[East Street] A new day (Open)

[Scarlet Fair]

13th Day of Fall

Scarlet woke early the morning alone. Though there was someone with her the night before she was not surprised to find he was no longer there in the morning. She never was. She stretched and fumbled for her dress. It was a simple garment but she still remembered when she had first worn it. It was a gorgeous gown then. She was scarcely fifteen at the time, homesick and she hated the dress as much as she loved it. Her fingers ran over the rough, patched fabric which was once rich and soft. The dress was like her. Damaged. Scarlet wondered if like the dress, she was beyond repair. There was no way to restore the deep black fabrics to their former glory, in the same way perhaps there was no way for Scarlet to return to the sweet girl she had been, dreaming of weddings. No, that young girl was long gone.

She laced up the dress from the front and looked about for her boots. She found them somewhere close to the door and pulled them on. In a small cracked mirror Scarlet fixed her hair and painted a rose red rouge on to her lips. She opened her door and made sure to lock it behind her. Her possessions were few and prying eyes were many. Once out her door she was perfect again. All smiles and giggles, all that was expected of the young beauty. Other women watched her with scorn. She was a good deal younger than a lot of them and far more beautiful, good only for her own business. But she smiled at them all regardless.

As she reached the streets she was all smiles. An old beggar called out to her and she blew him a kiss, "Till you have a coin, that's all you'll get!" she winked at him playfully as she started down the street again. The breeze was an icy chill but Scarlet walked with all the step of Spring in her.