Chapter Ten - New allies
Mel didn't attend the funeral. It was finished before she woke up, she knew, and she also knew the maids were wise not to wake her.
She sat at her vanity table, with her blue diary on her lap. Mel picked up her quill, and opened the book mildly. It dropped from her slim fingers.
She didn't pick it up.
Early morning, maybe around ten. Eyv narrowed her eyes and adjusted herself stealthily on the branch she was sitting on, fingering her Yan-and infinis henged badge absentmindedly.
It was on the outskirts of Yintos she spied this unsuspecting new victim. The girl looked around 15, it was hard to tell, as she was standing near a small, running stream around an area of meadow. The girl smoothed down her black hair before sitting down near the stream
Eyv had been watching her exchange pleasantries with an elderly farmer nearby, who graciously allowed her to rest near the stream. Eyv sighed. This would be so easy.
She hopped down from her perch, and hid behind a shade of trees. It would not do any good to have the girl see her, that ruined the fun of it. She noticed the girl carried a staff, next to her, beside the river. Better watch out for that, Eyv mused, stroking her own. Excellent.
She crept swiftly around the border area of the plain, and made her way towards where the girl was sitting, clutching her staff. The girl was holding a piece of scrapish paper and didn't flinch.
Eyv smirked, and took the chance. She quickened her pace, and rushed forward with her staff, striking the girl.
It all happened in a split second. The girl turned, dodged, fastened her purple gaze on Eyv and grabbed her own staff, retaliating with a blow. Thanks to her own experience, Eyv ducked, and dodged. The girl with the black hair readied herself in a martial pose.
"Who are you?" she shouted, her amethyst eyes unblinking, angrily, "You think it's funny to try and attack someone like me?"
Eyv stopped, blinking. It was then she realised, while the girls eyes were beautifully exquisite, they lacked fixation. This girl was...blind.
"Well?" the girl continued. Eyv was speechless. But she knew, that she couldn't hurt someone who was, well, blind. It wasn't...right. And even through her thieves guild plated heart, she knew she couldn't do this.
"I didn't know you were-"
"Blind?" the girl retorted, "You're lucky I'm not going to hit you."
Eyv sighed. This was ridiculous. What kind of thief talked to their victim like this? But still. She liked this girls attitude. Peaceful at first, but it seemed she flared up when anyone underestimated her.
"I'm Eyv," the thief replied warily, holding up a semi glove coated palm, to shake hands. She quickly advanced to put it down, suddenly becoming aware of the fact that this girl couldn't see. Surprisingly, she felt a firm hold on her hand.
"Just because I'm blind," the girl continued, "Doesn't mean I haven't got other ways of getting around. I'm Hitomi."
They briefly shook, and Eyv felt delirious. How strange. She was actually befriending a victim.
But then again, Eyv couldn't be sure of who was which.
"What's that paper you've got?" Eyv suddenly asked, indicating the tattered note in Hitomi's hand.
"Oh. That."