CARDINAL
Two forms rested upon the thatched roof of an apartment in the city's Western district, shielding their eyes against the rising sun as they examined the activity around another building, about halfway to the gates leading into the courtyard of the castle that sprawled off in the distance. This building was moderately large, though not so much as to compete with the expansive homes of the aristocrats, was of a solid brick construction, and looked well so far as upkeep, though it had no permanent residents of which the two were aware. It lay just on the edge of the Inner Districts of the city, where the aristocrats' mansions were, clustered around the circular wall which separated Castle Cardinal and its sprawling courtyards from the city proper. This particular building was most notable for the trail of smoke which issued from its chimney.
From a distance, the two observers would look much the same as any others among the tens of thousands of cityfolk who made up the lower-class majority in the city Cardinal. Their clothes were dirty, stained and ill-mended, showing clear signs of age and wear. As they rested against the chimney of the apartment, looking out, they could almost be taken as part of the scenery, indistinguishable from the roof of the house. However, much of this apparent unexceptionally was little more than illusion, of the sort that is commonplace when appearance alone is taken into account as evidence of character.
While it could be poorly seen while they both sat, one would half a head taller than the other standing, and two years his senior, though neither could be older than twenty. His dark grey-black hair reached down almost to his chin, and made no pretense at being combed. His dress was a baggy-sleeved cotton shirt which may once have been of some value, but was now too well worn and ill-maintained to suit anyone offered with much choice in clothing. Over this he wore a vest which he could not close both for an absence of any buttons and because it was some sizes too small. His companion's hair was sandy brown and of a shorter cut, and he wore a high-necked white shirt with both sleeves missing under a high-collared jacket which only reached a short distance below his chest and whose sleeves ended before his elbows. A sash about his waist served as a belt, and a single glove was tucked into it.
Has that fire been burning all night? asked the second form.
I think so, replied the first. I remember all the smoke it was pouring out last night; those people need to learn how to clean their chimney.
Who's living in there, anyway? The second one gave up his gaze to glance at his companion. I know we raided the place just a few weeks back, and there was nobody.
The first shrugged. It has to be that company came in from Eastmarch yestermorning. Only an aristocrat would waste wood all night on a fire in this weather.
His companion humphed. I can't wait to see what they do come winter.
After a moment watching the scene in the sunrise, the taller of the two stood, stretching. Come on, Aster, he said, clapping the other on the shoulder. Let's see about breakfast.
The two slipped through the trapdoor and down to the short set of stairs which led to the apartment's attic level, and their home. There were four blankets laid about the floor, in various states of decay, one of which was occupied by a dark-skinned man in his late twenties, who was just beginning to stir. Aster lifted his own blanket and took from under it an old, worn scabbard which contained an unremarkable short sword, and proceeded to fasten it to his belt.
Hey, leave the sword, the other boy directed. You're asking for trouble every time you go out with it.
Not a chance, Aster replied. The day I leave it behind is the day I come back and it's not here. Even up on the roof I was afraid Harin would run off and try to sell it. He indicated their waking roommate.
The other boy raised his eyebrows, shaking his head slightly. Fine. But you're on your own for food. It's hard enough being a thief when you're tall; I don't need to deal with some warrior apprentice hanging around. He ducked off down the stairs as Aster was still affixing his sword.
Aster exclaimed, running after him. That is not fair! Wait a minute — Gavin!
Aster hurried down the flight of stairs to the street three levels below, but his friend was nowhere to be found. Sighing, he took a moment to straighten his sword, and headed off toward Market. The red brick streets were still in shadow, as the sun was from this elevation just beginning to poke over the mansions of the Inner Districts, but already people were stirring in this part of town, and a fair number of people had already taken to the streets. As he passed one of the Inns made for those who could not afford to rent a house and burn the fire all night, he could hear uproarious laughter coming from inside as the residents availed themselves of the downstairs pub. Cardinal was a city that rose early, and rarely slept.
Past this line of buildings, the street was swallowed up by a great open square, which was absolutely bustling with activity, even at this early hour. Set up throughout the square were dozens of stands with vendors aggressively advertising their wares; some were fashioned in part from brick or stone and seemed very permanent, and many were no more than carts which had been rolled in and braced against rolling away, some with Chocobos still tethered nearby. Off to his right, three sets of heavy wooden gates lay flung open, permitting passage within and outside of the city walls.
Aster could not remember a time when Market had not been swarming with people; even in winter the vendors would simply place a fire somewhere near their stand so their customers would not freeze. This worked well to his advantage. Finding a stand which offered a wide display of fresh-looking fruit, he made for it, opening the pouch which hung from his belt on the right side. As he passed the stand, he located a suitable individual nearby, and collided with him. As he recoiled, with a swift motion of his right hand he snatched a green fruit from the edge of the stand and slipped it into his pouch.
the other fellow exclaimed. Watch where you're going!
Well, excuse me! Aster replied, less than sincerely, and he stormed off. Once he was beyond eyesight, he removed the fruit from his pouch and took an experimental bite. It was juicy and quite soft, likely brought in from the Southeast, though it didn't seem bruised. It was quite a good fruit, he thought, and probably would have been worth eight or nine gil. He took another bite as he passed out of Market, wandering deeper into the city.
Though he made no direct effort to, he found himself passing into the Inner Districts of the city, and walking among the grand mansions of the Aristocrats. Several times larger even then the apartments of the Common Districts, the very walls of the mansions seemed to gleam, as if somehow imbued with the energy of wealth. For a moment, Aster felt compelled to hurl the core of the fruit at one of the windows, or better yet go searching for a stone. However, he knew that as a commoner in the Inner City, he was already under watch, so instead he simply dropped it on a doorstep as he passed by.
Ahead of him now loomed the wall which kept him from passing into the outer courtyards of Castle Cardinal. The stone wall itself was only about chest-high, but from it shot a wrought-iron fence which went up some meters over Aster's head. Beyond this wall was a lush green field, planted with trees of most kinds imaginable. In the distance the Inner Courtyards lay, these decorated with flower beds, attractive hedges and gazebos for the Nobles to enjoy the view. Beyond this lay the castle itself, seeming low and sprawling from this distance but in actuality the tallest building in the city. The castle's foundation was stone, but the building itself was built of solid red brick, though Aster could make out at least three different shades even from this distance. From where he stood, he could make out banners fluttering from each of the three squat hexagonal towers which were placed at the corners of the triangular building, though he could not identify the emblems on any. He did not particularly care to try, in any case.
What can it be like to live in there? he wondered. Never having to worry about where your next meal is going to come from — or whether getting it will land you in jail — or being able to leave your things in your room without worrying that they won't be there when you get back. Or not caring that last night's dinner could have fed every single person who starved to death last year.
Hey! You! Aster turned towards the voice, and saw a red-uniformed Guardsman bearing towards him. There's no loitering here! Move along!
I'm going, I'm going! Aster turned away from the castle, and retreated back into the streets. On his way back to the Common Districts, he did not even look at the grand mansions around him.
Back near the edge of the Inner City, he saw a young girl running towards him. Hey, mister! she called. Can you gimme some gil? It's for my mom and me.
Aster smiled. Sorry, but you're asking the wrong guy. He turned, looking back toward the Inner City. Here, let me tell you a secret. See that man over there? He pointed to an aristocrat who was strolling about about a block down the street.
The girl nodded.
See the difference between his clothes and mine?
His don't look like they're gonna fall off.
Right. It's people like him who have the money. Those are the ones you ask. Oh, and it helps to say please' to them. Try it.
said the girl, and immediately ran off towards the man. Aster watched her for a bit, remembering his own lessons in the art of begging. She was young enough that she still had maybe six or seven years before the aristocrats would stop taking pity on her cuteness and start telling her to get a job. And by helping her along, he realized, he was doing his own small part to maintain a system which he despised with all his heart.
Shaking his head, he headed back the way he had been going. He'd never much appreciated irony.