A/N/: Yet another forum challenge. So sue me ;) Enjoy.
Oh, by the way, here Jonna and Sonea's mum are half sisters. There's some backstory I made up but it's not particularly important.
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"Fine! I'm leaving then!"
"You're leaving? You are fired!"
Lilea slammed out of the Bolhouse. "Good riddance!" she yelled back at the furious owner, "I never liked it anyway!" She swung around and slammed the door in his face, then hitched her satchel higher on her shoulder and set a fast pace off down the road.
Her two year old daughter clung to her hand. "Where are we going, mummy?" she asked quietly as they marched along.
Lilea slowed. Her mouth turned downward, and her eyes clouded. The job at the Bolhouse had been her only source of income, not to mention her place to stay. Now, turned out on the streets, they didn't have anywhere to go. Her parents had died years ago, and she doubted Jonna's father would be willing to take her in. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know, sweetheart." They walked on in silence for a few minutes, little Jonna looking at the floor, trying not to succumb to tears. Lilea could feel tears coming herself. Where am I going? What am I doing? Good gods, what the hell am I doing? Pressing her lips together, she came to a decision. She stopped Jonna and knelt in front of her, grinning. "Let's not think about it for today, hmm? How about we go to your favourite place?"
Jonna's little eyes lit up. "The marina?" she gasped.
Lilea nodded. "Let's go sit by the quayside."
Jonna loved the sea. She loved the bright sunlight on the water, the sigh of the waves, the calls of the gulls as they wheeled over the ocean. She laughed happily and chased the sea-men's dogs along the quay, making them laugh. A hint of a smile touched Lilea's lips too as she watched her sweet young daughter. Despite everything that had gone wrong, she didn't regret that child, not for one instant. Sighing, she stared up at the sky and breathed in the salty air. It would be fine. She'd find somewhere. She was a survivor; where others gave in and lay down to die quietly on the roadside, she would come back fighting with everything she had until nothing was left. Her mouth twisted into a determined smile.
She'd come back fighting.
And Jonna laughed and ran across the docks, ducking under workmen's feet and investigating nooks and crannies, finding shells and gasping at the rich luxuries being unloaded from the boats. And as the sun set in a blaze of fire over the sea, a seabird screeched above her, and she laughed high and loud, a pure unrestrained sound of beautiful youth.
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It had been a good night in the Bolhouse, loud songs and lots of drinking, but Gol hadn't actually touched any drink. He was jumpy tonight; something seemed off.
He ambled down the dark alley at an unhurried pace. Essential for the slums; if you looked like you were in a hurry, you might have some place important to be. And here, important often meant money. The night was dark and quiet, a soft wind moving through the gaps and twists between the dark houses that loomed up on either side, leaning inwards so much you could barely see the sky. Gol ran his tongue over his teeth and loosely fingered the knife hidden up his sleeve.
It came out of nowhere; a bare whistle of wind against fabric the only thing to give him away. Gol turned and slashed, quick as a serpent. His attacker staggered, clutching his chest, and Gol moved in. The assailant dispatched, he grunted and searched the folds of dark clothing. Papers, money, a few odds and ends…
"Looks like a hired a good man!"
Gol straightened. A small and stocky man was coming towards him out of the shadows, grinning from ear to ear. Gol's eyes widened, but he gave only a polite nod. "Thank you, boss."
The man smiled. "Keep up the good work. I don't want my men being assassinated, you know." He turned and made to walk away, then paused. "Say, I don't suppose you're any good at teaching, hmm?"
Gol shook his head. "Nah, but I know a man who is. Who's it for?"
His boss smiled. "My little boy," he said in a tone of affection, "I think he'll be quick with the knives. He's certainly fast on his feet."
Gol grinned. "His name is apt," he chuckled, "Little Ceryni. I'll fix you up with him, boss."
He waved. "Have a good evening."
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She'd fiddled with and fixed just about every item of her clothing when the woman guiding her finally came back in and smiled, "They're ready for you now."
Taking a deep gulp of air, Tania stood on her shaky legs and followed the woman down the corridors of the Guild. Every floor was laid with thick carpet, every wall was perfectly plastered and painted and covered in beautiful landscapes and portraits, and every ceiling soared above her head. Feeling just a little in awe, Tania actually found herself feeling glad when they reached the door. Then it was opened and her guide stood aside, and the nerves hit her again. Only this time they were ten times stronger. Holding onto the shreds of her composure, Tania steeled herself and walked purposefully through the door.
Sitting in a comfortable chair behind a low table was a pretty woman in green robes. She smiled as Tania entered. "Hello, Tania. I'm Lady Yilara. Please, take a seat." Her knees wobbling, Tania perched on the edge of the offered seat and tried to stop herself fiddling with her fingers. Lady Yilara shuffled a few papers as if she were composing her next speech in her head. "Now, you want to be our new servant, yes? Have you been in the post before?"
To her surprise, Tania managed to answer the questions in a relatively calm and relaxed voice. The lady magician had something about her manner that put the young woman instantly at ease, and she smiled easily. There was a nice atmosphere to the room, and Tania found herself really liking the woman sitting in front of her. At the end of her questioning Lady Yilara beamed brightly and put the papers on the floor. "Now, any questions you want to ask me?"
Tania paused, biting her lip. "When can I start?"
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The streets were bustling, full to the brim with people, and Harin and his gang loved it. Screaming and shouting they rampaged through the alleys, streets and marketplaces, earning themselves not a few angry shouts and curses on their way.
Harin darted round another corner and crouched, hiding. As two familiar figures raced round the corner, he bounded out and yelled, "Boo!"
Cery jumped and Sonea nearly fell over, which amused Harin no end. Cery punched him on the shoulder. "Idiot," he muttered, glowering.
Harin just laughed. "Come on, you spoil sport!" And he was off again.
Later in the day they were wandering at a slower pace round the edge of a market when a cough drew their attention to a shaded corner under the eaves of two intersecting buildings. An old woman was huddled there, fiddling with various strange objects and muttering to herself. Harin stared. "It's that fortune teller from down near Burril's place," he whispered.
The old lady's head snapped up. Her eyes, burning pinpricks in her weathered face, fixed on Sonea. "Little girl," she rasped, "There is a dark cloud in your future."
Sonea frowned and took a few paces back. "What?"
The woman nodded. "A dark cloud, my dear, dark yet filled with sparks, as if there is hope among the chaos. Do not lose heart." And with that she went back to paying them no heed, fiddling with her miscellaneous items and muttering.
Sonea looked scared. Harin bit his lip, then plastered a big smile on his face and took her arm. "Come on, Sonea," he winked at her, "No need to worry about that old hokum. Burril told me she predicted they'd have sunshine for a week and all they got was showers. You're perfectly safe."
"Especially with us around!" Cery yelled, grabbing her other arm, and yelling and laughing they launched back into the fray.
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