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Feb. 26th, 2006 10:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shuftiThey had battled the enemy to survive, and battled their own to escape punishment.
The women of the tenth Borogravian light infantry had won. And now it was time to receive their goals.
Shufti steps into the cell, Polly and Tonker on either side. Her heart pounds as she sees the man of her dreams standing in the middle of the room, between two guards.
Sheepish.
His trousers around his ankles and a black eye.
He looks up at her with the look of the condemned man.
And that's all it takes. A split second.
He doesn't love me.
The baby kicks. For that instant she wants to burst into tears, to scream and sob and cry that it isn't fair.
"This the one?"
Shufti gave him a long and careful look. Not love in his eyes, but panic, only brightening a little when the major speaks of a dowry by the army.
A dowry. A husband. A father to her child. She could have them all at this moment. Everything she had wanted.
Except love.
"No," she says at last, turning away. "That's not him."
Johnny opens his mouth.
"Nobody asked you to speak, private!" Polly snaps.
"I'm afraid he's our only candidate. We've got any amount of earrings, heads of fair hair, blue eyes and Johnnies - and, surprisingly, a fair number of carbuncles. But he's the only one with everything. Are you sure?"
"Positive. My Johnny must have been killed."
This man is not fit to father my child.
The major walks over. "In that case, uh, the general did say, informally, that a marriage certificate, a ring and a widow's pension could be arranged."
"Can she do that?" Polly asks.
"For one of you? Today? You'll be amazed what can be done. Don't think too badly of her, she means well. She's a very practical man."
I'm going to faint.
"No." Shufti says. "I... it's... well, no. Thank you, but no."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." she tries to look defiant.
"Well, if you're certain private? Fair enough then. Take that man away, sergeant."
"Just a moment." Shuft walks over to the bewildered Johnny.
"Before they take you away again I want my sixpence back, you son of a bitch!"
The women of the tenth Borogravian light infantry had won. And now it was time to receive their goals.
Shufti steps into the cell, Polly and Tonker on either side. Her heart pounds as she sees the man of her dreams standing in the middle of the room, between two guards.
Sheepish.
His trousers around his ankles and a black eye.
He looks up at her with the look of the condemned man.
And that's all it takes. A split second.
He doesn't love me.
The baby kicks. For that instant she wants to burst into tears, to scream and sob and cry that it isn't fair.
"This the one?"
Shufti gave him a long and careful look. Not love in his eyes, but panic, only brightening a little when the major speaks of a dowry by the army.
A dowry. A husband. A father to her child. She could have them all at this moment. Everything she had wanted.
Except love.
"No," she says at last, turning away. "That's not him."
Johnny opens his mouth.
"Nobody asked you to speak, private!" Polly snaps.
"I'm afraid he's our only candidate. We've got any amount of earrings, heads of fair hair, blue eyes and Johnnies - and, surprisingly, a fair number of carbuncles. But he's the only one with everything. Are you sure?"
"Positive. My Johnny must have been killed."
This man is not fit to father my child.
The major walks over. "In that case, uh, the general did say, informally, that a marriage certificate, a ring and a widow's pension could be arranged."
"Can she do that?" Polly asks.
"For one of you? Today? You'll be amazed what can be done. Don't think too badly of her, she means well. She's a very practical man."
I'm going to faint.
"No." Shufti says. "I... it's... well, no. Thank you, but no."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." she tries to look defiant.
"Well, if you're certain private? Fair enough then. Take that man away, sergeant."
"Just a moment." Shuft walks over to the bewildered Johnny.
"Before they take you away again I want my sixpence back, you son of a bitch!"
