Free All Fall Down by Christine Pope

lord, I noticed the boy when I was down in the kitchen, attending to Merime. His arms are black and blue between the shoulder and the elbow. I spoke with him in private, and he finally confessed to me that it was your steward who had used him so—and worse.” I took a breath to collect myself; the previous words had tumbled out of me like a stream in spate. Then I added, “He also told me that Dorus threatened to kill him if he ever told anyone about the abuse.”
    He continued to watch me closely for a moment longer. Then he said, “You’re a brave woman, aren’t you, Mistress Merys?”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “I don’t know how many of the other slaves would have had the courage to come to their master with this sort of information.”
    I flinched at the words “other slaves,” but I refused to let him upset me. If that was all he saw me as, regardless of the service I had provided for him and his daughter, so be it. “Perhaps none of the other slaves —” and I made sure I gave the words extra emphasis, even as I scowled at him— “has sworn an oath to protect others from harm. But I have. I could not let this go on, once I had learned of it.”
    Whatever else he was, Lord Shaine was not stupid. He gave me a sharp look, then said, “And what would you propose that I do about it?”
    “You should dismiss him. Immediately.”
    At that Lord Shaine gave a short, humorless laugh and stood, pushing his chair away from the desk with an abrupt, angry gesture. “You make it sound so simple.”
    “It is.”
    He took a step toward me, then another. Although I would have liked nothing better than to move away from him as he came closer, I stood my ground, lifting my chin as I did so. Whatever else, I would not let him see me cowed.  
    Stopping a few feet away, Lord Shaine said, “Tell me, Mistress Merys, did you notice the preparations in the hall downstairs?”
    Wondering what he was driving at, I replied, “I did.”
    “It so happens that tonight three of the neighboring lords and their families are dining here. Families, I might add, that include sons who are of an age to marry my daughter. Do you see?”
    Indeed I did, and I began to comprehend his predicament. Probably he had not mentioned it to Auren because of her tendency to become over-excited by things. Although I knew little of managing a great house such as his, I did know that a steward was certainly necessary to coordinate such an important event. Still, as much trouble as it would cause, Dorus needed to go.
    “I understand, my lord. But do you not think that for one evening Merime and Ourrel might manage things between them?”
    Scowling, he replied, “And after that, what? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a competent steward? Dorus has been with my family for more than twenty years. And I’m supposed to dismiss him based on hearsay from two of my slaves?”
    “ I am not your slave! ” The words tore themselves from me before I even knew I was going to say them. Aghast, I looked away from him. What he would do in response to such effrontery I could only imagine. He would certainly be in his rights to strike me, or order me whipped for that kind of insolence.
    He did neither. Instead, he watched me narrowly, and asked, “Were you not sold in the markets of Myalme? Did my steward not bring you here as my property?”
    “I will admit that I was kidnapped from Aunde, in my homeland,” I retorted. “And money exchanged hands for my person. So by your barbaric laws, perhaps that makes me a slave. But I was not born a slave, and I still do not think of myself as one. I doubt I ever will.”
    “Think what you like,” he said. “But that doesn’t change your status here in Seldd.”
    “As you say, my lord .” Even as I said the words, I was surprised by my boldness. I had no idea why this streak of defiance had suddenly chosen to manifest itself, save that I suddenly realized how weary I was of knowing I was not free to