Soooooooo..... 9-9!! life_is_myphoneJuly 5 2012, 20:01:16 UTC
Being a newly bride meant many things these days. It was a status change and not only people, but the new goverment too, expected you to have children soon, to be able to raise them. To produce girls that in time would produce even more children.
Rebuilding society after the walkers had been more of a challenge, specially after the viruses waves. The few scientists left could not come with an explanation on why infertility and children mortality was so common these days.
According to studies, Robin was among the population that was expected to be able to have kids. They had given her the option of a better life and food, access to hot water, even discounts on products that could be considered a luxury... But also a husband she had not chose herself.
And a stupid barcode tattoed to her ring finger that still itched.
He knows that he's supposed to stay near to his bride, they're a couple now, this new entity that's only important as long as there's the two of them. And Robin's precious. Daryl knows, probably better than she does, that there's people that would take her, try to remove her barcode, and then sell her on privately.
Merle would have done. Might well be doing it, for all he knows.
But, the market is so much more interesting than any legal market he's seen in this poxy First World country before. Weapons on open display, meats and livestock, drink, even the open auctions for those who's fertility is lower than their lives are worth. Daryl can't help but be as excited as a kid in a toy shop and rush on ahead.
"Husband!" She calls watching as Daryl butts shoulders with other tall men and sneaks between them, making his way through the crowd. It's not as easy for her, and she finds it hard to keep up. "Daryl!"
The place stinks of all kinds of things, but livestock shit is what first comes to mind. It wouldn't be surprising if the animals weren't the only ones providing the smelll though.
There's all kinds of people in the place, wearing clothes and seeming part of cultures she has only heard of, while growing up in the little camp in the outskirts of the capital.
Before Robin knows what's going on, someone grabs her by the wrist, holds her back.
If he could hear her shouting, there's no way in hell he's answering to "husband". It ain't his name and he ain't going to be some henpecked son of a bitch this early on in the game.
He's checking out a stall selling shit salvaged from gas stations. There's a battered pack of smokes and a torn magazine about all the movies he'll never get to see now. It's good to have coin in his pocket, it never happened much even before the world went to shit.
This time when he hears Robin call it's his name, and it sounds urgent enough to look up and around for where she's at.
It scares her at first, specially as the middleaged woman is far stronger than she looks and she keeps on babbling things that only manages to confuse her.
The woman makes her point soon though. She keeps on pointing at Robin's barcode and making compliments, saying things about her beauty and offering discounts on vintage and even handmade clothes. The discounts on jewellery is what gets the young bride's attention though.
As Robin considers if trying on some earrings and necklaces, she receives more compliments on her child bearing hips. Even a couple of innapropiate hands touch her here and there.
That reminds her of her husband. On how she'd really rather be away from this place...
Daryl pays for his items, a little distracted now that he can no longer heat his wife shouting for him. Damn. He should have kept a better eye on her; if he loses her he's back to square one. It's the women that are more important, the child bearers. He's already been forced to donate spunk to be kept on ice in some government freezer.
Turning away, he looks around, but she's so short, he has no chance of finding her in the crowd. He starts to push his way back the way he came, rolled up magazine in one hand, cigs in the other.
A little crowd seems to gather around her. Mostly fishwives, commenting about the days Robin barely remembers because of her young age and also admiring the tattoo on her finger. They keep on touching her hips and even her breasts, making jokes about how they'll grow to feed her children, before stroking her belly and making predictions of how many kids she'll have and their sexes.
Most of them seem to think she'll have healthy little girls.
It's embarrassing to say the least and no matter how Robin excuses herself, they don't seem to be willing to let her go anytime soon.
At first he doesn't see her in the middle of the crowd and nearly rushes past her. But then out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of those purple streaks in her dark hair: One of the luxuries they're allowed, and a dumbass choice to waste one on, if you ask him.
"Hey. Hey!" He taps one of the outer women on the shoulder with his magazine. "What d'you think you're doin'?"
"Husband!" Her face brightens up the moment she hears his voice. Soon the whole crowd is turning towards Daryl and those touchy-feely fingers start admiring his muscles and virile qualities.
Robin turns a bright shade of red as the talk about strong seed begins.
"Hey! Hands off!" Daryl jerks backwards. Crowds he's okay with, but the second they start to crawl all over him, its another matter. Has to do with being surrounded by walkers that all wanted a piece of him too many times... Nothing else...
She still finds the title odd, it makes her cringe a much as it does with Daryl, but they have been adviced to use it. Make everyone know who they belong with. Show off their place in society, as if their clean clothes were not enough of a clue.
"Don't call them that." She calls him out, before yelping and jumping as another hand finds her butt.
Daryl's eyes travel around the bunch of dirty crones, seems to him that he made a fair judgement on them, and none of them are complaining. He has to swat a shameless hand that he can see making a bee-line for his crotch.
"Sorry. Did I upset your new friends. I'll leave y'here then."
"No!" She practically cries out. "No... I mean--" She looks around in an apologetic gesture. "I'd really like to spend some time with my husband now. We were in the middle of our shopping day, right?"
She looks up at Daryl, almost begging for help. A politically correct help.
Now that he knows that she's safe, that if anything this bunch of hags will protect her from the folk he really needs to worry about, he's tempted to leave her and enjoy some peace. But, once again he knows that he's the replaceable one.
"Hmm. There's something over there I want my wife's opinion on." If he believed in God, he'd ask him to save him....
That's Robin's cue to go to Daryl's side, slipping her arms around his waist and clinging to him. "Of course, dear."
They play the perfect part, just like they have been adviced to. Not all the people of their kind agree to these arranged marriages, so they have to show the happy couple part in public, even if they're not overdoing it all the time.
The women seem thankful for their prescence though, and give Daryl some new, handmade shirt and Robin some of the jewellery she was trying on before. Enthusiastically, they ask them to come back whenever they have the time.
Reply
Rebuilding society after the walkers had been more of a challenge, specially after the viruses waves. The few scientists left could not come with an explanation on why infertility and children mortality was so common these days.
According to studies, Robin was among the population that was expected to be able to have kids. They had given her the option of a better life and food, access to hot water, even discounts on products that could be considered a luxury... But also a husband she had not chose herself.
And a stupid barcode tattoed to her ring finger that still itched.
Reply
Merle would have done. Might well be doing it, for all he knows.
But, the market is so much more interesting than any legal market he's seen in this poxy First World country before. Weapons on open display, meats and livestock, drink, even the open auctions for those who's fertility is lower than their lives are worth. Daryl can't help but be as excited as a kid in a toy shop and rush on ahead.
Reply
The place stinks of all kinds of things, but livestock shit is what first comes to mind. It wouldn't be surprising if the animals weren't the only ones providing the smelll though.
There's all kinds of people in the place, wearing clothes and seeming part of cultures she has only heard of, while growing up in the little camp in the outskirts of the capital.
Before Robin knows what's going on, someone grabs her by the wrist, holds her back.
Reply
He's checking out a stall selling shit salvaged from gas stations. There's a battered pack of smokes and a torn magazine about all the movies he'll never get to see now. It's good to have coin in his pocket, it never happened much even before the world went to shit.
This time when he hears Robin call it's his name, and it sounds urgent enough to look up and around for where she's at.
Reply
The woman makes her point soon though. She keeps on pointing at Robin's barcode and making compliments, saying things about her beauty and offering discounts on vintage and even handmade clothes. The discounts on jewellery is what gets the young bride's attention though.
As Robin considers if trying on some earrings and necklaces, she receives more compliments on her child bearing hips. Even a couple of innapropiate hands touch her here and there.
That reminds her of her husband. On how she'd really rather be away from this place...
Reply
Turning away, he looks around, but she's so short, he has no chance of finding her in the crowd. He starts to push his way back the way he came, rolled up magazine in one hand, cigs in the other.
Reply
Most of them seem to think she'll have healthy little girls.
It's embarrassing to say the least and no matter how Robin excuses herself, they don't seem to be willing to let her go anytime soon.
Reply
"Hey. Hey!" He taps one of the outer women on the shoulder with his magazine. "What d'you think you're doin'?"
Reply
Robin turns a bright shade of red as the talk about strong seed begins.
Reply
"R--Wife, are these old bats botherin' you?"
Reply
"Don't call them that." She calls him out, before yelping and jumping as another hand finds her butt.
Reply
"Sorry. Did I upset your new friends. I'll leave y'here then."
Reply
She looks up at Daryl, almost begging for help. A politically correct help.
Reply
"Hmm. There's something over there I want my wife's opinion on." If he believed in God, he'd ask him to save him....
Reply
They play the perfect part, just like they have been adviced to. Not all the people of their kind agree to these arranged marriages, so they have to show the happy couple part in public, even if they're not overdoing it all the time.
The women seem thankful for their prescence though, and give Daryl some new, handmade shirt and Robin some of the jewellery she was trying on before. Enthusiastically, they ask them to come back whenever they have the time.
Reply
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