial all right. Not that you’ll actually get to attend, for all the good it will do you. Don’t worry, everything will be nice and legal at your hanging.”
Barbarians... Wufei swallowed the seething anger on his tongue, and glanced over at Duo. He looked faintly bored, his attention focused on the constable. “I’m waiting for my pay, constable,” he said, a faintly dangerous tone edging his voice. “And I’d better get all of it. It’s not wise to short-change the Shinigami.”
“Very well,” the constable said wearily. He handed Duo the sheet of paper. “Take this to the paymaster, you’ll get your money.”
Duo nearly snatched the sheet of paper. “I’ve already wasted too much time with this one mark. I’m heading up north to White Falls. I hear they have a problem with bandits.” He glanced at the sum listed on the paper, and grinned. “Always glad doing business with you, constable.” Giving the guards a mocking parody of a salute, he wheeled around, his braid flying out behind him, and started jauntily away.
Wufei stared after him, chest aching inexplicably, he allowed the guards to manhandle him towards the foreboding prison building. Duo never even once looked back.