"Run! Don't look back, just RUN!"
Dani's eyes snapped open, her body soaked with a cold sweat as if she really had been in the rain that poured down in her nightmare. Her heart pounded, and she struggled to get her breathing to come in something other than short gasps. Trembling, she sat up, running a tired hand across her face. “Shit”
It wasn't the first time that nightmare had reared its ugly head, but it had been quite a while since it had last bothered her. She supposed it was too much to hope that she was finally done with that particular boogeyman. With a sigh, she stood up from the thread-bare bed with its thin straw mattress, and pulled the ragged bit of cloth away from the window. It wasn't like it did a great job of blocking the sunlight anyways, but it did provide her with a little bit of privacy. The morning sun streamed through the window, making her blink as her eyes tried to adjust. It was too damn early. But there was little chance of falling back asleep after that nightmare. It was a remnant of her childhood, from before her foster father had found her, full of blood, thunder and terror.
She gave herself a shake and looked around the small room, barely big enough to hold the bed. Well, she had been lucky enough to get a room with a window. Especially since she couldn't pay the last few nights board. Since she was up this early, she might as well go down to the Trade Road and see what she could do about that. If she was lucky, maybe she could even afford a few more days in the shithole she currently called home. It beat sleeping in the underground.
Snagging her boots, Dani climbed out through the window, dropping lightly onto the roof of the neighboring building. The chittering and hissing of Sky Scraws marking her passage. She ignored them and the bones in their nest, hopping as she pulled on first one boot, then the other before heading along the roof to the next building. On this side of the city, the buildings were clustered close together, many leaning on others like drunks trying to stay upright. Many had small shacks built on top of them, or were carved directly into the cliff that curled around the lower part of the city. None of the buildings were terribly tall, which benefited her. She could easily go from one to the other, and from the roofs to the street.
She hopped off one close to Trade Road, using a stack of crates and barrels to make the descent to the hard-packed dirt street a bit easier. Even as early as it was there were people out and about, or still out and about. Dani couldn't help but smirk a little as she dodged around a young man emptying his stomach in the shadows of a small alcove. Poor lad was going to have a hard day if that was how he was starting it out.
He wasn't the last person still drunk from the night before that Dani passed as she followed the twisting, narrow streets of the Rats Nest towards Trade Road, where all the main markets were held. As she got further from the cliff, the smell of decay, filth and cooking fires started to give way to the smells of spices, fish and the sea. Buildings got slightly further apart, and more sun reached her driving away the morning chill. Trade Road was the widest street in the city, and cut through it from the original docks, past the palace, and out of the city. Anyone that wanted to make money set up shop along it, from the poor selling what they could, to farmers from outside the city, and the traders from across the sea. There wasn't a break in the market until you were in the temple district, and then it was clear all the way up past the palace.
Dani stuck to the docks and the slightly more legal markets for the most part. Usually the less legal traders had ties to the thieves guild, and she was the shitlist enough with them for being a thief without joining up. She just couldn't afford to pay the dues they asked, and it wasn't as if they would be any help if she wound up in Commoners Jail, or worse, the dungeon. So she had to depend on herself to keep out of trouble.
She had developed a set of rules to follow regarding people to steal from that kept her mostly safe and not feeling like a piece of shit. A list of people she refused to steal from, no matter how desperate she got. No stealing from children, commoner families with children, mages, people that reeked of magic, the poor, or folks protected by the Merchants or Thieves Guilds. She also steered clear of the sleek-furred cat people and the tall lizardfolk of the seas, they had quick reflexes and sharp senses that made stealing from them risky business to say the least.
Dani paused in the shadow of a building at the edge of Trade Road, surveying the market. Even so early, there were plenty of people about, most setting up their own stalls. But there were a surprising number of people out shopping, strolling or stumbling as well. She ruled out the farmer with his patched clothes and well-loved straw hat, and the mother with one child held against her chest and another tied to her apron strings. They were against the rules to steal from.
She considered the noble strutting along like he owned the street, but ruled him out when she noticed how attentive his guards were, and the aura of magic around his money pouch. Too much of a risk there.
However the merchant setting up a stall of overpriced pelts who had obviously never hunted a day in his life, and the noble dandy strolling down the street with a lute he barely knew how to play... those were fair game. Dani grinned, giving a nod to herself as she marked her targes mentally. Then she got to work.
By midday she had made enough to at least get caught up on her rent, although not enough to pay for future night stays. She would have kept going, the markets were unusually busy today, but the guards were on alert after last lady in fancy dress complained to them about her purse going missing. It was a shame too, it looked like everyone was setting up for some kind of celebration, but she couldn't think of what they would be celebrating. It was too early for harvest festivals, and too late to be celebrating a new year. But people were stringing up flowers everywhere and pulling out their best wares.
She weighed the bag of coins she had managed to steal, slinking out of the bright sun of Trade Road and towards the smaller market that the locals of the Rats Nest used to sell to each other. Perhaps with the crowd and commotion she would be able to try again in a little bit. Or try a different area of the Trade Road. For now, she headed to her friend Therija's shop.
Therija ran a small bakery in the Rats Nest, tucked at the edge of the little market closest to Trade Road. When her father had started to build it it had been barely more than a couple of ovens built into the wall of a collapsed building and a rug strung across an alley for shade. Now it was a tiny building wedged in that same alley, and the ovens had multiplied considerably. When Therija had started taking more responsibility in running the bakery she had even set up a sitting area in front of it, furnished with whatever she could find. And so Dani wound through a hodgepodge of tables made from barrels and old wooden planks covered with colorful tableclothes to the small building, the smell of bread and spices washing over her as she stepped inside. Sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling that would need to be repaired before the rainy season, falling on the tall, slender woman by the ovens, and the curly haired little girl behind the counter.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Be right wit' ye.” The taller woman, Therija called out, not turning from her work of pulling a large tray of cinnamon rolls from the oven. The counters and shelves were already full of baked goods: small white cakes with a single pecan on the top and coconut around the sides, cookies with pecan crumbs sprinkled over white icing, donuts, breads, and rolls of all shapes and types. Dani took in a deep breath, the tension seeping off her as she headed to the counter, enveloped in the familiar warmth. She had spent many a day here with Therija and her family while Reshi, her foster father, had been away hunting. It was here that they had played with the other children of the Rats Nest, and here where Therija's mother had hung the curtains all three of them had worked so hard on to decorate the shop, and where her father had taught Therija to bake. In many ways, it was as much a home as Dani had ever really known.
“Hi Dani!” The little bundle of energy and curls that was Therija's sister, Azra, called out. She was standing on a crate behind the counter, just barely making her tall enough to reach the giant bowl of frosting she was stirring with enthusiasm.
“Hello Azra, are you helping your sister today?” Dani grinned, moving to the counter and reaching into the bowl to scoop a finger of frosting out. Azra swatted her hand with the wooden spoon, wrinkling her little nose.
“No fingers in the frostin'!” She scolded, a glob of frosting dropping into the bowl as she shook the spoon at Dani. “Ye gun' get dirt in it!”
Dani laughed, pulling her hand back and licking the frosting off. She gave the little girl a wink, and dropped down onto a tall tree stump that wobbled a little as she landed. “A little dirt never hurt anyone. I don't suppose there are raisins in those rolls, are there?”
“There are.” Therija laughed as she set the rolls on the counter. “An' a bit of dirt may not 'ave hurt anyone but I don't want it in the rolls we be selling. Speakin' of which, ye actually gun' pay for 'em today?”
“Yeah! Ye gun' pay for 'em?” Azra parroted her sister, putting her hands on her hips.”
“You wound me!” Dani put a hand on her chest in mock offense. “Of course I'm going to pay! When have I ever not?” She pulled a couple of coins from her pouch, and set them on the counter. It wasn't enough to set her back on rent, but it also wasn't as much as she woud have liked to give Therija either. The woman was like a sister to her, and it would have been nice to actually be able to help her families little business grow.
“Only most o' the time.” Therija swept the coins off the counter and into the pockets of her apron. “Good day today?”
“So far. I'll be heading out again in a bit, I'm letting things cool down for now. Too many guards out and they're getting antsy.”
Therija shook her head, pulling a long, bent-handled spatula from beneath the counter. She used it to scoop up a large amount of frosting, plopping it onto the rolls. Nine huge scoops landed, already starting to melt as she spread the icing across the rolls. “Ye be takin' too many risks, Dani. Ye need ta find yerself a man ta settle down wit', or a job. Ye know Mrs. Haversaun is hirin' in her shop, I reckon she'd be pleased ta have ye.”
“Mrs. Haversaun is a seamstress for rich folk.” Dani let out a snort, picking at a patch on her pants. Sure she could sew, hell, Therija's mother had even taught her some fancy work before she had passed into the hands of Quietus. But that didn't mean she was good enough to work for Mrs. Haversaun. The rich folk and nobles wouldn't want someone like her around.
“That she is.” Therija smiled a bit, turning the spatula to use it as a knife, cutting the soft rolls apart on their tray. “Azra, go open the window an' set out the sign fer fresh rolls, please.”
“Aye!” Azra hopped down off the stool, her dark curls barely visible behind the counter as she darted past her sister and around to the door. Before heading out, she grabbed a board nearly as big as she was with a picture of a steaming roll on it and the words 'Fresh Rolls' written beneath it for those that knew how to read. Then she disappeared out the door to prop it against the tiny building. She reappeared as she pulled the shutters open, securing them to the outside of the building with fabric twine and letting the smell of the fresh baked goods waft freely out into the street.
“You know I'm not good enough at that sort of thing for her clients.” Dani said glumly, Therija shook her head, setting one of the cinnamon rolls on a piece of waxed fabric, sliding it over to Dani before she set to work on preparing the others for sale.
“Ye do just fine. Ya made these waxed squares fer us, an' ye helped with the table clothes and curtains. An' I know Mama taught ye more'n she ever taught me.” Therija smiled, although there was a touch of sadness to it. Therija's mother had been an excellent seamstress, and good friends with Mrs. Haversaun. But Therija just hadn't been interested in following in her footsteps, instead choosing to follow her fathers path and become a baker.
“That didn't take much in the way of sewing skills. Not like what you need to sew clothing.” Dani let out a snort
Therija let out a sigh, giving Dani an exasperated look. “Regardless, ye are a talented seamstress in yer own right, an' it would do ye good to earn an honest livin'. Else-wise ye should find yerself a man ta take care of ye.”
“Dear gods... really Therija?!” Dani nearly choked on her bite of cinnamon roll. The other woman just laughed, her brown eyes sparkling.
Therija had been getting all romantic lately, thanks to a certain handsome blacksmith that had caught her eye. Dani envied her a little, Therija had a promising future,a clear path for her life with a future of running the shop and likely a marriage soon if the doe-eyes the two tended to give eachother whenever the blacksmith came around were any indication. It may not be a rich future, but Dani had no doubt it would be a happy one.
Dani herself however, had a promising future that ended at the body brokers.
“Aye, really. I reckon I can find ye someone.” Therija smiled, and Dani looked at her in horror. She couldn't be serious! Could she? Dear gods....
“I gotta go; see you tomorrow?” She stood up, gathering up her roll in preration to flee.
Therija laughed at her haste, and set a hand lightly on Dani's arm, stalling her escape. “Aye, tomorrow. Be careful though. An' all jokin' aside... think 'bout what I said.”
Dani stood there for a moment, the mischief gone from Therija's eyes, but an aching love was still there, and worry. Dani nodded, returning the smile. “I will. I promise.”
She headed out of the little shop, slipping past an eager young boy clutching a coin in his hand. Her smile grew, mischief flashing in her eyes as she snuck another coin into his pocket. In the short time it took him to notice the extra coin, she was already gone, melting into the shadows of the Rats Nest and back to the crowded market of Trade Road.