A few blocks away from the lodging house
Royal held Skittery's hand lovingly, unknowingly swinging it back and forth with her steps.
The sky had darkened considerably since they had left the lodging house two hours ago and royal soon realized that the only light guiding them was coming from the evenly spaced streetlamps on every corner.
Skittery looked at her, a small smile spread across his face.
"What?" she asked flirtatiously, turning to look at him though her pace remained the same.
He shrugged and looked ahead once more, every so often stealing a quick glance at her.
As they approached the lodging house, royal saw a carriage with the familiar logo "45th", parked out front. Her immediate thought was to run though as the tall, gaunt figure of Mrs. Muller stepped out of the passengers seat of the coach, she realized she could not move what so ever.
"Romana Canely!" Her shrill voice seeped into the darkness. "Go get your things, your leaving."
Skittery's eyes wandered from the woman to royal. He looked his lover up and down as if hearing her true name had literally changed the person standing next to him.
"Already? But I thought you said it could take…"
"The state has decided to give us twice as much funding as before… now run upstairs and get your things." Mrs. Muller interrupted her hurriedly, pointing her finger towards the lodging house.
"You must be kiddin' me!" Skittery said suddenly. Mrs. Muller turned to him, closing her eyes for a moment frustratingly. "I mean… she jus got used to it here! You… you cant just pick 'er up again!"
The woman's eyes flickered with anger and her face became red with aggravation.
"And who might you be."
Skittery blushed, realizing how much attention he had just averted to himself.
"Skittery." He muttered under his breath, looking down before raising his line of vision once more.
"And is there a reason you are so hot on the subject of Ms. Canely's placement?"
By now Skittery's hand was no longer within royal's grasp though royal suddenly felt the urge to hold it once more.
"Because it's not fair what you do! You send kids out, let 'em live fa' once and den when they have found their niche, you drag em back in ta slavery again!" Skittery's voice was loud and vociferous. He went on
"And why do ya want her back at da orphanage anyway? If anything, I would think dat royal stayin' here would only help ya financial situation… one less kid right… and even if she did tattle on ya little money blunda', who in there right mind would believe a 17 year old newsie! No one ever has!"
Under the street lamp, royal could see Mrs. Muller's cheek muscles switch at Skittery's words. Skittery must have realized what he had just said as well for he took a step backwards, running his hands vigorously through his hair in frustration towards himself.
Suddenly the door to the lodging house swung open, disturbing the silence that had set about the street. Mush stepped forth from its frame, calling for Skittery and royal as he did so. Mrs. Muller turned her head towards mush though her body remained facing the two kids.
"Would you mind running up and getting Ms. Canely and this young mans belongings?" she asked mush rhetorically though ended up receiving an answer.
"Hey… what's this all about? Skits? What's goin' on?" Mush glanced hastily between the woman and his friends.
The woman turned her head back around, clenching her fists in a very un-lady like manner.
"Please… go up and get their things!" her voice was firm and demanding.
Mush, backed up in to the doorway, still very confused. "Skits? What…what's happening?"
Royal felt a single tear, tearing away from her eye lashes and slowly making its way down her cheek, leaving a trail of dew where it strolled.
She looked down at the cobblestones, kicking the dust at her feet and trying desperately not to look at Skittery's expression, convinced it would be completely blank as it had been the day jack had announced his departure.
Mush, taking one last glance at Skittery, stumbled back into the lobby of the lodging house, letting the door slam behind him. From the street they could hear him shouting for Kloppman, his voice losing its mature pitch and gaining a weak, juvenile tone.
Mrs. Muller leaned her head back daintily, massaging her neck wearily.
"In the carriage." She commanded, finally straitening her back once more.
She pointed towards the back of the coach and stood motionless on the street while Skittery and royal filed helplessly into the back of the carriage, taking their seats on the two black benches, patruding from either wall.
