Scars like Stars

Chapter 1

A cloaked figure casually strolled down the street past the merchant who's jewels shimmered in the rising sun, past the centre of the village- a point of unity, past the Black Smith where his fingers nimbly collected a few copper coins without so much as a pause and finally across the bakery where his dirt stained hands once again reached out to grab two pieces of bread from where they had been left to cool by the window sill. All in one motion he wrapped the bread in his cloak and gently placed a pretty copper coin in its place - a complement to what little morals he had.

Dark shoes, worn and torn padded into a darkened alley where he suddenly turned with a sharp intake of breath, launching himself up to the boarded window before pulling himself up.

Carelessly running across the rooftops he sailed over the brighter parts while dashing through the shadows - he had learned early on that it was never good to dwell. Either in the past or the present, it did not matter , and especially not in the present.

As his feet flawlessly took him to the hidden door at the obscured corner he reached out to enter.

" Nathan !!!" Screamed the small figure that hurled themselves at him. Grabbing tightly on to his neck, thin arms clutching with fierce ferocity.

"I missed you ! You left before I woke up and Gilly won't let me out because I apparently caused a itsy bitsy problem last time " the figure now obviously a girl of 6 season cycles pinched her thumb and forefinger together.

"Mmhm, of course, only you Rhia would deem setting fire to the market place an 'itsy bitsy' problem " replied Nathan rolling his eyes in mock frustration, lips twitching in the beginning of a smile.

A lithe girl wearing a purple turtle neck top and black trousers strolled in her hair, a deep chestnut pulled on top of her head in a messy bun did not soften her stern expression.

" Yes Rhia, that's what I thought you woulda say and for that you ain't  going out for the next week either", with a sound of indignation Gilly turned her attention to Nathan.

"What ! noo" Rhia wailed.
"You can't make me, so stop " she ended sniffling to illustrate her point.

"You're not mama" she whispered after a beat of angry silence.

The atmosphere  changed and in its place sadness coated the air as the fog of Monday mornings did when winter's chill had set and the babies in warm family homes stopped crying, their nightly exertion complete.

Gilly's face morphed into one of anger with the underling ever-present sadness "no but I am your sister and I will not except that attitude, mama as you said isn't here - she's gone, she left us, threw us away, as if we were nothing - She doesn't t care ! " Gilly's voice raised as she spoke, frightening the other younger  children that had gathered hearing a commotion.

"Hey, Gilly, come on  - a chat, " Nathan tried to direct the anger away.

Gilly blinked in a haze, her eyes clouded over and her shoulders drooped. "Yeah, of course.  The roof then ? .And the lot of you - go wash up and wait at the table for breakfast. " She instructed the children, all, who scuttled eagerly away.

And together they padded softly up the stairs from a room that had long been left to despair even before their scruffy group of misfits had found it.

The morning sky had fully awakened by this time and the birds flew outraged to new perches as wagon owners and more stalls opened for another day of back-breaking labour.

"Did the others come back ? We need to all group together and discuss what we'll have to do next week when the guards make their rounds. We have more children than ever before, we're barely making ends meet of what little we have and I'm pretty sure the guards have realised we're here. We won't be treated well if we're caught. " Nathan finished. Pulling a long sorrowful sigh from Gilly.

" I know, I know. I'm sorry I just see more and more of them on the streets shivering and freezing their hands off. Ripped clothing and no refuge, huddling alone or with another at the edge of alleyways in the damp cold puddles that form near the pipes. I had to do something even if it's  a roof over their heads and some company. It makes us not feel so lonely if you know what I mean. And no, the others didn't show yesterday or this morning, the last I heard was they had decided to see what they could salvage from the richer streets in the upper district. I went for a quick look yesterday night, it was quite dark but I think I saw an opening that could lead up to a few more rooms. I'll take a closer look later today and we can start shifting - the guards won't get us if we're careful. It's a nice place, well as nice as a run down place can be, not too scary for the little ones, the floorboards might creak in some places because of the water leakage near the right corner of the roof which looks like it has a missing slab but I think we can learn to avoid those spots, the gap can easily be covered with some waterproof material. The draft made nonexistent with the material and furniture we already have. " Gilly pleadingly confided.

Nathan looked aghast, "Gilly, do really think it would be within our reach to do that all in two days, possibly less. With only us two at the moment to shift, most of the children won't be able to do much. The others are gone, we're down 4 pairs of hands that can actually help us. This seems hardly like it would work. I - I couldn't get much today and no ones looking for hired help these days, what with the new traders coming in from the 'Eyes of the Beast' North  near the Imperial palace with their fine craft. No one wants a boy who doesn't even know the difference between all 89 woods known to elf kind " He proclaimed with a roll of his eyes, but worry was plain to see.

"We can do this, we have to. What you got this morning will at least hopefully be enough for the kids, send them out like normal to do what little jobs they can. The ones too small will be able to be tied on the backs of older ones for the day while I go have another look. I'm sure the others will get back soon and in time to help with good news too. You go and try your luck again with a job and I'll join you to try too. Okay ? "

"I'm trying Gilly, but what if we're not enough. I've been thinking - there are lots of people looking for children to adopt. The younger ones can still find a loving home and the older can go into the system, at least there they'll get fed regularly. And us well, we can carry on like we usually do. No more trouble if we're caught by the guard, I'll just be us, no else to drag down if we fall. Things would be safer. You, me, Walter, Alan, Agnes and Edith. "

In the silence that followed both cast themselves back, back to a time before, back to a time of solidarity, back to a time of less responsibility and more joy. It was easy to see that all six members of the close knit-group adored their charges and dedicated every waking hour of their life to make the others' lives so much better.

'Let's give it another go Nathan. Please. The system isn't that much safer and how're [sic] we going to find those perfect families? Those kinds of elves  don't adopt street rats, only the top rabbits go. " Gilly sighed.

"Alright " and with that he was gone, leaping from the roof top to another and following a winding path to the hard concrete floor below. Neatly landing without a sound in a shrouded alley.

With that the start of the day began. The children relished in the two loves of bread that set itself on the table as if it was a feast fit for a king - the cheese surely made it so. Gilly began packing, Nathan renewed his endeavour to find a job and the other 4 in pursuit of something no one knew what - including themselves.

*** 

Note : all [Sic] means is that I know the word preceding it is spelled incorrectly. It is not a part of the writing :)