Dang, it was cold. Remy shoved another blanket at the door that led outside, trying to block out the winter air as much as possible.
“Hey? Mom?” she asked, peeking into the small bedroom she and her mother were currently sharing.
Her mom was working lights lately, so she napped during the day. It made both of them sadher mom was always telling her how much she missed her while she was gone and Remy felt the same way. It was so boring without her best friend. But it was just for a little while. Just until her mom could find a better job. Or until Remy settled. Then they’d be together all the time again. Maybe somewhere that had heat.
When her mom didn’t stir, Remy quietly shut the door. As lonely as Remy felt, she knew she needed her sleep.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to go to town for food, then,” Remy said to Vex. As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, filling the empty room. Remy sighed. It wasn’t that she minded going to the market, it was just so cold! And it was harder to run when there was snow on the ground. For the millionth time, Remy made a mental note to settle as Earalas when the time came.
Remy slipped off her shoes to add an extra pair of socks to her feet. Her boots had holes in them, and sometimes an extra layer helped keep the dampness out. She pushed the blankets out of the way and left the little house she and her mother had started staying at a few days ago.
This is nuts, Vex said irritably, changing from a whippet into a fat mountain bluebird so he wouldn’t have to walk in the snow.
“Well there isn’t anything in the house,” Remy snapped. She hated when Vex complained.
Well maybe you shouldn’t have eaten all the crackers last night, he chided, even though he knew that would have been ridiculous. All she’d had yesterday was crackers.
Remy walked to the market the next town over. It was bad practice to steal from the town you were staying in. The further away you were, the longer you had to lose whoever you were stealing from.
Despite the cold, many clio were around selling their wares. The poorer class in Earalas swarmed here, trading what they could. In fact, it seemed the snow brought them out even more. Clio trading for wool or food. It was the perfect setup for someone like Remy who had nothing at all to trade. A packed market meant less visibility. A more unlikely chance that someone would notice a small girl snatching a block of cheese or some apples.
Remy slipped through, pulling her hood closer around her ears. She followed a woman with dark hair who had a young boy with her. Her mom had taught her to blend in with families. Clio were much less likely to be suspicious. As she followed she nabbed a few things for a meager supper. Goat cheese from a cheese man, some dried beans from a farmer’s stores.
Guilt chipped away at her as she took things off the carts. She knew the clio selling these things needed the money or items they wanted in return, but Remy couldn’t help but need them too. And food was not an option. Once Remy had followed the family to the end of the row, she slipped off into the crowd, leaving the throng of clio back at the carts.
Phew, Vex breathed a sigh of relief.
Oh, ye of little faith, Remy chastised, happier now that she felt the weight of the food in her pockets. Though she didn’t like stealing, she knew she was good at it. And if she couldn’t be above taking from others, she would have to find solace in the fact that at least she had skill.
“Hey? Mom?” she asked, peeking into the small bedroom she and her mother were currently sharing.
Her mom was working lights lately, so she napped during the day. It made both of them sadher mom was always telling her how much she missed her while she was gone and Remy felt the same way. It was so boring without her best friend. But it was just for a little while. Just until her mom could find a better job. Or until Remy settled. Then they’d be together all the time again. Maybe somewhere that had heat.
When her mom didn’t stir, Remy quietly shut the door. As lonely as Remy felt, she knew she needed her sleep.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to go to town for food, then,” Remy said to Vex. As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, filling the empty room. Remy sighed. It wasn’t that she minded going to the market, it was just so cold! And it was harder to run when there was snow on the ground. For the millionth time, Remy made a mental note to settle as Earalas when the time came.
Remy slipped off her shoes to add an extra pair of socks to her feet. Her boots had holes in them, and sometimes an extra layer helped keep the dampness out. She pushed the blankets out of the way and left the little house she and her mother had started staying at a few days ago.
This is nuts, Vex said irritably, changing from a whippet into a fat mountain bluebird so he wouldn’t have to walk in the snow.
“Well there isn’t anything in the house,” Remy snapped. She hated when Vex complained.
Well maybe you shouldn’t have eaten all the crackers last night, he chided, even though he knew that would have been ridiculous. All she’d had yesterday was crackers.
Remy walked to the market the next town over. It was bad practice to steal from the town you were staying in. The further away you were, the longer you had to lose whoever you were stealing from.
Despite the cold, many clio were around selling their wares. The poorer class in Earalas swarmed here, trading what they could. In fact, it seemed the snow brought them out even more. Clio trading for wool or food. It was the perfect setup for someone like Remy who had nothing at all to trade. A packed market meant less visibility. A more unlikely chance that someone would notice a small girl snatching a block of cheese or some apples.
Remy slipped through, pulling her hood closer around her ears. She followed a woman with dark hair who had a young boy with her. Her mom had taught her to blend in with families. Clio were much less likely to be suspicious. As she followed she nabbed a few things for a meager supper. Goat cheese from a cheese man, some dried beans from a farmer’s stores.
Guilt chipped away at her as she took things off the carts. She knew the clio selling these things needed the money or items they wanted in return, but Remy couldn’t help but need them too. And food was not an option. Once Remy had followed the family to the end of the row, she slipped off into the crowd, leaving the throng of clio back at the carts.
Phew, Vex breathed a sigh of relief.
Oh, ye of little faith, Remy chastised, happier now that she felt the weight of the food in her pockets. Though she didn’t like stealing, she knew she was good at it. And if she couldn’t be above taking from others, she would have to find solace in the fact that at least she had skill.
