The Hiring Fair (open)

[Morgan]

It was noisy, crowded and smelly as Morgan Fitzroy pushed his way through the throngs of people all intent on going about their business as quickly as possible on market day. Of course, it was even busier because of the quarterly hiring fair, where free men and peasants crowded at the far end of the market in the hope of securing jobs on nearby farms and estates so that they could provide food for their hungry families. Morgan always likened such hiring fairs to the slave markets of the East, where a gold coin or two would buy a dark eyed beauty. Of course, he knew there would be no such jewels of femininity amongst this lot.

On the whole, it had been an interesting morning. Morgan had come in search of plough horses and livestock. He'd been lucky in acquiring an experienced team of chestnut horses at a more than reasonable price. He had his eye on a milk cow too but had yet to put in an offer. Leaving the livestock end of the market, he now wandered close to where the peasants were standing. He eyed over a couple and approached them to ask a couple of questions before moving on. They were a sorry lot, and Morgan wasn't sure whether or not any of them would be up to the work he wanted done on the farm. What he really wanted was a couple of women to work in the house and a man with farming experience for outside work, but someone young enough that they would stay with him. So far, he hadn't seen anything to take his eye. He'd have to keep on looking.

[Devon Creek]

Devon watched the hiring fair from a distance. Her fingers started to twitch at the thought of all those people, all the coins, all the possessions they could have on them. Licking her lip, she ripped the scarf off her head and mussed up her short hair giving her the appearance of a young lad. Walking down to the huddle of bodies, she began working. Halfway though the crowd three rings and a few coins had found their way into her bag. She was crouching when she saw the boots. The leather shone in the mid-morning light. Still hidden by the crowd, she followed the boot to a leg then to a hip that was attached to a torso. She looked up the man. He was dressed well, obviously he had money. Now, the question was to figure out how to get her hands on it. She pushed to the front of the crowd, a few feet from where the man was now and waited. Once he was in front of her, she would decide how to...lighten his load.

[Morgan]

Morgan gave an exasperated sigh then turned away from the labourers. None of them seemed to have the necessary experience he wanted. Perhaps it would be better to hire a boy and train him up himself? Morgan mused the idea and was just about to head in the direction of the Trip Inn when he spotted a young lad, obviously intent on some sort of mischief. But he had to admit, for someone who looked rather effeminate, the boy looked sturdy enough.

"You there, lad!" Morgan called, jabbing his finger at the lad in question. "Are you looking for work? I could use a boy like you on my farm. Well, speak up! You're not a damned mute are you?"

[Devon Creek]

"Watch where you point that thing, bud." Devon said over the buzz of the crowd. She dropped her voice as low as it could and walked toward the man.
"And, as it just so happens, I am looking for a bit of work. Mind you, I ain't got a load of experience, but I can do somethings. Not a complete waste, me." She gave a nod, but faltered. How was she going to keep this up for however long she was hired for? She weighed the possibility of him catching her against the amount of money he could have. Grinned, she shifted her weight to her right side and regarded the man.
"Now, if I work for you, what do I get in return. See, I only just got back from out of town and haven't got a place to stay. I'd be willing to get a bit less in wages, if I had a bed at your place. And if I'm going to work for you, I'd better know who you are." There was no point in trying to be overly polite to this man, since she only needed to stick around for a couple of days then hightail it out of here. And, maybe if she played her cards right, she could more than just money out of this lad. If she could call him that. He seemed older than her, but not by much. She'd bet he was thirty, maybe younger.
Sticking out her hand, she grinned at the man. "Mark," she said, thinking of her other brother. She looked down at her hand and grimaced at how small it was. It was going to be quite a challenge to convince this man the she was a man too.

[Morgan]

Morgan narrowed his eyes as he watched "Mark". His palms prickled uncomfortably. Something wasn't quite right here but he couldn't put his finger on it. Slowly, he took the lad's hand and shook it slowly. It was a small hand, not hard callused like he would have thought it would be. Startled, Morgan looked into "Mark's" eyes. The eyelashes were long and lustrous. Again, he was struck by how effeminate a face the lad had. Morgan glanced automatically at Mark's chest but it appeared flat. Slowly he raised his eyes to look the lad in the face again but only got so far as "his" throat. No Adam's apple! He released "Mark's" hand abruptly.

"I can offer you board and lodging to begin with. Perhaps we should agree to a month's trial? If your work proves satisfactory then we can talk money. But I can't afford to pay you more than a few pennies a month." Morgan wondered what "Mark's" secret was and why "he" hide his identity. Well, maybe in time he would learn more.

"The choice is yours, boy. If you want to work for me, my farm is on the edge of Clun. The name's Morgan Fitzroy. Come and find me if you want that trial." Morgan turned to do then stopped. Turning back to "Mark", he reached inside his jerkin and withdrew a coin from the pocket there. He tossed the penny to the lad. "Buy yourself a meal. Looks like you need it."

[Devon Creek]

"Oi!" She called after the man as she caught the penny. "What kind of dinner do you think this'll buy?" she ran up to him, then sighed, sloping her shoulders. "Alright, what ever. I'll see you after a little-" she looked at the coin in her hand, "bread." She walked off in the direction of a small house that had a roast burning over a fire in the front. She talked to the man for a moment and managed to get a leg off the beast, though it had cost her a few extra coins as well. She sat down on the grass and thought about Morgan Fitzroy. He seemed to have noticed something, which was a problem already. She had at least hoped to make it to his house first. Groaning, she tossed the clean bone over her shoulder and wiped her hands on her trousers. As she walked to the farm he'd mentioned, she wondered what he would do if he found out she was a woman. There were two realistic possibilities. One was he threw her out, which seemed like the most likely. Second was that he kept her as some sort of house keeper and sick slave. Not her favourite choice, but she might still get paid. The possibility of him keeping her as is didn't even enter her mind, because this was 1194. Those sorts of things just didn't happen.

She jogged up to meet him then fell into step. "A month, you said? Sure. Where do I start?" she asked, thinking not of helping him, or even getting paid, but of the mounds of food and money that awaited her.

[Morgan]

Morgan pursed his lips as he looked down at the ragged 'boy'. Even though he knew it was a girl, it was somehow easier to think of her as a him. "Its not a grand manor, lad," Morgan told Devon. "I've just taken it on and its very run down. We'll be scratching a living at best but as I promised, you will have food and shelter and, if you're lucky, a few pennies in your pocket." He turned and started to walk again, leading his horse to the stable, waiting for 'Mark' to follow.

"Go into the farmhouse and check on the fire in the hall. Its our only source of heat and cooking. If you need more wood, you will find an axe in the kitchen and wood for chopping outside the kitchen door." Morgan paused by the stable door. "Come and find me when you've finished. I'll be settling old Pilgrim here." He looked up at his old warhorse affectionately and patted the animal's neck. Then, clicking his tongue, Morgan disappeared into the shadowy depths of the stable.