The Aeronaut's Daughter

Being recruited

The next day Dad took us to the office of the man who we first encountered yesterday. It was freezing so much that I had to wear an extra oilskin coat. As we were waiting patiently, Dad was shuffling his feet up and off the ground. 

"Do you seriously think you can bribe your way into making that man giving Iorek back his armour?" I asked him. 

"I have to. Iorek doesn't deserve to be trapped in this town like this,"

"Well can we come back later? I'm freezing," I pleaded.

"Come on. It won't be much longer,"

"That's what you said the last ten minutes ago,"

Right after I groaned the door opened and before the man could welcome us inside or most likely tell us to leave, dad pulled me inside out of the cold. The officer closed his door and gave a sneer at us. 

"It's not often we get customers waiting for us," he said. "Do you want tea?"

"Two if you please," dad did his best to sound grateful. 

The man poured us some tea and he handed it to us. He sat down at his desk and crossed his arms. 

"What do you want? It had better be quick,"

"I'm here to represent the bear," dad said. I was offended when he didn't use 'we'. 

"The bear's case is closed,"

"Technically, i am representing myself via the bear. The trouble is, you confiscated my property instead of his,"

"I doubt that Mr. Scoresby," This man Mr. Sysselman clearly wasn't falling for his lies. 

"That's why I've been seeking him. Dad reached into his pocket. "Now this is a bill of sale stating I, not Iorek Byrnison, own his armour.  He lost it to more in a game of cards, you see. I've come back to reclaim it," 

Mr. Sysselman was still not moved. He stood up and pulled open a draw full of papers. "The bear's armour belongs to the Magisterium," he began flipping through the pages. "He is paying off a blood debt," he found his page. "Ha ha," he cackled mockingly. 

Dad picked it up. I leaned a little close to look at it. The man could not get away with it. 

"Yes, this document is correct as far as the Crime and Debt Act, chapter three, paragraph 4.5 is concerned," Dad seemed to give the impression he wanted to play it cool. 

"The trouble is the Crime and Debt Act is superseded by the Possession of Goods Acts," I stepped up, part three subsection four "miscellaneous provisions,"

The man sneered at me. He did not like to be outwitted by a twelve year old girl who was only months away from reaching puberty, months away from her daemon settling in his final form. 

"It clearly states and I quote 'the possession of valuables belongs...'

"I will not have my intelligence doubted by a some kid," he sneered. 

"How much would it cost to rewrite it?" I dared. 

"He's a bear! A bear who doesn't deserve to be a slave! Not to you! Not this town! Not the Magisterium! Not to anyone!" 

"You still don't know when to pick your fights kid,"

"And you don't the true meaning of power,"

He riled up, glaring at me coldly. "I know my place kid. And you still don't yours," 

I wanted to remain strong but already my courage was fading away. I had never spoken like that to a man and already my fear was fading. 

"Seems you're not as strong as you thought you were kid,"