[happy_doughnut]

...


I love the people of this city. But I never expected I’d be so well received. What is it that brings them such hope in these dark times? What sets me apart from any other woman? There are plenty of beautiful women in Wildcard. I hate to reject my fans, but I’ve always been a solitary person. If I couldn’t disassociate myself from the crowds every time I stepped onto that stage I’d never have lasted. But then, my body has a habit of moving on its on. It’s instinct. It’s what I was born to do.

For some reason, crowds have always made me uncomfortable. It’s like being trapped in a garden and surrounded by countless beasts. Vile creatures that would want to tear me apart, or worse. No, how could I even think of my fans like that? I should be ashamed, making such an awful comparison. So, why won’t it go away? I feel like I’m being swallowed up here, like my soul’s being oppressed…

Valerie edged away as the mob formed rings around her. A noxious cloud of sweat, and the rank odor of watered-down beer threatened to overwhelm her nostrils. She swayed as the common room swirled about her. Her head swam with dizziness. A vein throbbed at her temple as milky skin flushed pink. Hands curled at her sides as she stiffened and bit her lip. The taste of her lime-green lipstick soured the tip of her tongue.

Luckily, her fears of being swallowed by the growing crowd were soon put to rest. She breathed a sigh of relief as her close friend Fionna intervened by coming to stand in front of her. The young waitress took Valerie by the arm and dragged her to the table furthest from the rowdy pack of lecherous men. They reluctantly parted but their eyes never left her.

"Back off, all of you! I don't want any trouble here." Kashtar said, the old keeper of the inn standing defiantly before the crowd with nothing more than a battered cane in hand. His rust-colored robes were marked by dust and caked in dirt. A thick jet of white hair cascaded behind the hunched figure and vanished beneath a thick hood. He raised the cane and lifted himself to his full height as he pointed at every individual.

First came the cries of disappointment, echoing through the chambers of the rustic old inn. Their demands for more fell on deaf ears, for the innkeeper refused to be intimidated. Nor was he above whacking one of them with a quick snap of his cane when they got out of line. After several minutes of empty threats, the crowd gradually dispersed with groans beneath their rank breath as they retired to their own tables for the night.

“Thank you, Kashtar.” Valerie said.

“It was nothing. I have to watch out for my family. Get some rest, okay?”

Kashtar shook his head in disgust, plopping down at one of the hardwood tables and casting his rustic hood over his wrinkled face. At first he intended to only rest his eyes, which gazed down at the crinkled newspaper before him. But slowly he began to doze off, with only his beaten walking cane to keep him company. Even the low lights and chatter of the patrons couldn't keep him awake. Another hard day of teaching the Branford children had taken its toll.

Fionna helped Valerie to a chair, grabbing the towel from her shoulder and wiping the sweat from Valerie's brow. She watched while Valerie gasped for breath. And in a way, she couldn’t help but envy her. While Valerie spent the night dancing away, Fionna was working the rounds to bring food and drinks to all who’d gathered and chasing away countless wandering hands. Normally, she’d relish the attention, but not when so many eyes were upon Valerie and she was nothing more than a compensation prize.

Valerie’s chest heaved as her lungs threatened to collapse. She was winded from hours of relentless dancing with only small breaks in-between. Her head pounded while heat swirled through her breast. She fiddled with the cross that hung from her neck. Even when dancing or bathing, she refused to remove it. She even wore it to sleep. It was the one thing that bound her to her former life.

"I'm impressed, Valerie. I can only dream of matching your grace."

Valerie shook her head. "You're far more graceful than I am. I'm just spry, like a cat. It takes real class to be like you. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you really were a princess. You certainly act like one. That diner attire really suits you."

"Flatterer. But it won't get you any free meals, I'm afraid," Fionna grinned as she laid the towel back on Valerie's shoulders. "Just wait here, and I'll bring you a nice hot bowl of soup; and something to drink, too. You look rather beat, I'll admit."

"You needn't..." Valerie began.

But Fionna had already taken off towards the kitchen. Her long red hair bobbed behind her. Each section was tied in silken ribbons. The pink and white waitress attire only served to enhance her slender figure. Tiny bosoms and a thin waist swayed in answer to her proud strut. But the forced grin and the glitter of her green eyes never faded.

Valerie sighed, slouching back in her chair as she tried to relax. She felt naked under the countless eyes of the bar patrons, their stares seeming to bypass her outer physique – trying to penetrate within her. Her muscles tensed. She’d honed her body to perfection from the dances she gave each night. But her appearance belied her true strength. Though she hated to resort to violence, she’d bloodied quite a few noses when her friends were threatened.

The dull brown wooden walls of the inn were covered in nicks, just like the circular table beneath her. The tiny holes peeked at her, and often, she swore she could catch an eye gazing back through the tiny crevices. But she shook the unsettling feeling from her thoughts even as her skin crawled and beads of sweat dripped down her spine.

I should be used to this, by now. But even after years of staying here, little has changed. I still feel this inexplicable longing, like shreds of my soul have been torn apart. What is it that leaves me so unfulfilled? Is it love I seek? Or something else...?

I have no reason to complain. The Branford family was kind enough to take me in and give me a job and a roof over my head. The pay may not be great, but having a free room and meals for cheap can't be beaten.

My life needs more, though. I can't stay here forever. Sometimes, I wonder if I even have a purpose. Would anyone miss me if I were gone?

No, of course they would. Fionna. Jade, Kashtar, Odessa, Tina, Leigh, Feigh, Noel...heck, I bet even Cyrus would care, if only but a little. It won't do to brood. I have to make the most of what I'm given. I could be much worse off.

Valerie's thoughts were interrupted by a slight flutter. Her glance fell to a raven perched upon a far away windowsill. Rain had begun to beat against the inn. The ebony creature had come to rest under the roof overhead, shivering and puffing up in the relentless wind. Their eyes met. A cold chill rushed through the interior of the common room and caused her to shake involuntarily. But before Valerie could even begin to gather her senses, the regal figure had fluttered off into the mists of night.

Why is that raven so familiar? As soon as I laid eyes on him, it's like a dormant memory started to surface. But now, it's gone. The more I struggle to find it, the deeper it seems to want to recede. It’s just like when I touch the cross. I feel something hauntingly familiar., but then it’s gone.

Well… I guess it wasn't important. Still, I wish it’d stuck around – it’s rather lonely around here.

Fionna returned with a tray in hand, casting Valerie a cheerful, exaggerated smile while she took her seat across from the gymnast. "Hot soup and apple juice, coming right up." She said, setting the meal before Valerie.

"Thank you. That’s a very generous offer. Um…Fionna?"

"Yes?"

"Did you... see anything outside, by chance? Like a bird or something?"

Fionna shook her head. "Afraid not. I doubt anyone's foolish enough to be caught out in that storm. And it's only going to get worse, I'll bet."

"Oh. Thanks, anyway. I suppose it was nothing." Valerie lied.

I guess I shouldn't trouble myself further over things I can't control. It was just a bird...wasn't it? I must be going mad, obsessing over such trivial matters.

Fionna gripped Valerie's hand, as her fingers forced Valerie's lips to part into a smile. "Come on, cheer up! Don't think I'm going to let you carry on with this overbearing gloominess, just because of the weather outside. Have a drink of your apple juice. That always perks you up."

"You're right. Thanks, Fionna," Valerie sighed as she took a swig of the transient yellow liquid. The syrupy, crushed apples made her taste buds dance in anticipation for more. But then, apples were pretty much a staple of the continent of Gaia. They were the treasure of the common man.

Her gaze wandered over the low-lit and age-beaten walls and floors. The wood was filled with holes from years of disrepair, as if worms had burrowed through it, devouring everything in their path. The floorboards creaked every time a step was taken. And then there was the horrid echo that resounded like a ghostly wail when a sudden noise jarred the silence.

...