“A boy…” the sergeant murmured again. “Beggars can’t be picky I guess.”
“I’m out,” one of the other guards muttered. “I’ll stand guard if you want, but I ain’t that kind.”
Kre’s chin was released and the sergeant spun around, “What kind, exactly?” he demanded. “Exactly what kind are you referring to?”
The guard shrank down and tried not to look his superior in the eyes, “I’m just saying I’m not into that Sarge. I ain’t mean nothin’ else by it. I ain’t judgin’ anyone else their fun here, but it ain’t for me.”
There was quiet for just a few seconds as the sergeant regarded his guardsman with narrowed eyes, as if trying to figure out what to do with him. “You’re still new,” he finally said in response. “Once you’ve been at this job long enough, you’ll see that all these elves are the same, no matter boy or girl. Why don’t you go up and relieve Piper and Gund. I know they’ll be game, and they both deserve a bit of fun. Those slaves aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so I’m sure you can keep watch alone for a bit, or is that not for you either?”
The guard swallowed hard, “I can handle that, Sarge.” He gave a curt nod and ran off down the hall, appreciative that the repercussions to his speaking up hadn’t been worse. Kre wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a bit of sadness or maybe shame in the guard’s eyes as he ran past him, as if he wished he could do more to stop what was going to happen but fearful of what that might bring down on himself.
Kre couldn’t blame him. Peer pressure was a powerful force, and speaking up against authority was one of the most difficult things a person could do, especially when that authority had very little in the way of scruples when it came to violence.
Before the sergeant could turn back to Kre, there was a soft knock at the door to the cell. The guard opened it, his other hand at the ready resting on his sword. Virryn’s stepped partially into the opening, her sleeves rolled up and a wet, dirty rag in each of her hands. “I need the linens from the other basket,” she said with a defeated softness to her voice.
It did not go unnoticed that Virryn hadn’t asked for Kre, just for the basket and its contents. The sergeant grabbed Kre by the shoulder and shoved him forward towards the door. “Give her the basket you lazy elf,” he snapped. “Then get back here so we can get to the fun part. You’ll like it, I promise.” The sleezy grin and tooth-raking tongue appeared again.
Virryn took the basket without a word and the guard closed the door behind her, leaving Kre fully alone with this motley crew.