Alright, so it turns out I am a bit impatient for four reviews and have decided to continue with only three. But, just so you all know, I am not happy with any of you readers who read and leave it.
Haha, my new saying. Reading and Leaving. NOT GOOD. At all.
Well, chapter five is going to be interesting, and my mind may wonder just a tiny bit. I am listening to Panic! At the Disco. A band my friend, INUcarott1, got me hooked on a few years ago.
Yeah, I still listen to it. Laugh all you want.
Well, getting back to the point, I realized I have not placed many (if any) disclaimers on this story, so before anyone gets mad at me:
I DON'T OWN ANYTHING THAT TAMORA PIERCE OWNS. That means Tortall, some characters, names, etc. And I basically got the idea from real life, which thankfully is not copyrighted. I would have a hard time with that….
Oh no! I just realized I forgot to put in lyrics on the last chapter. Ok well, just forget about that little detail. Keep reading, and forget. Forget forget forget. (Me trying to hypnotize you.)
Onto bigger and better things. Enjoy!
Wanna feel the warm breeze,
Sleep under a palm tree,
Feel the rush of the ocean.
John and I decided to take a walk after breakfast. His older sister, Jess, decided to finish up on some last minute assignment for one of her teachers. Daniel and Leah went to cause trouble with Chuck, and I happily let them go alone.
First thing Chuck and I went to do was to check on Cricket. I disliked leaving her in a stable so close to pickpockets and thieves, but John said she would be fine. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, hinting at Scanran traits, looked after all the animals. We met her at the stall and had a fairly warm conversation. She loved Cricket, and would take care of her for me while I searched for a life here.
After, John led me around the town. He explained that the orphans were not really supposed to leave the orphanage, but that no one ever stayed inside for long. It was almost expected that the kids would run off.
"'Nd once, I met th' King!" He said proudly, and pointed at the castle from underneath an outcrop of building where we were resting. The Corus sun was not hot, but the day was terribly humid. "He was so 'appy to see me, Jess sed 'e nearly jumped 'ith joy!" He exclaimed. Jess had warned me about how much he exaggerated, but for his sake I smiled and congratulated him.
"I wonder if I will ever get to meet the King." I said. Of course, I had already met him and his wife Thayet, all of their children, and their strange friends. But no one here had to know any of that.
"Let's go." John said, and hopped out into the street, nearly tripping an elderly lady. "S'rry Mum." He said politely to her. I took his hand after that, keeping him out of under people's legs.
"Mind if we stop at the Fruit Shop?" I asked John.
"What for?"
"I was never any good at selling things, but maybe they will know where I can get a decent paying cleaning job." He nodded slowly, and we walked along for a minute before coming to a store that John said was a Fruit Shop.
"Why a fruit shop?" John asked me.
"I always trust people who have to make a little money for themselves more than those who already have money." I answered before walking in. He probably hadn't gotten any sense out of my answer, but I was already in the doorway of the shop, dragging him along.
"Excuse me." A girl of about 14 said to me. "I work here. May I help you with anything?" She smiled shyly, showing that her two front teeth were missing. Strange…
"I was actually wondering where I could get a good paying cleaning job. I am new to the city and am not sure where to go…" I said quietly.
"Oh." She looked surprised. "Maybe my father can help you." She pointed to a tall, thin man behind the counter who had the same straight, brown hair as the girl. I nodded and towed John toward the man.
"Excuse me." I called to him as we neared him. "I was just wondering, is there any place around here who is hiring to take on a cleaning lady?" I was holding John tight, making sure he didn't try to snatch anything off of any of the shelves while we chattered.
"If you go along this road, Cobblers Way this is, and along the next one, you'll find a small shop owned by a maid. You should see what she can offer you." He replied, while eyeing my tight grip on to John's hand.
"Thank you." We walked out of the store.
"I know 'ere 'e was a-talkin' bout. Not far." John said, while bouncing happily along the side of the street. I let him go, and he produced an apple from one of the many pockets of his raggly coat. He smiled and bit into it.
"Kids these days." I whispered, but kept walking. It was going to a long day.
"Almost 'ere." John called. He had finished his apple, and we had been walking for a good quarter of an hour. "No need ta worry. Ol' Lalasa is real nice." John soothed. I perked up at the name. Kel had mentioned once or twice while she was at Pirate's Swoop her old friend, who's name I remembered singing.
"I think I have heard of Lalasa." I muttered to John.
"Everyun has!" He skipped ahead. Crossing the street, he stopped outside of a clean looking shop, with beautiful dresses displayed in the dirty windows.
"John, don't take anything from in here," I warned as we went inside.
"Hmmm." He looked at me accusingly, as If I had hurt his feelings. "Who would nick 'nything of Lalasa's?" He asked.
"Shhh." I warned him and we wound around carts of fabric, dresses, and the odd person or two. Finally we got to the back of the small, crowded store and went to the counter.
"Hello?" I called softly.
"Coming." A female voice somewhere in the backround said. "uh oh. Silly pins." A woman muttered as she came out of a back room, holding a piece of silk ribbon that was just about covered in pins.
"Lalasa?" John asked, standing on his tip-toes to see over the counter.
"That is me. Who is asking?" She asked, looking at John's proud face with a warm smile.
"John. And this be my sister, uh…Cecile." He stumbled over my name as he looked into Lalasa's eyes and then backed up a step. Lalasa was glaring out the window at someone, but I couldn't see who.
"I am sorry dear. John? Yes. What can I do for you?" Lalasa turned from the window and looked at me.
"Well…I was hoping for a cleaning job…you know. For a while." I said quietly, looking down.
"Well, I am not sure…" Lalasa looked at the people around her, all buying or sewing or looking. "I have enough sewers, and I do all my own styling." She looked at me with worried eyes. I could tell she was around twenty, maybe older or younger.
"That's ok. I don't sew or stitch much anyway. I was wondering if you needed anyone to clean for you. I could clean the windows, and sweep the floor, or anything." I said, rushing my words. She still looked confused.
"I suppose…but how much money would you need? I already have quite a few helpers…I couldn't afford much."
"I don't need…er…I don't want lots. Just enough to get me by." I said, rephrasing my thoughts because I did need money. Lots of money.
"Well, then I suppose I could hire you for about 2 coppers every three days, plus another copper for anything you do extra. Big things, I mean." She said, eyeing John again. "Does he need work, too? He is a bit young…" She trailed off, looking at me.
"No, just me. And I kindly accept your offer." We shook hands, and John and I walked back to the orphanage in silence.
Once back, Jess and I went up to her room to talk privately. "I miss my old home. Me and my friends sometimes would go outside, and sleep near the ocean." I said, remembering how Rea, Amily, and I had used to sleep down at the beach, a mile away from Pirate's Swoop, whenever Alanna's kids had come. Aly always took us down with Allison, who usually woke crying in the middle of the night and we would all help put her back to sleep. Remembering Rea hurt, as did remembering little Amily. I turned away from Jess.
"Hey, for whatever strange reason you left, you are here now. You are our family now. You can miss them all you want, but we will be right here." I looked up into her comforting brown eyes. 'They think I was thrown out!' I thought. Let them. It is easier than telling them the truth.
In the morning of my third day in Corus, I went to Lalasa's bright and early. As I had promised, I scrubbed the outside windows till they glowed, swept the extra linen from the women's sewing up off the floor, and cleaned behind the counter.
It had been five hours when I was finally done sorting the linen and had finished my shift. Well, almost. I had also promised to help one of the young ladies look for a proper green dress to go with her green eyes. That was what I was doing when…you will never guess who walked in.
I used to think I had pretty good luck. Everyone told me I hadn't had any luck, but I thought I was pretty lucky. Until I saw who walked through the door.
"Hello, George!" Lalasa said, coming around from around the counter. She had really warmed up to me, and so left me alone with the money. I couldn't help but look down. I looked different than from when I had been working with him, of course, but I was still wary. I couldn't help but to remember what he had said on the way back from Corus.
"Why, hello Lalasa." He murmured. "May I come in?" His lilt was nearly gone. I peeked out from the bangs that I had added to this form. I was incredibly glad I had.
"Why, of course." She came over to me. "Just wait here." She said and stuffed the rest of the money from the machine into a bag she carried into the back. She smiled at me and nodded to the young women who I was supposed to be helping.
"I am sorry." I said to her and walked over.
"That is alright. What is your name?" I realized I hadn't told Lalasa that either. 'Easy hiring circumstances, or just not interested?' I wondered.
"Erm… I'm…S…Sadie." I stammered, thinking fast. 'Princess?' I wondered. That is what Sadie meant. It had just sort of popped out.
"Hello, Sadie. I like that name. Very proper." Said the lady. "I am Thayet." I immediately jumped up and bowed low to her. The Queen!
"I am sorry, Majesty." I said while bowing.
"Now stop that! We were talking so pleasantly! Please, just call me Thayet." She pleaded real sorrow in her eyes, which also held a tint of mischief.
"Oh no, Majesty. I really am sorry." I fled then, calling upon one of the sew-mistresses, Nora, to help Thayet while I ran to Lalasa.
"Lalasa! You'll never guess, never, who that lady was!" I shouted as I headed into the back, where she and George had headed.
"No, I haven't seen anyone like that." I heard Lalasa say before I exploded into the room.
"Whoa!" George said. The door banged and I ran into the room, stumbling on the edge of n intricate carpet. George instinctively reached out a hand and steadied me.
"Thanks." I muttered before turning my eyes back to Lalasa. "The Queen! Thayet! She is in there! The one, buying the green dress, Thayet! You'll never guess! She told me …she TALKED to me!" I pretended
to prattle on, nearly glowing with excitement. Of course, I had seen Thayet many times before. But, she was so beautiful when she was trying to be ordinary! And her eyes, I had never been that close to her. As a maid I had had to stay away, except when her kids wanted to play with me.
"Slow down, girl!" Lalasa commanded.
"Sadie" I said without hesitation.
"Sadie, slow down. Lalasa comes in all the time to buy dresses. I used to work in the palace." Disappointment hit me, and I turned away from her. George looked strangely at me. I stared at him.
"Do I know you, Sadie?" He asked me. I could feel myself blush. Stupid giving-away-blush!
That is the end of this chapter. I think I have been addicted to writing. Next chapter coming soon, hopefully. With the emphasis on hopefully.
Actually, no it won't. I just got back from watching a movie with my sister and it is now 10:37. I am going to bed. Not that I have school ion the morning or anything, but INUcarrot1 is coming over so we can update Sand Runners and a few other things. Plus we are going to go for a walk tomorrow, and I need my sleep. Unless you want me falling asleep against a tree, of course!
Catch you later alligator!