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Arlen tapped lightly on the window, in bird form he needed to do so with his beak, and he felt awkward and a little sheepish as he tapped away. Still, as soon as she heard him, she rushed toward him, seeing him, she smiled and opened the window wide. He had not planned on coming tonight, nor had he planned on tapping on her window, he had just wanted a look. Just wanted to make sure she had gotten into the castle and was safe. He was not yet ready to admit that it was the warm feeling that she inspired that had brought him back tonight, she had smiled at him and now he was hooked.
?You found me again, didn?t you my little bird. I?m starting to think you are my personal protector.? She beamed at him, and when she pulled the dinner roll from her sleeve and tore it in half, placed it before him, he was touched. No one had bothered to show him any kindness in a long, long time. He ate a piece, remembering the texture and taste of bread that he had not had in years and years.
Mostly he stayed away from humans, all they did was hunt and destroy. On more then one occasion he had caught bands of poachers trying to intrude on his domain and he changed them into the very creature they were hunting. It had required taking on his human form, his magic worked better as a man, but he resented them even more for making him do it.
His human form was painful, the memories and bitterness fresh every time he went back into that form, would assail him, weaken him. He felt the rage like a fire burning through him each time he took back his original form. The loss of his sister, his mother, all at the hands of that weak, pathetic creature he held cursed by the lake of tears. His true enemy and his lifelong task.
At first, he had enjoyed tormenting the little prince, he who had enjoyed everything, while Arlen had lost all, but a hundred years is a long time, and he soon became bored with the usual games that boys play. You can only hog tie some one so many times before it becomes routine.
After a while, Arlen simply stopped bothering, only checking on his quarry from time to time to make sure he remained cursed and trapped forever. The rest of his time Arlen spent in bird form now. It was easier, simpler to live as a bird. Food was easier to come by and crows need not dust or make tea or wash dishes. Life as a bird suited him just fine, he thought, until he saw her, all alone, wandering the paths of his forest.
She was lost, that was clear, but she wasn?t scared as he had expected. Instead, she sang little songs to herself about how she would find her way out, when she heard a howl in the distance, she shivered but sang about how it was a nice wolf and wouldn?t hurt her.
It was kind of cute, he decided and swooped down for a better look, landing on a branch above her head. She looked up surprised but when she saw him, she smiled. To his immense surprise that smile warmed his heart to a temperature he had not felt in a long time.
He shook it off, unused to this feeling, but decided to help the silly creature any way. He flew down, swooped around her, and flew in the direction she needed to go. She stopped for a moment, unsure of what to do. Arlen shook his head slightly and flew back to her, swooped around her again and flew towards the castle. This time she followed and soon she saw the lights ahead. She laughed with relief and ran leaving him behind, in the dark and the cold. Before she reached the gate she stopped, turned and waved. He heard a faint, thank you and watched as she disappeared behind the castle wall.
As he flew back towards his tower, he chided himself on his actions. What kind of evil sorcerer helped people who lost themselves in his forest? He should have turned her into a piglet like he did with all the people who had the nerve to enter his domain without his permission, yet instead he had helped her, brought her home. He recalled her sweet little voice as it trilled her little songs and couldn?t help but feel warm. A feeling that was spreading through him, making him panic a little.
Halfway back to his lonely home, he landed on a thick branch and changed back into his human form. He made himself comfortable and gazed up at the moon, letting the grief and pain wash over him, as it did every time he came back to himself. He needed a clearer head to deal with this unexpected new feeling in him. It was warm, and good, two things he did not think he would ever feel again and inside a storm raged, a battle between the new seed growing and the cold dark pit of hatred that had ever been his home.
When the sun began to rise, he found that he felt lighter somehow, as though in the night some of the heavy burden of his promise, his curse, had lifted just a little. He changed back into a bird and flew towards the castle instead.
It took him most of the day to work out which room was hers, he waited until night fell and the castle was readying itself for sleep before he worked up the courage to fly to her window.
He watched as she bid goodnight to her tutors, and her caregiver. Waited until she was alone before he found himself tapping, hoping she would hear him and preying she did not. He wasn?t even sure why he was here only that in her presence he felt warm, and he was beginning to like the feeling.
She beamed at him and opened the window, placed her offering before him and stood back. Her pleasure at his company obvious. He ate in silence, savoring every bite of kindness until only crumbs remained.
?Come back tomorrow?? she asked, hope in her pretty green eyes, and he bobbed his head and chirped at her. He was hooked, he knew, and he smiled in his mind, grateful for the first time in a long, long time.
The streets of my slum town are anything but cheery. Oil puddles fill the alleyways, and I do my best not to step in them as I duck in and out of the shadows.
Not many people are out, especially not at this time of night. Candles light a few windows, flickering like tiny beacons in the dark. For a small moment, I wish the fire were bigger so that I could have the pleasure of warming my hands
?Please, neighbor, spare a coin for a starving friend,? says a raspy voice from my feet. I look down at the man, huddled in a wool blanket. He shivers. His eyes are black as the oil spills, his hair and ashy gray. ?Please. I?m not sure I have the strength to move on.?
?I?m about as unlucky as you, my friend.? It?s true, a lot of people here are starving. But at least I?m not this man.
?Oh.? His voice is barely audible.
?But today is your lucky day. I just so happened to get paid today.? Reaching into my pocket, I gently press a small, copper coin into his boney hand. ?I wish I could offer you more, but I have family at home to take care of.?
?I understand.? His voice rises, his spirits rising with it. ?Oh, bless you! Thank you, young man!?
I nod, moving along the street away from the man. It isn?t long before I sense someone following me.
I quicken my pace, my hand flying to the gun hidden under my coat. No. I won?t use it unless I really have to.
My pursuer is fast. Nimble, almost inaudible footsteps dart in and out of alleyways that I pass. Bless my stars, though, there?s only one of them. A small figure, I gather by quick glances. Maybe a child. Even more reason not to use the gun.
There is a small yell and my pursuer kicks me in the backs of my knees, sending me to the ground. I tuck and roll, standing to my feet when I feel that I?m a safe distance away.
The figure comes at me. They try to grab me, but I beat them to it, grabbing both of their wrists. Before they know it, their arms are twisted around them and they?re up against the wall.
The hood falls off her head. Her.
?What do you want? Money? Why don?t you go get a job.? I slam the girl?s face into the wall, before freeing her and giving her some space. She whimpers, her fingertips flying to her forehead where she bleeds a tiny amount
?Please,? she whispers as I turn away. ?Just enough for a biscuit and a night at the inn. That?s all I need.?
I raise my eyebrows at the sound of her thick, strange accent. ?Gatlin. Gatlin Casey.?
I open the door to a small house at the end of the road. ?Here we are. My home sweet home.?
?Gatlin!? Izabella, one of the orphans, announces my arrival. ?You?re back!?
She runs towards me, jumping into my outstretched arms. I swing her up and around, placing her on my hip. ?Hey, Izzy.? I sniff the air. ?Is that dinner??
She nods. ?You?re just in time! We?re having leftover stew!?
Darby recoils a few steps at the sight of many children rushing towards us, grins on their faces.
?Gatlin!?
?Who?s this??
?How was your day at work??
?Is this your girlfriend??
?Woah, woah, one at a time.? I laugh, gently peeling the many arms off of me. ?Everyone, this is Darby. She?s going to be staying the night.?
?Yay! You can bunk with me!? Izzy takes Darby?s hand. ?Come on, I?ll show you to the dining room!?
I?m about to follow after the two of them when a voice calls me back. ?Gatlin.?
?The Higher will turn them into servants, if they?re generous enough.? Execution, if they?re not.
Ms. Sparrow bursts out with laughter, throwing a frail arm over my shoulders. ?Oh, Gatlin, I forgot how much I?ve missed you around here.? We walk with the crowd of children towards the dining room. ?Are you hungry??
My grin widens. ?Always, ma?am.?
I?m fiddling with one of the children?s toys when there?s a knock at the door. ?C?min,? I mumble, not sparing a glance across the room.
?You?re still awake??
The unfamiliar voice makes me turn around to look at Darby. Her auburn hair, once braided, hangs loose in waves around her shoulders. It shimmers in the reflected moonlight.
I raise an eyebrow. ?Uh-huh.? There is a small moment of silence. ?What?s up??
?You didn?t tell me that this place was struggling,? she says, crossing the room to stand by my side as I continue to fix the small toy. She gapes. ?How can you see in this light??
?Moonlight is all I need.? I look back up at her. ?And I didn?t think that the orphanage was of any concern to you.?
?Well, what?s going to happen to the children? Where will they go if this place shuts down??
Darby gasps. ?They would do that??
I raise my eyebrows. ?Of course they would. You?re not from around here, are you??
She freezes, her eyes going wide. ?W-what gave you that idea??
?How did you get here? Why are you here??
She sighs deeply. Have I asked too many questions?
?I crossed the sea until I reached land. I ran away. I?? She pauses, hesitating. ?I didn?t like how our government was running things. So I left.? She turns to glare at me. ?And don?t you dare ever quote me on that.?
I raise my hands, surrender-like. ?I know, I know. Information like that could get you killed.? I grin. ?This isn?t my first time playing with fire.?
She crosses her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes. ?Anyway, I might be able to help you. You know, with keeping this place open.?
I lean back in my chair. ?I?m all ears.?
?I?m the head of the rebellion. Well, one of the heads.? She smirks. ?We have resources.? Her smirk widens into a grin. ?And I was actually looking for you, Mr. Casey. I want to recruit you.?
She cuts me off before I can even think of responding. ?I know that you never liked the idea of the rebellion, my sources tell me. But we could restore this place. Help you. Help the children.? She lets me ponder it for a few moments. Then, she whispers, ?I don?t think you have much of a choice, Gatlin.?
And she?s right. I don?t have much of a choice. Darby knows where to hit. What buttons to press.
She hits hard. And she?s pressed all the right buttons.
I can?t believe I fall under her little spell.
Then again, she does always say that you do big things?things bigger than yourself?for the ones you love.
?Gatlin?? a small voice asks. I turn from packing my bag to see Izzy standing at the door. She messes with the cuff of her sleeve. ?Darby said you?re leaving? Already? But you just got here!?
I stuff an extra shirt into my bag. ?I know, Iz. But Darby?s got work for me. And I?m gonna get paid a lot for it.? I pick up the small, metal object on my desk, turning it around in my hand. Slowly, I cross the room and press it into her small hands. ?Here. This is for you.?
She looks down at it with wide eyes. ?My own knife??
I press a finger to my lips, squatting down to be at her level. ?Don?t tell Ms. Sparrow. She?ll whip me if she finds out.? Izzy smirks. ?I?m leaving you in charge. Protect them for me, Izzy.?
She watches me. Searches my eyes. Then, finally, the small thirteen-year-old nods. Her lips shift into a deep frown, and I can tell that she?s holding back her tears.
I squeeze her shoulder, and she lets out a small sob. Collapsing into my arms, she buries her face in my jacket, doing her best to stifle her sobs.
?You promised, you know,? she whispers. ?You said you would never join the war.?
She nods slowly, watching Izabella for a few moments. ?Time to go.?
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