Early Morning Shopping [Lance]

The dew was settling on the small patches of grass that littered the corners of the cobble stoned pathways within the market. The sun was barely rising up through the purple and orange clouds as merchants sluggishly set up their wares. The creaking of the wooden stands filled the air along with the soft mutterings as people spoke to each other. Occasionally a louder voice would fill the air for a moment as a rare morning person spoke in a chipper tone. However, for the most part, the market was dead silent. Even the guards weren’t up yet.

In this silent and sleepy scene, a young girl walked silently through the relatively empty streets. Her purple eyes shifted silently, eyeing the area with a neutral expression. Liri looked down to the floor as she stood in the center of the cobble stone road, thinking. Her master wanted them to leave this country soon. It was growing dangerous to conduct business in the area with the new King around. Before they could go, they had to gather supplies though. There were plenty of other kingdoms to do business in, but they couldn’t get to them without certain items.

While the supplies for the other slaves they were transporting were ready for the most part, there were certain items that her master wanted. These items were the spoiled and rotten wishes of the wealthy man. He wanted new silk linens for his carriage and fine snacks to make the journey easier on him. Since the other slaves who could be trusted were preparing for the move, Liri was sent out on her own.

So, the girl shuffled from stand to stand, eyeing the sleepy merchants with tired eyes as she searched for her master’s items.

Lance crept in the shadows of the market place, eyeing products as he went. He had just gotten his meeting with the king done a few weeks ago and was waiting for the news about if his church got accepted or not. He had to return to Heliohapt sooner or later because he was starting to wonder about how his adopted Orphans were taking care of themselves.

People looked at him with suspicious eyes as he passed because he gave off a weird vibe. He had picked up some cloth and some fruit from nearby store to take back to his base in Reim. He spotted a small child who looked aorund eleven and walked over to her. He looked down at her with a mysterious look in his eyes as he hung the silk over his shoulder and carried the fruit in his hands "Its not safe for a child to be walking around at this time..." he told her as he blinked "What are you doing here?" he said in a quite tone.

There was a strange man in front of her. Her eyes shifted over him, taking in his details. From how he stood, she could tell he wasn’t a noble of any sort. The stranger wasn’t any better than she. The only exception was that he stood much taller than her. Not in height but in self-confidence. Where her shoulders were small and withdrawn, his seemed to be rather broad and extended. Details of his appearance continued to flood her mind as Liri looked over him silently. He was a ruffian, just like she was. By how he hung the silk over his shoulder she could tell that he wasn’t superbly wealthy either despite the fine silk. Her calculating eyes continued to gaze at him.

When he spoke, she replied fairly quickly. It was as if she was afraid waiting would have repercussions. ”I am in the market district,” she spoke, looking off to the side towards the stand. ”I am here to shop.” Her voice didn’t have much emotion within it. Liri’s tone held honesty, but that wasn’t all that hid within her voice. Her words were so quiet that it was almost like she was trying not to be heard.

Lance took a step back and looked her up and down. She looked like a poor child and she didn't seem to have an actual family of any sort that she lived with. He examined her clothes and gave her a warm smile and tossed her an apple "May I ask what you are searching for?" he said as he knelt down to speak to her at eye level "Maybe I could help you find it." he said with a quiet but warm and welcoming tone.

This child reminded him of himself when he was younger. "She is just like me..." he thought to himself as he awaited the girls answer.

Liri’s clothes were about as simple as one could go without being considered dirty looking or like a street child. She wore a large worn knitted coat with a brown collar. The white of the coat had turned into a light gray color from years of usage. One could also see the gently frayed edges of her shorts from beneath the coat as well. Her shoes were simple black cloth ones as well. Her hair was cut in uneven shades, as if the strands had been sheared by a dagger. The only neat things about her were the two braids that had been made along the sides of her face.

When he smiled at her, she felt uneasy. The girl visibly shifted at the sight of the adult smiling with unease. As he tossed her the apple, the girl caught it silently. Why was he giving her fruit? Was he trying to lure her somewhere? Holding the apple tightly, the girl looked more like she was holding a ball than a fruit. She lowered her hand and looked around. If she spent too much time talking to this man, her master would get angry. He didn’t like to be kept waiting.

Looking back at him, Liri bowed her head politely. ”Thank you for the apple sir.” Despite speaking and acting well mannered, there wasn’t any hint of sincerity in her voice. They were mechanized answers, as if she was simply replying so he wouldn’t be offended. ”I’m looking for silk and fruit for my master,” she replied once more, automatically.

"I believe I can find it on my own."

Lance gave her another warm smile "Master..." he muttered under his breath as he grabbed his right wrist and his eye twitched a bit. He grabbed the silk from his shoulder and placed the fruit in the girls hands before laying the silk around her shoulders "There... Its not safe to be out here alone..." he said warmly as he kept himself knelt down "Is there anything else you need?" he asked with a disarming smile.

He was acting weird when he saw this child. He felt sympathy for her and he wanted her to be free. This girl needed to know that not everyone was going to treat her like a slave and that her situation was just an unfortunate turn of events.

Once again this stranger’s smile bothered her. She wasn’t use to adults acting like that. As he spoke, her eyes narrowed. He had relations to slavery. That wasn’t surprising. By the way his face twitched as he muttered the word master, one could tell he or a person close to him was a slave once. When the silk was taken from his shoulders and placed around hers, she froze. Her shoulders grew rigid. Why was he giving this to her? She held the fruit like a statue, unsure what to do with them. While the man surely saw this as an act of kindness, Liri was worried. Was there someway this could end up causing her trouble?

The girl chewed on her lower lip nervously as her purple eyes looked down to the apples in her hand. When the man knelt down in front of her, the girl’s eyes shifted to look at him. It wasn’t safe out there? The comment was so foreign to her that she wasn’t sure someone had even spoken it. Liri grit her teeth. Why was he being so nice? People weren’t nice for no reason. What did he want? His smile… She didn’t trust it. He was just another adult looking to take advantage of her.

Should he be observant, one could see a small butterfly or two fluttering out from behind her, both black in shade. The girl opened her mouth to speak softly, still being polite if only by habits that had been beaten into her. ”I apologize sir, I cannot take this silk nor this fruit. I was sent to buy the items not be given them.”

Lance placed his hand on the girls shoulder "No, I cant take those back." he said with a smirk. He looked passed her and saw two black butterflies "Ruhk..." he muttered as he stared the girl in the eye "So she is like me..." he muttered as he himself had small black butterfly things around him.

Lance sat on the ground and leaned against an empty stall. He motioned for the girl to sit next to him. If she decided not to he would continue to talk "I cant take those back because your like me. or your like my past self that is..." he muttered as he closed his eyes "I was once a slave like you... I became free when I beat my master to death..." he spoke quietly as he shook his head "Take that stuff back to your master... dont cause any trouble..." he told her with a smile as he ruffled her hair "Your Ruhk is black like mine. Have you cursed your fate my dear?" he asked with his head tilted.

The girl hadn’t even noticed the man’s black Ruhk. The sudden appearances of the black butterflies were nothing new to her. She had always seen them around not only her masters but also various other slaves. The black butterflies were just another thing that faded into the background to her. She didn’t even know what they meant. Sure, she knew magic, but the girl lacked any real advanced formal training. Her current level was based off the strong foundation she had drilled into her memory. So, the significance of black or white Ruhk was lost on the girl utterly and completely.

As the man spoke, she watched him. Why was he muttering? Why couldn’t he take them back? Taking them back would be as simple as just holding the items right? The girl gripped the apples tightly as he sat on the ground, leaning against an empty stall. Why was he sitting on the floor? This man was strange. As he motioned for her to sit next to him, she sat. Her response was automatic. He had given her an order, and she followed it. That’s how she was trained to be.

So, now sitting next to the man, Liri held the apples on her lap, listening to him. Her eyes weren’t on him though. She stared ahead at the people slowly beginning to fill the marketplace. The sky had turned from a purple and orange shade to one of a bright and clear blue. It was still early, but dawn was turning to morning light. As he spoke, Liri tilted her head. So he beat his master to death? The man next to her was a murderer, but then again, so was she technically. Liri didn’t speak as he spoke. When his hand lifted towards her, she froze, a brief fear flashing across her eyes before he simply ruffled her straw like hair.

Liri’s eyes glanced towards him as he began to talk about her Ruhk. Was it that significant? What did the butterflies have to do with whether or not she cursed her fate? Still, the girl answered in her usual strained politeness. ”I have not. There is no fate for me to curse.” She continued speaking in a completely matter of fact tone, as if talking about the weather.

"People get fates and destinies. I'm not a person, so I don't get one."