Chapter I, The theft.
Bella had just finished clipping the hedge, when she heard soft footsteps coming down the alley. She tilted her head carefully and listened. There, again, the footsteps stopped near her gate. Then they speed up and it sounded like the person was trying to run carefully so his shoes didn't crunch loudly on the gravel. She heard hard breathing then a loud curse, as the person in the alley erupted in to full sprint. She then heard a horse, or she thought it was a horse, blast down the alley. "Come back!" yelled the passenger.
Bella got off her hands and knees and peered down the alley. Clutching her clippers in her hand she shrugged when there was no one in view. She then turned towards her little garden and sighed. The roses needed to be dealt with but that could wait till tomorrow. She then picked up her basket and headed in to her small cottage to see her grandmother.
Her grandmother was lying propped up in bed. She was knitting a scarf and humming softly. When she noticed Bella in the room she beckoned her over. "So tell me, how is our garden? In full swing I hope." Her grandmother was lying amidst several cats and a mended shirt. "Grandmamma, It is doing very well our garden, not as well as it would if you felt better." Her grandmother was weak, and just recovering from a fever she had had. "Oh, I'm doing fine lass, don't you worry about me, when the time comes I'll know, and it's not now my time yet. The dark lord has yet to come to this house." Even with those words Bella was not reassured. Her grandmother was looking thinner and thinner, and eating less. The doctor had come to their house and given them a remedy but it had only helped a little.
Putting away her garden tools, Bella slipped into a nightgown and locked all the doors. She went in to her small room and opened the window open a crack, so the warm July air could breeze through her room. Then walking over to her dresser she emptied her pouch of its herbs and briefly looked in the mirror. Her golden locks fell every which way. She had very tanned skin from being in the garden and her blue eyes where surrounded by long lashes. She sighed heavily. She looked thinner then she remembered. The toll of looking after her grandmother had made her eat less.
She went over to her bed and climbed in. She snuggled deeply in to the quilt and smiled as a cat climbed in with her. He curled up beside her and gave her a wink. She fell asleep clutching her necklace, a locket, with her initials carved in to it. The moon's rays fell on her face making her look more peaceful than she felt.
"Natalie, Natalie," called an elderly woman from her balcony. Natalie sighed. She pushed herself of the ground and brushed off her backside. Striating her skirts Natalie quickened her pace as she walked up the hill to the manor. She reached the top of the hill just as her aunt reappeared by the door. "Natalie, what have you done to your hair? It's horrible. Looks like you rolled in hay." She said this while she started picking small blades of grass from Natalie's dark brown hair. Natalie brushed her aunts hand aside and said, "I was simply leaning against a tree." Her aunt frowned her disproval and grabbed Natalie's hand. "Well dinners ready so come keep us company and maybe eat a morsel with us instead of taking your dinner with the cooks."
Natalie sat heavily beside her aunt and picked at her food. When dinner was over she dismissed her self and climbed the stairs to her room. She slumped on to her bed and reached for her sword. She picked it up and felt it's cool metal in her hands. The power in the steel. She placed it carefully down and redressed in a simple gown. Then taking it in hand again she practiced movements in her room. Slicing the air with its blade. After a while she got tired and placed the sword beside her bed. Then she took her hair down from its bun and took her pearl earrings off. Shaking her head she let her hair fall down to her waist and stood to stretch.
She hadn't noticed how dark it had got. A smile played across her lips, making her face look friendly. She loved the dark she let her imagination lose. She was at a ball, in a light pink gown with jewels around her neck. She walked out on to a terrace, to find it already occupied by a handsome young man, turning to leave he offers her his hand. They dance to the melodic music. Then a bandit falls on to the terrace knocking the young man over. Before the young man can recover, the bandit is after her. Out of nowhere a sword appears in her fist. Brandishing the sword she fights the bandit bravely, finally he begs for mercy and she lets him flee. She is the warrior maiden.
Giggling Natalie falls onto the bed after pretending to dance with her imaginary partner. Snuggling under her covers Natalie looks out the window. To bad life isn't really like a fairytale. Then she wouldn't have to live with her annoying aunt who breathed down her neck. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
"Thief, thief! Come back with my bread!" Called the baker, waving his cleaver in the air. Carmencita dashed quickly into an alley and waited to listen. Darn, she heard a police officer talking with the baker. She speed up. Then the officer looked down the alley. "Stop, come back," He shouted to Carmencita. She ran as fast as she could then turned a corner and rolled behind a bush. She heard the loud bounding of horse beats as the officer galloped past her hiding spot.
Carmencita let out her sigh of relief. That was close, to close. She stood up and felt her scratched elbow. It was bleeding, but not heavily. She stuffed her bread into her shirt and walked briskly in to another alley. Looking around before she enterd, Carmencita walked in to a long deserted barn. She had been living in the barn for a few weeks now. She had emptied a box of its former occupants and put a few of her things in it. An old watch she had found a few months ago, a tatterd sack, a few measly cents, a baggy coat and one boot. She climbed up to the loft and sat in the old hay. She ripped the bread in half and ate it slowly. Then seeing a stray dog below, she threw the other half to the stray.
Getting up to badage her cut she saw her reflection in a water barrel. She had brown shaggy hair, it was just brushing her shoulders and she had brown eyes. She had dirt smeared across one cheek and a scratch that ran from her right ear to her jaw on the other. Her face was freckled. She carefully ran a finger a long the scratch. Humph, I didn't notice that before.
She bandaged her elbow and brought the baggy coat out of its box. She settled the coat around her shoulders and fell in to the hay. Making herself comfortable Carmencita brought the coat tighter around her body.
A few boards where missing from the roof and she could see the stars. It was such a beautiful night, quite unlike her life. She wished that she didn't have to steal; she wished she had known her family, She wished she could have fit in to her village and she wished that people didn't tease her. She hated it! She could never fit in because the village children where scared of her. Pointing and making fun.
A tear ran down her cheek, whipping it away hurriedly Carmencita was furious with herself. Wishing wouldn't get you anywhere. She looked out the crack in the wall and saw a sparrow settling down on a branch. It chirped at a crow gliding carelessly by and put its head under its wing. She should go to sleep too. Who knows what adventures where waiting for her tomorrow.
Natalie woke up that morning to a strange darkness in her room. She looked out the window and saw that there was a thick fog. She got dressed and hurridly went down stairs for breakfast. Reaching the kitchen she smelled the lovely aroma of freshly baked bread. Grabbing two rolls she stuffed one in her pocket and the other in her mouth. She'll save one for later.
She asked a maid to tell her aunt that she had gone riding and then she left out the backdoor. She didn't want to see her aunt and be forced to eat with her. She walked briskly to the stables and tacked up her beautiful mare, Sundancer. Sundancer was a palomino and had an excited streak. Natalie lead Sundancer out to the courtyard and mounted up. Setting of at a trot she went down a foggy street.
She went in to a forest and went down a few paths. Twisting and turning she finally came back to the manor. Felling refreshed from that morning ride she was ready to face her aunt. Ready to face all the afternoon lessons. When she got near the back of the manor in the corner of her vision she saw movement. Looking at a second story window Natalie was taken aback when she saw a person climbing on a trellis. He was climbing down from her aunts open window. Natalie set of at a gallop, ready to catch this imposter!
Carmencita woke up that morning and splashed cold water on her face. She then headed out the door of the barn to try and get breakfast. It was a foggy morning and a bit chilly for July. Carmencita walked down the street and thought, I must go to a farther area to eat, the bakers are starting to recognize me in this area. Speeding up she walked to a farther part of town. If I find good business here, I will have to look for another deserted barn.
She was just walking under a bridge when she saw a shiny object in the mud. Bending down to get it she heard loud noises on the bridge. When she looked in her hand she was holding a huge pendent with diamonds in it. Oh my, this is very exspensive! She quickly pocketed the pendent and turned to walk down the next street, then she heard a voice "come back, I need to see... Come back thief!" Before the voice could finish Carmencita was running down the street, if this person knew she stole for a living she was in shackles by morning.
Natalie galloped towards the imposter. When she neared him he spotted her. Jumping from the trellis he ran quickly towards the street. Chasing him to the towns square she lost him. Where did he go? She looked through the crowd and saw him running towards an alley. The thief thought he had lost her and took something out of his pocket. He had taken her aunts pendent! It was very exspensive, and was her aunts prize possession. She speeded up Sundancer ready to get back the pendent.
Then she lost him again. Headed where she last saw him she glanced down an alley. There bending down to get something was the thief she was sure of it! There was the pendent, the thief must have dropped it, because he was pocketeing the pendent again. She called out to the thief, "Come back, I need to see..." but before she could finish he had started running again. "Come back Thief!" Racing after him she followed him closely. He was headed across town!
She watched him go in to a forest and then followed a while back. She had learned that it was easy to scare him off. She followed him for half an hour. She had almost caught him when he stopped to catch his breath, except now she was curious. Where did he plan to go?
Before she knew it they had come to another town, at least she thought it was another town. She had never been this way before. The thief slipped in to an alley and she lost him again. She scolded herself silently. If she had just caught him sooner. It had started to rain heavily. Natalie was wet and grumpy. She lead Sundancer to the alley she saw him go down and gapped, there where at least seven different alleys this way. He could be anywhere.
She was walking past an old cottage when she heard a voice calling her, "Excuse me, are you lost? Would you like to come in?" She turned and saw a pretty girl about her age. She had blond hair and was sitting on the steps to her cottage. Sighing heavily Natalie nodded her head, She hated to give up but it was useless now. He could be anywhere. Accepting the girls offer She opened the gate and lead Sundancer in. "Thank you, I am lost, and a little wet. By the way, my name's Natalie." "Good evening Natalie, I am Bella."
Bella had woken up early and headed out to the garden. She had made her grandmother tea and given her a biscuit before heading out. Her grandmother had improved greatly. She was now ably to walk around the cottage but was still weak. Bella had moved a chair outside for her grandmother to sit on and watch her work. Althought it was a foggy day, her grandmother seemed to enjoy herself.
After lunch Bella had gone to the market. She wandered around getting bargains. When she was heading home it had started to rain. She had just made it home before it really started to pour. She sat on the step and was inspecting her garden when she heard a horse approaching. Looking up she had seen a girl her age leading a beautiful horse. Looking closer she saw the grumpy look on the girls face. She asked the girl " Excuse me, are you lost? Would you like to come in?" It was there she had met Natalie.
Running harder Carmencita closed the gap between her and her barn. Settling down in the hay she wondered about the girl who was chasing her. That girl had followed me all the way across town, through the forest and right in to my home. She was puffing still and wiped her hair out of her eyes. She had out run a horse? Wow. Then felling the hard clump in her pocket she stared at the pendent, it had a foreign language written all around the edge, there where three diamonds in a circle of silver and a dragon caressing the circle. It had a gold chain and a silver clasp. She would take this to a dealer in the morning. Right now she needed sleep. Making herself comfortable she hoped that she had lost that girl. Right now the last thing she needed was a person chasing her.
Chapter II
Carmencita woke up and quickly packed her few belongings into her sack. She rolled up her cotton sleeves and ran her fingers through her hair. She washed of the remaining dirt from her face and hitched her sack over her shoulder.
Walking out in to the sunshine Carmencita sighed. She had liked living in the barn, but now she had to go see a dealer she knew in another town. She trusted that dealer, and any one else would think she stole the pendent.
She was walking down the alley when heard a voice. "Hey you, stop." Turning around Carmencita saw the girl who had been chasing her the night before. The girl didn't have a horse this time. Carmencita thought she could easily out run her. She proved to be wrong. The girl took of down the alley and caught up to Carmencita easily. Tackling Carmencita to the ground the girl put her in a headlock. She proved to be quiet strong too. Pulling Carmencita to a cottage she dragged her inside.
"Bella, this is the fellow I told you about. He stole my aunt's pendent. I found him in your alley." The girl quickly said this to a girl sitting on a chair. "I didn't nick any thing of yours. Haven't seen the likes of you in my life!" Carmencita said struggling from her hold. "Oh yes you did, I saw you pick it of the street that a ways." The girl said gesturing towards the town. "Oh, this belongs to you. Sorry bout that, but I didn't nick it and just found it on the streets I did." Carmencita said pulling the pendent from her pocket.
The girl in the chair frowned. "Your not a boy are you? You don't sound like a boy." Carmencita turned beet red. "I, uh, I," Carmencita stammered. "What's your name?" the girl in the chair asked. "I, uh, my name, my name is Carm." Carmencita lied, it wasn't a total lie, Carm was part of her name. She just didn't want these girls to know her name, she didn't know why, she had always thought that Carmencita was to fancy a name for her anyway.
"Well Carm, you better be explaining, how you came across this pendent." Said the girl still clutching her arm. So Carmencita explained as best she could what happened. Then a new voice said, "well, than that's settled. Would you ladies like some tea?" Appearing in the doorway, Bella's grandmother handed them each a cup of tea. "Thank you," Carmencita whispered. It had been a long time since any one had called her a lady. Now that she was out of the headlock, Carmencita looked at the other girls carefully. One was wearing a velvet dress and had dark brown hair; the one in the chair had blond hair and was in a simple skirt and blouse. "May I ask your names," Carmencita asked. "Why yes, I'm Bella, this is Natalie and this is my grandmother." Bella was the one with blond hair. "Call me Greta," said Bella's grandmother.
Natalie was examining the pendent. "I'm going to find out what this writing means." Natalie said. "I'm going to a man my aunt knows, two days ride from here." She frowned. "Greta, if I give you some money could you manage to send a letter to my aunt, explaining where I've gone." Asked Natalie. "Yes my dear, my dear, could you take Bella?" asked Greta. Bella stared opened mouthed at her grandmother. "But, grandmamma, you need me." Bella said. "Nonsense, beside dear, you need to leave me some time, now's as good a time as any. Don't look at me like that. I've appreciated your help immensely Bella, and love you to pieces, but you most adventure out in to the world, then if you like, you come back to visit me." Then seeing Bella was still worried she added "and Bertha has offered to come and stay with me until I fully recover." Bella smiled at her grandmother. "And didn't you remember? Your fifteenth birthday is tomorrow. Come out to the alley I have a gift for you."
The girls walked out to the alley, there standing with its head held high was a beautiful speckled gray horse. "Oh grandmamma, it's beautiful! How did you afford it?" Bella gasped. "Before your parents death, they gave me money to buy you something appropriate for your fifteenth birthday, and here, this is also from your parents. For traveling." Greta handed Bella a pouch full of money. A tear ran down Bella's cheek. "Thank you grandmamma, thank you."
The girls where ready to go by lunch. At the last minute Bella asked Carmencita if she would like to come as well. Carmencita was already packed and accepted the offer. Carmencita rode on Sun Dancer behind Natalie. Picking up the reins the girls headed towards the road, Turning behind her Bella waved to her Grandmother.
The bickering started not half an hour down the road. Natalie was complaining about her knees. They were hurting from falling of a ladder and landing in a prickle bush yesterday. "Deal with it," Carmencita said under her breath. Natalie glared at her. "Oh, I bet you think your miss toughie, don't you, stealing for a living." Natalie leaned back a little leaving less space for Carmencita. "In fact, I'm ashamed of how I have to survive thank you. Your parents weren't killed by bandits and left you on the street did they. Your parents left you at your wealthy aunts house." Carmencita said hotly. "Well at least," Natalie started to say but Bella cut her off. "You guys, shut the mouth okay?"
Finally the three girls came to an old inn. Bella glanced at the swaying sign, "The dancing bear inn, a cozy bed and warm food." Bella stared at the other two. "Sounds good, let's go in." Carmencita opened her mouth with a frown but before she could say a word Bella said, "don't worry Carm, I'll pay for you tonight."
The three girls walked in to the inn. It was poorly lit and there was a few people scattered among the tables. The girls walked to a man serving tea. "Excuse us, we would like a room for tonight. Where's the Inn keeper?" Said Natalie. "That a way," the man said preoccupied. The girls followed his instructions to a desk with a portly man sitting behind it. He had a kind face and yelled merrily to the oncoming girls, "What you ladies need, a hot bath and clean sheets?" Bella smiled kindly. "Yes sir, and two stables for our horses." Natalie was leaning against the desk and talking casually to a maid. "Do you know how the weather looks for traveling tomorrow?" That was all Carmencita and Bella heard of the conversation. They decided they'd ask Natalie later.
With all their luggage brought up to their room, Natalie Carmencita and Bella, settled down in to the armchairs around the fire. They looked around their room. It had two beds and one cot. There were two armchairs and deep red curtains on the windows. The fire was happily sparking and the heat was reassuring. The bath was being brought up and the girls were resting from their journey.
There was a knock on the door and a maid stepped in. Behind her were two stable hands holding a tub of steaming water between them. She silently held a towel and a bar of soap out to the girls. Saying their thanks, the girls shut the door behind the leaving maids and boys. "I shall go first than Bella then Carm." Announced Natalie. "Fine by me," said Bella. "I won't need a bath." Carmencita said. "Don't be silly, we'll get you new clothes before we leave and you'll have a bath for goodness sake."
Stepping into the water Natalie sighed. It was so good to fell clean. The other girls were reading books they found on the bedside table. When Natalie was done she dressed and said to the others, "I'm leaving to go in to town." She sized Carmencita up and left the room abruptly.
After Bella's bath she looked at Carmencita. "Carm hope in, here's a bar of soap and scrub every were you look filthy." Bella glanced at the rain falling out side the window. "Yah whatever." Was Carmencita's reply.
Hoping in Carmencita took in a sharp breath. She hade never hade a hot bath before. Also it had been months since she'd had a bath any way.
Bella looked up from her reading. "Just a second, I'll be back soon."
Bella headed to the kitchen and asked the cooks for scissors. Heading back to the room with her prize Bella opened the door. Quietly she looked at Carm. Just as she'd suspected Carm needed a trim. "Carm, hold still I'm just going to trim the ends of your hair so you don't get as many knots."
Carmencita looked relived to see the bigger knots in her hair fall to the ground. Then she sat in front of the fire to let her hair dry. Bella brushed out Carmencita's hair and sat back with a look of triumph on her face. "You look wonderful Carm."
Just then the door opened and Natalie walked in with a bundle of clothes. Laying them out on the bed she beckoned Carmencita over. "Here's your clothes, I got them for quiet a deal." Carmencita looked at the clothes in wonder. There were two dresses, a skirt and blouse and a nightgown. That was the biggest amount of clothing Carmencita had ever owned. "If you ever need an evening gown, we'll get you one." Thanking the two girls gratefully, she got in to one of the dresses. "If it's okay with you, could I keep the slacks and vest?" Carmencita asked. "Yep, we might need it for a disguise any way. You never know what will run into." Was Natalie's reply. Looking into the hall mirror Carmencita gulped. She looked pretty. Even with her short hair.
Falling asleep that night wasn't hard at all. In fact the girls were asleep before their heads hit the pillow.
When the girls woke up the sun was just rising over the hills. It was a beautiful July morning and the girls were anxious to start. They paid the innkeeper and left immediately. Trotting along the deserted roads they watched the first few travelers open their eyes and start to walk lazily along the ditch. There were a few animals up and about and the birds chirped sweetly. They knew it was going to be a good day.
End of the chapter
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