Live Write - Just Once

Turkey Leg in Question

James Child

1. A titan of a man with good intentions, but a sour attitude.

2. In a market place

3. Watching someone bolt from a stand with a valuable thing.

4. While he's eating a big turkey leg.

The melody of the market goers combined with the amazing scents rising from various stands brought a smile to Gorun's face.  He loved coming into town even though he only came a couple times a month to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables according to seasons, butchered meats and baked good his wife, Alana would bake up the day before he planned the trek.

It was a good distance from the farm, but his large gait made quick time of it.  It was nice to exchange the melody of a farm for the one of a market.  Even though he had to look down upon most people's hats, he still loved to see the happy faces.  Of course, not everyone in a market is happy, but Gorun preferred to ignore the small pettiness of man.  He liked to focus on the good in people.  People would often amaze a man if they had a thresh-hold to to rise and meet. 

Having delivered his goods to the various stands that featured his wares, he was headed to spend some of the trading slips he had earned.  He had a list he had made and then Alana always added to it, but the first stop was to the turkey man.  He didn't know what the man did to those turkey legs but they were absolutely amazing, a mixture of smokiness, seasoned skin and steaming moistness.  He found the largest leg of turkey and handed over the required trading slip.  

Taking his lip-smacking leg to a nearby pole, he leaned against it and began the task of trying to bite into the steaming meat.  It was too hot.  Content to wait a bit, he stood against the pole eyeing the people in the market.  Urchins begging for a sweat meat or a trading slip, good women with their baskets shopping for the days needed supplies.  He spied a man looking about as if he was watching for something.  Gorun tipped his head, curious as to what the man was looking so nervous about.  It was then that he saw the man snatch up a handful of goods off the table he was in front of.  Gorun couldn't tell exactly what he took, but he knew the cad had not paid for it as he headed Gorun's way hurriedly.

Gorun stood up casually and blew on his turkey leg.  The cry by the merchant of 'thief; sent the man running right past him  Without even thinking to hard. he reared back with that turkey leg and lambasted the man across the face.  The would-be thief went down, small dragon bloodstones scattered about him as he fell. Gorun looked down at the groggy man and put his large foot on the man's chest. 

"Best not get up." he warned.  His foot nearly took the full of the slight man's chest.  He wasn't sure the man could hear him.  He didn't seem quite conscious and well, his face was swelling up.  

It did not take the market guards long to get to them.  They hauled the man up as the merchant was frantically gathering up the hard to find dragon stones.  Gorun had no fondness for mage things.  He didn't even like to touch the stones.  They made him fill anxious inside.  

The guard looked at the thief's face.  "Gods Gorun, how many times did you hit him?"

Gorun held up the turkey leg with a shrug.  "Just once," he snapped.  He didn't like talking to people.  He never really knew the right things to say.  

"Remind me never to make you angry," the guard said with a soft chuckle. 

The merchant attempted to thrust a couple of those dragon bloodstones into his hand.  "Let me repay  you for stopping him."

Gorun reared back from the man as if frightened. "Keep your stones," he snarled.  He was not taking one of those damned things.  

The merchant looked startled but nodded as he backed away from the gargantuan of a man.  "I.. I just wanted to show my gratitude."

"Don't need no gratitude," Gorun grumbled.  See if he helped a man out, he didn't like being the center of attention.  "I got to go." He turned with his turkey leg to find a quieter place in the market to devour it in peace. 

Once that was done, Gorun made quick work of his list.  He didn't need any more opportunities to be 'repaid.'  Just say thanks and move on, he thought.  He shuddered one more time at the thought of touching one of those stones as he left for home.  Next time, he would note wear that booth was and not stand anywhere near it.  Damned event nearly ruined his market day.