Flashback An Encounter with Roguery (Solo)

[Hadassah]

54th day of Summer, 499AV. It was a hot day. Not unbearably so, but one of those days where the sun beams that trickled in through the window illuminated the speckles of dust lazily drifting to and fro, the heat would occasionally grace her arms or bare shoulders, and the world outside beckoned her to play. It was a day where she couldn’t resist but don the ragged, knee-length dress that had been white, but was darkened by stains and ages of use. She fumbled with her hair for a moment, then gave up with an exasperated sigh and piled it atop her head, tying it in a bundle with a spare bit of black cord. The Head Lady had criticized her at first sight, hissing something about “unladylike” and “filthy little creature”, but Haddy didn’t care. She had no time to comb her hair like the other girls. She had far too much to explore. At the first glimpse of sunlight, she bolted out of the room lined with mattresses, out into the main hallway, full of tall people meandering about, toward the towering double doors. They were too heavy for her, so she waited anxiously, golden eyes following each adult that approached with anticipation. She could go unnoticed in her own home as much as she liked; most grown-ups rarely looked down. She wove her way through legs as a very large man pushed open the doors, and she sprung out into the fresh air, bounding off down a nearby alleyway. The streets of Sunberth were her home. They spoke to her in ways that nowhere else did; told her stories of ancient times, led her to new discoveries and adventures, to new places and new perspectives. She followed the familiar path of sun bleached sandstone, winding through passersby, invisible to the world. Haddy came upon a fork in the road, took a sharp right, and came to a skidding halt at the edge of a building. She pushed herself onto an overturned crate, tottered forward a few steps to press up against the sandstone wall. Reaching up, her small hands found their way around the edge of a windowsill, and she squatted down on her haunches before leaping up just high enough to catch the stone edge. It took her a moment to pull herself up, but she eventually managed to clamber onto the windowsill, scrambling to her feet and sidling alongside the open window to her right. A poll jutted out from the wall, holding a hanging side with the display of a bowl of something. She couldn't read the words, but she didn't need to. Whatever lay inside this building did not interest her. Another jump, and she was clinging to the pole, legs wrapped tight around its slim, wooden body. She wormed toward the edge of the roof, then stretched out one arm followed by the other, pulling herself onto the shingled surface. She lay still for a moment, legs dangling over the expanse below, releasing a heavy breath. Though she'd done this many times before, there was always the creeping fear of her own inability. What if she fell? But the thought only momentarily stunned her. Soon, she was on her feet again, scampering up the slanted shingles. She never fell. The pathway with the least gaps between buildings took her toward the city Commons, where she sat atop building, gazing down at the bustling life below her. It always interested her to see the people from above, like no one else could. It was her special talent to be above, to be invisible. She could watch them for hours, all going about their busy lives, oblivious of her presence. Scooting to the very edge of the building, she let her stubby legs dangle over the edge, and kicked them periodically, unconsciously smiling as she observed. One figure caught her eye, dancing through the crowd, agile like a cat. He looked much like a stray cat; ragged and hairy, skin and bones, dirty and unnoticed. She spied him slip within close proximity to each passerby, deft hands darting here and there, occasionally returning to him with something that sparkled. Curious, Haddy crawled away from the edge, eyes glued to the scrawny boy, following him from above. He scampered into a dark alleyway, leaned against the wall for a moment, then jumped back out into the light, scanning the crowd with bright eyes. She could tell that his eyes knew things; they knew the details of each person somehow, as if he could spy a specific kind of commoner by the way they walked, or the way their hands moved when they talked. He would casually trod up to them, pretend to look at something in one of the stands, and slip his hand into their pocket almost too quickly to see. He walked away, unnoticed every time. Unnoticed to most, anyway. The young girl followed him as he left the Commons after much time, and followed until her path became too perilous. She scrambled down onto a windowsill, almost losing her footing as she climbed down an uneven bit of brick wall. He was just an alley away when she spotted him, and she ran after him as he ducked around a corner. When she reached it, she glanced to and fro, seeking. Suddenly, something the ground dropped out from beneath her feet, and she hung in midair in the grasp of a boy, much taller now than he appeared before. His oceanic eyes stared into her soul from behind a mask of freckles, suspicious. “Why are you following me?” He demanded, tightening his grip on the collar of her dress. Haddy reached back, clawing at his hand. “Lemme go! Lemme go!” She barked, kicking and squirming. He only responded with a smirk, and set her on the ground. He crossed his arms, examining her. After a long pause, he chuckled, “You’re an ugly little thing, aren’t you. Where are your parents?” She glowered at him, baring her teeth, but said nothing. He frowned, “Stray cat, huh?” Haddy did not falter. He stared into her amber gaze, them produced a dazzling white smile. “You better go home. This isn’t any place for kids.” She didn’t like him. He was lying. He was a kid, same as her. Maybe a little older, but still a kid. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and spun her on her heels, “Go on stray, get!” She felt a slap on her lower back, forcing her forward a couple of steps. She turned around, stuck her tongue out at him, and ran away. The Head Lady was not happy at the sight of her. Haddy was covered in dirt from head to toe, and her legs and hands were lined with scrapes. It took her over an hour to scrub the child down, but once she was done, she sat Haddy in her bed and forbade her to leave, even for supper. Haddy sat as she was told, glancing occasionally toward the doorway in hopes of grace. She crossed her arms, folded her legs, and fell back with a sigh. The ceiling held all sorts of images as her mind conjured up stories for them. Her daydreaming was suddenly interrupted by resounding voices from below. A ruckus broke out, and she lept out of bed, bounded across the room, and flung open the door to see what was happening. In the hallway, two men struggled to contain a writhing figure between them. The Head Lady stood a few feet away, hands on broad hips, shaking her head in disapproval. The creature they attempted to contain wormed out of their grip and made a break for the door, pushing past Haddy. She only caught his eye for a split second, and something cold slipped into the front of her dress. She wrapped her arms around herself to catch it, but dared not look. One of the men caught the boy before he come make the door, pinning him to the ground. Frantic, the man looked to the Head Lady for guidance, but she just let out a huff and threw up a dismissing gesture. The man turned back to the boy, pinning his chest with a heavy set knee and rifling through his clothing. Calming slightly, the child surrendered, hissing words that Haddy had never heard. The guard reacted coarsely, swatting the boy's cheek with the back of his hand. With an exasperated sigh, he stood, pulled the boy to his feet by strong grip on his arm. "He's clean, ma'am." His voice held hint of dissatisfaction. The Head Lady cocked a brow, crossing her arms. "Are you serious?" She demanded, taking deliberate steps forward, eyes fuming. Haddy was glad she had not been noticed. The Head Lady reached forward and pried the boy from the man's grip, shoving the child behind her. "Next time you come in here and abuse my children, I suggest you have a real reason for it, Mr. Cray." She growled, turning her back on the broken man and marching back inside, dragging the boy with her. He glanced over his shoulder, giving the men a wry smile. He then shifted his attention to Haddy, winking, before hurrying after the mistress. Haddy disappeared back to her room before the men could catch her, diving under the quilt on her mattress. She shook out her clothes, shocked to see a sparkling gold chain loaded with a dazzling green pendant fall out. Lifting it to examine, she noticed markings etched into the side and traced over them with a pudgy finger. The depth of emerald entranced her, and for a long while, she was lost in its majesty. She'd never seen something so beautiful in all her life. The door opened suddenly, and she popped her head out to see, catching a haggard boy barely able to walk, he met her bewildered gaze with a smile, flopping onto the bed beside her. He held out a hand, open palm, angled toward the floor. "Dazzling performance," he murmured. Haddy stared at his hand for a moment, then looked to his face, frowning. She slowly drew back the quilt and held out the necklace, reluctant yet guilt obliging her to return it. His ocean gaze flickered to it for a moment, but returned to her, uninterested. "Don't want Mistress catching you with that, now, do we?" He slapped his hand against hers, which startled her, forcing her to drop the pendant and retract into her blanket. He burst into laughter, leaning forward and staring at her eyes, which she averted. "You're a quiet one. What's your name, stray?" She stared up at the ceiling, fumbling with the blanket in her hands, "Hadassah," she managed, shooting him a glare when he laughed again. "Weird name," he chuckled, laying back in the bed with his arms behind his head. "Well I'm Caiden. I think we'll be friends." It was not a suggestion, but more a statement of fact. With a skeptical expression, Haddy, dropped the pendant on his mattress and adjusted her position to face away from him. The moment he turned his gaze away, she smiled.

[Twister]

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Experience Award

Hadassah

Grade :

Experience: 2 Acrobatics, 3 Climbing, 4 Observation, 2 Running, 1 Stealth, 1 Subterfuge

Lores: To be small and invisible, A child in tune with the streets of Sunberth, Sunberth: The stories and mysteries of ancient times, Master the fear of falling, Navigating Sunberth's streets, Sunberth from above, Disciplined by the Head Lady, Caidan: The wise-eyed street boy

Comments: Short, but great. I loved reading this and your writing style is very involving and fluent. It was very easy to follow and get caught up in and I found myself smiling to myself at the end. Very well done.

If you've any questions or concerns about your grade, drop me a PM!
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