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I ran away from the orchards when they caught me stealing. Somehow I wasn't captured, but since my leaving I have seen most of the entire Kingdom. I ended up a mule, in the service of a traveling bard, carrying his things, preparing meals, securing housing. He doesn't treat me like a mule though. He pays me and everything.
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They've called servants "mules" since the start of the Kingdom. At least that's what it says in the book I stole from my old masters.
Menials have it worse that I do though. They're stuck in their position their whole lives. IF my master dies, I achieve my freedom.
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That sounds like a situation that leads to a lot of potential murders. How do you feel about your master?
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A traveling bard can be pretty, well, irritating after awhile. Seconding the potential murder idea. How do you feel about it? Would it free you?
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I'm surprised the Burdencoats haven't been killed in their sleep, the masters from the orchard. Running away from my duties was dangerous too, but no one in my position would dare murder a Tyco, especially not their own master.
Sorry, you're not from Anthem. Tycos are landowners or business owners, or at least that's what the book said.
Believe me, I'm much better off than a slave or a menial. You see, as a mule, I am paid, and Master Canton is quite generous. When I arrived at Stockhold, he helped me to evade the folks who pursued me. Even gave me this drink that burned my hair into a different color. It tasted like fire too.
Since we travel so much, I can read more and more. I took a new book too, Songs of Stormbridge. I hope we make it that far, but it depends on the Prince's wishes. Oh, I'm sorry. His Royal Highness, the Fourth Heir to the Crown, Prince Fastus of Anthem. That's what he's called. Hopefully he didn't hear me.
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What did you steal from the orchard? Low-hanging fruit or something more serious? In our world, they say, "Everybody takes the soap from motel rooms...they draw the line at the mattresses..."
If fruit...were you hungry?
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It started out that way. Food and things, things nobody would miss. But eventually dresses and necklaces. books, that's how I learned how to read. What my older sister stole was worse, but when I found out, I was already scared and... but I... I can't really talk about that right now.
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You've got a leg up on most, learning to read by stealing the books...you've got to use your brains to figure out how to get out of the situation you're in---that is, if you want out of the situation at all.
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Life on the road isn't that bad. It's better than life on the orchard. I even get my own bed now, not just a straw pile, neither.
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A good mattress and maybe some clean sheets are a pretty good selling point for a relationship. What price will you pay?
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Will I pay? I don't think I understand. But I earn around 10 percent of whatever Master makes, and since I keep track of the bags, I know he's not cheating.
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Actually, I took your situation for "slavery," but it would seem you (or someone) were paid wages, it might not be that---though the effect on the "mule" in question might be the same. Is it a master / apprentice situation? Are you learning anything? Can you leave / quit at any time?
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If I read "A Brief History of Anthem" right, my duties are like a house servant or squire's. I do learn, but not always directly from Master.
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I didn't think about that before I ran. If they think I'm dead they won't look for me though. How would they find me? I look different and they don't know any of my companions, I don't think.
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It's said that Charlemagne used to take a day to write half of his signature and another to write the other half. But he could read, and that put him one up on practically everybody around him.
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He's never been mentioned in any of the books I've read, but I'm not finished with A Brief History of Anthem yet.
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Probably not in there. You'll have to go further afield...besides, I'm not sure knowledge of that order would reach where you are...
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By the way, you've mentioned being some kind of fugitive / runaway. What's involved in the search for you? Wanted posters? Bounty hunters? Reward for turning you in or catching you? Dead or alive?
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So far, there was just the one thief who had heard about my escape. I haven't seen any posters yet, but I've only been one town outside of Helm's Cross. I've stayed hidden so long that I don't really know what they're doing to find me.
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So long as you're a fugitive, a good bet would be a change in appearance---which is trickier than putting on a false moustache or changing clothes. Alter your Body English---walk a little different, carry yourself a little different.
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Folks tend not to notice mules. At least as far as I've seen. Well, my older sister got herself noticed, but anyone would notice someone as beautiful as her.
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You can't count on that. Your traveling bard master noticed you enough to take you in. Somebody else might notice you enough to turn you in.
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