Borrowed Time

Chapter Ten - Building the Airship

I had ended up with more than enough brass and silk from the Roman armor. Zabandos had been tied up to a stake not far from my work area, and he watched me in silence. He had been dressed like one of the villagers and his hair and beard were shaved off. If any Roman's passed by, they would think he was a common criminal.

I had managed to craft myself a make-shift welder using peat and grease for the fuel to heat the water. I was getting pretty good when it came to creating my technology with what the ancients had to offer me.

I had used one of the Roman helmets to make a make-shift welding helmet, and along with my goggles, I was all set to start welding my frame together.

"Girl! What sort of sorcery is that? What have you corrupted my son with?" Zabandos finally spoke.

I peered at him through my goggles. "I am neither corrupt or a sorceress, thank you. I am a Christian, well; at least I was... maybe? I don't know what I am right now. But I will have you know, I am no sorceress. I am steampunk. So you just mind your own business, mister."

"What are you thinking you can build, girl? My son needs to learn how to keep his woman in line and teach her her place."

This time I flipped up my goggles. "Did you just really say that to me? Know my place? Apparently you forgot yours. You are a prisoner, now shut up before I weld your mouth shut, and believe me, I will do it. They don't call me mostly harmless around here for nothing."

"You are too weak to make good on any threats, woman." Zabandos said.

"So you may think, but, let me prove you wrong."

I turned off my welder and went to the smith area to grab some solid pieces of metal. Zabandos needed a muzzle and I was the right person to make it for him.

I welded it in front of him, using some of the bronze I had extra from the Roman armor to make it pretty. I looked up at him and smiled from time to time, just to piss him off.

"What are you making?" He asked.

"Oh, just a little present for you, you do like presents, don't you?"

"I would take no present from you, whore."

"My wife is no whore. You will be wise to keep your thoughts to yourself before I cut out your tongue." Circinn's voice came from behind us.

"Hi, love of my life." I said.

He kissed me softly, resting his hand on our baby.

I added leather straps and a buckle to hold the muzzle in place on Zabandos' face.

"Oh wait, I need to make a piece for inside." I said

I welded another strip of metal into the center of the block of steal, adding jagged edges to it. I wanted it to hurt his tongue as an innuendo that he should have bitten his tongue when he called me weak and a whore. Circinn watched in amusement at what I was doing.

"Ok, I need help with this. I can't reach that hole he calls a mouth. If you kick me, Roman dog, I will encase your balls in hot metal." I said.

"He might enjoy that, my love. Don't give him hope." Circinn said.

"You can go-," Zabandos was silenced as Circinn slapped the metal slab onto his face and tightened the buckle.

"Now I can work in peace! You should have heard the things he said to me. He thinks you need to learn to keep your woman in line, and I should know my place. You would think he was from 1845 or something."