Young Writers Society

Chapter 15

Quinn felt her lover back, kissing him weakly, after a while Marius noticed, “Quinn, yer seem not all there.”

She smiled and hugged him, “Yes… sorry about that, a bit been gahn on…”

Marius frowned, “It were just earlier yer seemed so ecstatic, like yer were on top of the chuffin' world.”

Quinn smiled warmly, “I missed yer is all.”

Marius pulled away from her, “Then where is this ecstasy yer 'ad before, it seemed ter vanish soon as we kissed.”

Quinn let her lips go against his, “Maybe I’m just tired.”

Marius pulled away once again, “I allow yer ter see me for free for a reason Quinn, don’t use me!”

Quinn sighed, hurt, “Ya seem suspicious, maybe we should do this another day.”

Marius smiled sadly, “Yer promise it’s nuffink?”

Quinn pecked him once on the cheek, “It’s nuffink, I’ll come back soon.”

Marius watched her walk off and sighed, No doubt about it, she was hiding something he thought. He fixed his shirt and sighed quietly. This night should been like the others, he had chosen this spot for them. A shallow alley, where no one went, supposedly it was haunted. Marius didn’t believe in ghosts. He was very close-minded, he barely believed Quinn’s power, he wouldn’t have if she hadn’t shown him.

He considered going to his usual hangout, but after that, he couldn’t have sex with anyone.

Marius leant down and rested his head against the wall, she was just one girl, why did it bother him?

He heard the sound of a stone being kicked and stood up, no one came here, so they must of known he’d be here he thought. A figure emerged out the darkness.

Marius leant against the wall, so much for not having customers, “Ten coins, take it or leave it!” Marius drawled in a bored manner.

The figure replied, “I’m not buying, unless it’s information… Now I’ve been told you know of the whereabouts of my son, Alexzander.”

Marius yawned boredly, “Well if I do, right, gotta make brass somehow, how much is it worff ter yer?”

In a flash the man came out the shadows and pinned Marius to the wall whispering threateningly, “How about it’s worth sparing your ill gotten life.” The man drew his blade and held it against Marius throat for an added point.

Marius eyed the blade feeling all a sudden less in the mood to be blasé; the man smirked at his obvious fear.

Marius held his breath not wanting his throat to be slit, the man laughed,

“Now I’ll ask again where is Alexzander Yeasa?”

Marius shrugged sweating profusely,

“I 'onestly don’t know, please, let me go, I’m only earnin' a livin'.”

The man laughed dangerously, “Let me explain how this works, either the pig squeals, or I’ll make it squeal…” he stopped and burst out laughing, “Some living!”

Marius gulped, “Please, I know nuffink, why won’t yer understand I’m a no good 'oore… I know nuffink!”

The man smiled menacingly, “I think our pig knows something, he’s just got some issues with loyalty, this is your last chance!”

Marius sighed in utter defeat, “I do know sumfink. Right it’s too wee ter seem important, right, but about two weeks ago I were met by a individual 'oo said 'e were called Alex, can I go now?”

The man smiled faintly, “Yeah you can go, although you could join the army!”

Marius smiled anxiously, “It’s not me fin', right, well later.”

Marius tried to move off but the man kept him pinned, smiled so smugly,

“Did I phrase that wrong, I meant… Join the army!”

Marius tried to struggle out his grip when knife came back out and lay against his neck, “It’s time the scum of this town did their country a service.”

Marius wrestled vainly, then when he remembered the knife he stopped. The man spoke, “You’ll thank me, my name is Jacob.”

Jacob pulled his knife away from the neck and with one swift movement plunge it through Marius’s right leg.

Marius screamed and fell over, “Ma—ma—ma—na--me—Mar—Mar—ius.”

Jacob wiped the blood off the blade with the hem of his jacket before sliding it into his belt, “Get up pig!”

Marius tried to stand up blood gushing from his leg, but fell over, Jacob laughed. He felt so ashamed, he tried once more managing to get up, “Wh—y di—di—di-did—ya—do tha?--.”

Jacob grinned, “So you don’t run pig!”

Marius groaned as he hobbled over to Jacob, he smiled relishing the pain and began to pull Marius by the hand through the alleyway.

The journey for Marius was terrifying. Twice he fell over, twice he was threatened by Jacob. They arrived at a large building, with a wooden sign stating “Recruitment”

Marius wrestled vainly against Jacob’s grip, he smiled and sneered, “Should of taken more exercise, other than ya’re profession.”

Jacob dragged Marius inside the door; the room was small with a table a chest of drawers – the handles of which were golden lions, sitting at the table was a man of average height reading through a bundle of papers he held in his hand. A pair of spectacles were over his long beak of a nose. He wore the uniform of a war hero; a loose fitting blue jacket with gold and silver tassels and buttons, but Marius was sure this man had only ever seen this table.

The man finally noticed them and sniffed irritably, slipping his glasses off and dropping them into a box that seemed appeared out of nowhere.

“More scum for me, wow you’re are too kind.” The man yawned rolling his dark brown eyes.”

Jacob pulled Marius over and nodded, “This one is a whore, rather muscular. Could last a few days…”

The man stood up and smirked, “I’ll be the judge of that!”

Marius saw the man was limping. He hobbled over to him and started to examine him as if he was a piece of meat, not a human. Marius heard the guy ask, “Remove you’re shirt…”

Marius grinned stupidly, “That’ll cost ya, though a kiss is free.”

Jacob looked at him aggressively and gave him a dead arm, the man sighed, “Quit hurting him, he’s human for pete sake!”

Jacob looked at both them threateningly. Marius sighed sadly and discarded his shirt mechanically.

“Hmm this one is rather muscular, though muscle ain’t all you need…” The man stopped speaking and looked down at the calf with the gash still bleeding, “What is this, you bring people who are fit and able to walk, I cannot send this man off to war, that wound would take more than a journey to heal up, we need fit recruits not some who would die first thing.”

As if on cue Marius finally couldn’t stand the pain and fell down. The man rolled his eyes, “My point being, is shown right here!”

Jacob roughly pulled up Marius, “Ya do realize I’m under the orders of Jared Lyons, so if ya don’t do this, you may well end up being paid up so ta speak…”

The man growled aggressively and pulled a elegant sword from his sheath, Marius gasped thinking the man was going to kill Jacob instead he handed this over to himself., “Fine, though Jacob I warn you, the blackmail won’t always work, the time of Jared Lyons is coming to a close, just listen in the streets his reign is finally being questioned.”

Jacob approached the man slowly slipping his dagger out his belt, “You better not be spearheading any of these rebellions…” Jacob headed round the table smiling evilly rubbing the blade of his blood caked dagger lovingly, “Unlike me, you can be replaced, give me a reason to not kill you?”

The man backed away from the table, “Hold on how can you get this man recruited without me?”

Jacob glared and returned his dagger to his belt, “For now, I’ll spare your life, now send this whore off to war…”

The man turned to Marius; “I’d rather not get put away for false premises, so excuse me you want to fight for your country?”

Jacob flashed his eyes warningly at Marius, he gulped and nodded, “Yes…”

The man hadn’t noticed this and smiled, “Well, you’re in luck… erm, what’s your name?

Marius felt like the pain was killing him, but managed to strangle a response, “Marius…”

The man nodded, “Very well Marius, welcome to the army…”

Jacob grinned horribly, “Thanks Marius you’ve been so helpful, maybe I’ll spare your sluttish girlfriend a slow death.”

Marius sighed sadly. The man looked at both of them, “Well… anyway thank you again, if you can get anymore people, we’ll be grateful for your service.”

Jacob walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

Marius sighed. He’d never see Quinn again, never ever.