Cassie flinched as a shadow loomed over her, dispelling her concentration in the book that she'd been reading. Her hand immediately curled around the blunt yet effective knife that she kept hidden under her pillow. She looked up, grey eyes instinctively narrowed, and relaxed once she saw who the visitor was.

''I should have expected to see you again soon, Cassiopeia,'' the priest said. He smiled benevolently but his eyes subtly examined the little girl for bruises or signs of injury. He knew all too well how harsh the streets could be – even for a little girl of ten.

''Maybe this time around you'll learn to stop sending me away?'' Cassie asked hopefully. She liked camping at this church – it was small and quiet. It was perfect for her. She'd managed to build herself an admirable shelter in the garden with pillows and blankets that she'd accumulated throughout her time on the streets. The priest was kind, if annoying with his constant concern about her, and he let her use the showers and bathroom facilities of the church building.

The only problem was that the churchgoers kept reporting her to the Child Services, who would duly come and take her away. Usually, it took her around a day to find a way out of whatever overcrowded foster home they'd crammed her in.

''Cassie.'' The priest said, almost pleading her to finally cooperate. ''A child needs a guardian. Someone to look after them''.

Cassie looked away bitterly. This wasn't a conversation she wanted nor needed. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She made enough money performing magic tricks for tourists on the streets of London and she knew how to keep herself safe.

Cassie's gaze was determinedly fixed on her book as she heard the Priest sigh and walk away. She heard the faint rustling of plastic when he returned and gave him a small smile when he placed the bag of food beside her.

''I'll pray for you, my child''.


It was a refreshingly crisp morning in Trafalgar Square. Children her age were clambering upon the bronze lion sculptures as their smaller siblings clumsily chased after the irritated pigeons, their parents supervising from nearby.

Cassie shut out the sentimental jealousy that she felt at seeing the joy and carelessness of the children her age. Instead, she eyed up the parents and considered which trick they would best be impressed by. She scanned the square and spotted a nearby German couple with a small bag of breadcrumbs in their hands, throwing crumbs at an increasing flock of pigeons. Her lips twisted into a confident smile as she put on her ragged top hat.

''Ladies and Gentlemen! Mesdames et Messieurs! Meine Damen und Herren!'' She belted loudly with a wide showman's grin on her face. ''Come and witness the ancient secret of the Trafalgar Square Birds!''

The tourists peered at this small child with her oversized hat and inched closer towards her.

"First we need the magic ingredients," Cassie pointed dramatically at the bag of breadcrumbs and the crowd gasped as the breadcrumbs floated away from the German couple and right into her hands.

"Next!" Cassie declared, winking at a small girl who had stopped climbing the lion statutes to join the crowd. "Next we need a subject!".

Cassie shut her eyes and bowed her head, spreading her arms beside her. The crowd huddled closer, eager to see what she would do now.

"The birds of Trafalgar Square I call on you!" She cried and several pigeons fluttered towards her, landing on her outstretched arms and blinking confusedly.

"Did you know that real lion corpses were used to model the statutes behind you?" Cassia addressed her crowd. "The spirit of those lions lives on!".

Cassie suddenly drew back her arms, causing the pigeons that were resting on her arms to rise up and flap their wings madly, obscuring her from view.

The crowd was stunned when the birds finally settled on the ground. They had transformed into live miniatures of the bronze lion statues, prowling around and swiping their small metal paws at one another. Cassie herself was nowhere to be seen.

"Thank you for your attention my dear friends. I accept cash tips in any currency". A couple of tourists jumped when Cassie's voice suddenly came from the back of the crowd where she stood proudly with her top hat, upturned expectedly, in her hands.

A few hours later Cassie sat contently under the arches of Charing Cross station. The crowds had been impressed with her new routine and she had been well rewarded.

She smiled sadly as she remembered the first time that she had visited Trafalgar Square. She had been one of the small children innocently running after the pigeons under the careful watch of an adult.

Her uncle Regulus.

Cassie swallowed hard as she clutched at the necklace around her throat.


AN: Let me know what you think or where you'd like to see this story go.

Credit for cover image: p/BVAZbMHhYU1/?taken-by=kayscozyreads