Kate is still halfway asleep with her back to the door when the two part ways and Esfir enters the room. She's lucid enough to know that Doc hasn't been gone nearly long enough to get anywhere far, so to say that the click of the door opening and closing surprises her would be an understatement.
She's suddenly very awake, and wondering where her guns are. This is the first time she has woken up without them near her in a very long time, and she's silently kicking herself for not looking for them earlier.
Defenseless, she quickly flips into an upright position to see who's there, ready to roll off the bed and seek cover if whoever it is poses a threat.
"Yes, my friend. You broke the law. You are on the run. You are no longer in polite society. Which means you will be called bitch. Whore. Cunt. And that...offends you?"
"Y'know what offends me? Seein' men look at me like a little girl they can do with what they want. 'Cuz I can't possibly stand on my own, or take care'a myself, or make a good 'n proper decision! 'Cuz I need someone t'hold my hand, or I need t'check m'self and bow down at their feet, lest they dash me asunder! What would you have done, Fira? 'Cuz I really can't picture you kissin' ass while someone calls you a stupid little girl who don't know what her place is!"
Bemused, "This is because you have no power over me. I can kiss ass when I have to. I wouldn't have gotten very far in my career if I couldn't. And if he had no power, I would have ignored him. Did he have any power over you, Katya? Any influence to say that you could lose your job at the stables?"
But Esfir already knows that; that much should be obvious. Kate places her palms flat on the tabletop and leans closer to her friend.
"He's the kind of person who just throws people away when they ain't got no usefulness for him no more. He dominates people, crushes them under his thumb, breaks their spirit, and kills 'em when there ain't nothin' left. An' what's worse? Is he thinks he's got every right in the world t'do this."
"The man who kept the land beside us kept laborers. Slaves. He thought he could own whatever he wanted, whether it was game or crops on our land, or human bein's. And when my daddy stood up an' fought? They put a bullet in his heart, and paid off the sheriff t'call it an accident.
"When Trout Walker couldn't have me, he burned my school down and killed the man I loved, for no other reason than that Sam kissed me. That was enough t'brand me a witch, condemned by god and exiled from my home.
"I am damn tired of standin' aside and takin' it when bed men think they can get whatever they want, jus' 'cuz they got the power, or the money. I let them take my home from me -- twice. How much longer 'fore Ramon would'a wanted the same thing?
She's suddenly very awake, and wondering where her guns are. This is the first time she has woken up without them near her in a very long time, and she's silently kicking herself for not looking for them earlier.
Defenseless, she quickly flips into an upright position to see who's there, ready to roll off the bed and seek cover if whoever it is poses a threat.
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She lifts her blue eyes to Esfir's face.
"He wanted me to cower. He called me a bitch.
"I am no man's bitch."
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And then proceeds to crack up with laughter.
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"What're y'laughin' at?" she exclaims.
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"S'what happens when you break th'law," she murmurs dryly.
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"Yes, my friend. You broke the law. You are on the run. You are no longer in polite society. Which means you will be called bitch. Whore. Cunt. And that...offends you?"
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"Y'know what offends me? Seein' men look at me like a little girl they can do with what they want. 'Cuz I can't possibly stand on my own, or take care'a myself, or make a good 'n proper decision! 'Cuz I need someone t'hold my hand, or I need t'check m'self and bow down at their feet, lest they dash me asunder! What would you have done, Fira? 'Cuz I really can't picture you kissin' ass while someone calls you a stupid little girl who don't know what her place is!"
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But Esfir already knows that; that much should be obvious. Kate places her palms flat on the tabletop and leans closer to her friend.
"He's the kind of person who just throws people away when they ain't got no usefulness for him no more. He dominates people, crushes them under his thumb, breaks their spirit, and kills 'em when there ain't nothin' left. An' what's worse? Is he thinks he's got every right in the world t'do this."
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She sets her jaw, taking in a shallow breath.
"The man who kept the land beside us kept laborers. Slaves. He thought he could own whatever he wanted, whether it was game or crops on our land, or human bein's. And when my daddy stood up an' fought? They put a bullet in his heart, and paid off the sheriff t'call it an accident.
"When Trout Walker couldn't have me, he burned my school down and killed the man I loved, for no other reason than that Sam kissed me. That was enough t'brand me a witch, condemned by god and exiled from my home.
"I am damn tired of standin' aside and takin' it when bed men think they can get whatever they want, jus' 'cuz they got the power, or the money. I let them take my home from me -- twice. How much longer 'fore Ramon would'a wanted the same thing?
"Did I really have t'wait t'find out?"
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What are you doing? With your life?"
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"Survivin'."
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