[color=blue]"Let us depart right away."[/color]

Marina's father donned a concerned expression, glancing down to her dirty, dusty clothes and equally so hands.  He asked with surprised, "Like this?"

He grasped her by the hand and hurried her back toward their nearby house, mumbling to himself as they went, "No, no … this won't do … this just won't do … bad enough already … bad enough I've done this to her … sending her to … sending my daughter … no, no … won't do to appear like this."

Bill hurried Marina into their little hovel and commanded his wife, "Bathe your daughter.  Fix her hair and make her pretty."

He turned back to his only child with an apologetic expression and tone, saying, "You are always pretty, my love.  I did not mean it that way."

By now, Mary was questioning why the two of them weren't out in the fields earning their keep.  She, after all, had been slaving away inside all morning, making bread -- not for them but for sale at Market -- and darning clothes for merchants and other peasants who could afford to part with some coin.

Bill was fussing with Marina and -- finally fed up with Mary's nagging -- turned and snapped in anger, "[I]Do as you're told, woman!  Bathe your daughter![/I]"

Bill could be a drunk at times and feigned being a carouser at times, though never once in his life had he ever actually cheated on his wife.  But one thing he rarely if ever did was yell at his wife.  He'd done so maybe three, four times in all their years together.  So Mary knew something important was happening; she went quiet, just staring at her husband and daughter, hoping one or the other of them would explain themselves.

Bill grasped Marina's face in his big hands and kissed her on the forehead, telling her in a loving tone, "Make yourself presentable, my daughter.  I will return shortly."

He turned away and hurried to the fireplace, where he wiggled loose a stone, setting it aside.  Reaching down into a shallow hole, Bill fetched a small leather purse, untied its thong, and spilled coins out into his palm.

"[I]William![/I] Mary exclaimed as she watched confused.  With her tone becoming more concerned, she begged, "[I]Please[/I], Bill.  Tell me what's happening."

But instead, Bill moved to his wife, kissed her as he had his daughter, and repeated his command in a more gentle voice, "Bathe your daughter … and make her hair pretty, like you did for your brother's wedding.  I'll be back."

And with that, he was out the door without another word.

[center]#########################[/center]

Enough time had passed for his wife to bathe his daughter before Bill burst back into the hovel … presenting before him a [url=https://i.imgur.com/4t0lMBg.jpg]a brand new dress[/url] that had cost him half the family's savings.

He looked to Marina for her approval, smiling as he said softly, "A beautiful dress … for my beautiful daughter."

[center]#########################[/center]

It was well before sundown, the time limit given by the Guards, when Bill and Marina arrived at the village side of the bridge.  The farmer gave his half nod-half bow to the Guards there, explaining, "My daughter, Marina, has an audience with the Master of Coin, m'lord."

"Sir," the Guard said with a correcting tone.  "You call the Earl's Guardsmen [I]sir[/I] … and you have an [I]appointment[/I] with a Counselor and an [I]audience[/I] with the Earl."

"Of course, m'lord," Bill responded, repeating his nod-bow before correcting himself, "[I]Sir.[/I]  My daughter, Marina, has an--"

"Go ahead," the Guardsman said, stepping aside.  "You're expected.  Ask for the Master of Coin's tent when you get to the other side."

"Yes, m-"  Bill caught himself this time.  He grasped Marina's hand and headed across as he finished, "Yes, sir, thank you sir."

On the far side of the bridge, Bill inquired about their destination and was pointed to an elegant tent with a pair of armed and armored men flanking its entrance.  The men didn't hesitate to pull open the tapestry-like flap doors upon Bill and Marina's approach.  The farmer thanked them as he had their predecessors … hesitated with nervousness … then looked to his daughter.

"We can turn back, daughter," he whispered, suddenly certain that he'd made a horrific mistake.  But they entered the tent after Bill drew and exhaled a deep breath meant to calm him, murmuring, "I love you, daughter."

Inside the tent, Bill stopped short … and his mouth fell open with awe.  They were in a tent … a [I]tent![/I]  And yet the décor of the place was more extravagant and spectacular than he'd ever seen in his life.  And he'd [I]been[/I] inside the Keep of Echo Valley once, back in the days of the now deceased Earl who Lord Phillip was replacing.  

"You are Marina?" 

The question came from a man sitting behind an elegant wooden desk near the far side of the tent.  He asked it without looking up from the parchment upon which he was writing, waiting for a response from either the girl or her father.  When he'd gotten his answer, he glanced up for a quick moment, then returned to his writing … only to then quickly look up for a double take of the young woman before him.  

His assessment of Marina was all too obvious; just as had his Lord, the Master of Coin let his gaze lower, rise, and repeat in the direction of the girl's face and body.  He set his quill pen aside, stood, studied Marina, then came around the desk to get a closer view of her.  

"How old are you, girl?" he asked as he began a slow pace around her that required Bill to take a respectful step back toward the entrance.  After she answered, the Master asked, "Do you have any experience as a house servant...?  Chambermaid...?  Galley servant?"

He listened to her answers again, beginning his second encirclement of her.  He went quiet for a long moment, then headed around the end of his desk to stand before his chair for one last ogle of her.  Then, for the first time, the Master of Coin turned his gaze to Bill.

"Your daughter will be permitted a probationary period of service to your Lord, Earl Phillip, Lord of Echo Valley," he said as he dropped into his chair and again lifted his quill and began to write.  His tone and quick cadence made it obvious that he'd been through this all too many times today or in the past or both.  He spat out a bunch of rules, including how she was to act in the presence of Phillip or anyone else who was her [I]superior.[/I] 

"That's [I]everyone[/I]," he growled without looking up, adding, "Even the scullery maid"."

When he finally [I]did[/I] look up the Master of Coin asked with obvious, snobbish disapproval, "Is that the best dress you own?"

He didn't even wait for a response, instead telling her that she would be provided with appropriate clothing but that she would be responsible for its cleaning, care, and replacement should she dirty or damage it.

"[I]Guard![/I]" he snapped, standing and setting the quill aside once more.  When the Guard entered, the Master commanded, "Take this girl to the Earl's tent."

The man then reached into a small wooden box on his desk, withdrew a leather purse, and tossed it onto the edge of the desk nearest Bill.  The farmer -- who had stood silent and still near the back through the whole [I]interview[/I] -- knew from the sound and size of the purse that even if it was no more than coppers, it was still at least three or four times what he'd spent on his daughter's dress … and [I]that[/I] had been half of the family's secret savings!

"That's for you, sir," the Master said.

Bill remained silent and still, expecting more from the man.  But nothing more came, with the exception of a hard, impatient glare from the Master of Coin.  Bill hurried forward and took the purse, backing until he was standing next to Marina once again.