Heated emotions led to a deeper sleep and this time, in which Anya had to be shaken awake.
"Oh~ oh, forgive me… Good morning, Hannah." Anya took a second to get her memory in check. No nightmare came this time, which was relieving. "What time is it?"
"About half past six, but not too worry!" Hannah told her. "Strictly speaking, you're not late."
The smell of porridge filled the room from the kitchen, the walls were that thin in this place. To her, she was late. Anya whipped the quilt off herself and sprung to get washed up and dressed. As she did, the nerves began to set in. The kitchen was the most bustling place in the entire corner here as the barber and his beau were the frequent ones invited there each morning with the Jeakels. Charlot came with no need for his bowler for the now, but he sported his handsome coat. Anya accompanied Madame Mary and Hannah in the kitchen, after helping set the table before he kindly came in. That smile was contageous!
"Good morning!" he greeted them.
"Good morning!" the ladies chorused in return.
Mr. Jeakel entered from the other room soon after, with his nose glued to the Gazette. Bowls of porridge and honey were set about and a prayer was issued around. The family, along with their new addition apparently, all took their seats.
"Oh, my man, put that paper down." Mary began, eyeing her husband as she poured him some water into a glass. "You always have that about~"
"Unlike some of us, I enjoy being up to date on current events, mind you." snarked the old man. "As should you," he smiled at the couple and the new charge.
That earned a few honest chuckles from Anya and the others. Her curiosity was prodded no doubt, however, she felt that knot in her stomach tighten when she took her first spoonful. She could only pray that all was well in those words, and it seemed fairly calm for now.
"If I am being perfectly honest, word of mouth seems just as valid as a Gazette." Anya added her two cents.
"True, true…" Charlot sweetly remarked, fixing his tie slight.
Hannah sat in her chosen spot before the kindly man helped scoot her seat in. He moved on to Anya before he taking his own. After another small prayer, they began to eat the quaint little meal. It seemed thus far that nothing was too far out of sorts, but she still felt knotted in the stomach about it. There was no need to draw fuss about it now since the day was young. After breakfast, it was only practical to bring some sort of edible along for mid-day, as Charlot was almost nitpicking at her to take a parcel of pudding.
Before the first hour of dawn was out, it was he who sweetly walked her out again, as he was on his own way to prepare for work.
"Now, do be careful, my dear." he began, giving the pin in her hair a little tweak here and there, much to Anya's amusement.
She let him ~ she knew she was being looked after. It was just like she was a daughter of theirs. Anya noticed how finicky he really was, besides his kindness. Like, Charlot wasn't really stopping until he felt that it was perfect in his eyes, going from fixing to entirely working her hair up into a bun. A more practical approach when working with cows.
"Be mindful of strangers. Work your best and remain frugal. Earnings are sadly hard to come by, and I desire you to save them for yourself." he advised. "Very important, yes?"
"Yes, it is, sir~" Anya responded, respectfully. "I will work hard."
"Very good ~" he gleefully said, as he checked her hair and face over. "Now, just a quick little turn towards me, oh yes! Much better…"
Indeed, he was once in a world where he had no such thing, like a meal or earnings or a job, not even a roof. Just the clothes on his back… just as Hannah had mentioned.
"I cannot express how much joy you gave to us all last night… Now, it's our turn to give the same to you." he smiled, as soon as he was done preening. His laugh lines around his emerald eyes became more apparent to her today, more than before ~ a very tender thing, truthfully.
Hannah came to the window to whip off dust from her rag before she saw the two talk in front of the Barber shop. Something seemed outrageously familiar to her by how he was talking to Anya that left her speechless for a good moment. Ever since Charlot came back from the War, he just wasn't the same. His 'go with the flow', bright outlook on life seemed to be gone, and his glowing smile that encouraged her this far was less, as he had this distant look in his gaze that came off like a faded painting, as if his eyes were clouded. His awkward stride was even different… The former gamine figured in great pain that the horrors he had seen had finally chipped at his heart so much that he had changed, and not for the better.
He could not remember what they had gone through together. At first, he did not even remember her. The love they currently had was more of a liking now, and not their original companionship they had before. Never say die, he once told her when she was hopeless. We will get along, he said in quite the stern voice to get her up. Those words were still sticking to her, and she had to be clever about it.
Smile, he told her. Hannah remembered that as if she heard it spoken the day before.
He returned, suddenly… and she had to run to somewhere private to cry tears of overjoy before those stormtroopers tried to force Charlot to paint that awful slur upon his shop window… It was like they were back in the past when he cleverly dislodged the men without coming to harm, and she came out with what she had at hand. Cooking pans.
Even striking him upon accident, it granted her to moment to go to him as soon as the danger passed.
Right away, she noticed that he was different. He had not a clue of how the world was, nor her, and she had to fight deeply to keep from weeping, only to smile, welcomingly… for his sake.
She fought against hugging him, she fought screaming… she was tormented on the inside while he hadn't a clue of who she was… Charlot only looked at her like a stranger, and that hurt more than being homeless. Whatever had happened to him, it took all their love and loyalty to the dirt and snuffed it out like a candle… He was her sunlight~!
As soon as the danger passed, that very first night, Hannah wept hard until her pillow was soaked.
He was alive, but his mind was thwarted. She could not explain it to herself, to him, nor to anyone else… unless she wished to be labeled as insane.
However, right now, with Anya here, there he was. He was exuberant, he was smiling just the way he used to whenever he saw her. His deep green eyes were bright again… Hannah bit down on her lip and hid herself in the room to think.
Meanwhile, Anya turned back to him once he tapped her when he finished, with all of her hair now neatly rolled off of her neck.
"You should run your own beauty parlor," she complimented, earning a smile for it.
He looked impressed. "You don't say? Ah- well, you are not the first one to have told me so," he began, leaning fairly gracefully against the door sill beside the shop window. He seemed to have more life in him, as though his cheeks held more color. He shared more than just a thankful smile. It was of love, or pride a mother would have for her child. "Get along now. You will be late~"
Anya felt that she owed a lot to him but there already something bigger in the works; on the lives here and their loves as a whole~ was it realistic for her to consider her debts paid in full? Ushered to go, she had to pause for one second to give him a little kiss on the cheek. A tiny gesture that left him all the more surprised. With his heart aglow, as soon as she turned the corner, Charlot returned to open up. Hannah met him back in the court beside his door.
"You both seemed very cheered on~" Hannah happily exclaimed. "Charlot, I haven't seen you smile so in ages…"
"Hannah, I only sent her on her way but, the sweetest thing just…" he trailed off.
"Yes, she is." Hannah agreed becoming arm in arm with him. "Would it be wonderful if she came with us to Osterlitch?"
"It would be so, it would be," he replied with hope. "I don't think I have the heart to see her go alone. There is no reason…"
Anya's entire mood had improved greatly, almost tempted to skip her way to the milkers, but had to avoid passerby glares for a start. Upon entering the store, she placed her mid-day meal where she was told to keep it before and moved on to her assigned station where Bertha stood.
The only greeting she got from this cow was one wet nose smothering her forehead.
"Good morning!"
Now that she had the general idea under tow, she needed no help this time and got to work. Settling her apron and having no worry about her tightened hair getting in the way, she set to work. All this while, Shelly was hiding, having stayed inside Charlot's bedroom the entire morning. She had eaten an ounce of cream he had left out for her beneath the washing table. As soon as she ate and stretched, she took her tiny hand bag in her mouth and went outside.
On the roof, she saw Charlot bid goodbye to Anya after he set her hair straight and tight, which helped Shelly feel better, with the hope that they — well, he would understand her, if all went well today. She did see Anya outright kiss the man on the cheek though, and it was laughable now… Leaving was out the window, for sure. Seeing her so happy though made it harder to argue. She should talk though. If a kiss solitified their impossibility of leaving then her spending the night as a cat companion for the Barber was just as bad. If you can't beat them, join them, which was the phrase? No joke there considering the comfort she had given and recived the nightly hours before. This fiasco might turn out good, after all.
She waited for the others to get along with their day as soon as Anya had gone before she would go. With her tiny bag, she jumped down to the vine-covered wall and began to sprint across!
Only down the corner, the town was beginning to get busy, even at this early hour. Heavens! This was considered what modern folk called 'Farmer' hours. Bedding down early shortly after sundown and then rising at first light was fairly common here in this period. So, even at this early hour, Shelly was at a crossroads. People were already making deliveries, servants and children were already retrieving milk and water for themselves and their animals. The bakeries were already brewing up their hot ovens. The scent of them was almost too intoxicating to Shelly, who was so tired of eating scraps for the past three days so far.
That was changing today. There was no doubt in her mind.
She scaled upward again, using the rain gutter as her ladder to make it atop of another rooftop where she could see the stretch of roads and residentials as far as her eye could see. Over the dips and downwards, she just quickened her paws to make it quick and avoid eyes of the townsfolk. She leaped over small alleys to the other side, looking off the ledges for any sign of a dock. Of course, one mistep landed the calico right through a cart of hay as Mr. Mann was passing by. Even at his bark of surprise, she took her bag back into mouth after pawing it, and ran down the street.
"Oi! My word~"
A little frightened from that, Shelly, however, got brave enough to face the busy road. A manner of ponies, mules and people were already using the road but she was able to slip through, quick, however a wheel nipped at the tip of her tail. She paid it no heed and kept running until she finally climbed up a set of empty fish crates as soon as she smelled fish and sea salt.
Once she reached the top, there she saw the bay area where a set of boats all were coming in, merchants and fishers and vendors selling fish by the crate.
She did not expect it to be so lively at this time, but she was wrong… and the water of the bay looked clean and fresh, clear. The market here was a crowded sort of place. This was where Anya expected her, it seemed and whoa, won't it be a spectacle for all the see…
Did she feel ready for this performance? Hell no… and this waiting game now, did not help those nerves.
Working on the same movement in a continuous tedious fashion, it was enough to distract Anya for a couple of hours, at least. Bertha only moved once or twice, but seemed more interested in her bun today, which came off as funny in all honesty. If a cow recongized her enough to start playing around, she was doing something right. Oddly enough, the bun the man had done for her was still feeling quite firm in its tie. During those two hours though, she wondered if Shelly would change her mind at the last minute. In all truth, she felt just as nervous, but she trusted in their Barber most of all, besides dear Hannah. In terms of remaining closer together for their lives' sake, finding those who cherished their well-being was more than a blessing, just as much as they cherished theirs.
This time, she was not going to change to hunt for more free kippers at the bay. Charlot would believe that she was not saving her pennies if she did so again, but she had another idea. When mid-day rode along, Anya began her walk towards the docks, not realizing at first that Mr. Mann was walking side by side with Hannah, who was making another laundry delivery.
"It is the most bamboozling, Hannah, of this young lady just showing up." the jittery little man was saying to the woman, who was trying not to roll her eyes. "One would assume she would be up to something,"
"As to what she would be up to, Mr. Mann?"
"Well, Charlot seems quite taken to her. Like finding a pet on the street…"
"Charlot has helped countless young girls in the past, and not one has batted an eye at him in thanks. This one hasn't yet."
Coming to one of the shops, they both saw Anya seem to suddenly run at towards someone… another girl just her age.
Anya ran and tapped this other on the shoulder, in hopes (it seemed) to see a familiar face. This time, she made an honest mistake anyone could make, by tapping on some stranger's shoulder.
"Oh, pardon me, ma'am… I honestly thought you were someone else~" Anya spoke, recieving a nod back, but she kept looking around the crowd. During that tiny embarrassment, she began to worry… but continued on her way back to the road that looped back to the main street. Perhaps she was too eager for this, but this first impression had to be convincing. Shelly may not have felt ready…
That was when she was the one who felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and found herself locked in a tight hug by a blonde and she suddenly felt elated! Soon after the hug, both girls looked at each other, with Anya's face lighting up at her friend's freckled face. Her eyes felt like they were ready to pop out of her head, they were so wide. This blonde wore a blue gown fitted round with an apron with very warn out slippers. Her freckled face was lit up with joy as she smiled with overjoy of seeing her best friend again.
"I did it - I made it! Oh, I did it! You - Here… I can't~ How did you manage to get here?" the girl stammered.
"M-Michelle…?" Anya gasped out before her hands were taken and she was spun around. "I thought — What are you doing here!?"
A scene unraveled for the two Ghettos, watching Anya speaking to this new young lady.
"What do you mean 'what I am doing here'? What are you doing here?"
"I-I thought it would be a finer idea to save, if I stayed in the nearest town at the time, only for a few days thus far~"
"I am glad you did, Anya… because the raids had gotten awful… I just managed to make it. I wouldn't know what I'd do if you were ever caught by the stormstroopers~"
"Anya?" came Hannah's voice, which caught both of the girl's attention. There the brunette came with her laundry basket, with the stout little man in tow with her.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked the little suited man.
"Mr. Mann, Hannah~ I … uh, this is my best friend!" Anya began. "The friend I intended to meet — This is Michelle, Michelle Grey!"
Shelly's eyes were wide at Anya for a good moment, before being thrust into introductions so soon… but it was better now than never. She curtsied to the two.
"Oh! Anya has told us about you! She was so worried! Oh, it is a pleasure, Miss Grey!"
"Indeed, a pleasure, madame~" Mr. Mann tipped his hat to her.
"Good day~" Shelly's voice was a lot lighter than Anya's and her eyes shot an olive green and her gold hair matched well with the freckles over her blushed cheeks. To the duo, she did look a bit peckish, probably from her journey. "I have only just arrived this morning… I was in market for something to eat… I didn't expect to see Anya again…" she appeared to wipe her nose with a handkerchief.
"Oh, my dear, fret not… Anya has become a part of our commune. So who is to say you cannot?" Hannah brightly offered. "Oh, have you somewhere to rest in tonight…?"
"N-not yet, ma'am." Shelly answered.
"There is no reason to rest elsewhere, you can come with us." Hannah offered.
"Is that a very fine idea?" Mr. Mann asked. "Do pardon me,"
"… no worries. I can manage~" Shelly humbled herself.
"Certainly not, why… Charlot will not hear of it, Mr. Mann." Hannah explained.
"Well, let me speak for the rest of us that Sir Charlot is very hospitable, but I only stretch that we remain careful, yes?" the little man spoke.
Shelly looked at Anya as she fiddled with her apron, nervously. Anya returned her look of anxiousness with a firm confirmation.
"Charlot? Who is that?" Shelly asked, hopeful.
"He is our Ghetto's local Barber." Hannah replied, seeing the girl's worry. "Do not worry, child, he is a very kind and gentle man."
'Oh, do I know it,' Shelly thought before she lightly smiled.
"He was the one who suggested I save before going anywhere…" Anya said. "I have just finished my work for the day, I go back to the court where his shop is. That is where we make home. Oh, he will be so glad to meet you!"
It was clearly near one o'clock in the afternoon, and Charlot had just finished his tenth customer. That was more than he had yesterday morning. Swiftly, with a silken towelette he wiped away the rest of the shaving lather off this passerby's cheeks.
"Very clean shave, sir! Thank you so much! How much do I owe to you?" the man was satisfied as the sheet was draped away and folded into the laundry basket.
"Only ten cents, good sir~" Charlot kindly smiled before the coins were landed into his palm. "Very kind, thank you!" he thanked, putting the pieces with bright jingle into the register by the sink.
"There is something new with you, is there, Charlot? You're back with us, smile and all." the neighbor noted as he stood from the chair.
"It has been an interesting week so far. Things seem to begin anew, looking up."
"A new muse, perhaps?"
"Huh? A muse?" Charlot gave a laugh. "You can say that!"
"Oh, all the more~ we have you back. As we were beginning to worry for you. Good day, Mr. Elden."
Charlot cheerily bowed in return after helping the man with his jacket and hat. As soon as he walked out of his shop, Hannah soon entered with an empty laundry basket, looking as giddy as ever.
"Oh, beau! Are you busy, Charlot?"
"Just finished a tenth! Have you already delivered? That was a mite quick~" he was saying as she took hold of his arm.
"Indeed, and for good reason. Anya has someone she would like you meet."
"… what?"
"You must meet her~ come!"
Curious, being taken back to the friend Anya was worried for prior, Charlot followed her outside. Stepping to the sidewalk, there he saw Anya beside another lass just her age. She was a blonde-haired girl with bright olive hazel eyes and apparent freckles, easy to make out from her dirtied cheeks. Her gown that hued her eyes very well, tied about in a dusty apron. She looked a little pallid and thin, probably due to her long journey. There was something about her… Either it was her eyes or her smile that seemed so familiar to him. He could not place it. His prolonged study of her slowly grew into smile much to this girl's relief.
"Charlot, this - this is the friend of mine I told you about before." Anya shyly told him, carefully bringing her friend closer.
"Oh. Oh yes~" he slowly exclaimed, so to calm this lady's nerves. She looked unsure. "Oh, surely~ Madame, Charlot. Charlot Elden at your service, my dear."
Shelly was thrown out for a loop, and he was just as kind, warm, welcoming. Not a change in the slightest. She tried to find her voice.
"Sir, Elden, it is a-a pleasure to make your acquaintence~ M-my name is Michelle Grey…" she spoke, feeling strange at first of even interacting with others besides Anya.
She felt him take her hand and lightly kiss the top of it in a soft greeting… It was a respectful way here for a gentleman to greet a lady.
"How gracious~ Oh, the pleasure is all mine. Have you been in Tomania long, child?"
"N-not long, sir. Not long. I have only just arrived a few hours ago…" Shelly explained. "I did not expect to find Anya ~ all of this is too good to be true!"
However, it was due to the truth of her own words that made her eyes water. Charlot's brow furrowed in concern, resting a hand upon her arm.
"Oh, dear, any friend of Anya's is a friend of ours…" Hannah spoke, comfortingly.
"Hey." Charlot leveled himself with Michelle to look her in the eyes. "Buck up, yes? You've found your way, and no doubt, Anya had done her part by thinking of you. Perhaps that was the one thing that led you here. I believe that ~ Oh! How silly of me, rambling on while you are as white as snow! Come in, ladies, come in!"
"You must be famished, Michelle…" Anya finally spoke up, with great faith that this turned out better than she imagined. The two began to follow the Barber as a stout little man followed after, suspicious of all this.
Shelly had to become accustomed to her whole name being said until things got really settled, she supposed, but the welcome felt like a homecoming party to her. It was stupendous! Especially with the fatherly emerald eyes that brightened her way from first second… They possessed more kindness in a single finger than people in the 21st century had in their entire bodies… This was all too good to be true. Anya got her message of supposed shock to all this… A mere shrug or nod was not enough to suffice… only to go along with it.
"Come with us, we'll get you something to eat~" Anya told her as a subtle way of saying to just play along.
"Are you sure? I mean, I am an extra mouth to feed…" Shelly expressed in return, serious on that note.
Charlot clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers at that.
"Tut tut, no such talk about yourself~" he stated, as Anya shared a tensed grin that there was no argument. It was a done deal now.
They were both in the deep end, as it were. Who knew that it would result in her feeling like a tied knot of excitement? No longer did she have to be here all on her own, watching and listening, unable to have true conversations like this grand first impression. Of course, as much goodness that existed in this lonely part of the city, there was some of the foulest brewing just beyond those surrounding enchantments that kept these people under its thrall.
Someone else was hard at work, and he was not very generous compared to those hearts surrounding those girls. The snake that ruled the grassy field outside had taken home inside an abandoned shack after he had burned down the girl's caravan. In his homestead, Rodolphus Lestrange had created a haven of sorts that was center of all of his current works; potions and nightmarish Dark Arts among them.
"Youths are never as powerful as they think. It does not, and will not, matter how close they remain, but I will achieve this goal for you, my Lord." the silkened voice began to speak to no one really in particular, however, within this place there was an ominous feeling or emotion following the man. "The last of the Peverells will breathe their last tonight. This will ensure that Lily Evans and her daughter will never be born, and your Prophecy will be permanently changed. As soon as I get those women, my teeth will sink into their necks for this…"
The young wizard drew a silver bowl out from underneath a crate and unraveled something unnatural. They were a pile of glass orbs that glowed with a nasty green hue, glowing as though they were to burst at any second. Lestrange picked a single one up and stared intently at it… Slow and sure, the orb formed tightly into a sleek, juicy looking plum fruit.
"Inveniet eum velox…" he muttered to it before he slipped it into his pocket.
Just outside, a fruit carraige was coming along the roadside, passing the burnt dirt that once was home to one caravan…