Mila's First Outing (Completed)

[Mila Glade]

It was no use. Mila had to try and find a way to get money, but a job would keep her away from pa too long. The thought of him being alone in their new house made her anxious.

As a half-elf, she aged slower than her father, who was human. She was just over 40, but she looked like a girl just becoming a woman, while her father was 83! She felt sick at the thought of losing him and it didn't help that they were living off cheap food. Even that was running out as the few copper they had arrived with had all but gone. So Mila needed to act.

She had always been fast and 'sneaky', so she figured she'd try and take something, just a few coins to get some food. Just enough to survive another day.

Mila seemed to have been skulking around the east district for hours. She had managed to take an apple from a stall and even some dried, salted meat. But she needed coin if she was going to be able to afford to see a cleric to help her pa.

The half-elf girl fell in step behind a man. He was shorter than her, with brown hair and wearing a cloak. She could see a coin purse at his hip. She just needed to get it.

Moving in closer through the crowd, Mila pushed passed a woman and was now directly by the man. She hurried a little and then bumped into him, her hands reaching out for the purse. "Sorry mister. Mila said as she tried to grab it.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis was bored. He’d been moving back and forth for the past several days. He was beginning to realize that expanding from an established man, Mr. O’Dell, and a skilled apprentice, Ksenia, wasn’t as simple as just picking up another crafter. He had near run his boots ragged getting things arranged since every other thing was in another district, or across the one he was in, or only during lunch rush. The tedium of it was endless, but he kept going by heartily reminding himself that there was a gold piece sitting safe somewhere. He only needed another- his pace slowed and his face fell as he realized the answer was several hundred.

There was an upset murmur from a woman behind him, then a tell-tale bump. He rolled his eyes and snapped his hand out to catch the wrist of his would-be sticky fingers. When his hand met delicate skin he halted in shock. He’d forgotten he still didn’t have new gloves.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw a clearly underfed and dirt stained girl. Then he caught her ears, pointed, not entirely unlike Ksenia’s, and a touch of panic entered his thoughts.

He turned completely around and yanked the girl by the wrist into a nearby alley. None of the other citizens gave them a second glance. Folks dragging off pickpockets for a beating wasn’t something uncommon in the slums, and it was a rare folk who wanted to ruin their day with a fight they didn’t earn.

Once he had the girl in the alley he let her go and gave her his most intense glare, trying to pin her to the spot in fear. If she was an elf, she likely wasn’t actually that young.

“Did the Quimellë put you up to this. There’s no way she’s that stupid. Who sent you?” he asked her in a harsh and fast whisper. He kept a hand at his belt, his pouch of decoy rocks forgotten.

[Mila Glade]

Mila gasped in panic as the man she had tried to lift dragged her into a nearby alley. No doubt she'd get a beating, but what if it was worse, what if he chose to violate her, or murder her?

When he asked her his questions, she scowled in puzzlement, trying to yank her arm free of his but a month of barely any food meant she was fairly weak. "No one sent me! I just needed coin for my pa! I don't even know what a ... whatever it is you said, is!" As he held her, she reached into her pocket and from it pulled out a small ornate dagger, barely longer than her hand, which she swung at him. She would be damned if she were going to be killed in an alley while he pa lay dying at home.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis heard her denials and the confusion in them seemed plenty truthful. He saw her take out a dagger, it looked more like a desk piece than an actual weapon. He thumped her arm hard to the side as she swung at him. “Stop it. You’re going to cut yourself,” he said stepping back from her and holding his hands up. “I’m not going to hurt you, and you aren’t a threat to me. Just stop.”

“How much do you need, you look like you haven’t eaten in weeks and you’re still this riled. You’re far too slow now. Even if I’d been drunk by the time you’d gotten something - rocks by the way - I’d be the next district over,” he said to her, offering a smile and showing her a handful of the pebbles he kept in his coin pouch. He was already shorter than her, so he couldn’t exactly make himself look less threatening. He just needed her to not sprint off, and stop thinking he was going to leave her in the gutter bleeding or worse.

[Mila Glade]

Mila winced as the man thumped her arm away, she took a few steps back. When he presented the pebbles she cursed herself. The hanging purse had been a decoy, or maybe even a trap. And she had gone right for it.

"My pa is sick." There was no point in lying to the man. He hadn't hurt her and the fact that he wasn't calling for the watch was a good enough sign. "And I can't get a job. Folk in this place don't like me ears. So I had to try and take something. Weren't nothing personal." She said. "Who are you, anyway? Why haven't you called the watch on me?"

[Artemis Black]

“No I don’t imagine they like them terribly much most places,” Artemis said, scrubbing at his chin. “I haven’t called the watch because I don’t need them." He put his arms out wide and adopted an imperious expression. "You took my rock, threatened a thief with a title, and now you dare question him? For these crimes you’ll pay dearly,” he said, giving the girl an exaggerated wink.

He dropped his expression and offered out a hand. “Artemis, and I think you’re not too different than I was a few years back. I’m doing well, and terribly bored, so I’ll indulge you. Maybe even earn a little good in my favor.” He gave a quick look around, and nodded when he saw the alleyway led to a crowded side street.

“Alright, put the thread cutter away, and come on. I’ll show you a little and get some food in you. In exchange, you tell me about your pa and don’t give me any paper cuts,” he said over his shoulder, starting to walk towards the rush of people.

[Mila Glade]

Mila eyed the man suspiciously. It wouldn't be out of reason for him to simply want to get into her underwear, but then wouldn't he have just done so now? And where was he taking her?

Mila had not survive practically on his own (pa had been sick for the last 10 years), without having some instinct, and she told him that this was a man she could trust, but who was also someone should never be disloyal to. Well, she didn't have to be loyal, but if he had a way of helping her get some food (and maybe even medicine) to her pa, then what had she to lose? If she sensed danger, she could run. Right?

Her face didn't really change as he prostrated himself before her, but there was a twinkle of amusement in her deep, grey eyes. They looked like polished gems. In fact, were it not for her scruffiness, she might actually have been a beautiful young woman.

Mila put the knife back in her pocket. "I don't got nothing better, but I'm not bad with it." She declared proudly. Maybe compared to him she'd be a complete amateur, but she had driven off less experienced and more 'grabby' hands before.

"Fine, I'll come with you." She moved with him as they left the alley, her immediate defensiveness quietening down a little now they were among the public. "My pa ain't like me. He's full human, and he's old, and very sick. We came here cos we thought we might make a life for ourselves. I could get a job and pay for us ... at least that's what I told pa I would be doing. I'm better at nicking things though ... just taking what people can afford to lose it all." She patted her pocket. "And you might call it a 'bread cutter'. but you ain't seen me throw it."

She then realised she hadn't given her name. She considered lying, but what was the point? It was't like she had a reputation to uphold. The names Mila Glade; I'm a Thief." She said with pride.

[Artemis Black]

“Ah, that explains the ears then,” Artemis said more to himself, tapping at his own dull round sort, as he smoothly stepped up along a small pile of uneven crates before hopping back to the cobbles. When she shared her name he turned to smile at her. “Mila then, I’m sorry to hear your father isn’t well, but it is a pleasure to meet you. Though unless you’ve taken something proper you’re simply a pickpocket. I would love to see your toss, after we’ve gotten some food into you,” Artemis said as he approached the alley’s exit. He stopped just before it, scanning the moving crowd with a quick and discerning eye.

“There,” he said nodding at a stocky bulk of a man. He looked like a warehouse worker, his shirt was torn and heavily stained, his boots ragged, and his body shined with a sheen of sweat. People were giving him just a touch more room than usual and when he stepped it was clear he’d visited at least a few mugs of ale. “A simple one, likely paid today. His minds a bit addled and he’s liable to be exhausted. You move to his side, give him a bump and then take an easy fall. I’ll follow and if things go sideways I’ll get the purse and you out. Deal?” he said, flicking his eyes to her.

[Mila Glade]

Mila looked at him, her eyes taking him in for a moment. She hadn't gotten this far by falling prey to people taking advantage. He might just take the loot for himself. But so far, he hadn't beaten her, he hadn't called the watch, he hadn't tried with her, which some men did. Maybe she could trust him.

Well this would be the test. "Fine." She said.

Without another word she slipped through the people towards her target Moving through crowds was easy when you were as skinny as she, though people in this city did give her a second glance at times, especially when they saw her ears. But she ignored them, and walked on.

The man was swaying on his feet, and so she timed it that, just as she was to pass him, he swayed into her. She let out a small cry and tumbled to the floor. "Ouch, mister! That really hurt!" She said, rubbing her waist. "You need to look out where you're going, you hear?" She made a conscious effort not to look for Artemis, instead, tried to keep the man's attention on her.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis watched the girl move, she used her lithe form to slip around the crowds. Most ignored her, but every so often she’d get a second glance or a frown. He’d need to get her a hat or something and teach her to look down a bit more. Her form was haphazard, but not without it’s worth. She took the step into the man’s swaying path with excellent timing.

The worker collided with her and Artemis moved, pushing his way through the last bit of crowd flowing around the man. The worker hadn’t even stopped for a step after he hit her. He jerked to a halt and looked down at her. His eyes were bloodshot and he gave her a severe frown. Then Artemis hit his side again, pocketing the coin purse into his satchel and immediately moving his hands out, palms open.

“What have I told you about looking where you’re going?” he said frantically as he knelt beside her, blocking her face from the worker’s view. Artemis grabbed Mila by the arms and lifted her up before turning to the worker, his eyes downcast. “I’m so sorry sir, she doesn’t look, head in the clouds,” he said before he turned and hustled Mila away. The worker’s eyes narrowed as they disappeared into the crowd but he soon began his slow drunken lumber down the street.

He hustled the girl a half block before moving into a position behind her and slowing to a casual walk. “Next alley on the right, keep walking until the next street, don’t look at anyone,” he said, whispering to her and hoping she’d gotten at least some of the elven hearing.