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I leaned against the wall of a crumbling building, its once vibrant murals now faded and chipped. The light here in Sungard wasrelentless, casting everything in a golden hue that almost made you forget the desperation lurking beneath.
That is, unless you were a part of it.
I watched the market square intently, my eyes scanning the crowd for a suitable mark, someone whose purse strings were just a little too loose, someone who had the funds to feed me tonight, albeit unwillingly. There had to be someone. There always was.
I’d been living on the street for more than a year now, ever since my father died and my mother had been taken for the Sun Court. There was no one to take care of me other than myself, so I did what I had to do to survive.
I stole, mostly from the rich, otherwise I went hungry. And I hadn’t stolen anything in days.
I reached up and gently took hold of the amethyst necklace that hung around my neck, the cool stone resting in the palm of my hand. The pendant had been a gift from my mother.
Despite the relentless hunger pangs gnawing at my stomach, the thought of selling it had never crossed my mind. This necklace was more than just a piece of jewelry; it was the last tangible connection I had to her. No amount of gold or food could ever replace that, and I would hold onto it forever.
My gaze slid over the market as I dropped my hand. The square was bustling with activity, merchants shouting their wares, children laughing and playing, and people milling about, all oblivious to the girl lurking in the shadows, plotting her next move just so she could get her next meal.
Sometimes I liked to think of myself as the villain of my own story. It made things that much more fun.
I molded into the shadows, my gaze landing on a portly man in fine robes, a merchant by the looks of him. He was chatting animatedly with a customer, his coin purse hanging temptingly from his belt. Another pang of hunger rippled through me, and I almost took a step forward, but then I stopped myself.
No. Too risky. I watched him more closely, noticing that he was too aware of his surroundings. I needed someone who wouldn’t notice a light-fingered girl slipping into their pockets. I didn’t want to get caught again.
The guards would remember the girl with golden eyes, just like they did the last time I’d been caught.
A flash of silver caught my eye, and I turned to see a young noble, his face flushed with the excitement of a new purchase, a pointy new sword by the looks of things. He carried a small bag, the weight of it pulling his shoulder down slightly. What was in it? Jewelry, perhaps? His noble attire suggested wealth, but his demeanor screamed naivety. He might do, but I wanted to see if there were better options.
I moved through the crowd, careful to keep to the edges where I could disappear if needed. My stomach growled again, louder this time, urging me to make a decision before the market closed for the evening and the crowds became more dangerous by the hour. I ignored my stomach, focusing instead on a middle-aged man in a worn but sturdy cloak. He looked like a traveler passing through and when I looked closer, there was a heavy purse tied to his belt. He was deep in conversation with a vendor, his attention completely absorbed. I watched him for a few minuteslonger. He was distracted and nothing seemed to catch his attention.
Perfect.
I edged closer, weaving through the throng of people, my eyes never leaving the traveler. As I neared, I reminded myself of the small, sharp knife in my boot that I always carried just in case things went south. I didn’t want to use it, but the streets of Sungard were dangerous, even in the perpetual daylight, but more so at night when the light of the moon cast shadows over the city.
The traveler laughed at something the vendor said, throwing his head back, and I slinked closer, deciding to take my chance. I moved in quickly, my fingers deftly untying the strings of his coin purse as I bumped into him. The small bundle came free, and I slipped it into my own pocket, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest.
“Sorry, kind sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I muttered, dipping my head and keeping my eyes on the ground.
He didn’t even dignify me with a response.
Asshole.
I moved away just as swiftly, blending back into the crowd. I didn’t dare look back to see if he’d notice that his coin purse was gone. I knew better than to stay too close to my marks. The scars on my back were proof of what happened when I’d strayed too close and got caught. I could still feel every lash as though they’d flayed my back only yesterday.
I shivered, trying to shake off the terrible memories of the early days after my father died.
My father had been a good man, a kind man, who cared more for others than himself. He would often steal from the wealthy merchants of Sungard to feed the poor and hungry, of which there were many. He had always told me that true nobility came from the heart, not from wealth or power. But the Sun King hadn’t seen it that way. To him, my father was a criminal, a threat to his perfect, golden city, and he’d taken his head for it.
I remember the day they came for him. The Sun King’s guards had stormed into our small home. They dragged my father out into the street, accusing him of theft and treason. The Sun King himself presided over the execution, his cold golden eyes watching without a hint of mercy as my father was beheaded in front of the gathered crowd. His only crime had been trying to help those in need, but in Sungard, that was seemingly enough to seal his fate.
My mother had begged for mercy, but the Sun King was as unyielding as the blazing sun. As punishment, she was taken away to serve as a slave in the noble households, a living reminder of the cost of defiance.
He dealt with me last.
As an example to the people, I was whipped in the middle of market square. He was the reason for the marks on my back.
From that day on, I learned to fend for myself. The streets of Sungard became my home, and survival became my only goal. I learned to pick pockets, to steal food, to blend into the shadows. Trusting no one, I relied on my wits and agility to stay alive. In the end, I survived.
Often, I dreamed of enacting my revenge, of making the Sun King pay for what he’d done to my father and for stealing mymother away, but what could a lone girl like me hope to do against a king?
Lifting my chin, I headed toward the edge of the market, my mind already on the warm, crusty bread I would buy tonight. Maybe I would even have enough to splurge on a piece of meat and maybe even a sticky bun for dessert.
