The King's Artist

Ch 2: An Unlucky History

Adelaide liked having short hair. It felt cooler and was less of a hassle to mess with. It was one less thing to conceal as she snuck across the harbor. Adelaide had dressed entirely in blacks and grays to accommodate the occasion and was quick as she crept through barrels and across fish netting. Only a few men were present on the dock at such a late time, which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there were fewer people to see her. A curse because it made her footsteps much more easily heard. Luckily, the sack Adelaide had wrapped around her shoulder was still relatively light and didn't add much extra weight to her steps. There was a problem, however, with the coins that rattled in the pouch tied to her hip. Adelaide grabbed it multiple times to silence the annoying and hazardous sound.

She'd gotten the extra money from Marian. The thought of her friend sent a pang of guilt through her that she quickly shoved aside. Marian had looked horrified at Adelaide's new appearance when she'd shown up at her door at nearly midnight. She had been considerate enough not to ask any questions as to why though which Adelaide appreciated. Instead of questioning Adelaide, Marian just gave Adelaide the money she'd requested along with some food. Marian's confuses face was evident of the questions surging through her head, but she bites her tongue knowing full well Adelaide would end up lying to her.

"Just be careful," Marian whispered as she hugged Adelaide close. "I know it would be ridiculous of me to try and stop you or ask you what you're doing, so I won't. But promise me you'll be safe."

Adelaide felt a choked sob rose up in her throat at the realization she hadn't given Marian a very decent goodbye. Adelaide had brushed away Marian's concern with a laugh, telling her with a smile that she wasn't going anywhere. This was, of course, a lie. Adelaide had said the words hoping to ease Marian's conscious. She should have known it would have been wasted effort.

Adelaide now sat crouched on the damp dock with only the moon's light for guidance. The cool air from the ocean sent a shiver down her spine and over her arms, but Adelaide wasn't bothered by the sensation and had barely even noticed it. The cold was something she was familiar with at this point. That, and daily struggling. She'd been struggling since the day she was born. Having lost both parents at the age of one from an illness that swept the village, Adelaide's care was ultimately passed around by the village members. None of them took her in permanently, but many did provide her food on a regular bases and, occasionally, a place to sleep.

Marian's family had been one of the families Adelaide stayed with regularly rather than back at her small shack that was a poor excuse for a home. Despite already having five other mouths to feed, Marian's family were the main ones to take care of her. They couldn't offer her much, but Adelaide had always adored the time she stayed with them. Things began to change, though, after Marian's father died in a mining accident. He and twelve other men.

The sudden loss drastically affected many of the families Adelaide was provided by. Some blamed her, claiming she was cursed while other just couldn't afford her anymore. Marian's family was one of them that just couldn't find the money. Marian still did what she could for Adelaide, but being six years older, she eventually married and began a family of her own. As a result, Adelaide was forced into independence with a life fed off of scraps and a home that wasn't much better than a cardboard box.

Adelaide sighed quietly to herself. An ominous fog began rolling over the dock from the ocean providing Adelaide perfect cover as she snuck onto one of the boats.