Debts
Within the dimly lit room, a Roegadyn sat Aern down forcefully on a small wooden stool. His mouth was gagged and his arms and hands bound tightly with rope. As he tried to utter some words through muffling, the Roegadyn’s right fist hit his face like a mountain rock. Aern felt blood running through his mouth, as the pain of his teeth scraping off the tip of his tongue gushed through his body. There was no time for recovery however as the dark skinned Roegadyn grabbed Aern by his blonde hair and put him upright on the chair.
   “That’s enough, Mhasgheim. I still need him to speak, dead men give no coin. Mayhap’s he can be of use.â€
An educated voice came from the dark beyond a large wooden table, filled with small measuring and weighing equipment but above all a balance scale and various pouches of gold lay littered across the wooden surface. A candle at the edge of the table provided the only light in an otherwise dark room. The Roegadyn grumbled slowly as he pulled the gag from Aern’s mouth.
   “As you wish, my lady.â€
Though it was deep at night and but a candle provided the only light, Aern’s eyes slowly got used to the dark. He could see a feline figure looking outside a window as the moon outside provided some illumination of the window’s outlines. As the Roegadyn moved back to stand by the door whence they came into the room, the figure turned from the window and sat down in a large ornate chair with bronze decorations around the edge and soft red velvet fabric as a cushion. As the figure was illuminated by the candle’s light, his eyes met a tall Miqo’te woman wearing a light golden corset dress with silver decorations around the chest. She had gray skin which obviously meant that she was a nocturnal Keeper Miqo’te.
![[Image: 2016110999-4_zpsjum0vt0w.jpg]](http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Gijs_01/2016110999-4_zpsjum0vt0w.jpg)
Picture drawn by Imogen-Mobberly, see more of her work here (some not safe for work)
Aern blinked slightly as his eyes met the self-proclaimed ‘Gil Regent of Gridania’, a ruthless and notorious loanshark, though the tales detailed that she was also willing to eagerly lend Gil in order for her lenders to study. Aern coughed slowly as he swallowed away the blood from his mouth, having an audience with her probably meant he was in really deep shit.
   “I…â€
   “Silence. You won’t speak unless spoken to, miscreant.â€
The Miqo’te’s voice sounded commanding and intimidating, without having to resort to shouting it sent shivers down his spine. She leaned down into a drawer and pulled out a bundle of documents and notes, displaying them on the table as she read them over. Aern sighed slowly as the woman started speaking.
   “Aern Cosset. You appear to owe me roughly 20.000 Gil in coin. Your last due payment was two months ago. Following several reminders and a formal warning by letter, you have yet to pay me back a single Gil. It is very unfortunate when my customers do not listen to my reminders and warnings. Would you have a reason for this unprofessional behavior?â€
Aern looked over the Miqo’te woman before glancing down at the floor, sighing.
   “My lady, I lost it while..gambling. ’Tis no excuse but, I tried to make it better..â€
The woman’s icy blue eyes stared down on him in silence as the sound of a large ornate clock ticking the seconds away was the only thing that could be heard throughout the dimly lit room.Â
   “I presume your definition of ‘better’ is losing all the Gil I have lend you in the process.†the woman continued. “Mhasgheim here also mentioned that your wife has left you and that you have lost your job due to excessive drinking. Do you consider this to be a better situation, sir Cosset?â€
The words rang true and he could but nod to the woman’s words. She sat back in her chair and folded her hands into each other.
   “I am very disappointed in your behavior. Your request for a loan I granted as your reasoning detailed that you could sent your children to a school. Thus the chance of returning my investment were considerable. Instead, it appears you used all the Gil to finance your addiction habit of booze. Furthermore, when I ask you to return the borrowed amount you decide to try and run for La Noscea. What must I make of this, sir Cosset?â€
Her words rang throughout his mind once more. He was an addict, he was a hopeless man for not listening to his wife’s concerns…and now he pissed off a major loanshark player in Gridania. How could things get any worse from here? Aern looked up at the woman who still appeared to be patiently waiting for an answer.
   “Miss..I would wish to work to pay off the debts.â€
The woman shuffled slightly in her chair and glanced briefly at the large Roegadyn behind him before looking back to him. She placed her right hand’s knuckle against her chin and appeared to be pondering.
   “Now you would work..is that not something you should have done in the previous months? I’m afraid that if you’d work we need to make sure that you will work. Luckily I have methods for that.â€
Aern coughed slightly in a nervous manner. He didn’t really like the sound of her words, nor the woman’s tone.
   “My lady, I would do anything to make this right. Just don’t kill me! Nor woodsin!â€
The woman appeared to ponder once more before she leaned down and pulled what appeared to be a form from a drawer. She started to quickly and efficiently write down a number of details before placing what appeared to be a signature with a few quick a short strokes of the quill.
   “Mhasgheim, if you would be so kindly to ‘retrieve’ sir Cosset’s signature.â€
Aern started to look around himself in terror to see the Roegadyn advance towards his chair, the woman continued.
   “In order to repay my debts, you will serve under the Merchant Lord Etrisz of Ul’dah for two years. All proceeds from your work will be returned to me. After two years you will regain your freedom but will be required to pay 200 Gil a month until the debt has been repaid in full with a 20% interest rate bringing the total to 24.000 Gil. My assistant will now retrieve your ring finger to solidify the deal.â€
Aern attempted to flee and rose from his stool. With his hands bound however, there was little he could do against the large Roegadyn man that now stood in front of him. The giant grabbed Aern by his right shoulder and smacked his arm and hand on the stool. The woman still appeared to be unnerved by the events, perhaps these events were commonplace for her as she stared back at him. Her stare appeared to be a brief distraction as the Roegadyn brought up knife and cut his ring finger off in one swoop. A jolt of pain coursed through his body as he cried out in pain and closed his eyes.
   “The pain only lasts for a minute, sir Cosset.â€
Opening his eyes, Aern glanced around the crowd that had gathered in one of Gridania’s public squares. Though these were often filled with festive events such as bards or market stalls, today marked a special day as criminals that had been persecuted would receive their public humiliation and torture sentences. It was rather late in the day and several criminals had already received their punishment ranging from hanging, beheading or thumbscrews. He peered on as a familiar looking face appeared on wooden stage.
   “And now, a criminal arrives who has hoodwinked many of you.â€
One of the local bards that had volunteered to be today’s announcer was accompanied by a torturer wearing a wooden mask to conceal his identity. In his right hand he held a Miqo’te woman who was dressed in but a sack tunic and trousers. Aern squinted at her..and found his suspicions to be confirmed. It was the loanshark that had lend him Gil all these years ago.
   “The convicted, Kisha Taluun of Sharlayan, stands accused of trials against the nation of Gridania and the whole of Eorzea up to and including Gil forgery, extortion and leading a criminal organization. She has been sentenced to public humiliation for one day, 30 lashes of the whip and forced servitude to Gridania for a period of two years in order for her to pay her debt back to society for the damage she has caused many of you.â€
The crowd started to take a hold of their local produce including eggs, vegetables and fruit as the Miqo’te woman was lead into a pair of stocks with her head and arms after which they were firmly locked by iron metal bars by the torturer. The bard continued his grand speech to the crowd.
   “Does the convicted have anything to say to the crowd?â€
Aern had meanwhile moved closer to the stocks and now was but a few meters away from her as she replied to the crowd.
   “You accuse me now of hoodwinking, but many of you have used my ‘fake’ Gil to get better lives, have your children go to school and setting up business. That you accuse me now is like accusing your dreams of-“
   “SHUT ‘ER UP. She lend me nothing but sand tha’ cat bitch! My business is ruined!â€
The torturer appeared eager to oblige and smacked his right fist against the woman’s nose, causing it to drip blood. He then ripped the cloth sack from her body exposing her bare back but also her naked bosom as the local populace started to throw their produce against her. Within moments her body was covered in eggs and tomatoes as the torturer made ready to start the lashing.
   “Fuck tha’ bitch up! Cripple ‘er!†were some of the taunts Aern could hear from the crowd.
The woman appeared to have closed her eyes and mouth as the torturer lined himself up for whipping her back. With a sickening snap, the whip hit the woman’s back. And again, and again..for thirty times. At first the woman appeared to keep her calm, taking the pain with an admirable amount of restraint in emotions. But as the lashes continued and it was clear her back was bleeding, she started to yell in pain as every consecutive lash ripped open more of her gray skinned back. As the thirtieth lash hit the woman, she was but hanging in the stocks, her face looking haggard and her expression being a mix of intense pain and being removed from the world. Â
Aern could but mumble himself, though it was unclear if he meant the meaning of the words literally or in a sarcastic manner.
   “The pain only lasts for a minute, lady Taluun.â€
