[The People's Market]A First Time for Everything(Caddy)

[Cassidy Finch]

"Money, Money, Money. Gold Miza's for this and Silver Miza's for that." Caddy said, using a nasally voice to mock her words. Velvet had to bite back a laugh at her comment, and was about to reply when her hand was suddenly taken in the younger woman's light grasp and she was led off. The slave had to fight the instinct to snatch her hand back from Caddy. Years of abuse had accustomed her to thinking of any kind of physical contact as a prelude to punishment. She still did not quite know what to think of the other woman; on one hand, she was rude and impolite, yet on the other she treated Velvet as an equal, and even had something of a sense of humor. The young woman had never had anyone she could rightfully call a friend, and was loath to dismiss such an opportunity. With a mental shrug, Velvet decided to take a chance. The woman could cause her worlds of trouble, yet she felt that it was worth the risk. "If you want the ingredient, no matter the price, you just take it." Caddy explained to Velvet as she stopped in front of a small spice stall, the woman's eyes meeting the slave's. She had to fight the urge to look away out of pure habit. Though it felt a little unusual to be able to meet another's eyes, it made her feel good. Caddy's words made the slave much more wary; was Caddy suggesting that she steal? A slave caught stealing was as good as dead. At the very least Sevris would be made to answer for her crimes, and that would show her in a very bad light. Before she could dwell on the matter, the younger woman snapped her fingers to draw Velvet's attention and, swift as you please, she withdrew a bit of paper from a man's pocket and with equal speed eased it into a woman's purse. Velvet's eyes widened as she looked back to Caddy's face, "What did you just do?" She asked in alarm, keeping her voice hushed, "You could have gotten caught!" That was true enough; if Caddy were caught, she would certainly blame it on Velvet. Slaves were easy scapegoats to blame when things got tough, and both young women knew it, she was sure. Velvet took an unconscious step away from Caddy without looking away from the younger woman. She was impressed with the smooth display of thievery, but had no desire to be caught up in a crime which did her no good.

[Caddy Twist]

"You could have gotten caught!" Velvet whispered feircly, stealing uncertain glances into the crowd. Caddy knew what she was thinking, if they got caught, it was simple enough to blame it on her, because she was a slave. Caddy snorted instead thinking it absurd to imagine getting a conciquence for getting marked as a theif. "Well, what does a cat do when it sees a dog?" Caddy asked, perking an eyebrow at velvet. "Run and hope it's fast enough, and when was the last time you heard of a dog actually eating a cat?" Caddy explained, eyeing Velvet's uncertain face. Sure maybe she was being young and foolish, but Caddy hoped there wasn't a huge change in confidence between her age and Velvet's, it was only a couple of years. And if Velvet back out and threatened to tell someone about Caddy, it was easy for Caddy to disappear in the crowd and hang low for a while until people calmed down. Thief's were not uncommon, but most of them should have enough common sense to not make friends with people. Caddy didn't have that common sense.

[Cassidy Finch]

"Well, what does a cat do when it sees a dog?" Caddy asked Velvet with a raised eyebrow, "Run and hope it's fast enough, and when was the last time you heard of a dog actually eating a cat?" As she explained, Caddy eyed the slave's face. In discomfort, she nodded at the thief, "Maybe... But we aren't cats and Ravok has much worse than dogs," Velvet admonished the girl. She really did not want to get caught in the company of a thief, but she had to admit that the prospect of just taking things she wanted was appealing. If she could do it right, Velvet could finally have some spending money for those times when she really needed it. Regardless of the girl's skill, Velvet was fairly sure that if she agreed to go along with this she would end up in a great deal of trouble. Once again the slave eyed Caddy; she was young, even by Velvet's standards. She could not be more than sixteen, and girls that age were not known for their wisdom. The thought of just walking away was strong in Velvet's mind as she examined the other woman, but she just could not bring herself to turn away from the only potential friend she had ever had. No matter how strange she was, Caddy treated Velvet with respect. For that, she could not turn away from the thief.

[Caddy Twist]

"Maybe . . . But we aren't cats and Ravok has much worse than dogs," Velvet countered. Caddy shrugged in agreement, maybe her metaphor wasn't that good. And maybe Velvet had no interest in walking on the wild side. But Caddy did, and so she would. It all came down to a difference in lifestyles. Velvet had grown up, as far as Caddy presumed, under the fist. Caddy had grown up with no rules. Both had no choices. But Velvet couldn't do anything about it, Caddy could. She chose the wrong path, and wound up here, Velvet merely did as she was told, resenting it the whole time. Polar opposites and yet so alike. Caddy thought. "Well, I can steal pretty much anything but animals and meat." Caddy said, boasting. Finn had tried to tell her bragging was rude, but Caddy had never been able to tell anyone what she could do with pride. "Except people. I can't steal people." Had pointed out, her nice and friendly facade struggling, as the woman looked at her as if she was a child. "Just tell me what you need and I can get if for you, or teach you how." Caddy said, in a less cheery voice.

[Cassidy Finch]

Caddy shrugged in ambivalent agreement to Velvet’s reply. After a few moments of thought, Caddy continued in her attempt to convince the slave, "Well, I can steal pretty much anything but animals and meat,” Caddy proclaimed proudly. Her expression became more and more sober as she spoke, and Velvet could not understand why. Was it something she did? "Except people. I can't steal people." By this time, she was clearly not as cheery as she had been up until then, "Just tell me what you need and I can get if for you, or teach you how." For reasons the young woman did not understand, she was unhappy that Caddy had stopped being her cheery self and wondered somewhat guiltily if she was the cause. Velvet considered the young woman’s offer even as she tried to find a way to bring Caddy’s smile back. Learning how to finally get at least some form of revenge on the free people who thought of her as property was a tantalizing thought for the young slave. With a worried smile, Velvet nodded to Caddy, “Could you…teach me?” She asked tentatively. The young woman had stopped thinking of Caddy as just some child that wanted to get her into trouble and begun considering her something of a friend. The thought turned Velvet’s tentative smile into a bright one of happiness. A friend… She thought with glee. Though she did not know how Caddy felt, Velvet hoped that the thief felt the same way. After the slave finally had a chance at a real friendship, she found the thought of losing it to be unbearable.

[Caddy Twist]

Caddy could see Velvet react to her fading act. And Caddy had to say something. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm never this . . . friendly." Caddy admitted, which was weird as well. "I don't want you to stop liking me, if you ever did. But just understand you probably are the same. As far as I can tell your a cold aggressive person as well." Caddy spoke the blunt truth, not intending an insult, and unaware of her rude words. But she had said they were both that way. "I know you've had a hard life, but believe it or not, not every free person has an easy life. Maybe your masters have but most of the civilized races are not that lucky." Caddy explained. Quickly she decided to change the subject in fear that if she continued she would loose her new friend. "Uhh, it's getting dark, when do you have to be back?" Caddy said, shielding her eyes against the setting sun. "Maybe we could meet up tomorrow? Or the next time your free?"

[Cassidy Finch]

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm never this . . . friendly." Caddy admitted, "I don't want you to stop liking me, if you ever did. But just understand you probably are the same. As far as I can tell your a cold aggressive person as well." Velvet blinked in surprise as she listened to Caddy's words. She was glad that the girl wished for a friendship, but... Aggressive? Had any other free person told her that, she would have taken great offense. Caddy merely made her laugh, a sound she was very much unaccustomed to making. Her, aggressive? She had never laid a finger on anyone in violence without abundant reason. The slave did sober a little as she thought of the girl's mention of her coldness. She was cold, though not because she preferred it. Brushing those thoughts aside, Velvet smiled at Caddy, "You're right..." She admitted with a nonchalant shrug. "I know you've had a hard life, but believe it or not, not every free person has an easy life. Maybe your masters have but most of the civilized races are not that lucky." Easy life? Velvet did not care one iota about an easy life. All she wanted was freedom. If it meant she had to live in a gutter, it would be worth it. Her smile vanished as she opened her mouth to explain exactly what was wrong with Caddy's comment when the girl hastily continued on, "Uhh, it's getting dark, when do you have to be back?" Caddy said, shielding her eyes against the setting sun. "Maybe we could meet up tomorrow? Or the next time your free?" With surprise, Velvet noted that it was indeed getting dark. She had to be back by nightfall! She half-turned to sprint off through the crowd, but stopped herself to nod to Caddy. All thoughts of anger were washed away by the worry of returning to her master's home late and the consequences thereof. "Yes, yes. I'd like that very much," Velvet told Caddy in a rushed tone, "Sixth bell of the evening?" She asked Caddy, but ran off before Caddy had a chance to reply. She could most likely come back at that time; the slave had light duties and she was certain that if she hurried, she would be able to make it in time. However, if she were late returning she was fairly sure she would not be permitted to go. ----------------------------------- Right on time the next day, Velvet returned to her former position at the front of the spice stall. The slave had needed to rush to get it done, but her tasks for the day had been finished and she had left in a hurry to get back. It had been close, but she made it right as the sixth bell was rung. She brushed her slightly disheveled hair out of her eyes and tried to catch her breath; it annoyed her that she had to run half the petching way, and hoped that what she would learn would be worth the effort she put in to making the meetup. The woman leaned against one of the stalls, earning a glare from a shopkeeper. Fortunately, she had kept her brand hidden by crossing her arms and pretending to merely be relaxing. The stall shopkeeker glowered for a short time and turned away to deal with a customer; Velvet was certain she would be tasting the lash right at that moment had the woman been able to tell that she was a slave. She looked around the nearby crowd eagerly for Caddy, anticipating with some anxiousness their meeting. The slave wanted to see her new friend, but was nervous about trying to swipe anything from anyone. She knew that she had to do it now that she'd agreed, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it.

[Caddy Twist]

Caddy walked leisurely towards the spice stall where they had last seen each other. She wasn't sure of the time, but she figured she was early. Soon enough, the bell tolled six times, cursing under her breathe Caddy started in sprint, weaving through the crowds. AS she ran, she figured Velvet would need gloves to cover her slave mark. Trying to peer above the crowds, Caddy saw a tack shop for riding horses in front. The owner had decided that they would hang crop gloves in front of their shop, a very grave mistake in the city of Ravok. slowing to a walk, Caddy shuffled by the shop with the crowds, reaching up quickly and plucking a pair of gloves from the rack hanging above. "Hey!" a Man yelled at her. Caddy didn't look back, but started back into her sprint as she neared the spice shop. Caddy stopped suddenly, facing away from the crowd as she watched the shop owner run right past. Chuckling under he breathe she turned to look for Velvet.

[Cassidy Finch]

Velvet only had a moment to catch her breath as she leaned against the stall, for she caught sight of Caddy almost immediately. She was running towards the slave at a fast pace, when she suddenly stopped and seemed to vanish into the crowd for a moment. The girl was still there, and Velvet could see her easily. It just seemed like she was blending in with the crowd, and after a few seconds Velvet understood why she had hidden herself away. A larger man brawled through the crowd after her, and immediately past the girl. Caddy didn't even flinch as he passed, the slave noted with admiration. After the large man was safely gone, Caddy turned and began walking back towards the spice stall. Velvet felt sure that Caddy would see her immediately no matter what she did, but decided to make herself more noticeable by getting up from her leaning position and walking towards the girl. The slave kept her mark neatly hidden as she approached, and smiled when she thought that she had Caddy's attention. As strange as it was, Velvet really did want the girl to like her.

[Caddy Twist]

Velvet stood from her position, where Caddy had seen her. Walking up to Velvet, Caddy let out a deep breathe that she had been trying to hold it. Holding out the gloves she realized she only had one, frowning, she spoke. "I brought you gloves, but one disappeared. I figured you need them today, if you don't want to keep hiding that thing." Caddy shoved the glove into Velvet's hand, stuffing her own into her pockets. She didn't want to show it, but she wanted to keep Velvet as a friend and had unconsciously hoped this half-thought out gift was enough to show it. "I hope you have an idea of what you need, because today we are . . . going shopping." Caddy used air quotes. She glanced at the shop owner who was glaring at the two woman. Caddy stuck her tongue out at the man, who furrowed his brows, huffed, and turned around.