A.N. Hello readers! So because the last chapter was all about Gilbert I decided to make this chapter all about Elizabeta. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 4
Elizabeta
I blended into the crowd, inching closer to the vegetable cart. My breathing was steady as I walked without hesitating towards a merchant's cart. When the right moment came, I slipped my hand into the cart and pulled out three carrots. Without hesitating I turned around and walked to the nearest alley way. Vlad and Katyusha were waiting for me.
"You are getting too good at that." Katyusha said as she shook her head disapprovingly.
"Yeah but at least we get to eat everyday!" Vlad exclaimed as he took a carrot and stuffed it into his mouth. "Even if it is sometimes vegetables."
"If you don't like it, learn to steal little piglet." I laughed.
This last month had changed me. I had never thought that in a million years I would be laughing with a family of misfits. I don't even remember where I came from or if I ever had a family. My earliest memories are of waking up, shivering, surrounded by trees with my name and the clothes on my back as my only possessions. I wasn't scared of not knowing anything. I didn't even know what fear was. All I felt was emptiness, and not the sad kind of emptiness people always talk about. It was a weird feeling, not feeling emotions. On the other hand, I don't know what emotions feel like. I guess it felt like I wasn't alive, just an empty vessel, devoid of any real feeling. It was hard to explain. When I met Vlad and Katyusha, they became my family and that should have made me happy. I mean, I was happy. But I just couldn't FEEL it, and the feeling of emptiness still remained.
I shivered when a small breeze picked up and I pulled my brown cloak around me. Not that it would help. Even on the hottest days of the year, I was always cold.
"So... I have something to say..." Vlad piped up.
"If it's something about vegetables, I don't want to hear it." I replied through a mouthful of carrot.
"No nothing like that!" Vlad said impatiently.
"Then lets hear it." Katyusha encouraged.
"I think that we should become aristocrats!" Vlad exclaimed.
No one said anything. Katyusha looked at me; I looked back and shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't think it works that way..." Katyusha explained sympathetically.
"Then how does it work?" Vlad shot back stubbornly.
Katyusha once again looked at me for help. I sighed and looked at Vlad who defiantly glared back.
"What is your plan? If it isn't something completely ridiculous then we might as well listen." I replied which shocked the whole group.
Vlad looked at me like I just suggested we run through the town naked. Then he smiled and started to explain. "Well you see, I've been watching the aristocrats around town and I've noticed that they aren't that special. All they have is money and fancy clothes."
"How are we going to get either of those things?" Katyusha asked.
This made Vlad puff out his chest. "I've thought about that as well! Elizabeta is a good thief..."
"Which is not something to be proud of." I interrupted him.
"Yes, but it will help in our plan. All you have to do is steal some material to make the clothes and Katyusha will make them!" Vlad finished proudly.
I slowly nodded. "What about the money? I don't want to steal money."
"You won't have to. That is step two but you don't have to hear about that yet."
"I think that we should try it. I mean, what do we have to lose?" I shrugged.
Katyusha nodded. "I agree!"
"The market will be closing soon so I will go see what I can do now. Don't worry about me if I'm not back before dark." I stood up and walked off hoping that I would make it back to my family.
The market was as busy as when I left it. I peeked around the wall of a building and looked around. There were no carts with any material. That meant I would have to go into a store and try to steal the material.
"Damn..." I said under my breath.
"You don't have to steal you know. You could just ask."
I whirled around and glared at the boy that had snuck up behind me. He wore a finely made blue coat and glasses. He was scrawny and had dark brown hair that had been combed neatly but that didn't stop one curl from sticking out.
I leaned against the wall trying to look at ease even though my heart was beating fast. "That would be easy wouldn't it? But as you can see, I'm not an aristocrat like yourself."
The boy laughed. "Yes I suppose that would make things easier!" Without another word, the boy grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the nearest shop.
I pulled at my wrist hopping that he would let go so that I could run away. My mind thought about all the things that happened to the people that got caught stealing. Then my mind wandered back to the first time I tried to steal something.
A plan... I need a plan!
I thought about biting his wrist until he let go and then booking it.
Well I've had better plans...
I leaned down and was about to bite his wrist when he suddenly let go. I ran into the boy's back which made my nose hurt.
"Hey watch where your go..." I stopped midsentence.
In front of me was material in every color that I could think of. Some I didn't even know the names to. I looked at the boy and he looked back with a confused look on his face.
"Well, aren't you going to choose?" the boy asked.
I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Only if you tell me your name."
The boy gave me a shy smile. "My name is Roderich."
I returned his smile. "Elizabeta."
Roderich's brow furrowed. "You have an aristocrat name, yet you are not."
"Yes, I get that a lot. Now can we please get back to the reason why you brought me in hear?" I said frustrated.
"You needed material. I thought that it would be easier if I bought it for you." The boy said innocently.
"Are you looking for a favour? Because you won't get one from me, if you know what I mean."
Roderich's face turned bright red. "No, nothing like that! I just...know what its like to be poor..."
I crossed my arms and looked at Roderich with disbelief.
He looked down and fidgeted. "I don't like to talk about it..."
I smiled. "Fine, you keep your secrets and I'll keep mine.
It felt like we were in the shop for hours looking at all the different colors of material. The shop keeper glared at me once but then saw I was with Roderich and sneered. When he walked by I gave him a wink causing him to stumble and drop the pile of material he was carrying. Our eyes met again and I gave him a perfect glare.
There, let him figure out what that means!
"Why do you need this material anyways?" Roderich asked as we walked out of the store.
I could feel my face heat up and I silently cursed Vlad for coming up with a stupid idea. Clutching the package of material to my chest I replied, "Um...well it wasn't really my idea. It was my friend's and I guess I was just trying to humour him..."
"You must be good friends." Roderich said. I detected sadness behind his faint smile. Just a perk of not feeling emotion, I could easily pick up on other's.
"Well I guess you could say we are more like family then friends." I replied looking down at my shoes. "I never knew my parents; I don't even remember where I came from. My first memories are of waking up in the middle of the woods about a month ago."
Roderich looked at me with a sad expression. "You remind me of someone I used to know."
"I thought you didn't like to talk about your past?" I teased.
"It's weird... I feel like I can tell you anything..." Roderich rubbed the back of his head, suddenly turning shy. "You seem so different than the rest of the people that I have met..."
I looked up at him and saw that he looked so lonely. This made me stop in my tracks. I have never seen anyone look so alone in my life. I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled, "If you feel that way then I have a friend that will love to tell you his plan on how we are going to become aristocrats! He's about as different as they come!"
This made Roderich laugh. I laughed along with him, and for the first time... it wasn't fake.
A.N. This chapter was supposed to have some major stuff going on but I thought that it would rush things a bit. But be prepared for the next chapter because the feels train comes back for round two! Please review!
