The Girl with No Name Ch. 01

"You mean the pretty one? Yes, her mother was the one who set her up with this job. I assigned her at the pit to shovel dirt into the wheelbarrows. Not the best worker, but the men like looking at her, so she's good for morale."

"Well, I have some bad news for you. There's a bit more than her not being a good worker. She's also been using that bucket of hers to take apples out of my orchard. She started two weeks ago...slowly...but yesterday it got worse. She came in twice, and each time left with a full bucket. Last night I followed her to the inn near the south gate, and found out that's where she's selling them."

"Very well. I'll have her arrested. As soon as my wife shows up, I'll have her go out to the pit and take the girl to court."

The farmer thought for a moment.

"I don't want to do it that way, Councilman. What I'd prefer is to catch her on my property. Have a guard actually see her stealing the fruit. That way she couldn't deny anything and we could make an example out of her."

"True...true. But I'm not going to have a city guard waste time sitting on your orchard waiting over a bucket of apples. We do have other concerns, you know..."

"I'm not asking you to have anyone wait. I know for a fact that she'll go during the mid-day break. All you have to do is have someone go to my farm just before you let your crew rest. As soon as she shows up and fills the bucket, you'll have her."

"Very well. I'll do as you suggest. And the guard I'll send will be none other than my wife. I'll send Anníkki just before I release my workers for the mid-day meal. Assuming your little thief shows up, my wife will handle her appropriately."

Farmer Orsktackt tightened his lips. "Handle her appropriately..." He had heard stories about the councilman's wife. Anníkki was a meticulous guard, but had a reputation for cruelty. He saluted his friend and left the work site, beginning to wonder if he was really handling the girl's stealing in the best way.

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Danka spent a second morning sullenly throwing half-shovels of dirt into waiting wheelbarrows and thinking about her next apple heist. She began to think about strategy; the possibility she could take more than one bucketful at a time, hide the extra apples somewhere, and make two treks to the inn. Another possibility was to obtain or make a large cloth bag and perhaps put more apples in that. Anyhow, that would have to wait...for today she'd still have to content herself with just one bucketful and two coins per trip.

While Danka was thinking about apples, copper coins, and the dress that would change the Path of her Life, the councilman's wife showed up with her two starving criminals carrying sacks full of food that was not for them. Her husband pointed towards the well and told her about Danka and the plan to catch her. Anníkki cheerfully set off towards the orchard, flexing her switch as she walked.

As soon as she was out of sight, the councilman told the two criminals to take two food rations for themselves before handing out the rest to the workers. He felt sorry for the unfortunate wretches, but did not like confronting his wife on such matters. Without saying anything, the two men ate like ravenous animals.

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Danka ate her mid-day meal with the other workers. Then, as the others lay down to sleep, she grabbed her bucket and set off for the orchard. When she snuck up to the fence, she was pleased to see that no orchard workers were in sight. Excellent. That would make everything so much simpler. She'd grab her apples and sell them, and maybe even have time to relax before the afternoon work shift.

Had she been older and less naïve, Danka would have sensed that something wasn't right and that she needed to leave immediately. It was too easy, with no one around. Instead of sneaking back and forth with armloads of apples, she simply took the bucket with her and within a couple of minutes had it filled with the best fruit. She hopped the fence and started her trek back to the inn. Her heart stopped when a man in Farmers' Guild clothing and a city guard stepped onto the road in front of her, blocking her path.

"Good day, little thief! And just where do you think you're going with my apples?"

Danka panicked. She tried to run, stupidly thinking that she could outpace her pursuers while still holding on to her shovel and apples. It was true that Anníkki could not go after her, because a foot chase was considered unbecoming for a female city guard. However, female guards had the right to order any nearby man to chase and apprehend a criminal, and it was already understood that Farmer Orsktackt would be the one to catch and restrain the thief.

He caught up to her immediately. Danka screamed and threw everything down. The bucket hit the road with a clang and apples rolled all around her. It didn't help. The farmer grabbed her arm and dragged the struggling girl to where the guard was standing. Danka resisted, incoherently protesting that she was innocent. To her horror, she saw the guard unwinding the leather strips that would be used to tie her hands.

"Take the girl to the fence. Face her to the railing and hold her arms."

Farmer Orsktackt obeyed, moving his struggling captive to the fence. Danka cried and desperately kicked at his shins while the guard wrapped one of the girl's wrists with a strip, expertly knotted it, then wrapped the other end around the fence railing. She secured Danka's other hand. To make sure the thief had no chance of pulling herself free, Anníkki secured her wrists with a second set of ties.

"Pick up the girl's things and bring them over here. Make sure you get all the apples."

Danka cried and helplessly pulled against the binds while Farmer Orsktackt returned to the spot where she had thrown down her things. As soon as he returned, the guard grabbed Danka's hair and jerked her head back and forth.

"Who is your Master, you dishonored little tart? Who pays for your living?" The guard slapped the prisoner hard across the face. "Tell me, before I break your neck!"

"I...the...the councilman...he..."

"That is correct! And do you know who I am?"

"City...honored...city...guard...Mistress..."

"Yes, a city guard, but I am also the councilman's wife! Do you understand me? You are in the employ of my husband! You dishonored his name...and the city's name...and my name...with your vile and loathsome actions!"

"Please Mistress...I didn't...I... AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The guard had picked up her switch and struck a savage blow on the criminal's thighs, just below her skirt. Danka continued to cry while the guard grabbed her vest and tore it off her shoulders. The fabric was old and gave way easily. The guard then tore at the girl's skirt, ripping the worn cloth. She produced a small knife and cut the drawstring. She tossed the shredded garment on the ground, next to the ruined vest.

Now wearing nothing but her boots, Danka was shaking with fear, so strongly that her captors could see her body quivering uncontrollably. The sight of a scared naked girl brought out pity in the farmer, but had the opposite effect on the city guard. The guard had worked herself into a sadistic frenzy and seeing the offender helplessly tied to the fence, stripped bare, and paralyzed with fear animated her.

The guard's next target was Danka's hair. She roughly pulled at the girl's braids while she screamed. She landed a very hard slap across the peasant's face before finishing undoing her hair.

"Now the world sees you for what you are, dishonored tart! You are a loose-haired savage slut!"

The guard picked up her switch and viciously slashed it through the air. Danka screamed from panic while the guard ran her hand up and down her naked bottom.

"Girl-meat. Dishonored girl-meat, meant for my leather. Prepare to suffer, dishonored thieving little tart!"

The guard struck hard as Danka screamed and pulled at her bonds. She twisted and jerked her body, but the bindings held tight and she could not evade the cruel blows. The guard smiled as she tapped Danka's naked bottom and struck another cruel blow. The crack of leather on bare skin echoed throughout the orchard between the thief's shrill screams.

Farmer Orsktackt was both fascinated and horrified by the girl's punishment. Seeing the girl with her hair unbraided was a unique experience, because never had he seen a Danubian woman with her hair loose. The peasant was very attractive and had a nice body, so seeing her aroused him. However, the extent of her suffering, and the knowledge that he was responsible for making it happen, made him sick with guilt. He had not expected the councilman's wife to tie her to the fence and whip her with the switch on his property, and certainly he had not expected her to undo the thief's braids.

After 30 hard strokes, the guard paused. Danka has sunk to her knees and was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Very well, you miserable dishonored lying slut...now I'll let you talk. You sold the apples at the Inn near the south gate, correct?"

The guard concluded her question with a cruel swipe at the girl's welt-covered backside, crossing multiple weals and eliciting another shrill scream.

"Y...yes...Mistress...I sold...the apples...Inn..."

"For how much?"

"Two copper coins...per...bucket...Mistress..."

"How many coins do you now have?"

"Mistress...Please...AIEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"I'll ask you again. How many coins do you have?"

"Nineteen...Mistress..."

"Where?"

"Chi...chicken coop...house....AIEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Hmm...so your father will be happy to know that his dishonored little slut liar is keeping stolen money on his property! I'll make sure he knows..."

Danka sobbed, not just from the pain, but from knowing that her dream was gone. Her father would either use the money on Katrínckta or have to return it to Farmer Orsktackt. She screamed when the guard grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet. The guard struck savagely several more times and Danka sank back to her knees. When the girl's sobs died down, she continued the interrogation.

"How many times did you steal apples from this orchard?"

"I...I don't...maybe ten...eleven..."

The guard grabbed Danka's hair and again jerked her to her feet.

"Yesterday...how many times?"

"Two times, Mistress."

"What time?"

"Lunchtime...after work, Mistress."

"Now. Why did you steal the apples? What did you want to do with the money?"

"Buy a dress, Mistress...AIEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Buy a dress? Why?"

"Go...in town...be nice..."

The guard pulled Danka to her feet yet again and struck hard.

"You miserable dishonored slut...so you wanted to buy a dress to go whoring."

The guard raised the switch. At that point Danka cared about nothing except trying to avoid any more blows. She sobbed and confessed to something that was blatantly untrue, that she wanted the dress to work as a prostitute. At that point the farmer interjected:

"Guard Anníkki...please. The girl's confessed. There's nothing more to be done here. I'm a busy man and I've seen enough. I insist you take the criminal to court."

The guard gave the farmer a disgusted look, angry that he cut short her fun. However, he was right. The girl had confessed and there was no point in interrogating her any further. She untied Danka's hands from the fence and secured her wrists behind her back. With a firm grip on her arm the guard led her towards the gate and a holding cell inside the city. The farmer, deeply regretting his part in the arrest, reluctantly followed, carrying Danka's boots and her bucket filled with his apples.

As they approached the gate, a couple of Danka's neighbors passed by. When the girl tried to put down her head and hide her face under her loose hair, the guard kicked her in the backs of her knees and forced her to kneel. She grabbed the captive's hair and forced her to look up.

"Tell these men your name and what you did."

"I...I'm Danka Siluckt...and I...stole apples..."

"She'll go on the pillory tomorrow. Make sure her family knows, so they can see their daughter's dishonor."