"Stop! Thief!"
The man's shouts bellowed after me as I sprinted through the streets of the lower city. I hadn't taken much—just an apple from his stand and his belt-purse. It was that last one he noticed. I thought I was getting better! The three I took earlier in the week I got with no ruckus at all!
I rounded a corner, desperate to evade the two Dogs now on my tail. I couldn't get caught, not when I had my dues to pay and a younger sister sick with fever. Naught two-hundred feet away, I saw shadows pooled where building met city wall. If I could just there fast enough, I could try the trick I had been working on…
Suddenly I was yanked into an alleyway. I stomped on the inside of my captor's foot and attempted to elbow him in the gut, but he was too strong for me to maneuver properly. I took a deep breath, prepared to scream, but his hand clamped itself over my mouth.
"Hush, lass! D'you want them t'find you?" he hissed. He pressed us closer to the wall as the Dogs ran passed, loudly cursing their luck.
My breathing slowed, and he whispered, "Now, if I let go, can I trust ye not to make a fuss?"
I considered it. He had saved me from a rather lengthy prison sentence, which is what I would have received had they caught me—I'm a common-born girl my word is worthless and especially so against trained Dogs. So, I nodded.
He released me and I turned to examine my… rescuer.
The boy was taller than I, and quite handsome. He looked to be no more than two years older than me, so I judged him to be around 13 years old. With mischievous hazel eyes, he certainly looked like someone I could easily become friends with.
"I'm Adria," I said, abruptly interrupting my own inspection.
He grinned and grasped my hand. "George," he responded, pressing a cheeky kiss to my knuckles. I blushed and giggled.
George peered around the corner of the alley and, after deciding the coast was clear, motioned for me to follow him out.
As we emerged in the sunlight, he asked me, "So, why were you running from those Dogs?"
I scowled. It was definitely not one of my finest moments. "I was sloppy."
Sparing a glance at my new friend, I noticed his slight grin.
"Ah," he said.
"Hey!" I exclaimed, embarrassed. "I'm working on it. It's just… that shopkeeper was just really observant!"
"Not t'worry lass. I'm not making fun. You just need practice." He paused. "How about I teach you some of my tricks?"
My brow furrowed. I did not need help. But if it meant getting to see more of George…
"My sister is sick with fever. I can't be devoting all my time t' this, but thank you. I'd like t' learn." I replied, accepting his offer with a hesitant smile.
George licked his lips. "My ma's a healer. If you want, I'm sure she would see your sister."
I sighed. "George, that's very kind of you, but I can't afford a healer. It's hard enough just trying t' feed the two of us."
He stopped walking. "Ma won't charge a friend o' mine. I think you'd like her."
I smiled. "Thank you."
Dropping a wink, George whispered as if sharing a secret, "I like helping pretty girls."
"I'm only eleven, and you're a flirt, George," I giggled.
George chuckled, "A mere technicality."
As we walked through the Lower City, I couldn't help but feel as if I just met the greatest friend I could ever have.
-One Year Later-
The Black God's temple was silent. My tears were spent, but that ache in my throat would not go away. I knelt in prayer on the unforgiving marble floor before the figure lying prone on the altar. My eyes started to prickle. No. I would not cry anymore.
Footsteps echoed softly in the empty chamber, and I felt someone drop to their knees beside me.
"There was nothing that could be done, Adria," George whispered.
I sniffled. "I know. She never really got better from that fever."
"All we could do was make her last weeks comfortable, lass." George's eyes were bright.
My chest constricted and mouth trembled. I couldn't hold it in anymore. "I shouldn't have to bury my baby sister!" I collapsed in George's arms as sobs wracked my body.
He rubbed soothing circles on my back as he whispered nonsense in my ear. Once I calmed down, I noticed the hooded priests lighting incense. We stood, and I brushed away my tears as they began their chanting.
My sister was in a better place now, and all we could do was see to it she had a proper burial.
-Two Years Later-
My fourteenth birthday passed without much to-do. Mama Eleni made me a nice dinner, and George gave me a silver ring with a pretty blue stone. "I thought it looked like your eyes," he had said with a faint blush. When I planted a kiss on his cheek as thanks, that blush deepened a tad and my heart did a flip.
I had been noticing boys, but George was special. I wasn't sure why, though.
With Beltane fast approaching, a few boys had asked me to join them in the festivities, but to my confusion, they all ran away before I could reply. Each time, I looked over my shoulder, and each time, George was standing in the shadows, a scowl on his face.
The third time it happened, I confronted him.
"George! What in Mithros's name are ye doing?" I hissed when I had him alone. "Yer scaring the piss out o' ev'ryone that comes near me!"
His hazel eyes bored into mine with an emotion I couldn't name.
"They're not good enough for you," he growled.
I should have been affronted by his tone, but for some reason, my spine tingled.
"Oh, how would ye know that, George?" I asked, hands on my hips. "Ye never give 'em a chance t' say anything!"
George folded his arms across his chest. "They're… they're thieves!"
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "They're thieves? In case ye didn't notice, George, so are you!" My voice rose in pitch.
"That's different!" He huffed.
"Oh it is, is it?"
George seemed to be debating with himself, then suddenly, he grasped my face and fiercely pressed his lips against mine. The tingling sensation I felt earlier exploded.
He released my face, his breathing slightly labored. My fingered touched my lips. I couldn't form words. I knew George kissed girls before, and probably did more with them. I knew about sex. Mama Eleni talked to me about it when I first got my monthlies.
"You'll know when you're ready," she assured me. She gave me a pendant to ward off pregnancy, and I never took it off, even though I knew I wasn't ready yet.
Of course, girls in the Lower City got married around fifteen, more often than not. Many of them were bedding boys before then as well, but I always knew I wasn't quite ready.
That kiss gave me second thoughts.
"Oh," I whispered when I could speak again.
"'Oh' she says," I heard George mutter to himself.
Then I did the boldest thing I'd ever done in my life. I grabbed his tunic and kissed him full on the lips.
He pressed himself closer to me until I could feel every inch of him. My legs turned to jelly. His supple lips coaxed my inexperienced ones, teaching them how to respond with equal ardor.
When we broke apart for air, George rested his forehead against mine. I knew my lips were swollen, but I didn't care.
"I like kissing you," I whispered, not wanting to break the mood.
He chuckled. "I like kissing you, too."
-One Year Later-
I rushed to George's side—he was leaning heavily against the wall, and the gash along his torso dripped blood down so it began to stain his pants.
"Is he dead?" I asked as I examined that and his other wounds.
Orem, one of our friends, felt for a pulse on the figure lying on the ground. "Yes," he said, getting up.
I finished bandaging the torso gash. Eleni would need to see it later. I grinned up at him. "King of the Rogue," I said, then I lightly kissed him. "I like the sound of that."
George winced as he stood up straighter. "So do I, lass, so do I." He frowned. "Adria, you know I love you… but I want to make Rispah Queen of the Ladies."
I pondered that. Rispah was older than I, and as such could gather more respect from the Court. It was a good decision. I nodded and he smiled, relieved.
"Well," I said, lifting his good arm over my shoulder so I could help walk him to his mother's house, "Ye'll need a bodyguard. Not t' mention, ye can't be everywhere at once. My Gift makes it easy t' be sneaky. I'll ferret out them that are up t' no good."
He dropped a kiss to my forehead, "I'll be countin' on that, lass. Don't you forget it."
AN: I got the idea for this after wondering what George's life was like before the series and what type of woman would be in it, because we all know he wasn't celibate before Alanna. My goal with this is to get Tamora's characters as accurate as possible, and I see that as I challenge to work on. I want to weave this as seamlessly into the original canon as possible. I will gladly take constructive criticism—it's the only way I can grow as an author, and I thank all my reviewers who give me suggestions.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable from the Song of the Lioness universe. It belongs to Tamora Pierce and Random House. It is not my intention to make any money off this. It is purely for my enjoyment and writing practice.
I also have a picture of Adria up on deviantArt. The link will be up on my profile shortly.