In Which He Accepts She

Disclaimer: AI! huggles self I own nothing but me and my computer…. And I don't even think I own that.

Author's Note:

I know, I know—I promised to write this chapter if I got three reviews and I did, but I still felt cheated, so I waited a bit. I'm so terribly sorry. Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom fans—Pirates of the Caribbean is a MUST SEE! Not only is it a great movie—it's got great actors and actresses. Personally, I thought they just threw Orli in there because he was pretty but he can act alright! I have decided that Aster's name is pronounced 'A-ztar', unlike its original pronunciation. (18 year old self: Not quite sure about that one, younger self…Makes me think of Az-tecs. And Pirates 2 came out today and is amazing…except for the million plotlines…!) So there.… :P Please do not complain about the length of my chapters… They're short for a reason. The main one is—there is one important bit of information in every chapter for you to catch and remember. Two or three important bits would just be too much.

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Aster quietly sat on a large mattress, Dodger's makeshift bed, with a hot cup of cocoa in her hands. The boys and Dodger were standing rather far-off in a large huddle, whispering to each other. Ignoring the distance, her quick ears managed to catch snippets of the conversation.

"Now, boys, she can stay here and—"

"Dogger, she's a girl!"

"We can see that, Roger, the question is what to do with her."

"I can think of plenty things to do with her."

"Liam!"

"Sorry, Dodger."

"You should be. I don't want anything to happen to her, and that includes crude jokes, Liam. We may be thieves but we are not murderersor people of that nature. We still manage to keep our gentlemanly nature… Just like that chap…Oh, you know. The one that gave the nobles and coppers bloody 'ell…Eh…"

"Robin Hood?

"Yeah! That one!"

"Got it."

"Now, we can keep her here while we redistribute. She can take the stitching off the handkerchiefs. If we all have to leave, she can probably come with us and sing for pennies or something. She doesn't seem to eat much so we'll still get a fair share of food without having to steal too much more."

"That or we could take her to the local pub and—"

"LIAM!"

"Sorry, Dodger."

"Now, first things first, no one can know she's here—not even Jeremy the fish seller… They trust us more than they'd trust a gypsy… Not saying there's anything wrong with gypsies, of course. I used to live with a delightful old gypsy chap before Fagin found me."

Aster quickly stood, deposited her hot cocoa on the floor, and ungracefully squirmed her way through the ring of boys towards the center and Dodger. A blonde haired, blue eyed boy perhaps a year younger than Dodger stood talking to the top-hatted ringleader. She shoved the boy out of the way and looked up into the Dodger's face, her eyes dark and determined.

"I'm not going to sit here and sew like an old maid! That is not why I came here. I can learn how to thieve like you do; I'm pretty good already."

She lifted her nose high in the air, over-confident and quite cocky.

The blonde boy, Liam, snorted but the Dodger held up a rough hand.

"Alright, then, Aster. We'll test you."

The lads and Aster stood speechless for a second before Dodger pushed Liam to the middle of the room. He then pulled out a handkerchief and chained watch and put them in Liam's pockets, deep to the seam.

"A simple, beginner test. Take them both…without Liam catching you."

"Ai…" Aster shook herself out of a daze and walked to the center of the room.

"Liam is a fine gentleman on a stroll in the park."

Liam, the best actor of the lot next to Dodger, followed his lead and began to strut across the room, swinging an imaginary cane. Aster also began acting, untying one of her upper skirts and holding it over her shoulders as she formed a plan. When they were in a few feet of each other, Liam raised his hand to an imaginary hat in respect while Aster slowly dropped her make-shift shawl to let it tangle in Liam's feet. She quickly fell to her knees and began to untangle it, speaking in an Irish brogue.

"Ai! Ah'm so turribly sorry, sir! 'Tis all meh fault!"

Liam raised his eyebrows, wondering what this insane idea was, but replied in suitwith a nod of his head and began walking again. Aster stood up slowly, and tied her skirt back around her waist. She walked primly to Dodger, her thin lips twisted into a smug smile. Dodger held out both his hands, eyes questioning.

"Well, Miss Aster?"

Aster grinned, turned around to rummage in her layers of skirts and turned back to reveal the gold watch, the white handkerchief, brass shoe buckles and three gold coins.

Dodger blinked in surprise and then turned to a blushing Liam.

"And what is your opinion, O great, powerful, and ignorant one?"

"I felt the absence of my shoe buckles after a second or two, but, Dodger, with a bit of work, she could be as good as one of us older ones," Liam replied earnestly.

The girl-gypsy's face turned up to the Dodger in excited expectation, her finger clutching at her skirts. He smiled down at her eager face and laid both coarse hands on her shoulders. "Alright. You can come with us, but no picking pockets until I'm sure… Comrade Outlaw Aster… Oh, and none of that cockiness. I won't have pupil who thinks she's better than me."

The small boy called Roger spoke up, his tiny, round face gleaming, "'Ave you told 'er about peachin' yet, Dogger?"

Dodger nodded solemnly to Roger and then turned to Aster.

"You don't tell anybody any names, places, hints, actions, or bloomin' anything unless you want me to let Liam sell you to worst tavern he knows."

Aster quickly saluted. "Got it. No telling a 'tall!"

Dodger nodded decisively. "Alright, then. Time to go to bed!"

"Dodger! We're in the middle of a poker game!"
"I's got te finish my supper!"

"Jest a few more minutes, please?"

"Well….alright, then. I'll find Aster a bed or somewhat but by the time she's comfortable, you lot had better be done with whatever yer doin'."

"A'ight, Dodger!"

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Ah, the safest place is to sleep with thieves, my dear. They always want to know what your next move will be and whether you'll be useful.

Why didn't Papa sleep safe, then?

Well, dear, in London things are quite a bit different. Your father slept at a place with the wrong sort of thieves; they were robbers and murderers.

Mummy, who really killed Papa?

was killed by two very bad men. A tutor named Archier and one his pupils named Roberto.

Are the bad men gone, Mummy?

One is. Another of the students killed the teacher, a right good boy named Jack.

How old is he?

He's a year older than you, Star. He's twelve.

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This is the eighteen year old self and by the beard of Zeus, I've got it! I remember something sooo important. Good thing I was revising or I would've missed it… Go back, look close to see if you can figure out what I'm talking aboot…bout.