He looked at me with contempt now, no surprise this time. I think I prefer this look on him, it looks more natural. "Well then, I won't just call you Goldilocks anymore oh Creator Goldilocks."
My eyes can't help rolling, who's the kid here now, you or me? "But we've arrived, let's go outside inside first. Then you can tell me everything in detail, after that we'll get you sorted out. You still killed an ex-soldier, that can't go unpunished, even if it was in self-defence, or if you can prove that your worth and background is greater than his." He looked me over another time while he was releasing me from the bench. "But I doubt you can proof that to anyone."
I just don't say anything, he's right, my background is nonexistent. And even though I am a creator now I don't have any loyalty to the kingdom, so what is my worth to them?
Finally released from my restraints! Well, mostly. My hands are still tied, and the man holds a rope that's tied to my hands. We exit the carriage.
What I see outside shocks me. We're on the northern square in front of the guards office, a place I always stayed far away from. But the shocking part are the people and the whispers, and the two things I hear the most are "Is he the one who killed Pridrove?" and "Isn't he that little homeless kid?". The second one is often followed with "I thought he died after I didn't see him for some time." or "Even the scrawniest of kids can be psycho murders.".
They all came to see the show, entertainment is hard to find for the normal people. Even for the homeless it's entertaining to see someone tied up and being dragged into the guards office, walking towards their end.
Other than the normal mass of people standing openly in the morning light on the square I see two other things of interest. My backup plan and a few kids wearing rags hiding in the shadows, looking at me mockingly, like I deserve this. But I don't really remember seeing them before?
Why are they looking at me like that? What gives them the right to look at me like that!? Why does it make me feel so mad inside!? Why won't they just...
"Ouch!" I look at my captor questionly while we're walking through the door "What did I do to deserve that!? Isn't dragging me into the guards office in front of all those people humiliating enough!? You also had to hit me too?" I see another chop coming for my head, I can't dodge, or block it! "Ouch!"
"The first one is for almost making those kids pee their pants, the second one is for talking to me like that." He shakes his head at me in disappointment. "Honestly kid, I don't think you're a bad kid, and that's what the report will say. 'Not a bad kid, great potential.' This makes the chance bigger that they'll give you a punishment that might be a blessing in disguise for you! So cheer up."
The look on his face tells me that this probably is the best speech he ever gave in his life, he shouldn't become a teacher. "So, what would this blessing be mister..." I don't even know his name.
"My name is Brace, but you can call me Victor, or mister Brace. And about the punishment, I can't tell you until the higher-ups give the official verdict, sorry kid." he puts his hand on my shoulder, it's warm. "They're pretty quick about these things, so we'll probably know it around this afternoon or tomorrow morning at the latest." He sets a step back and turns around, he goes further inside and I follow him.
Brace shortly greets a guard sitting at the reception and starts talking to me again. "Protocol states that I should put you in the jailhouse until we know what we'll do with you, but I don't believe that's necessary." he looks over his shoulder, I only see one eye and the look makes me feel as if many blades brush my skin. Just not heavy enough to cut, but the danger is there "It isn't necessary, right?"
"Don't worry mister Brace, I won't cause any problems." There's still a light smile on my face. I wonder what he really thinks of me.
After a minute walking we find ourselves on the second floor inside a room with a desk, a big chair, two small ones at the other side of the desk, and many books on shelves on the wall. There's also a big window. Brace walks up to a wall filled with books "Can you read?" His finger runs over the spines of the hooks as he asks this.
"I can read, but I don't know many things, we don't learn a lot on the streets. Do you have something nice for me?" He stopped at the moment I said I can read for a moment, but continued touching the spines as if nothing happened. He then hooks a medium sized book and walks to me. "Then this should prove helpful to you, it's about the general knowledge of this world and specifically this kingdom."
He points at one of the smaller chairs and I sit down. He also sits down in the big chair. "Now, I'm gonna write your report now, is there anything you need for now?"
I stick out three fingers, I touch the first one, "I want something to drink," I point at the second finger. "I want something to eat," the last finger. "I'd like to summon my familiar, I don't feel comfortable when he isn't by my side."
Mister Brace looks interested at the last one, I think he expected the first two. "I heard you were sighted with Pridove's slave goblin, but we couldn't even find a body on the seen. Have you turned him into your familiar?"
I just smile at him as a soft and fluffy animal suddenly appears on my shoulders. "Not exactly, this is Vothe, my hare."
Vothe rubs his cheek against mine and his thoughts enter my mind "I'm glad you're okay master, when you passed out I hid and would've attacked if they wanted to hurt you! But they only took you with them, they didn't look like they'd hurt you. It'd have been hard to fight them and protect you, so I waited. I did good right?" His thoughts sound a bit panicky and scared, I'm not that scary.
I gently rub his head as I send my thoughts over "You did good Vothe, they didn't want to hurt me, and I feel we can't even win from Brace if we teamed up! If you attacked he might have hurt you badly." he seems to enjoy the attention. "You're less scary with golden hair master!"
Right, when did my hair colour change? Is it because I opened my world? I did see a lot of golden energy.
Victor Brace just stands there looking at our exchange with interest in his eyes. When I look back at him he smiles at me. "Well then, we might need another set of food and drinks!" I think he likes Vothe, I rub his head one more time.