Author notes: I blame TV for this. Mary Poppins gave me the idea. It stops rather sudden, but I needed an ending and I wanted it to be short n sweet.
Guild: In the late 1700's and early 1800's a guild was what the union is now. If you were good at your job you'd make sure to become a member of the guild for your profession and they would lend you money in times of trouble if you were good for it or offer advice and send someone to be negotiator in disputes or big business proposals. Guilds provided these services for a small fee and the benefit of becoming a known guild among those of that specific profession.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's.
Chapter 1,
He sighed as he listened to his owner explaining the plan again. He knew what he had to do after the first three times the man told him. They'd pulled this plan off so many times now that he could dream his way through it by now. All he had to do was go to the house his owner had chosen and ask if they would let him inspect their chimney as free service of the chimney sweep. He'd hand the man a hand written certificate saying that he and his owner belonged to the guild of chimney sweeps; forged of course. He'd then check the chimney and while he was at it assess if the house was worth robbing. Later his master and he would return to clean the chimney and the house while they were at it. By the time the man would notice that he'd been set up they'd be long out of town and on their way to the next one to sell their stolen goods from their last heist.
"You listenin' no name?" the old man hissed angrily. He looked at the man and nodded.
"Be sure to do yer part." the man said pushing him toward the rather expansive looking manor.
Noname headed to the door and rang the bell. He got ready to do his part and easily slipped into his character as the door opened.
"Afternoon to ya gov'ner. Check yer chimney fer ya? Free service of me Mast'r." he said lifting his hat and holding out the guild certificate.
"I will consult with the master." the tall man who'd answered the door said before ushering the boy into the spacious hallway. One glance told Noname that his master would get his fill here. Noname barely got a chance to inspect the hallways though as the tall man returned quickly.
"The master agrees to it." the man said calmly as he led Noname to the living room and told him that there were several fireplaces in the house. Noname quickly said he'd check them all and moved to check the living room chimney. He decided that this man was a foreigner and probably a servant or one of the head servants of the house.
Doing his part turned out to be both easy and hard. Easy because these people weren't really keeping their valuables behind closed doors it seemed, but hard because the tall foreign servant still watched him closely and never left him alone. Noname finally made the excuse of needing to pee to get some privacy and with practiced ease slipped out of the toilet window scaled the narrow ledge beneath said window and eased himself back inside through a nearby window. He'd never seen a house with a toilet on the second floor before and decided this was one rich guy living here. Noname knew he'd need to find a window on the very top floor least likely to be found and closed by a servant for a few days so that he could take his owner's spoils outside through that window. It'd take some acrobatic skills, but his owner had bought him for those exact acrobatic skills he'd been born with.
Noname quickly shook off his thoughts and focused on his job. He had to hurry or the tall servant would come looking for him. He could not make the excuse of having gotten lost, but he could make the excuse of fainting of hunger if he managed to get back to the bathroom before the big man would wonder where he was. He'd just take a quick look out the nearest door and pocket something of value to show his owner and then head back.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and Noname turned quickly. He came face to face with a boy his own age; probably a few years younger by the looks of him. The boy was very pale and fragile looking and his blonde wavy hair and big teal eyes only added to the innocent fragile child look. The boy's hands moved in what Noname recognized as sign language.
Why'd you come through the window? What's your name? I've never seen you here. Are you a new servant?
Noname blinked at the boy who looked at him expectantly.
"The tall guy got on me nerves hadda get away a while. Got no name an' no." he said quietly. The boy again signed.
Sorry I can't hear.
Noname blinked and nodded to this then signed his answers. The boy smiled brightly and began signing frantically.
Thanks! It means so much to me to meet someone who can speak sign. It gets awful bothersome having to write everything down and half the staff can't read and the other half can't write. You have no name huh? Well that won't do. You should have a name. I'll give you one.
There was a pause as the boy looked to be thinking about this. He then signed with a bright smile.
Trowa! Trowa Barton. Yes that's perfect. Do you like it?
The boy looked at him expectantly and Noname smiled.
I like it. So do you have a name or do I call you rich blond boy?
Noname signed smirking. The blond chuckled, but there was only a whispered remnant of what used to be sound coming from the boy's throat.
Noname spent much more time then he realized in the room with the boy he knew now was named Quatre and was the son of the infamous Master Hassim Ahmet Winner. Noname knew the Winner name well. The first Master Winner was a traveling merchant who was a financial genius and his offspring did well until finally the Winner family made name for itself when Hassim Ahmet Aljazeera Winner stared the Winner enterprise trading company some two centuries earlier. He learned from Quatre that the boy was destined to take over the family company even though his dream was to travel and see the world. He also learned that the boy lost his hearing and voice during a robbery that ended badly while he was traveling home with his two youngest sisters. Neither sister lived to tell about it, but Quatre had survived and since that day, when the boy had been five, his father had not let him out of the house. Three hours had passed when the large servant came into the room frantically and found the two boys sitting across from one another. Quatre signed something to Rashid which Noname missed and told Noname it was alright. Rashid then accompanied Noname the rest of the day while he inspected the other chimneys.
"Sure took yer sweet time brat." his owner hissed. Noname shrugged and handed over the golden candlestick he'd nicked off one of the fireplaces when Rashid hadn't been looking.
"Good. We'll go in tomorrow. You best keep to th' plans brat." the man hissed. Noname rolled his eyes and curled up in his usual corner of the cart and fell asleep. It'd be a long day the next day.
Noname had been busily stuffing trinkets in his pockets and bag when Quatre came in. Noname looked at him. For some reason he had a strange ache in his chest when he saw how sad the boy looked.
If that's what you are after I should warn you. Rashid won't let you get far, Trowa.
Quatre signed. Noname winced at the name. He didn't deserve to have a name.
What will he do? Follow me out the window?
Noname asked trying to seem cold, but failing badly.
Probably or shoot you down. He's got a killer aim.
Quatre shot back shrugging seemingly careless.
My owner says I've got the devil's luck.
Noname signed shrugging before climbing out the window.
Below him his owner calling for him to drop the goods, behind him the boy frantically signing as the tall servant also climbed out the window. Noname dropped the bag and watched as his owner dashed off with it. Just as Rashid the tall servant reached for him Noname let gravity take control. He enjoyed those few seconds where he was free of the pull of gravity and curled in on himself when he began to plummet toward the ground. He imagined the tall servant crying out and shielding Quatre from the sight. Noname knew though he wouldn't become a smudge on the ground when he landed. At the very last second his body uncurled and he landed on his hands and feet in a crouch much like a cat would. With a last cocky wave Noname disappeared into the night.
Days had passed and Noname couldn't stop thinking of the little blond haired boy. He wanted to, but he couldn't and for some reason every time he stole things with his owner it made him sick to his stomach. It'd been late one night that Rashid came into little Quatre's room. He told the young boy that the nameless boy who'd stolen from them had been arrested three towns due south, but he was very ill when they found him. Quatre stared out the window quietly then signed for Rashid to have the boy brought to him.
Told you no good would come of it.
Quatre signed giving the very pale and ill boy a sad look.
You did this…you made me get sick…every time…it was your face that stopped me.
Noname weakly signed back; having to stop and drop his hand every few words.
Did I? Or maybe you were already sick of it. Maybe you just needed to meet the right person to stop you. Or maybe, that kind of life never drew you at all, but you didn't see a way out.
Quatre signed to Noname. The nameless boy signed back.
I've got no name, no family and no job. I'm just a child, what could I do except stealing to stay alive? My owner may not have been an honest man, but he never beat me or made me do anything I didn't like.
Noname stared away from the blond.
He made you steal and lie.
Quatre signed knowing that despite his turned head the boy could see.
He gave me a deal. Stay with him and get fed even if it meant doing a dishonest job or stay where I was sitting on the side of the road and die of starvation. I chose for the food.
Noname said quietly.
But you wanted more, didn't you? He never even gave you a name did here?
Quatre signed back.
He called me Noname. Everyone did…except you.
Noname answered back quietly.
Everyone should have a name. Noname isn't a name; it's a fact.
Quatre replied giving Noname a look.
Trowa means three. How is that better in meaning then Noname?
Noname shot back.
Quatre means four and you don't find that a silly name do you?
Quatre signed back. Noname burst out laughing at the cute pout Quatre gave him with that statement and pushed the boy off the bed. This only caused the boy to pout more as he climbed back onto the bed.
Iria watched her little brother from the door.
"Are you sure about this Miss Iria?" Rashid asked from behind her.
"Yes, the boy deserves better then to live the life of a thief and my brother needs a friend. Father won't let him go outside so this was the best I could arrange for my little brother." Iria said smiling.
"He'll not be happy when he finds out you already arranged for the boy to serve you rather then be thrown in jail or hanged." Rashid said smiling as well.
"You had better not tell him then Rashid." Iria said smiling mischievously causing the taller man to laugh before entering the room with the food he'd brought for the two boys.
Hope you enjoyed it!