Disclaimer: In this chapter there won't be any AKT-characters but Jane and her guy are highly inspired by this one old music video from the Kelly Family. I forgot the name of the song (I actually don't really like them but THIS video was cool.). Whoever remembers the video will recognize the similarities I think. If not don't care. And please don't sue. *smiles*

A/N: My grammar's still not any better but I try to learn, hehe.

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*Maureen walked along the street. It had been very hot the last two days (much too hot for November, it was more like August) and the mud on the street had become hard as bone and quite dusty, too. Maureen was wet from sweat and very dirty from the dust. The skin under her chest bandage was awfully itching. She wished she could take it off for just one minute! But there wasn't a wood where she could hide in and remove it and there were many people on the street. Maureen was thinking about her grumbling stomach (the food-bag had been empty very quick), her itching chest and her because- of-the-sun-headache as London came into sight. She stood there in awe, not able to move - it looked beautiful - and so big! Bigger than anything she had ever seen before. She never had left Corton which was very small. She didn't know how long she had been standing there, astounded, as two official-looking men approached her. Both wore uniforms. Probably they belonged to the guards of the city. The older one spoke to her.

"Why, boy! What are you doing here? You block half of the street!"

Maureen looked at him in shock. How was she expected to react? The man spoke again.

"Shocked, eh? Any reason for that?"

He scanned Maureen from head to toe. She still wasn't able to make any sound. In awe she looked up to him. Then suddenly he gripped Maureen painfully at her arm and looked suspiciously into her eyes.

"Your clothes are peasant ones. Fled from your lord, did you?"

Oh no! She hadn't thought about that possibility! Maureen's great- grandfather had been a free man, and so she was, too. But how could she possibly proof that to this angry-looking man? She still was thinking about an answer as the second man butted in. He lay his hand on his companion's shoulder and said almost leniently:

"Come off it Lance. The boy's not to blame. He's deaf and dumb, don't you see this? He's an idiot - mad as all of them. Who knows what he has done to earn this punishment. And the clothes are probably a gift from some pitying peasant."

Maureen was relieved but tried not to show it. She tried to keep up the look she had in her face all the time before. The man called Lance looked again into her eyes, still suspiciously. Then his face straightened.

"Yeah, you're probably right. He looks quite as you said." He pulled her forwards and gestured to her that she should go on. He loosened his firm grip and yelled

"YOU - GO - ON! UNDERSTAND? GOOOOO - OOOOONNNN." The last words he said very slowly then looked at her as if it was waste of time. Maureen slowly went on, towards the buzzling entrance gateway of the town, and he looked pleased. The two men turned and walked away - away from the city, charged with any task, important by the looks on their faces.

Maureen was very relieved that this was over. She should get rid of the clothes she thought. Who knew if she would be able to play the deaf and dumb one again? But her clothes were so perfect! Wide and hiding her slim but still female hips and legs.

She reached the gateway - and respectfully walked through it. She had done it! She was in London - and oh, how she would regret it.

Shortly after the gateway there was a bath house. Longingly she looked at it. She felt dirty, ragged and worn out. But she couldn't go there. It would give away her real idendity - a thing which was strongly to be avoided.

So she went on through the narrow and full streets of London and soon found out that she, being dirty, tired and all, was in good company. There were all sorts of lower-status-people: day labourers, beggars, whores (who scared Maureen a lot) - and thieves. She saw a little boy, not older than 6, stealing some nearly rotten carrots of a street merchant. Before she could react the street urchin had dashed away and disappeared in the crowd. Others had watched this scene, too, but nobody seemed to care about. Maureen hesitatingly went on. Involuntary her hands searched for the little pouch under her shirt to assure that it still was there. She made her way through the sweating bodies, always aware of the stench and dirt everywhere in the town. It was disgusting. There were some nobles and richer ones, too. But they, as the less precious people, too, didn't seem to care about it at all. Could it be they were used to it? Maureen couldn't imagine such a thing! First time she wished to be back home. In the always tidy house of her father. Her father! Suddenly all the new and highly scaring impressions that had rushed at her before faded away. This one little thought which she had forced out of her mind all the time ever since she had left her father's house now was the only thing in her head. She felt a huge lump in her throat. She fought hard not to vomit.

Suddenly she found herself standing infront of a little church. She hadn't noticed that she had walked on to that. All she wanted now was to walk in and go to confession. She needed someone to tell her what the punishment of the Lord would be. Someone who would tell her what she should do next. Never in her lifetime she had made own decisions. Her father always had told her. She lifted her arm to open the gate as she suddenly felt this new strength again which she had felt in the wood what seemed like ages ago. It was like a little voice again which told her to keep all for herself. Finally this was a new beginning. Her past didn't count any longer. In fact she had no past at all. She now was Ryan in London. Maureen in Corton didn't exist anymore.

She struggled a bit but finally obeyed. She was used to obey.

She went on trying to find a place to rest. At last she found a rather calm and very narrow side-lane. The stench was nearly overwhelming but at least there weren't so many people. It was dark here, the houses looked as if they were going to break down soon. Maureen sat down on an upside down box.

She thought about her situation. She had no money and she surely would never sell her mother's necklace, the only worthy thing she had - it was too precious for her. So she would have to find work. And a room. It was still unusually hot but this wouldn't last any longer. 'Twas November after all so the weather would soon be cold and rainy again. But where could she find the wanted things? She absolutely didn't know what to do and waited for the voice within her mind to speak again. But it obviously had decided to let her alone this time. Tears welled up and again she felt this lump in her throat. She didn't do anything to stop the tears, just wishing to let them out.

She didn't know how long she had sat at this box, knees tightly at her chest and crying. Unexpectedly she felt a hand on her shoulder and a soft voice saying

"Hush, my dear boy. What has happened?"

She looked up, still tears in her eyes and an unbearable pain in her head. Before her stood a tall slender lady. Well, lady was actually the wrong word although she behaved like one. But her acting didn't quite suit to her appearance: she wore a frayed skirt which was longer than her legs - so its edge was all wet and dirty. Above the skirt (which colour wasn't even to guess) she had on a rather grubby blouse (with a way too low neckline) which was untidyly tucked into the skirt. She also had had a woollen shawl around her shoulders which she now bound around Maureen who suddenly became aware of the cool wind sweeping through the lane.

"Better now?" the woman asked in that soft voice Maureen wanted to hear forever "I'm Jane. What's your name?" she asked smiling.

"M." Maureen began then recalled "Ryan.Ryan Pickle."

"So, Ryan Pickle, what has happened being so bad that it made a stout boy like you crying?"

Maureen considered if Jane had meant it sarcastically but she still smiled and didn't look like meaning it in a teasing way.

"Erm.I felt so hopeless. I don't have any money, I don't have a place to sleep and no person to go to. I just arrived and am already ready to lie down and die." it suddenly blurted out of Maureen. Actually she hadn't meant to give all her fears and doubts away. This woman just had a way of looking at her that made her telling everything. She kind of longed to hear that calming voice again.

"So you are all alone? What about your family?"

Maureen didn't know what to say. But the woman spoke first.

"Dead?"

"Yes" - it even wasn't a lie.

"Poor boy! So you came here in hope to find work, I guess" Maureen nodded thinking hard about where this might lead to "I know this feeling. It was the same with me when I came here. You know what? You can come and stay with me for a while. I'm sure I can get you work. What do you think about this?"

"Erm." Maureen's train of thought went rapidly. Could she trust her? London was full of queer untrustworthy persons. 'Of course you can trust her. Her heart's pure' - all of a sudden Maureen's inner voice announced its presence once again. Where had it been some minutes ago when desperation had washed over her? Jane looked expectingly at her.

"Oh.yes, of course. It's very nice of you to offer this. I mean you don't know me at all."

"After all I know your name, Ryan" -Uh oh- " And I have a good feeling around you - my feelings usually don't trick me, see? Come on, we can get to know each other while walking. So tell me, how old are you?"

Maureen stood up and followed Jane while rapidly making up a believable age.

"I'm 14!...And you?"

"Oh, I'm quite old - 27." She laughed and it sounded like it could light up every kind of bad mood. Then she asked "When's your birthday?"

And so they went through the narrow lanes far away from the business of the bigger streets of London, talking and asking questions to each other. Maureen didn't want to speak about her past (she didn't want to make up more) and answered evasive to questions belonging to this topic. Jane had enough sensitivity and didn't ask more. Finally they reached a house which Maureen would have considered as broken down. But it still was standing there although near to the collapse. Jane led her in and up a narrow staircase. Directly under the roof there were some rooms, too. One of these was Jane's. It was sparsely furnished. There was a fireplace, a big bed, an unsteady table, two unmatching worn-looking chairs and an old trunk. On a straw-bed in one corner there lay some cheap jewellery which Jane cleared away now. Then she took a blanket and laid it onto the straw sack.

"This will be your bed, alright? I know it's not the b."

"No, no, it's wonderful! Thank you!" Maureen hurried to say although she was a bit stunned by the shabbyness all around her. She did her best to hide this.

"Fine, good you like it. Tomorrow Pete comes home. He lives here, too, you know, but was away for a while. I'm sure he will be able to get you labour."

"Is Pete your husband?" Maureen couldn't hold back that question.

"Oh no, he isn't! But something like that. He is.well.he gets me work, too.so, what about supper? There must be some cabbage left from yesterday."*

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So, what do you think? Did you like it? I hope so.please review! Next chapter will probably take a bit. I already know how to end the whole story and some vague ideas what happens until then but I need some time to clear them up in my mind.