Chapter 1
Jenny's toes felt stiff against the icy cold London cobbles; the crisp air prickled at her face and stung the ends of her gloveless fingers. She pulled her coat tightly around her petite frame in an attempt to keep her body from going into complete shock from her long day on the bitter cold street.
"Matches?" "Matches, anyone?" she felt so invisible, passers by barely acknowledged her presence, and she hadn't sold a single match book all night, she sighed, disheartened at the fact that she wouldn't make enough money to buy some decent food, never mind a place to sleep.
Stuffing her hands into her pockets she pulled her hood up over her head and set off through the streets, she did not know where she was headed, but maybe the walking would save her from the icy cold weather that had been permeating through her clothing and making her fingers and toes throb in pain.
She thought back to how different her life had been no longer than six months ago, her home had been dismal, dark and damp but it was a home, she shared it with her three brothers and parents, they were all cramped into a tiny two bedroom terraced house but anything was better than the dirty streets of London.
Thrown from her own family home, Jenny had quickly learnt to become independent and to stand on her own two feet, she was wiser now than before, having been on the streets for 6 months, she knew the places to avoid, the people to watch out for and where the safest place to put her head down for the night was. Despite all this, London was London after all, and no matter how careful or wary she was, there was always someone waiting to prey on the innocent match girls that wandered the streets alone.
Jenny felt herself being grabbed from behind; a beastly arm covered her face, pulling her by the neck and shoulders, thick damp wool scratched at her face as she struggled to breathe through the cloth covering her mouth and nose. She writhed and kicked, but despite her efforts she was deliriously tired and hadn't eaten properly in days, making her weak and defenceless against whatever had dragged her from the street into a dark alleyway.
She held her breath and braced herself for whatever was about to come, her mind flooded with the most terrifying scenarios as she struggled to hold back tears, but she was a Flint, she wouldn't show any signs of weakness. She felt her face freed and turned to see who had grabbed her, she didn't get the chance to allow her eyes to adjust before she was swung by the hips and pushed hard into the wall behind her, banging her head against the hard concrete wall and almost falling over at the impact.
It was darker in the alley; shadows all around her, her eyes struggled to re-adjust from the scarcely lit streets to this dark corner of London. She struggled to make out the face of her attacker, straining her eyes determined to look into the eyes of the vile creature who had dragged her carelessly into the alley.
Jenny felt a hand reach inside her coat, she fought, grabbing the hand and kicking every which way she could – it was no good, her attacker grabbed her arms and pinned her to the wall, stopping her from fighting back, Jenny realised she was completely helpless. The attacker was much larger and stronger than her, despite this she refused to give up the fight so easily, tightening her muscles and forcing herself to remain calm and look strong.
She looked up to meet the face of her attacker, a crooked smile and filthy skin was all she could make out, he leaned in closer and saw a set of horrid yellowing teeth and a disturbing, menacing pair of eyes that pierced through her. Panic set in now as she realised just how helpless she was, unable to move, unable to scream in fear of what would happen to her, she felt her heart racing in her chest, her limbs felt weak and useless, she was frozen to the spot, terrified for her life.
Her thoughts seemed to drift away from her as she thought it might not be so bad being dead, at least she could find peace at last, away from the hardships she had faced these last few months, totally and utterly over powered by the man in front of her, she let her body go limp, she gave in, too exhausted to fight any longer, she felt the last remaining hope leave her body.
Her attacker obviously noticed this change in behaviour, smiling an evil, toothy smile at her submission to him, he started to reach inside her coat, grabbing anything he could, albeit Jenny's limited possessions, he grabbed a small amount of coins, some matchstick books, some crumpled papers.
"Is this it?" he hissed at her, "this all you got?" – his voice was gruff and menacing Jenny felt sick at the sound.
She nodded, not looking at him, "I..I ain't got much" she managed to choke out, tears threatening to fall.
"Well then, I guess I'm going to have to take something else for myself if you won't pay up" he sneered at her, pulling her waist closer to him, Jenny looked at him in disbelieve, no, no not that, please no, she was screaming inside, his gruff hands circled her waist, moving all over her body, pulling at her clothing and touching her everywhere.
Jenny squirmed at his touch, the tears that had been threatening to fall starting to roll down her cheeks, dampening her collar and making the cold weather sting her face.
It was then that she remembered her pocket watch hidden inside her coat pocket, her grandmother had given it to her when she was only young, she prayed that the man wouldn't find this while his hands were inside of her coat. She felt his hands tear her dress open, she whimpered at this, her mind finally catching up as she realised what was going to happen, her lip quivered as she felt his nails dig into the skin on her lower back.
He started to reach around to her front, his eyes watching her intently as he did so, Jenny felt him catch the chain of her watch, he tugged at it, snatching it from her and holding it up to examine. It was only small, she surmised her would probably pawn it for a few shillings; she saw the look in his greedy eyes, finding her voice again.
"No please don't, that was my grandmothers, it was all she left me, it's all I have", the man looked back at her with his cocky, broken smile.
"I'll be taking this, I have no need for you anymore". Jenny tried to make a grab for the watch, but he was much stronger than her and he held her arm in a vice-like grip.
"Good night, miss" he hissed into Jenny's tear soaked face.
She cried out, anguish, hurt and exhaustion rushed over her all at once, he sneered and started to walk back into the street, leaving Jenny leant against the wall sobbing and trying to hold together her now-torn clothes. She managed to take a few deep breaths, cease her shaking and gathered herself slightly; she knew she couldn't stay hidden in this alleyway, for all she knew another attacker could be hidden in the shadows.
"Arrrgh" came a man's scream, and the sound of a whip? Jenny peered round the corner, afraid her attacker may come back for her, but she saw his body sprawled across the floor, a figure hovering over him. She watched as the figure took from him every last item he had taken from Jenny, including her grandmother's pocket watch. Jenny saw the hooded figure hold the watch by the long thin chain, watching it dance with reflections from the street lamps.
Jenny was frozen to the spot, she couldn't move for fear of being noticed, her legs seemed they were not attached to her any longer, they were unresponsive to her attempts to move out of the alley. Then she noticed the hooded figure turn and start towards her, she quickly turned the corner, ducked down and tried to stay out of sight, attempting to conceal herself in the dark shadows of the alley. From her crouched position Jenny saw a pair of boots stop in front of her face, a long cloak draped over the rest of whoever stood in front of her.
"P…Please don hurt me" Jenny stammered, preparing herself for whatever was about to come.
"I will not hurt you, can you stand?" came the voice, Jenny was surprised to hear the softness that was there, a woman? She shuffled and nervously pulled herself up from her hiding place, standing before the hooded figure, who towered over her by at least a foot and a half.
"Here" the hooded figure held out her hand, "I believe this is yours".
Jenny glanced at the figures gloved hand, there laying in her palm was her grandmothers watch.
"Oh thank you!" Jenny felt her body rush with gratitude for this kind stranger.
"Thank you, thank you" – Jenny felt ridiculous repeating herself so much, but she had no other means to repay this kind gesture of a stranger. Jenny looked to the figures face, hidden behind a thin lace veil, but she could make out a pair of eyes, glistening in the moonlight.
"Won't you tell me yer name?" Jenny asked, her voice finally coming back to her, she looked to the figure, waiting for an answer.
"Do you have somewhere safe to go, I will walk you there now" she said, dismissing Jenny's request of her name.
"No Ma'am, I aint got no home" Jenny answered, "I usually find mesel' a nice doorway to 'av a kip in".
"A doorway?" the figure questioned, "I asked if you had somewhere safe to stay, that to me certainly does not sound safe" the figures thick Scottish accent rolled off her tongue. She seemed to consider Jenny for a moment, looking her up and down, before motioning for Jenny to follow her out of the alleyway.
"Very well… I will walk with you to your destination" Jenny wasn't so sure why the hooded stranger was being so kind to her; she was usually invisible to passers by.
She considered the woman for a moment, before deciding that it was probably safer to walk with her than alone, they both set off down the streets, Jenny looked to see the slumped body of her attacker still strewn in the street.
"We can't just leave this body 'ere" Jenny said matter-of-factly.
She looked to the hooded figure; who somehow seemed taller out in the street.
"I suppose not" that thick accent send shivers through Jenny's body, she couldn't help but swoon at the sound.
"Let's drag him to the alley, he will look as though he's been roughed up by a gang, 'appens all the time round 'ere" Jenny said.
The hooded woman nodded before grabbing the man under each arm and dragging him effortlessly towards the alley, she threw his body in among the discarded rubbish and old crates before turning to face Jenny again who stood watching eyes wide from the street.
"Shall we carry on?" The figure spoke, turning and starting to walk down the street.
Jenny had to run a little to catch up with her, struggling to keep up with the fast stride of the hooded figure.
"Where are we going?" Jenny asked, her breath was ragged from their fast-paced walk and the cold night air.
"Somewhere safe" came the clipped reply. Jenny wondered if she had annoyed the woman somehow, she figured she didn't like company much, given that she had just struck down the man from before and now she regrettably had a match-girl in tow, she didn't seem to be one to make conversation either, responding to Jenny's questions with single word answers.
"I suppose I could put you up for the night" Jenny was taken aback at the words that tumbled from the other woman's mouth.
"Sorry?" Jenny didn't quite believe what she had heard.
"Just for the night though, it seems a waste of all my efforts to save your life and then leave you to rot on the street" she quipped back.
Jenny couldn't believe the kindness of this stranger, what did she do to deserve this "o' no ma'am I couldn't ever repay you for that" Jenny's head dropped and she suddenly felt embarrassed.
The stranger obviously noticed this "Nonsense" she said, and gently turned Jenny back towards the street.
"My driver will be here soon" the figure spoke, and sure enough not two minutes passed before Jenny saw two fine horses trotting up the cobbled street towards them.
"In" she opened the carriage door for Jenny, before swiftly following behind her.
The carriage was nothing like Jenny had ever experienced before, she came from a poor family and they could never have afforded anything as grand as this, the seats were upholstered in a luxurious black leather, on the floor was a rich purple carpet, and brass detailing adorned the door frame and windows of the carriage, she pulled back one of the curtains and peered out into the street, it looked so different from the carriage, not anything like the city she had grown up in.
"Won't you tell me your name girl?" Jenny was abruptly pulled from her thoughts at the hasty question.
She straightened herself in her seat "Jenny" – she looked at the hooded figure "Jenny Flint"…"wont you tell me yours?" Jenny asked in return, trying to curb her common accent as much as possible.
"My name is Madame Vastra" the still-hooded woman spoke.
"Vastra" Jenny repeated, as if testing the word on her tongue. "Reckon you ain't from round 'ere are ya ma'am" Jenny looked to Vastra with curiosity, just what was she hiding beneath that veil.
"What makes you say that?" Vastra replied.
"I, er, just" Jenny wondered if she had overstepped the mark, "just with you being a Madame and all, and this carriage, people round 'ere don't usually go helping out us match girls, we ar' invisible to the world" Jenny spoke with a solemnness now, she didn't usually reveal this much of her life to others, never mind strangers.
The horses pulled to a stop outside a grand terraced house, to Jenny it seemed a palace, even in the weakly lit street she could make out the detail on the building front, "this is yer house?" Jenny asked astonished, "it's amazing".
Vastra couldn't help but hold back a smile at Jenny's bold attitude; something about this girl was different to all the other apes she had encountered. She held up her cloak and began the small climb to the front door, Jenny followed shortly behind, one the click of the locks in the front door and they were inside. The porch was just as breath taking as the outside of the house, adorned with expensive looking paintings and small details were scattered around, Jenny stared wide eyed in the doorway.
"Are you going to come in or stand there with the door open?" Vastra was curt; she hated the cold being in her home. Jenny was snapped out of her revere and quickly closed the door behind her, placing the bolt across.
"Now I must ask that you do not touch anything in my house, I am quite particular and like things a certain way". Vastra spoke softly but quite seriously.
"Follow me I will show you where you may sleep" – Jenny rushed up the winding staircase after the Madame, marvelling at her grand surroundings, she had never been in a house quite this richly decorated before. The dark wooden staircase creaked under her feet as she neared the top; they walked along the long corridor, passing multiple rooms before they reached the room at the far end.
"This is my room" Vastra spoke "please do not enter here."
Jenny wondered why this woman was telling her these things, she was only here for a night after all, "and this" Vastra opened the door directly opposite her own room, "is where you may sleep tonight". She motioned for Jenny to enter the room, before following behind her.
"It's beautiful" Jenny was astonished, "ma'am, are yer sure yer don't mind me staying?" Jenny asked in a rush, she suddenly felt nervous, being placed in a home so unlike anything she had ever known.
Vastra ignored her question, and went about showing Jenny where the spare blankets and pillows were, tour of the room over Vastra led Jenny back out into the hall to another door, "this is the bathroom, I trust you will want to freshen up so I will leave you to it, I will be downstairs if you need me".
With that Vastra swiftly made her way back down the staircase leaving Jenny at a loss for what to do with herself. She headed into the room she had been assigned and sat on the bed, taking in her surroundings, marvelling at what she saw, she placed her torn coat on the nearby chair and slid her shoes off her still-frozen feet. Taking her grandmothers pocket-watch from her coat pocket she clicked it open, 11:05PM.
The room was very cosy indeed, with cream patterned wallpaper, long lavish curtains, dark wooden furniture and exotic green plants dotted around the room, Jenny had to pinch herself to check this was all happening, she felt a strange sensation whenever Vastra spoke to her, one she couldn't quite place, but she found herself wanting to know more about the strange woman who had saved her that night.
Wiggling her stiff fingers in the air she winced at the pain the cold night had caused her limbs, she really hadn't been dealing with the winter months great, and they had certainly began taking their toll on her. How she longed for a hot bath to warm her through, slipping off her jacket and socks she padded quietly to the bathroom. Turning the hot tap she heard the water rush into the tub, splashing back at her slightly as it began to fill up, thinking about it she couldn't remember the last time she had a bath, never mind one with hot and cold running taps, this must be what heaven feels like she thought to herself, before she felt a pang in her chest, reminding her that this was only for one night, in less than 12 hours she would be back on the streets foraging for food and trying to scrape together enough money to buy herself a place to sleep. Better make the most of it she mused. Slipping into the hot water she closed her eyes in bliss, welcoming the steaming water that burned her skin slightly, it felt so good to be warm again.
Shortly after, she slipped back into her bedroom and noticed a white flowing gown had been placed at the foot of her bed, she touched the fabric with her fingertips, it was soft and smelt of freshly washed linen, she clung it to her chest letting the towel fall from around her.
"I thought it would be about your size" came a voice from the side of the room and Jenny shrieked in surprise, noting her naked form Vastra turned her back to give the girl some privacy, "sorry I forgot about the human regulations around naked bodies" the words left her mouth before she had time to think them through.
"Human?" Jenny asked, staring wide eyed at the woman before her. "Did you jus' say human? Yer not human?"
Vastra silently cursed herself; this was not supposed to happen. "Now ape if you are going to stay in my home I must tell you something, now it may shock you, people have ran from me before, like I am some kind of monster, foolish apes".
Jenny could tell she was getting agitated, she quickly slung the nightgown over her naked form and sat on the bed "okay you can turn around now" – Vastra turned, looking at the girl through her veil, her skin was slightly pink from her hot bath and she looked more relaxed now than she had all night, despite the fact Vastra had just insinuated that she was not human.
"Wut are you?" Jenny asked her, Vastra could see Jenny trying to make out a face behind her veil, but it was no use, the black fabric covered every inch of the woman's features.
"I do not want to frighten you ape, I brought you here tonight because you needed help, not to traumatise you further" Vastra spoke in a softer tone than usual.
"Jus' tell me what you are" Jenny pleaded.
Vastra sensed no fear in the girl, only curiosity. She slowly lifted her veil and took her hood down from her head, revealing herself completely to the girl in front of her. She looked to Jenny, who sat precautious at the edge of the bed, her face unwavering and certain, she didn't have a flicker of fear in her, no disgust…nothing; she simply looked at Vastra, taking in every detail before her.
"Yer a lizard?" Jenny found her voice; she had so many questions swirling around her mind she wasn't sure where to start.
"S-sorry I didn't mean that, you're obviously not a lizard, you're a woman… I, I don't know what you are" Jenny was stumbling over her words now, she tried to stop but more kept pouring out of her, but it wasn't through fear or nervousness, she simply wanted to know what creature stood before her.
Vastra stopped Jenny in her tracks, she couldn't stand the insistent babbling coming from the girl "I am a Silurian, we are an ancient race of lizards who lived below the earths surface before humans were around".
"So there are more of you?" Jenny asked, she noticed Vastra's jaw tighten as she thought about her next words.
"No, my sisters were slaughtered, I managed to escape and have been living amongst the apes ever since" she replied sternly.
"Apes?" Jenny asked.
"The human race" Vastra replied, she watched Jenny as she took in everything that she had told her, half expecting her to bolt and run for the door any instant, Vastra was surprised to find that Jenny did none of these things, she simply sat and looked at the lizard-woman standing before her.
"Thank you for letting me stay here ma'am" Jenny said, taking Vastra aback slightly, had she forgotten what she had just told her? She wasn't running, screaming or trying to attack her?
She smiled at Jenny, "you're welcome, now get some sleep". She left the room at that and made the short journey across the hall to her own room.
Slipping under the covers Jenny pondered everything she had just been told, normally anyone in Jenny's position would have been disgusted or terrified of Madame Vastra's appearance, what with her emerald green scales, those huge spikes on her head, but Jenny didn't feel disgust or fear, all she saw of the Madame were her startling blue eyes, they danced and glistened with reflections of light and Jenny felt she could never tire of looking into them. Shaking her head at how ridiculous she was being she's a stranger, you don't even know her she told herself.
Suddenly realising just how exhausted she was she pulled the covers up and wiggled under them, the soft mattress felt so welcoming to her, and it wasn't long after her head hit the pillow that she fell into a deep sleep.