Natalia wandered through the village market, doing her best to take in everything around her while also avoiding notice. She watched for distracted merchants who left an opening for her to sneak in and relieve them of their wares, for market visitors who left their money pouches exposed to her nimble fingers, it was an art form, one she knew much too well for a girl of her six years.
Sometimes she thought she could hear a strangely familiar voice whispering in the back of her mind, telling her that stealing was wrong, but hunger was a far louder motivator. She didn't think it had always been like this, hunger and hiding, but she couldn't remember anything else.
She finally saw the perfect opportunity at the stand of a traveling cloth market, the local lord's own steward was haggling with the merchant over a bolt of cloth no doubt intended for the lady of the castle. His expensive coat hung open to reveal the heavy pouch of coins hanging from his belt.
Natalia walked right up to the steward and tugged at his coat until he looked down at her with an irritated expression. "What do you want?"
Not releasing her grip on his coat Natalia looked up with her best plaintive expression, "Please sir, can't you spare a few coins for a poor orphaned child."
The man tried to pull away but Natasha kept her grip on his coat, "Please sir."
With a disgusted glance at her grubby face and hands the steward finally pulled away roughly, pushing her back, "If you're in such dire straits then go to the church, 'tis their duty to see to such things."
Natalia wiped away tears and murmured back "Yes sir." She wandered off with a dejected slump to her shoulders. It wasn't until she had reached the cover of an alleyway that she ceased her false tears and let a triumphant smile slip across her face as she felt the heavy weight of the steward's purse under her ragged shift.
"That was smart, getting him to pull away so he wouldn't feel you lift his purse."
Natalia froze and then turned to face the speaker. He was about thirty with thick blond hair and icy blue eyes that seemed to see right through her, or perhaps more importantly right through her shift to the contraband underneath.
Almost as if on instinct she started up the cheers again, "I'm sorry sir," she sniffed loudly, "I'll give it back. I know it was a bad thing to do, but after папа died and мама got sick we ran out of money and-" she took a ragged breath and wiped her eyes with a grubby hand, "and we haven't eaten in days. I just wanted to help my family."
The man burst out laughing, startling away Natalia's tears, "By my sword you are a clever little wench aren't you? You nearly had me fooled for a moment there. I can't say that I've ever seen such natural talent in all my days." He knelt down in front of her, putting himself right at her level. "I can make you even better, I can make you the best this world has ever seen. What's your name sweeting?"
Natalia hesitated then decided she really had nothing to lose, and being the best at something sounded nice. "Natalia."
"Ivan, Ivan Petrovitch." He removed his single red glove and took her fingers in his, bringing them lightly to his smiling lips, "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance Natalia."