Copperbound Contract
Only a few minutes after the midwife placed his newborn daughter into the arms of his wife, Benjen heard a knock on the door. How could they possibly learn of the birth so fast? He opened the door, wearily and all his eyes saw was the small, steel box with copper bands around it - his daughter's name etched onto the lid, just below the Whitesteel Inc. Seal.
Benjen barely heard the words of congratulations from the courier and opened the box to see the rolls of paper inside it, multiple promises for food, shelter, and a basic education.
The invoice was on top. The amount it named made Benjen feel almost frozen inside.
Inside, his newborn, innocent daughter started to cry, unaware of the amount of debt she just received.
Inside, his newborn, innocent daughter started to cry, unaware of the amount of debt she just received.
Great article! That first quote is really great at framing the article and showing how horrible the tradition has become :D