otChapter Two
"My preciousssss… hushhhhhhh, my precious…. It will be time ssssoon…" The seer absently stroked Patch's head. Her name was, most appropriately, Vision. But it was also inappropriate. For though Vision was a seer, and could hear things no one else could, she was blind. She was known for her visions- prophetic and mystifying, they had at first been shrugged off as the ramblings of a madwoman, but when they began to come true, she was soon respected and feared.
She had been a newsie at one point, as her daughter was now. She had never been a leader, but she had been the best newsie in Harlem; it was almost as though she could read minds and see exactly what people wanted to hear… but no one could read minds… or could they? However, her newsie days ended with the birth of her daughter, when her eyes turned white and she could no longer see. Her visions suddenly came faster and truer. Eventually, she became obsessed with the downfall of Brooklyn, and her daughter was her means. No on knew why she hated Brooklyn so, but she did. Her skin had bleached white after years inside, and with her black hair, black clothes, and white eyes, Vision was an eerie sight.
"Yes, mama… I know soon! But how soon?"
"Ssssoon, my preciousssss… ssssoon." Hades sprang to her feet.
"That's not an answer Mama! When is soon! I need to know! What do the stars say?"
"Ssssoon, my preciousssss… they sssay ssssoon!"
"Mama, tell me when the ssstarsss ssssay more!" She hissed in a cruel imitation of Vision and stormed off, probably to her boyfriend, Gollum… the most feared newsie in Harlem.
As Patch clomped out, Vision sighed under her breath. "Beware, preciousss… the ssstarss hear you… and they do not take kindly to insssultsss…"
***
Back on the pier in Brooklyn, Maire was debating on what to do: talk to her father, or deal with it on her own. And as much as she would love Kieran's help, she couldn't risk her leadership… if word got around that Queen still needed Daddy to hold her hand, she would lose Brooklyn to some one like Patch. She had to deal on her own. But she could still tell Kieran and ask for advice… right?
-Course I can! It ain't like the great Spot Conlon never asked Jack's advice!-
***
Entering the LH, Maire was immediately engulfed in a swarm of six-year- olds… 4… 5… 6… yup, Half-Pint, Racetrack, and Rae were visiting… oh, and here's the 4-year-old, too!
Maire lifted up the tiny girl. "Heya Kelly, howzzit rollin'?"
"S' goo, Maiah." Kelly Phillips, the youngest of the children, replied. "Mama and Ha-Pin and Racetwack is heah too!"
"I guessed, sweetie! Come on, let's go say hi, aight?" With that, the children raced up the stairs to where the grownups were talking.
Setting Kelly down, Maire greeted the adults. Half-Pint gathered her triplets around her, scolding them for being so rowdy. "Siobhan, Leo, Isabella! What have I told you, eh?"
The redheaded children looked down and scuffed their feet. "No running in da Lodgin House."
Singah laughed. "It's all right, Half-Pint! They're better behaved than Caleb and the newsies!" She lifted her son onto her lap. "Isn't that right?" She tickled him, and he laughed.
Maire smiled patronizingly. This was sweet, but there were more important things on her mind than just ill-mannered kids. "Papa, I need to talk to ya. It's kinda important…"
Kieran looked at her. "What is it, Bit?"
"Papa, it's kinda private…" Kieran looked at her knowingly, thinking he understood. He was wrong though, as he thought it was about Crow.
"Aight, den. Come on. We'll talk in our room." The pair left the room where the other adults and children laughed and played.
"So, Bit. What is it?"
"Well, it's about Harlem. Dey got a new leader, and it's Patch. Remember her? Blink's daughter? Well, rumor has it she wants Brooklyn. And she ain't gonna stop at nuttin' to get it."
"Den it's a good ting you didn't say dis in front a your mother and the kids… Do ya know if Patch's mother is still around?"
"I ain't heard, but I bet she is. What should I do, Papa? I know you can't get involved, cause it'll undermine me as leader and make it easier for someone to take over, but I need advice. Go in and take her out? Or should I just see what happens?"
Kieran thought for a moment. She was right, he couldn't get involved. But he could advise. And the best thing to do right then was form alliances.
"Bit, da best thing I can tell you is to get to da other territories before Patch does… form alliances. Hit Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island. You got newsies ovah dere?"
"Yeah, Papa. Porter in Staten, Inky in Manhattan, and Lashes in Staten. I'll send people to talk to them and da leaders." She frowned. "But Papa, what should I do about Patch? She's insane!"
"Let her come to you. You'll be on better ground, and have the upper hand. But fer now, jus' send out some people. Get some solid friends. And go to bed. It's late."
"My preciousssss… hushhhhhhh, my precious…. It will be time ssssoon…" The seer absently stroked Patch's head. Her name was, most appropriately, Vision. But it was also inappropriate. For though Vision was a seer, and could hear things no one else could, she was blind. She was known for her visions- prophetic and mystifying, they had at first been shrugged off as the ramblings of a madwoman, but when they began to come true, she was soon respected and feared.
She had been a newsie at one point, as her daughter was now. She had never been a leader, but she had been the best newsie in Harlem; it was almost as though she could read minds and see exactly what people wanted to hear… but no one could read minds… or could they? However, her newsie days ended with the birth of her daughter, when her eyes turned white and she could no longer see. Her visions suddenly came faster and truer. Eventually, she became obsessed with the downfall of Brooklyn, and her daughter was her means. No on knew why she hated Brooklyn so, but she did. Her skin had bleached white after years inside, and with her black hair, black clothes, and white eyes, Vision was an eerie sight.
"Yes, mama… I know soon! But how soon?"
"Ssssoon, my preciousssss… ssssoon." Hades sprang to her feet.
"That's not an answer Mama! When is soon! I need to know! What do the stars say?"
"Ssssoon, my preciousssss… they sssay ssssoon!"
"Mama, tell me when the ssstarsss ssssay more!" She hissed in a cruel imitation of Vision and stormed off, probably to her boyfriend, Gollum… the most feared newsie in Harlem.
As Patch clomped out, Vision sighed under her breath. "Beware, preciousss… the ssstarss hear you… and they do not take kindly to insssultsss…"
***
Back on the pier in Brooklyn, Maire was debating on what to do: talk to her father, or deal with it on her own. And as much as she would love Kieran's help, she couldn't risk her leadership… if word got around that Queen still needed Daddy to hold her hand, she would lose Brooklyn to some one like Patch. She had to deal on her own. But she could still tell Kieran and ask for advice… right?
-Course I can! It ain't like the great Spot Conlon never asked Jack's advice!-
***
Entering the LH, Maire was immediately engulfed in a swarm of six-year- olds… 4… 5… 6… yup, Half-Pint, Racetrack, and Rae were visiting… oh, and here's the 4-year-old, too!
Maire lifted up the tiny girl. "Heya Kelly, howzzit rollin'?"
"S' goo, Maiah." Kelly Phillips, the youngest of the children, replied. "Mama and Ha-Pin and Racetwack is heah too!"
"I guessed, sweetie! Come on, let's go say hi, aight?" With that, the children raced up the stairs to where the grownups were talking.
Setting Kelly down, Maire greeted the adults. Half-Pint gathered her triplets around her, scolding them for being so rowdy. "Siobhan, Leo, Isabella! What have I told you, eh?"
The redheaded children looked down and scuffed their feet. "No running in da Lodgin House."
Singah laughed. "It's all right, Half-Pint! They're better behaved than Caleb and the newsies!" She lifted her son onto her lap. "Isn't that right?" She tickled him, and he laughed.
Maire smiled patronizingly. This was sweet, but there were more important things on her mind than just ill-mannered kids. "Papa, I need to talk to ya. It's kinda important…"
Kieran looked at her. "What is it, Bit?"
"Papa, it's kinda private…" Kieran looked at her knowingly, thinking he understood. He was wrong though, as he thought it was about Crow.
"Aight, den. Come on. We'll talk in our room." The pair left the room where the other adults and children laughed and played.
"So, Bit. What is it?"
"Well, it's about Harlem. Dey got a new leader, and it's Patch. Remember her? Blink's daughter? Well, rumor has it she wants Brooklyn. And she ain't gonna stop at nuttin' to get it."
"Den it's a good ting you didn't say dis in front a your mother and the kids… Do ya know if Patch's mother is still around?"
"I ain't heard, but I bet she is. What should I do, Papa? I know you can't get involved, cause it'll undermine me as leader and make it easier for someone to take over, but I need advice. Go in and take her out? Or should I just see what happens?"
Kieran thought for a moment. She was right, he couldn't get involved. But he could advise. And the best thing to do right then was form alliances.
"Bit, da best thing I can tell you is to get to da other territories before Patch does… form alliances. Hit Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island. You got newsies ovah dere?"
"Yeah, Papa. Porter in Staten, Inky in Manhattan, and Lashes in Staten. I'll send people to talk to them and da leaders." She frowned. "But Papa, what should I do about Patch? She's insane!"
"Let her come to you. You'll be on better ground, and have the upper hand. But fer now, jus' send out some people. Get some solid friends. And go to bed. It's late."