Silent Pews

[pinkroses]

Moving swiftly through the streets with her shawl wrapped tightly around her head the girl could only hear the patter of her feet on the street cobbles, and the occasional yell and ruckus of drunken laughter which usually haunted the night. It was late at night, or early morning, depending on how you looked at it, and she had only just got off of work, but it wasn\'t home she was headed for. No, Mia had something else she needed to do first.

Reaching her destination the red headed girl silently walked into the Temple of Adora, her eyes cast to the ground, not even noticing if anyone was around. It was easiest that way.

The young woman knelt in one of the pews, her head bowed and hands folded in prayer, lips moving silently as she spoke the Godess. Her necklace was clutched between her fingers and was being worked nervously. A plain brown cloth covered the girl\'s long bright red hair and her shoulders, giving her a little warmth, but she still felt the chill in the air. A dirty cloth was wrapped around Mia\'s right hand, stemming a bleed caused by a foolish slip of her knife, and the cut underneath stung somethign fierce, but Mia ignored it. She was used to pain like this, and knew she should only concentrate on Adora now she was here.

She knelt still, oblivious to anyone who might walk into or through the temple, trying not to be noticed as she concentrated on speaking to the only being she knew would listen and care. The Godess. She prayed for her parents, her brother, the people she worked for, and last of all for her uncle, that he might one day find kindness in his heart. A tear trickled down Mia\'s face which she quickly brushed away as she moved back to her feet, stiff after staying still in the cold for so long.

Mia\'s eyes rose to the alter, her eyes taking in the picture behind the alter as she slowly approached it. Her eyes darted left and right for a moment, trying to see if anyone was watching, and seeing no one her hand moved out from the pocket in her dress and she placed an apple on the alter. A small offering, but all she could give for now. Before removing her hand Mia rubbed her thumb over a smear of blood which had escaped her wound and cleaned the apple as best she could, wishing she had more to offer.

Her head dropped again, and a small peice of red hair fell forward from under her shawl, which she quickly tucked back away. It seemed to Mia to be some kind of insult to show her red hair in front of the Godess who had the most beautiful red hair in the world. Mia felt like she was some kind of flawed copy in that sense, and was embarrassed to show it.

The girl quickly turned away from the alter and headed back towards the door, wanting to get home and rest before she had to start work again in the morning. Her eyes focused on the floor as she moved and suddenly Mia collided with another figure in the darkness. She quickly stumbled backwards, her head still bowed, blushing furiously, mumbling an apology, not wanting to see who she had run into in case it was someone important, or someone angry. Or both.

[Trillian]

Ridley had spied the girl walking through the streets and followed her to the temple on a whim.  He\'d been on the rooftops where she wouldn\'t see him, for nobody ever looked up - least of all those who stared at their feet as they went.
 
The thief climbed down a trellis when she entered the building that paid homage to the Goddess of Life.  Ridley, who often cheated death, was more interested in what Talon could do for him, but he moved into the other Temple anyway, so he could watch the woman.
 
He didn\'t really know why he was casing her.  Practise perhaps?  There certainly wasn\'t a payoff in her.  The dirty little thing was likely poor, and Ridley had no interest in poor.  She probably wasn\'t that good looking, so it wasn\'t like he was about to proposition her, not when she ran around with an ugly great shawl over her head.  There must\'ve been a reason for it.  Maybe she was deformed?
 
He was in the doorway, watching her, ready to confront her and maybe have a little fun.  Seconds before she collided with him, he realised that she wasn\'t looking where she was going and they were going to hit.  Instead of moving away he braced himself for it.
 
What kind of terrible deformity was beneath that shawl?  He wanted to see!  He\'d heard stories of terribly afflictions.  Not thinking that she might have a disease that could be contagious (something he\'d likely shriek and run from if she happened to be a leper), his hand whipped out and pulled back her cloak.  Years of practise at sleight of hand and throwing knives made his movements deft and accurate.
 
Flowing red hair and a pretty face was all he uncovered.  Totally surprised, he uttered:
 
"You\'re beautiful.  Why would you hide yourself away?"

[pinkroses]

Mia’s hand rose in an attempt to try and catch her shawl, but as she flinched away from the sudden movement at the same time, she was no where near catching it. He was too fast, and she was too slow. Her brown eyes were full of fear as she gazed up at the man in front of her and took half a step back, wanting to flee, but this was a place of sanctuary, wasn’t it? She should be safe here.

At his surprised words Mia lowered her eyes again and ran a hand over her long hair, pulling it over one shoulder and fiddling with it nervously, hating him looking at her like that. She had never been told she was beautiful; surely this man must be mocking her. But why? She’d done nothing wrong. All Mia wanted to do was go home, but now she was trapped, and she’d heard awful stories about things that happened to women, she’d experienced it, and thought that part of her life was over. She silently reprimanded herself, how could she have been so stupid? Why hadn’t she just gone straight home?

“I’m sorry, Sir” Mia said, her quiet voice trembling, “Please forgive me, I…I should have been looking where I was going.” Mia hoped he wasn’t going to be angry that she hadn’t answered his question, but she didn’t want to say something just to have him mock her again. Instantly she regretted it, maybe she should have just gone along with whatever he wanted, then it might not hurt as much, whatever he did. Her hands dropped from her hair and twisted together anxiously, convinced something terrible was about to happen. Please, not in here, not in front of the Goddess. She should protect me. Mia’s eyes flickered upwards once more quickly as she bit her bottom lip. He didn’t look the type to attack a defenceless girl, but then what did she know about such things? But she had nothing to give him. Why her? What had she done wrong?

“Please,” Mia whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

[Trillian]

"Little sparrow," he said as she trembled before him, liking the way she shook because of his presence.  He frightened her just by standing before her, and he took a strange kind of pleasure in this.  It spurred him on into not wanting her to leave, for he liked the way she looked at him.  He felt dangerous, powerful.  "Did you need somewhere warm to roost?"
 
He reached out to touch her hair, not quickly this time, to see if she would dare slap him away or let him do as he wanted.  He could think of all sorts of ways to do as he wanted with her, to intimidate her into being compliant was a buzz.  It seemed every action and reaction she gave him was pivotal to what happened - the air between them was electric.

[pinkroses]

"No, thank you, Sir," Mia replied to his question, her voice barely more than a whisper, hoping desperately that he was just teasing, not threatening. As much as she wanted to tell him to leave her be Mia knew that she would most likely just anger him, and there was no way she could out-run him, and besides, he was blocking the only exit the girl knew of.

Her beath caught in her throat as he reached out to touch her hair and Mia froze. Her eyes were wide with fear, but it wasn\'t a fast grab or smack. The red head wasn\'t sure if that was better or worse, the anticipation of what he might do was killing her.

She turned her face away slightly from her hand, but her feet felt like the were frozen to the ground, even a single step backwards seemed impossible. Mia\'s dark eyes focused on a carving on the wall, trying to ignore his touch, her shoulders rising as her body stiffened and she tried to shrink away from his touch into herself. Her rough fingers continued working together anxiously, tugging slightly on her apron. Mia was trying as hard as she could not to look at him, not to think about him at all, whoever he was.

Still, at least it hadn\'t been the night she got paid. If he had taken what little money she earned and saved it would have meant that much longer until she could see her brother again. This was just her now, and she meant nothing.

[Trillian]

Calling him \'sir\' was yet another conquest to him, and he liked the submissive word on her lips.  She accepted his touch but he could easily see she hated it.  He hadn\'t even gone for anything intimate, like her breasts or to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her close.  He wasn\'t a rapist but she didn\'t know this, and he figured there was always a first time for everything, anyway, so she might be right to shrink as she had, to avert her eyes from the man that was clearly bullying her.  Him.
 
He wanted to take her to his home but didn\'t want to pull her screaming through the streets, for that would raise questions and no doubt he would be interrupted by the guards, who were always out to spoil his fun (or enhance it, if he wanted chase).  Tonight he wanted simply to get to know her as much as he could, without anybody else getting in the way.
 
His touch moved from her hair to her face, his fingers sliding down around to the back her neck and settling there gently, his thumb stroking her cheek.
 
"But you are cold, to shiver so much," he countered, pointing out her trembling body and purposefully mistaking what was causing it, saying it was cold, not fear.  "My nest is warm and close.  I would only take you home to warm you up," he said with a growing smile, wondering what she would say to try and wriggle out of his insistent invitation.

[pinkroses]

Mia tried to slow her breathing, to calm down, but his movement made it that much harder. God, he was so close, and now he had his hand almost right around her neck, with a simple movement he could so easily block off her air supply if he chose to do so. Her eyes lightly shut for a moment, her eyebrows coming together in a frown at the touch of his finger on her cheek. It felt rough, too personal and made Mia want to pull away, but now she couldn\'t, she\'d lost that chance. She bit her lip anxiously and her eyes shifted up to meet his for a second before lowering them again. Mia wondered what he was thinking. Had he been planning this? Was it just bad luck that she was here, or had she done something wrong?

"No, Sir, thank you," Mia repeated, trying to think of what she could say to convince him to leave her be, but nothing came to mind. Why did he have to keep describing it as his nest? It sounded disgusting, she didn\'t want to go with him. And that grin on his face...Mia shuddered again without meaning to.

"I was just on my way home, I will be alright there by myself, thank you," Mia said, not even sure why she was thanking this man when he was obviously trying to make her feel uncomfortable. But her was so close, what choice did she have if he wanted to make her do anything?

[Trillian]

"Little Sparrow, fly away home," he said, one line of a poem that was often used by educated children to play skipping games to, was recited at her in a tone that was gentle and therefore mocking.
 
"What is that saying about a bird in the hand?" he questioned purposefully, knowing she would know it and wondering if she would tell him.  It didn\'t matter, for the question was rhetorical anyway - for she had been named Little Sparrow by him, and she was in hand.
 
"I hope you\'re not trying to offend me with your refusal, after all, can you not see I have the type of face that most any woman I choose would swoon over?"  Ridley was not known for his patience, only his greed, and he wished for this little dance of theirs to progress.  "I only wish to delay you a moment to show you a kindness I can afford, my home is close."
 
He looked around the empty Temple and smiled, knowing that his next words would carry a threat if she didn\'t give him something to work with.

[pinkroses]

"Is worth two in the bush," Mia finished without even thinking about it, her voice still quiet. Why couldn\'t she be one of the birds in the bush rather than the one in his grasp? Still, thinking about it, replying was probably the better option. She\'d already tried to refuse his offer, and he didn\'t seem to be taking it too well. She was so aware of his fingers on her neck.

"Oh, no, I\'m not trying to offend you," Mia said quickly, leaving out the words \'of course\'. The \'of course\' had always been the thing that tipped her uncle over, that she would dare to assume. "And yes, you are...very handsome," she added, a little hesitantly and without looking up at him.

She hadn\'t thought about how he looked, she just wanted his hand off of her, and to be as far awar from him as possible. It didn\'t look like there was going to be anything she could say to disuade him. And she couldn\'t offend him, who knew what he might do? Her large brown eyes glanced up at him once more then fell. His smile scared her, sent a shiver down her spine.

Mia tried to speak, but instead only a small noise came from the back of her throat. Mia shut her mouth abruptly, then ran her tongue along her lips, wetting them slightly before making a second attempt to speak.

"I thank you for your kindness Sir, but I can stay only a moment. My father will be waiting for me." The lie tripped off Mia\'s tongue, and she desperately hoped it didn\'t sound as much like a falsehood as it did in her head. No one was going to come looking for her. No one was going to care if she disappeared. If she didn\'t turn up to work, they would simpley find someone else for the job. If someone found her dead body in the street, no one would care. She was going to have to be careful, but that had never helped before. If he\'d already planned what he wanted, nothing she could do would stop him.

[Trillian]

He narrowed his eyes at her acknowledgement of his physical appeal, not liking the way she didn\'t even pretend to look at him.  She really could\'ve pulled it off better, and the uncooperative quality of her words were beginning to try his patience.  She would come with him to his dwelling.  She would walk beside him without any attempt to get away - whether by choice or fear for her life, most likely both, the way she was going.
 
"I don\'t think you understand, fair lady," he said politely, though his grip on her neck tightened and his thumb bit into the hollow of her cheek.  "Another refusal from you would be an insult to me, and your recurring spoken wish not to offend me would leaves you agreeing to walk with me to my home."  He held up his other hand before she could utter another word.  "Take heed, young maiden, that I only wish to hear consent."
 
His eyes glistened as he waited for what she would say.  His hand itched to wallop her in the face and knock her out should another protest be voiced.  It would be easy to do so, and to then carry her unconscious body back to his house, for she was slight and likely weighed nothing.  He didn\'t wish to mark her face however, if it could be helped.

[pinkroses]

Mia gasped slightly as his fingers tightened on her face, more out of fear than pain. She looked at him, recognising with terror that look in his eyes.

"Sir, it would seem I have no choice. I will come." Mia\'s eyes shifted to his hand as she spoke, hoping it would be lowered, or that the blow would come quickly. Waiting was worse than the actual pain. But Mia didn\'t want to feel any pain if she could help it, so she really did have no choice. He would take her whether she went willingly or not. She would do what she had to, but there was no way she was going to do it enthusiastically.

The feel of his hand on her neck combined with the smooth, polite tone of voice sent a shiver down Mia\'s spine. He could snap at any moment, and she\'d already pushed her luck an awful lot tonight. Her fingers smoothed down the front of her dress and apron again nervously as she looked back into his eyes.

"It is a little cold out, Sir. May I please have my shawl back?" she asked a little hesitantly. It was the only real warm peice of clothing she had and she really couldn\'t afford to buy another if he made her leave it here, or destroyed it or something like that. That, and if she had it she could wrap it around herself again, it helped her feel more protected, she could hide under it if he would let her.

[Trillian]

He released her so he could pick the material up off the floor where it had fallen to her feet after he\'d whipped it off her head.  She\'d placated him with her agreement, though he knew she\'d only done so in fear that he would do something with her here and now.  The Temple was not a wise place to commit a crime, for even though they were alone in the part that allowed the public access to worship, there were those of the religious order living upstairs.
 
He handed her the shawl and offered his arm for her to take, willingly.  He was watching her in a predatory fashion now, ready to strike if she made the wrong move.

[pinkroses]

Mia let out a silent sigh as he released her and her eyes stayed fixed on his figure as he bent down to pick up her shawl. Even if he hadn\'t been in between her and the door Mia wasn\'t sure she would have been able to move at all. Trying to escape would most likely only make it worse.

The girl carefully pulled the bland rough cloth around her shoulders, paying a lot more attention to how it fell over her body than normal, doing anything to try to distract herself from his gaze and the arm her extended to her. Eventually there was nothing more she could do before looking up at him, and then focusing her eyes on his arm. That look in his eyes scared her, it was threatening, almost daring her not to take his arm. But she didn\'t want to risk his wrath. She couldn\'t leave him waiting too long.

Mia paused for a moment longer then slipped her left arm through his, her other hand gripping the shawl tightly around her throat, not wanting to show off any more flesh than she really had to. He\'d already pulled it from her head so she hadn\'t placed it there again, only around her shoulders and neck, where there wasn\'t much bare skin anyway, but it made her feel a little better. As she tightly gripped her shawl Mia suddenly felt the throbbing pain in her hand return and glanced down at the blood stained rag around her palm. The adrenaline coursing through her veins had made her forget the pain until now.

Her nails dug into her wounded palm hurting more than she\'d expected, but that pain was alright, it was bearable. She could control it. Thinking only about that Mia let the man lead her out of her Sanctuary, away from those who lived inside. She didn\'t know where he was taking her, and for now didn\'t care. She squeezed her hand again, increasing the throbbing, while her left arm lay limply in his control, letting him take her where he would.

[Trillian]

Because she looked down at her wounded hand, Ridley followed her gaze to it.  He made a mental note of it as he ushered her back through the main entrance of the temple and out into the crisp night air.
 
He knew the timing of the guard\'s patrols, and also the streets that citizens usually didn\'t dare delve between, crooked side streets between houses where garbage was piled on the street and the homeless nattered at them until they got a better look at Ridley before slinking back into the wooden crates they used for homes.
 
He\'d spoken the truth, that his home wasn\'t far, but he took her through a twisted path, doubling back and then ending up on a different street that he could\'ve arrived at earlier, knowing it was unlikely she\'d come through this part of the walled town in her past.
 
Continued Into The Wolf\'s Den