Chapter II – Persistence
Under the searing hot midday sun I stood on the roof of a building, considering the distance to the next house. I was dressed in a light cloth shirt and pants, with leather padding on the elbows and knees. Leather boots and fingerless leather gloves completed my city-scaling outfit. Despite weeks of intense training, or running around that I fancied to be training, I didn't trust my strength to carry me across. Instead I turned to my right, climbed a stack of crates, granting me access to a wooden overhang, from which I could jump to the next building. I managed to grab the ledge and clambered up. I stood up and looked back victoriously. I was nowhere near the level of the man in white, but I had come a long way, especially for a spoiled noblewoman. In the beginning my father expressed his distaste at his daughter running around on the rooftops of the poor quarter. However, he once again relented eventually. I liked to think he tried to discourage me just for the sake of form, but actually was happy merely to see me happy.
Our relationship had been much less complicated in my youth, but when I came of age my father began insisting, though listlessly, that I roughly follow the social regulations. I showed little interest in it, and he understood, though he continued for appearances' sake. Being the daughter of Damascus' merchant king from the West wasn't easy. My father had come to Damascus a long time ago and had elbowed his way into the economical structure, soon becoming an integral part of the trade business. He had then become a notable man in the social circles of Damascus' nobility, and I was expected to behave as any other noblewoman. Well, my philosophy on that was to keep them expecting. I loathed the mind-numbingly dull frivolities of the higher classes, and I only attended any social events to humiliate those who thought me an ordinary, meek little lady.
I spent the rest of the day navigating the city. I couldn't match the unbelievable acrobatic feats of the man in white, but I did my best, relying on my wits to find alternate routes past impassable obstacles. I had seen him a few times on my excursions, and resisting another chase was hard each time. I reminded myself that I must be patient. Following him then would have ended only in failure. Now I was more confident in my abilities, but I hadn't seen him for quite a while. Part of me was confident he would return, part of me was afraid he wouldn't.
I returned home around sunset and ate a light meal on my balcony. A servant retrieved it when I was done, but I stayed on the balcony. It was my favourite place in the house. I was idly staring at the city when I heard soft footsteps behind me. I knew it was my father.
"Harun said you've been jumping around the city again."
"Yes, I have," I said, without turning around. "Do you disapprove, father?" He chuckled softly.
"Of course, though I know 'tis of no consequence to you."
"Then why the concern?"
"Exactly so. Concern. I fear you will hurt yourself." Not it was my turn to chuckle and I turned around. My father wasn't an old man, but the signs of age were beginning to show, streaking his full, brown hair with grey.
"I will be safe, father," I laughed, embracing him as I did. "Don't you know what the servants call me behind your back?"
"Yes, I do," he said, grinning lopsidedly. "Ath-Thu'ban. The snake."
"Exactly so. I flow around city as smoothly as a serpent." We laughed together. He planted a kiss on my forehead.
"Be safe, daughter." Without more words he left. I once again turned to my city, and watched as the sun was obscured by clouds. I heard a rumble and soon a slowly increasing drizzle blanketed the view. I was sweaty from the day's activities and relished in the cooling rain. I couldn't help but smile as the raindrops trickled down my face. I opened my eyes and watched vague shapes hurrying to cover from the rain. On a whim I went outside and still smiling blissfully started walking the streets. I lost track of time as I made my way along the streets. Realizing I'd been walking for quite some time I focused myself to figure out where I was. As I looked around a particular figure caught my attention. Where others hurried along carelessly, he walked, hands clasped and head bowed, calmly and in a collected manner, not even thinking about finding shelter from the rain. I saw he was once again heading for a ladder and the rooftops. I grinned to myself. Now was my time.
As the man in white slowly made his way to the ladder, I followed and waited for him to climb the ladder before going up myself. I waited a short while after he'd disappeared from my view, then followed him up. I tentatively raised my head and looked around the rooftops, and soon spotted him. He was moving slightly faster this time and was already at the edge of the roof. I softly ran after him, the drizzle-turned-downpour masking the sound of my feet on the clay roof. He made his way as gracefully as usual. I did my best to keep up, but couldn't help slowly falling more and more behind. He jumped off a roof, landed on a hanging platform, then continued to the next roof. I jumped off a roof, landed on a hanging platform, then continued to the next roof, but nowhere near as gracefully, my jump falling slightly short of the intended target. I managed to grab a handhold and pull myself up. Without hesitating I ran after him.
It was an intoxicating chase. We jumped off wooden beams, ran up crate stacks, balanced on poles and leaped down from roofs. Before I knew it we had left the middle quarter from where we had started and ended up in the rich quarter. The rain was getting heavier, the roofs slicker. The man in white was still ahead of me, now making his way from beam to beam on the side of a tall house. Without warning he jumped to the right to the adjacent building. I was startled, both by the sudden change in course and the possibility he might see me. I was lost in thought for just a moment, but in that moment I lost my footing and fell down. I landed hard, and the last thing I heard before blacking out was a sickening crunch.
A/N: OK, just epilogue to go. Originally this chapter was going to be slightly longer, but I realized this was a better place to fade out than the one I'd had in mind. Also, big thanks to my reviewers. Nothing like a positive review to give an unfounded ego boost. I've already got a bit written of the epilogue, and I hope to have it up within a week, because after that my spare time is drastically reduced for a short period of time.
