Biff the Dwarf pushed the ten year old cow girl, resulting in her falling to the ground. “I told you to bring me coronets I could buy cake for, not to bring me cake!” The dwarf boy yelled at Clarabelle the Minotaur. “Or are you too stupid to get that?”
Clara sat up and looked at her hand that she had scratched when she fell. “Ah... ah... I-”
“Look me in the eyes when I talk to you, stupid!” Biff kicked dirt in Clara’s face.
Clara did as she was told. “Mah... Mmm... Mmm-”
“Mmm?“ Angel the Satyr smiled mockingly. “Moo? Is that all you can say, Clara? Moo!“ Angel laughed at her own impression of Clara’s failed attempt to speak, and so did Angle’s brother Ben.
Clara stood up as she tried to spot an adult who could help her. But there normally weren’t any around the harbor during the afternoons. That’s why Biff and his friends had told her to meet them at the harbor to begin with.
Biff grabbed Clara by the sleeve of her dress. “Guys, know what I think? I think Clara here got hay stuck in her ears.” The dwarf boy grinned triumphantly as the satyr twins laughed. “I think she needs to go for a swim to clean her ears-”
“HEY! What’s goin’ on here?”
Clara and her tormentors turned their attention toward an old goblin who had arrived. He had a eye-patch, a scar on his forehead and was using a walking stick.
“None of your business, gramps!“ The twelve year old dwarf looked annoyed at the goblin who was not that much taller than him. “We are just playing.”
The goblin glared at Biff and the satyr twins. “Kid, I seen playin’ like that before. Get outta here before ya get a spankin’.”
“Sod off, you old fart.” Angel marched toward the goblin. “Or maybe you wanna swim as-”
Angel didn’t get to finish her sentence as the goblin tripped her over with his stick.
“Hey! Don’t mess with my sister!” Ben charged toward the old goblin with lowered head as he intended to ram him. But the goblin was quicker on his feet than he looked and not only stepped aside but also lightly kicked the goat boy on the behind, resulting in him tripping as well.
“Well?” The goblin looked at Biff who still held Clara by her sleeve. “Ya wanna dance as well, boy?”
Biff narrowed his eyes as he looked at the old man and then at Clara. “Screw this. Guys, let’s go home.” The satyr twins got up from the ground, and looked embarrassed as they walked away with Biff. The dwarf boy looked at Clara one more time. “I will see you later, Clara.”
Once the little gang was gone, the goblin gave Clara her attention. “Are ya okay?”
“Aaa... I...” Clara looked at the one-eyed goblin, then at the small wound on her hand. “I... aaah... Ah-” She sighed, annoyed at herself. “I’m... fffeh-fine.”
The goblin looked concerned. “Ya hurt yer mouth or somethin’?”
Clara shook her head. “Nnnnno. I Spff... I spffe-speak a llleh-” Clara grind her teeth. “I... don’t speak so... good.”
“Oh!” The goblin looked relieved. “Ya just have one of those... whatcha call it... speech dissordas?”
Clara looked at her hoofs ashamed. “Yhii-yes.”
“Hey, what’s with that face?! Ya ashamed or somethin’? Young lady, that ain’t somethin’ to be ashamed of.”
Clara looked up. “Beh-but I-”
“Should I be ashamed of usin’ this stick for walkin’, eh?” The goblin pointed at his cane. Then he noticed the wound on Clara’s hand. “Hey, ya got a scratch. Come with me, I don’t live far from here.”
“Ah... I-” Clara was about to protest.
“That boy said yer name was Clara, right? I'm Burgess.” The goblin smiled at her. “Come, let me patch ya up.”
...
“There.“ Burgess had washed Clara’s hand and tied an bandage around the wound. “Thirsty? Want some water?“
“Yes please.” As Burgess left her, Clara sat at a chair at the dinner table and took a glance around the goblin’s home. It was a one-room house. On the walls hang big pieces of paper with drawings of ships and a lot of notes. Different tools were attached to the walls as well and there were small pieces of woods on the floor. There was also a big sack hanging from the ceiling. It was a couple of inches above the floor and looked like it had been hit a couple of times.
Burgess came from the front door again after he had been outside to get water from the pump. “Thanks.” Clara took a sip from the cup. “Are you a kei-kei-carpenter?”
“A shipwright.” Burgess sat at the other end of the table.
“So you beh-beh-build sssh-ships?”
“Well, yes and no.” Burgess shrugged. “I don’t know how to make a ship, as in designin’ it, makin’ the drawings and such. But I know how to build a ship by followin’ the plans, I have the skills to build it. And I know how to repair a ship.” Burgess looked proudly at the plans on the walls.
“Cool.” Clara looked impressed even though she didn’t completely get the difference between designing and building a ship.
Burgess smiled, but then he looked rather serious. “That bearded boy. He knew yer name. Means this ain’t the first time he knocked ya around. Ain’t that right?”
Clara considered protesting, but she just sighed and nodded.
"Hmm...” Burgess took a big sip from his cup, then stood up. “Come, stand up. I’m gonna show ya how to throw a punch.”
Clara almost chocked on her water. “Wwwf-wwf-wha... punch?”
“Yeah, I will show ya how o defend yerself. Then he won’t pick on ya.”
Clara blinked. “Buh-buh-but girls keh-can’t... can’t fff-fight. It’s unlaah... laah... Un... lady-like.”
Burgess looked at the minotaur girl with disbelieve in his one eye. “Who in the world told ya that?”
Clara shrugged. “My mom and dah-dah-dad. They ssss-say it’s nnn-not lady-like to fffh... to fight.”
Burgess went to a drawer and seemingly looked for something. “Well, I mean no offence to yer parents, but they are full of it. AHA!” Burgess had found what he looked for. it was a torn-out page from a newspaper that he showed to Clara. On it was an illustration of a satyr woman with massive horns. She was wearing what looked like a pair of big mittens and she smiled triumphantly. “Ya know who this is?”
Clara shook her head.
Burgess pointed at the satyr. “This is Devil Daisy. She used to be the champion boxer of Nesredna. She defended her title for twelve years, longer than anyone ever did before she got beat by Hammerhand Ivan. She had the best footwork I ever seen. She could beat ya silly before ya could notice she had raised her fists. AND she was very much a lady.”
Clara looked impressed at the illustration of the muscular goat-woman.
“And look at me!” Burgess held up his hands as he punched the air. “I used to box when I was young. And I’m shorter than a dwarf.”
Clara looked even more impressed. “Whey-were you good?”
Burgess smile toned down. “Well... yes and no. Look now, my point is there is no one who shouldn’t or should fight. Yer gender ain’t no reason for ya not being able to stan’ up for yerself. Wait, got an idea.” Burgess took a piece of paper and a pencil. He made a drawing of a round head with a poorly drawn beard. The eyes on the drawing pointed in different directions and the head also had a silly wide, toothy grin. “Looks like yer dwarf friend, eh?”
Clara snickered at the not exactly flattering drawing of Biff. Burgess went to his punching bag and attached the drawing to the bag with needles.
“That should help motivatin’ ya. Come on.“ Burgess looked at Clara and he patted the bag. “Hit him in the kisser.”
Clara stood up and walked awkwardly toward the punching bag. She hesitated as she stood in front of the bad, but then she made a fist and was about to hit the crude drawing of her bully.
“WAIT” Burgess grabbed her hand. “What are ya doin’? Don’t tuck yer thumb in, you gonna break it. Look.” Burgess showed her how he made a fist with his thumb under the knuckles on his index and middle finger. “Like this, always thumb out. Got that?”
Clara nodded and made a new fist with her thumb out.
“Good. Now, raise your fists to eye height. And when ya hit the bag, do it in a straight line.”
Clara nodded again and looked at the bag, then at Burgess who nodded encouraging. And then she hit the drawing attached to the bag with all her might. The bag didn’t move, but the drawing got grumbled. The cartoon dwarf’s smile got twisted.
“Haha! Look at him! He looks like he is in pain, right?“
Clara didn’t answer but snickered awkwardly.
“Okay, do like I do.” Burgess bended his knee on his left leg that he had stepped forward. “Step forward and then twist your hips and chest towards the bag when ya punch. And remember, keep yer arm straight when ya hit.”
Clara nodded and tried to mimic Burgess’ movements. She landed another hit on the bag and she could feel more power being placed in the punch.
“Hmm, close.” Burgess patted Clara on the shoulder. “Look, I think we should wrap up yer hands, then you can try hit the bag a couple of times till ya get it right... if ya like?”
Clara smiled and nodded.
The next day...
Clara was petrified. Biff and the satyr twins had dragged her behind the Highway Hippogryph tavern and had pushed her up against a wall.
“So, you got money for cake this time, stupid?” Biff pulled Clara in one of her braids.
“Mmmh... MmmMMMMH!” Clara desperately tried to protest, but her lips betrayed her, like they usually did.
“Moo! Moo!” Ben mocked the poor girl. “She only speaks cow! Moo!”
“What are you gonna do, cow baby? Cry for mommy?” Angel pushed Clara, making her fall. “Or that old fart from the docks?”
Clara gasped after her breath and she was about to get back on her feet and tried to remember what she were suppose to do with her knees and... what was it Burgess had called it, her hips?
“Who was that goblin anyways?” Biff made a big grin, one almost as dumb as the one from Burgess less than flattering drawing of him. “Is he your grandpa? Are you half goblin, stupid?”
Clara took in a deep breath as she tightened her fist.
Biff laughed. “That would explain why you are so ug-”
Ben and Angel dropped their jaws as Biff landed on his rear-end. Clara looked just as surprised. She first looked at the dwarf boy, then at her own fist, and then back at Biff who kinda looked like the grumbled version of Burgess’ drawing.
But none of them were more shocked than Biff, especially after he noticed that his mouth was bleeding.
Ben and Angel blinked. They looked at Biff, then at Clara, and then at each other as they they both yelled; “GET HER!”
...
Amerigo the Human looked annoyed at Burgess as he packed his tools back in his sack. “They told me you were the best shipwright in town!”
“I am, so trust me when I tell ya I can’t fix yer boat.” Burgess sighed. “It’s the keel that’s the problem, it is the boat's backbone. Once that part is broken, there is nothin’ I can do. Ya have to get another boat.”
“But I’m a human, I’m not even suppose to be in Onyxville. I have to get out of here as fast as possible, I can’t just go boat shopping. You HAVE to at least try and repair it. Name your price.”
“Lad, I could patch it up, but chances are ya will sink before getting anywhere close to shore. I’m sorry.”
Amerigo narrowed his eyes at Burgess and then walked away while he mumbled useless pip-squeak.
Burgess was disappointed as well since he couldn’t help Amerigo who was one of the many human costumers he had recently gotten since they had to leave the kingdom after the orcs had taken over Nesredna. Burgess decided to go home and study the plans for the Soul Sailor he had been hired to build so he could make a list of material he needed.
But as he reached his humble home, he was met by a unpleasant surprise.
Clara was waiting for him. And she had gotten a black eye.
Burgess dropped his sack. “Kiddo, are ya alright?! What happened?!”
“I pfff-punched Biff. Buh-buh... I feel-”
“Clara, I’m so sorry!” Burgess dropped his stick as he went to look at the little girl’s eye. “I don’t know what I was thinkin’, getting you in this condition.”
“Buh-but Mr Boh-Burgess, I-”
“I should just have asked ya if ya knew their parents. I shouldn’t-”
“MMMMEH-MMMEH-MISTER!” Clara yelled in order to stop the old goblin from interrupting her. It worked as Burgess looked at the child with surprise in his one eye. Clara smiled. “Mr. Burgess... I feh... I feel... great.”
Burgess was confused. “Sorry, what?”
Clara smiled proudly as she raised her fists at eye height. “I deeh... I did just as you ty-ty-told me. I bbeh-bended my knee and maaa-made a... straight line. And I hit Biff right in... in the face!” Clara grinned. “I thin... I think I made him... cry.”
Burgess still looked ashamed. “And then he gave you a shiner?”
Clara shook her head. “Nnnn-no! Ben did. Him and Angel pff-pffunched me. But I... punched them back. But then, then, then I... had to run away from them.”
“What the... wait a minute!” Burgess took Clara on the chin and studied her face. “Ya telling me ya got in a fight with three kids and all ya got to show for it is a black eye? That’s it?”
Clara smiled as she nodded. “It was the... best day of maah... of my life!”
Burgess was stunned. Then he laughed. “Kiddo, ya must have explosives in yer little fists!”
Clara blushed. She hadn’t been praised this much for a long time. Not even by her own parents. Then she noticed that Burgess had dropped his walking stick, so she went and bent down to fetch it for him. Burgess thanked her as she gave it to him. Clara got a bit shy as she looked at her feet and asked; “Mmm-mister? Do yeh... do yeh-you think could help me be like... like Deh-Devil Daisy? And you? Would you th-th-teach me to... boxing?”
Burgess opened up the door to his house. “Kiddo, I think the two of us should get a piece of meat pie and discuss it.”
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