A contract with a demon

I fast walked along the road until I came close to Hin, Cadmus Brutus and the boy. When I called to them, they turned around and I waved. They waited for me to catch up.

"Walk back with me to the camp." I suggested. "Those men departed, and I started a fire."

Hin looked relieved.

"We had best not leave the horses unattended for too long." I added.

Cadmus Brutus nodded in agreement. I allowed him to continue with custody over the boy, as we all turned to walk back down the road towards our camp. I let Cadmus Brutus get ahead of me and dropped back to walk alongside Hin.

I spoke to Hin in a quiet whisper. "After all the events of today, I am out money. Even though money is no object to me, I am going to have the boy sign a contract."

"You would have a small boy sign a deal with a demon?" Hin whispered disapprovingly. "All day I have felt suspicious of your ideas and intentions. Although, granted, it was good of you to pay them off to leave the boy alone, I know well enough the gleam you get in your eye when you are working on a scheme."

"Oh, please." I said, "It isn't a soul contract, it is one for debt slavery, with interest."

"With interest!" Hin exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"Yes. I feel this is a good thing. We will locate his family soon and inform them of what has become of him. I will even give them silver denarii of a day's wages for that of an average labourer if they want."

"Cyrus, could you please explain to me your logic?" Hin asked as he rubbed his temples.

"Can't you see? This is a win for everyone. You know what the human world is like; there is lots of hunger, suffering and violence (mostly for the poor and enslaved). I believe there is a reason that boy was stealing money. Have you not looked at him with your own eyes and seen how bony and underweight he looks?"

"Yes." Hin sighed, "Any man could tell that!"

"It would be better for him to be under our care…"

"Our?" He asked as he gave me a meaningful look.

"Under our care," I continued, as if there had been no interruption, "legally, so as no one could dispute it. When his contract is fulfilled, we return to his family. Hopefully by that time, he will have grown fond of us. We will make an offer at that time of a fostership of five years length, which we will undertake with all seriousness."

"You are telling me you want the boy bound to you legally and intend to have him become kin and have a possibility of inheritance?"

Excited, I stopped walking and grabbed Hin by the shoulders. "Yes! Exactly!" I smiled warmly. "Can't you see what I am doing for you? We can't have biological children, and in this way, I can obtain one for us- mostly for you; I am only thinking of you- it will be good to have a son."

Hin sighed. "Cyrus," he chuckled, "you honestly have the most conniving, underhanded way of being sweet and caring."

"What can I say?" I whispered seductively, "I'm a demon…your personal demon." I pulled him into a hug and gave him a kiss on the mouth.

Hin lightly smacked a hand on my chest and requested I let go of him. I released him from my hug, and we began walking again.

"Things will be different, if we have a child to think of." Hin told me, "Especially a human child."

"I am aware of that, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make if it is for the happiness of the both of you," I cast a playful glance at him, "especially you."

He smiled.

"Why do I get the feeling that your parenting skills will be rough around the edges, or nonexistent, and you will require much learning?"

"Because you have good instincts?" I replied.

Hin laughed at me. "In all seriousness, you have things to learn. I'll help. As long as you leave the main child rearing decisions to me, we shouldn't have a problem."

Hin poked my arm with a finger. "First things first, we need to find out who this child is, his name and start gaining trust with kindness." He paused. "That means you are going to have to take your regular intensity level down a few notches- but just for him."

I said nothing.

"If you treat him with the kindness you would treat your own, biological son, you won't have a problem."

A few minutes later, we caught up with Cadmus Brutus and the boy at our makeshift camp. The boy was kneeling near the fire with his hands still tied behind his back, while Cadmus Brutus moved the horses to another spot so they could access more grass and foliage to eat.

"Before you say anything," Hin said, "Why don't you let me lead in talking to the boy?"

"Alright."

Hin walked up to the boy and sat next to him. The boy avoided Hin's gaze.

"So, young man, what is your name?" Hin asked.

The boy remained silent, so Hin tried again.

"It seems you got yourself in some trouble today." Hin said softly. "I am glad those men will leave you alone now. But I am afraid you have not gotten yourself completely out of hot water yet."

The boy stole a careful glance at Hin.

"You have cost Cyrus a fair sum of money, clearing your name and paying off your debts. In doing so, all that has occurred is the transfer of your debts from those men to Cyrus."

Hin made eye contact with the boy. "Do you understand what I've said so far?"

The boy nodded.

"What all that means is you owe Cyrus a debt. Have you heard of debt slavery?"

The boy's eyes widened as he let out a small gasp.

"Cyrus will have you sign a contract, probably tomorrow morning, so you will be legally bound by debt slavery to him. I will co-sign ensuring legality as a witness. You will be free again, once you have worked off your debts.

We currently ride for Genua, but that may change. You will need to tell Cyrus your name, where your family is from, and if any are still living. Cyrus wants to locate your family to tell them about the debt slavery, so that they do not worry about your safety or whereabouts. He wants to offer them silver denarii of a day's wages of an average labourer, that they will not need to repay. It will be a gift of good will and a compensation of your sudden departure from the household."

I stood apart from the two of them during this conversation. Far enough away to seem not part of it, but close enough to hear. I took my boots off to ease my tired feet.

"You will not be left unsupervised or have your hands unbound until you sign the contract. It is only then that you will get a bit more freedom of movement, understand?"

"Yes." The boy said sounding miserable.

As the sun had almost completely set, and darkness was closing in fast, I decided to help Cadmus Brutus finish setting up camp, and left Hin conversing with the boy.