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April 3, 1883

Safer in Shadows

by Maelie Arsenault

Maelie leans against the railing of the Water Walk looking across the river towards the parade on the bridge and the bright lights of the manor parties on the Island. Despite having the wealth and connections needed to attend, there was something bittersweet about it all to her that she couldn't put her finger on. Standing in her leather breeches, boots, a vest, and dark red coat, she had decided it was safer to be as far from that as she could.
 
She'd been doing fine until the crowds got busier, the nobles in their floats and carriages, and, out of the corner of your eye, an army of Rooks looking for anyone causing trouble. Eventually, she was constantly looking over her shoulder, watching people reaching into coats or bags, and she’d jumped when a child had pointed a toy crossbow at her.
 
Giving up, she returned to the Inn to change back to her drab clothes for the evening and slip back out into the night. Avoiding the brightly coloured crowds, she stuck to the shadows, her eyes adjusting to darkvision as she got further from the light and found her way to the black waters, observing the brightly coloured celebrations with both a sense of longing and dread.
 
'Celebrating the formation of their country…Oh…' She thinks in a moment of realization. 'It reminds me of Hero's Night.'
 
Stepping away from the railing she takes one last look at the bright Island of nobles and turns South for the evening.
 
'I'll take my chances by the docks.'

Continue reading...

  1. The Last Rule
    November 27th, 1882, - Novandria
  2. The Den
  3. Am I losing?
  4. A Close Call
  5. Plans
  6. New Toys
  7. Mistakes were made
  8. Too close to home
  9. Not like you.
  10. This City is Mine.
    February 6th, 1883
  11. Aimless?
    March 5, 1883 - Novandria
  12. The Game Begins
    February 13th, 1883
  13. Too much like You
    March 13, 1883
  14. Safer in Shadows
    April 3, 1883
  15. New Beginnings
    April 7th, 1883
  16. Ready to Run
    April 17th, 1883
  17. Home
    April 25, 1883
  18. Can you steal a heart?
    May 8th, 1883
  19. Trouble
    11th of May, 1883
  20. Heartbreak
    14th of May, 1883
  21. Hunter or Prey?
    16th of May, 1883
  22. Guilt
    19th of May, 1883
  23. Untrustworthy
    21st of May, 1883
  24. Why am I like this?
    25th of May, 1883
  25. Worthy
    8th of June, 1883
  26. The One She Left Behind
    13th June, 1883
  27. Annnd it's back...
    July 1st, 1883
  28. Learning to Fly
    July 4th, 1883
  29. Thrill of the Hunt
    July 29th, 1883
  30. From the Embers
    21st of August, 1883 // 1867
  31. Mother Knows Best
    16th of September, 1883
  32. A Snake, a Star, and a Fox
    25th of September, 1883, Novandria
  33. It wasn't him.
    28th of September, 1883, Novandria
  34. The New Blade
    13th of September, 1883
  35. Something Good
    October 31, 1883 - Novandria
  36. The wound that won't close
    18th of December, 1883 - Novandria
  37. Promise
    25th of December, 1883 - Novandria
  38. Fallen through the cracks
    6th of January, 1884 - Novandria
  39. Day to Night
    7th of January, 1884
  40. What's Left to the Shadows
    22nd of January, 1884, Novandria
  41. The World without Colour
    18th of February, 1884, Bellancourt, Montaigne,
  42. Seventeen Roofs
    26th of February, Novandria, Eisen
  43. Crossing the Board
    4th of March, 1884, Novandria, Eisen
  44. New Freedom
    May 4th, 1884
  45. Saved
    5th of May, 1884/16th of July, 1858