The Strange Boy

"You thief!" I then suddenly heard someone yell from one of the stalls nearby. "I saw you, you took some apples from my stall. You think I didn't see that! "

I turned round to see the owner of the stall in question roughly holding a young boy by the collar of his shirt. He was literally floating as the man was pulling him up. The boy writhed around as he tried to free himself.

" I didn't steal anything! " He screamed out.

"Really now?" The vendor asked angrily. He then shook the boy around and several apples fell to the floor from the pockets of his clothes.

"Hey, hey we got ourselves a thief here. Help me out fellas." The vendor told some other men working in the stalls nearby. Two of them immediately left their stalls and came to him.

"Do you know what we do to thieves around here?" One of the men that arrived threateningly asked the boy. It didn't take a genious to know they were going to beat him up. A crowd of onlookers began to form curious to see what was going on.

The three men surrounded the young boy who's facial expression showed he feared what was about to happen next. They were so much bigger and stronger than he was. The boy looked quite young, he couldn't have been older than 13. Even if he was a thief, three grown men against a small boy was too much.

"Oh my, the poor boy." Kaylee said next to me.

What's more no one did anything to stop what was happening. Amongst everyone that stood in the observing crowd they all just stared as young boy was about to get hit.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything? He's just a child." I asked Kaylee in a whisper.

"It doesn't matter if he's a small boy. Around here, a thief is a thief and so they all get the same treatment." She explained.

Then suddenly the boy spat on the face of the vendor who held onto him. The vendor was thrown off by this and loosened his hold on him. The boy followed up with a kick to the mans chest, allowing him to be free of his hold.

" Ugh! " The vendor screamed out in pain.

The boy tried to make a run for it but was quickly grabbed by the arm by one of the other two surrounding men. His attempted escape failed, he just wriggled around trying to free himself.

The victim vendor wiped his face with his hand. His face was fuming with rage. "Alright, you little twerp, now you've done it." He roared. "Hold him straight lads." He ordered the men as he charged at the little boy and gave him a punch straight in the gut. The child screamed out in pain.

My face scrunched up in empathy as felt like I myself was getting punched. He was then punched in the face. Another loud scream. He punched him in the stomach once more.

No, this was too much. I couldn't take it anymore. I found myself heading towards them instinctively I didn't even think about it. My body was moving on it's own as I went past the people in the crowd.

"My lady?" Kaylee questioned me worriedly.

"Don't worry I'll be back in a minute."

"No, don't my lady! You'll get hurt!" She tried to stop me but it was too late I had already entered the circle of conflict. I wasn't sure if I could help him but I wanted to try. Hopefully my acting skills would be great.

"Please, please stop!" I said frantically as I approached them. The fruit vendor stopped mid punch, as all three men turned to look at me. "That's my little brother I've been looking for him everywhere." The boy then slowly turned his face to look at me confused.

"I'm so sorry sir, for any trouble my little brother has caused you." I went on with my little skit. "He suddenly ran away and I've been looking for him everywhere. He's a difficult child."

The vendor man considered it for a moment.

"This is your brother?" The vendor asked as he looked back at the boy then at me."You don't look alike."

"He's my step brother." I quickly came up with explanation.

"Mhm" He scoffed. "Sorry lady, he stole from me and a thief's a thief. He has to face the consequences of his actions."

"I understand and again I apologize on his behalf but I'm begging you please let him go. "

"He spit on my face I can't tolerate disrespect."

"You've already beaten him up quite a bit as is and I'll further discipline him once we get home, so please let him off just this once. I beg you." I pleaded with him once more as I bowed my head again, but I didn't stop there.

" I'll even pay for what he stole." I said taking out my little bag which contained the coins I'd been using to buy decorations. "Please let him go, if you go on any longer I don't think my family will be able to afford a good doctor."

I was using the fact the fact that I was dressed as a commoner woman to my advantage. I could convincingly look like I came from a poorer family.

The fruit vendor still looked angry it didn't seem like I was convincing him. However, the other two men that held the boy began to look uncomfortable. They looked at me, then looked at the crowd around us.

" The crowds getting big Hamlin." One of the men said to the fruit vendor. "I heard imperial soldiers have been patrolling around the city today."

" Yeah, the lady said she's sorry, let's just leave it Hamlin. We're drawing too much attention."

Whilst they could turn this issue to the Imperial guards and have the boy arrested for stealing from them. They would get in trouble for beating up the criminal. You weren't allowed to take matters into your own hands. That's why they didn't want to draw attention.

Hamlin then looked from his friends to the crowd that had formed around them and was continuing to grow. He struggled to make a choice. He didn't seem to want to let it go.

" Fine, just take the brat and go." he ended up saying to me disgruntled. Still clenching his fists. He then turned away and returned to his stall.

The two men dropped the boy and he fell to the ground and began to walk away.

I approached the boy on the ground as the crowd slowly began to disperse. He had short dark brown hair, tan skin and green eyes. He had a bruise across his right cheek where he'd been punched and a small cut above his eye which was bleeding.

He was skinny and wore a simple white tunic and trousers which were dirty and messy. I noticed his arm sleeve was ripped and red with blood. Probably from when the men had roughly grabbed him. As soon as our eyes locked he looked away from me upset.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I held out a hand for him to help him up.

"I didn't need your help!" He angrily told me as he waved my hand off.

"Well aren't you grateful? ." I sarcastically said to him. This little brat, after going through all that he wasn't even grateful.

The boy tried to get up on his own struggling and wincing in pain. Then suddenly he lost his balance and began to fall. I managed to catch him in time though.

I helped him find his balance after which he then shrugged me off again. He was quite stubborn wasn't he? I let out a tired sigh. He then tried to walk away from me but he was limping. It was clear he didn't want me to help him but I couldn't let him go with those injuries.

"Look you're hurt, let me help you with your injuries." He looked at me doubtfully. "I'll be quick and then you can go alright?" I asked him kindly. He was reluctant to accept but he knew he was too weak to move around as is.

"Alright." He eventually gave in.

I looked ahead to see Kaylee who had been waiting slowly approach me. But I waved for her not to come any closer.

She looked confused as to why but she stopped. The boy seemed not to be very trusting of others. I felt it would overwhelm him if too many people came to him.

I took him behind the vending stalls where city buildings were situated, they were apartment buildings. I took him to a small alleyway. Kaylee followed us but kept a short distance between us. Having him seated at the steps of the entrance to a building, I took out a small handkerchief from my pocket and held it out to his eye which was bleeding.

It appeared to be an older injury which had reopened most probably after he was punched. "Keep that there." I instructed him to keep the handkerchief on his eye.

The boy kept a serious/angry face as I attended to him. He didn't say anything either. I wanted to ask him what his name was but given by his demeanor I knew he probably wouldn't tell me. He appeared to be embarrassed that I was helping him.

The wound on his arm didn't seem too bad they were shallow cuts but I had to stop the bleeding. I didn't have any cloth to bandage his wound so I thought of the next best thing. I went for the skirt of my dress and ripped off a piece of the under layer skirt on the inside.

I found the boy surprised by what I had done. I tied the torn piece around his arm but it was tight enough. I feared it unravel itself in no time. To make it more secure I removed my hair tie from my hair and it came down in waves down my shoulders. Kaylee was going to kill me for ruining my hair.

As I was about to tie his bandage I noticed his gaze was on me. I made eye contact with him to see why he was looking at me. The expression on his face... I couldn't understand it. It's like he was in awe, like he was looking something that was both shocking and incredible at the same time.

All I did was let down my hair why was he looking like this?

"What do you like my hair?" I then jokingly asked him.

Then as if I'd brought him out of a trance, he blinked a few times and he looked away from me, back to his serious face. I wonder what that was about, what a strange kid I thought. I tightened the string on his bandage securing it.

I then took out some fruit from my pocket which I had bought whilst exploring the market earlier. I handed it to him "Here, you're hungry right?" I asked him. If he was stealing food that meant he was hungry.

The boy suspiciously eyed the fruits. He looked like he wanted to deny again but then his stomach betrayed him by growling. Embarrassed, he looked away before grabbing them from my hand. He ate them. A satisfied smile appeared on my face.

Then I heard footsteps fast approaching in the alleyway. I looked to see imperial guards passing through. I thought nothing much of it but then suddenly I found the boy hugging me.

"Hey what are you doing?" I asked him.

He didn't respond just kept on hugging. "Hey!"

"Please hug me back." He asked me desperately. His body was shaking as he hugged. Was he afraid?

Don't tell me... Was he hiding from the Imperial guards? No way. A child? What could he have possibly done to make them go after him? I debated for a moment but then in the end I hugged him back.

The guards went passed us without any issue. They must have thought we were mother and child hugging or something. It's when they left the alleyway that the boy was soon relieved and stopped hugging me.

Though I was concerned as to why he was hiding from the Imperial guards. At the same time I didn't think he'd done anything wrong. His behavior was that of child who'd been neglected or mistreated in some way. Getting into trouble, being distrustful of others, not wanting to receive help. I don't know what had happened to this boy but he may need help.

"I have to go." he said standing up after the guards had left. He had more strength to move around now after he rested for a bit.

"Wait maybe I can help you....." I started before I was interrupted by someone who appeared before us. It was Kaylee, I knew why she was here. I was taking too long and she needed an explanation.

"My lady, Yema and Ezra have returned, they and I included are all wondering if there's a problem and you need assistance."

"Don't worry I'm almost done with him." I then turned to look at the boy but surprisingly he was gone.