The young man moved almost unnoticed through the crowded market. Packed with buyers, sellers, livestock, the town square was loud with the, mostly good-natured, arguments between buyers and sellers and the noise of the animals. Beggars and musicians who drifted into the village on market day hopeful of a few coins, swelled the numbers of locals walking between the stalls.

The smells of the various goods for sale drifted around the dozens of stalls. As the sun rose, the boy realised how hungry he was and moved behind a couple of stalls. The apple down his tunic and the small loaf in his bag would probably not have been missed but for the sharp eyes of one of a group of children pushing their way through the crowds.

Within seconds the cry ‘Thief! Thief!’ could be heard from one end of the market to the other. And the young man was caught in a matter of a minute or less. Protesting his innocence, the boy was condemned by the apple which fell from his tunic as he was wrestled to the ground. The loaf, decorated with its distinctive pattern was discovered in the boy’s bag.

‘Let the boy up.’ Walter’s angry face and determined stride cut a swathe through the assembled crowd. The boy – Walter put him at no older than twenty – put up a trembling hand to shield himself from the expected blow.

Fox stood back. He had no wish to draw attention to himself while the people were standing around, muttering angrily. It hadn’t been long ago that they had been just as angry with him. Although not for stealing. Any punishment he would get from the townspeople for that crime was as nothing when compared to what Walter would do to him. It was only in the last day or so he had been able to sit comfortably after the incident with the chickens. He had had to promise to stay within sight of Walter at all times before he would even agree to let Fox out of the house on another market day. Although grateful to the man who had taken him on as an apprentice after the death of his parents the winter before, Fox had nevertheless tried to convince Walter he was being overly concerned.

The previous evening…

‘Walter, it’s market day tomorrow.’

Busy finishing the chair he leaned over, Walter at first didn’t understand the significance of Fox’s comment.

‘Please let me go. I won’t get into any trouble.’

Walter stopped suddenly, straightening up. ‘No.’

‘Walter, please…’ Fox pouted, tears coming to his eyes. ‘Everyone else will be there. Daniel, Jeffrey, John, everyone.’

‘No. You can’t be trusted. Hand me that knife.’

Fox followed Walter’s nod and picked up the sharp knife, handing it carefully to Walter.’

‘Dana will be there.’ Fox said lightly.

Walter nodded curtly. ‘No doubt. The answer’s still no. Either be quiet or go back in the house.’

*********

‘Walter, please let me go. I promise I’ll be good.’

Without Fox really being aware that Walter had got up, crossed the room and pulled him with him onto a low chair, Fox found himself face down across Walter’s lap. ‘Let me up!’

‘No. Now, I don’t want to hear another word about tomorrow, understand?’

‘But…OW!’ Fox’s reply was cut off as a stinging swat landed on his butt.

‘Not. Another. Word.’

‘Walter, I prom…OW!’

‘One more word about the market and you’ll go without supper.’

Fox got up as the large hand across the small of his back raised, releasing him.

Walter saw Fox’s tears and got up, pulling Fox into a hug. ‘I promised your parents I would take care of you. I can’t do that if you get into mischief every time I let you out of my sight can I? Now, sit and eat.’ Releasing him, Walter ruffled Fox’s hair, shaking his head at the memory of the chickens running around the market square after Fox had fallen onto the basket while playing a game of hide-and-seek with the miller’s son.

Fox opened his mouth, saw Walter’s raised eyebrows and closed it again.

The present…

‘He stole two of my apples!’

‘And a loaf of my finest bread!’

The various items which, Walter knew, the boy may or may not have taken without offering payment, were listed by the stallholders. Although not deliberately dishonest, he knew the people, ground down by taxes, would sometimes exaggerate in order to gain something they were not really entitled to. If it fed their children or kept them in their homes, he didn’t blame them.

But still… Crossly, he looked around the crowd that had gathered around them. He made sure even those standing several feet away could hear him.

‘Did no-one think that he would be back? Look at him. He probably hasn’t eaten since last market day. If you had chased him off as soon as you saw him, this would not have happened.’

Simon Pendrell the miller was more tolerant of the ways of the people who sometimes drifted into the village, staying only a few days before moving on. But even he was outraged that this boy would try his luck a second time. This time, the boy would lose a hand for sure.

‘Walter, he needs to be taught a lesson. If we take his hand…’

Walter fought down his anger. ‘If you do that, he’ll *never* be useful to anyone.’ He looked down at the ragged bundle at his feet. ‘Up boy! What’s your name?’

The young man at his feet scrambled to get up, still fearful of the crowd but feeling somehow protected by the massive bulk of the man standing over him. His quiet reply was all but drowned out by the clamour of angry voices around them. ‘Alex sir.’

Walter nodded curtly. Looking around, he saw Fox skulking a few feet away. No doubt he too feared the wrath of the townspeople if they were reminded of his misdeeds a few weeks earlier. He grabbed the boy tightly by the collar which felt damp and ragged in his grip. Then he held up a hand, waiting for silence.

Whilst not everyone agreed with Walter’s methods, they had to admit that he had tamed the young boy he already had in his care. Even when Fox did wrong, Walter punished the boy for his behaviour and made sure Fox soothed ruffled feathers. They also knew that Walter’s ability to read and write came in handy when they were being asked to agree to something by the man who owned the land they lived and farmed on. More than once he’d gone to the house and argued with the landowner until he had negotiated a better deal for them. Even those who had lost things from their stalls had to admit that no real harm had been done.

Walter sensed the reluctant agreement of the crowd to allow him to speak. ‘I agree he needs to be punished. I will attend to it. Simon, a loaf?’ He handed the scowling man a coin. ‘Sarah, two apples?’ Again, he handed over money to pay for items lost to the boy’s thieving. ‘Anyone else?’ There were a few angry mutterings, but no-one else spoke. ‘Very well. I think perhaps a few weeks helping out in my barn will make the boy regret his actions.’

As he had expected, angry shouts greeted Walter’s comment. He put up a hand to silence the voices. ‘He’ll be doing all the work standing up. He won’t feel like sitting for quite a while.’ Walter noted with distaste the several smiles which greeted his words. Turning quickly, keeping tight hold of the boy’s collar, he snapped: ‘Come along Fox.’

*************

‘Kim, is there any of that chicken broth left?’

‘Yes sir.’ She wrinkled her nose as she came close to the three men who had just arrived back. ‘Fox, have you been in with the pigs?’

Fox scowled. ‘It’s not me. It’s him.’ He nodded at Alex, still held by Walter’s large hand.

‘Fox, run to Dana’s. Explain what happened and ask her to visit when she has time.’

Grateful to be out of the cottage, Fox nevertheless resented being sent on an errand, and he just managed to escape in time before Walter saw his sulky expression.

Walter turned back to Alex, finally releasing him. ‘Now boy, you’ll wash and come straight back in, understand? If you run, and any of the people from the market catch you, you’ll lose a hand for sure. Here.’

Alex nodded and took the cloth he was handed, walking out of the cottage and across to the stream which ran along the back of the property. Stripping unselfconsciously, he washed the accumulated dirt from his lithe frame, relishing in the almost-forgotten clean feeling.

************

‘Sir, who is that?’

Walter realised he hadn’t explained how he came to bring a stranger to their home. ‘He’s just something I picked up at market.’

Kim laughed. ‘I hope you didn’t pay too much for him sir. Little skinnyribs.’

Walter stared out the window at Alex. ‘I think I paid a very high price for saving his scrawny neck Kim. I’m just not sure when I’ll have to pay up.’

Kim frowned. Walter’s permanent optimism was all that kept her returning to the house. If she wanted misery, she could return home.

‘A few decent meals inside him, he’ll soon fill out sir.’

Walter nodded, fixing a smile on his face. ‘He’s not going to be any use to me in the barn unless he does Kim. I doubt he could lift a hammer. And he’d never manage an axe.’

***************

By the time Alex was ready to climb out of the water, Fox was back, Dana with him, and she carried a pile of clothes.

Walter took the pile, handing it to Fox. ‘Take these out to him.’

With bad grace, Fox walked to the water’s edge. Dumping the clothes on the bank, he muttered: ‘Here.’

‘Are they yours?’

Fox laughed, standing up. ‘Nothing of mine would fit you. They were Robert’s. He died last winter but Dana kept them. She said they’d come in handy one day.’

Alex had no idea who the people were, but he was no stranger to death, and simply nodded. ‘Thanks.’

Fox shrugged and walked back into the house.

Walter was pouring Dana a cup of broth. Although it was barely October, the early-morning air was chilled.

Looking out at Alex as he dressed, Dana asked: ‘Where on earth did you find him?’

‘He was caught stealing in the market. Again.’

Dana sighed, taking in the prominent bones on the boy’s upper body. ‘He looks hungry.’

Walter nodded. ‘To risk being caught stealing a second time, I’d say he must have been starving.’

‘I’ll bring some things over. Something to build up his strength and some salve for those cuts.’

Walter stared at the boy’s bare back. Sighing, he wondered what he’d taken on. The signs of a recent whipping were clearly evident against the pale flesh. ‘Thank you Dana.’ Walter smiled, gratified when she smiled back.

Her voice shook him out of his thoughts. ‘Another waif to care for Walter?’ Her slightly mocking tone was softened by her smile.

He sighed deeply. ‘And I promised to punish him for his wrongdoing.’

Dana’s smile faded. ‘Better your hand than his.’

Walter nodded. ‘I’ll not make him wait.’

Dana turned to leave. ‘Just let the boy get some food inside him first.’

Walter chuckled at Dana’s concern for the ragged thief. It was one of the things he liked about her. Her compassion wasn’t determined by wealth. If it had been, after the death of his own wife, and his unwillingness to sell any of the furniture she had watched him make, he doubted he would have survived the winter. Without her constant visits, bringing food, firewood and other necessities, he would have died of cold or hunger. Finding Kim to keep house for him had been another of her suggestions.

*************

Alex stood hesitantly in the doorway until Kim noticed him. ‘Hello.’

Nodding shyly, Alex looked at the floor, the wall, anywhere to avoid the piercing gaze of the tall man who had rescued him only an hour earlier. ‘Come in and sit down.’

Aware of the scrutiny of the people standing around him, Alex sat awkwardly on the chair, looking at the bowl in front of him, waiting for instructions as to what to do. Experience taught him not to assume anything. It was a lesson he had mercifully learned quickly enough.

‘Eat boy!’ Walter snapped, finally wondering how on earth he was going to make enough furniture to put food into yet another belly. Sighing, he gathered up his tools. ‘Come on Fox. Daylight’s short enough this time of year.’ Fox followed him out to the barn and he started the younger man on stripping the bark from a recently-felled tree they’d dragged from the nearby forest the day before.

Kim looked at the scrawny form hunched over the table, the surface smooth enough to be almost reflective from years of constant use. He sat in front of the empty bowl, unsure what to do next. ‘Are you still hungry?’

He nodded at the woman and she took the bowl from him and refilled it. Again he sat in front of it, not moving.

Kim wondered if the boy was a little simple. He seemed not to understand that food was for eating, not admiring. Finally, she said gently: ‘Eat it while it’s hot.’ It was emptied almost as quickly as the first one.

*************

Walter and Fox came in as the sky darkened. ‘Kim, it’s getting late. Off you go.’

‘Yes sir. See you tomorrow.’ She didn’t miss the look the stranger gave her. But he was wasting his time. She was in love with someone. And before another year went by she intended to be married to John Doggett.

***********

‘Fox, be careful.’ Walter’s gentle warning went unheard. Fox was excited. He had never been invited on a night-time fishing trip before. He was not a good swimmer, and determined to stay well back from the water’s edge. Not only was he scared of drowning, but he knew Walter would be angry if he came back dripping wet. The two things were almost equally frightening. At least, he reasoned, if he drowned, he wouldn’t have to face Walter’s anger.

Continued in Part Two – will appear here soon…

Home

Send me feedback on this fic

Return to the X-Files Fic Index

Return to the West Wing Fic Index