Her Charity Case [Darkling_Thrush and StarlitDreams]

[Darkling_Thrush]

The kingdom's main marketplace was bustling, as it always was this time of day. The hottest part of noon had just passed, and while the sun was still high, people wanted to do the majority of their shopping, so as to enjoy the weather and get back indoors before it was too cold or dark, or both. The merchants and peddlers were calling out to the people milling about, trying to shout over each other about why each of their products was better than the next's. Some of them were downright nasty, spewing horrible things about their competition, pointing at each other. Sometimes it looked like one was about to smash down the display of the other, but they never got quite so hostile as that. Still, in the heat and the dust, it was easy to see why people were irritable. Especially if their wares weren't selling as well as they would hope.

Isadora watched as those who recognized her and her royal guard fell silent and melted away, moving to the sides of the streets. She smiled warmly and shook her head. "Please, don't let me interrupt," she said kindly to an elderly woman, who fumbled a little but hobbled on to finish her shopping. Every so often, the Queen made these little excursions to make sure the people still loved her. Of course, they didn't know what went on behind the gates of her castle, or they would not smile so purely. There were rumors, to be sure, but almost nobody believed them. They all thought them slanderous lies. Their Queen would never indulge in such awful things! How was that possible, when the kingdom was in a better state than it had been in years, since she began her reign and took care of relations with other kingdoms, and their debts, and their farming? And all remaining unmarried...

The Queen looked about the streets, her hood covering her fair skin, protecting it from the heat of the sun. She was unblemished by the sun's light, a sign of her status. Her hair was dark, as were her eyes. She was by no means particularly tall, but she was slender. Not very imposing, were she to stand face to face with a regularly sized man, but her voice had a certain power to it. She knew how to make people listen. She kept scanning the streets, her Guards flanking her sides to make sure none of the conspirators tried to assault her. She seemed to be looking for something, but never stopped to ask a merchant.

 

[StarlitDreams]

The word of the queen in the marketplace had always spread quickly. It was simply a big deal… for some reason. It wasn’t as if she never walked throughout the roads, though some wished that she would do so more. Of course, the majority of these people were young suitors who hope that they could make the ravishing Queen Isadora fall into their beds, and eventually into a union. There were even a few female suitors, but they would never make themselves known to the public, for the public was often cruel and unfair to those who were different. There was one place, however, that the queen’s guard would never dare to take her, and therefore the word of her arrival never came. That place was the alley way that was often seen as dangerous to even the criminals of the kingdom. It was the home of Amaso, the most feared gang in the kingdom.

As for how Taryn got there, she wasn’t quite sure. She had been trying to find her way to the market, to sell her mother’s pottery. It had been in the family for decades, but times were tough, and the family often went hungry. Stealing had become their way of life… that and selling their home, little by little. She went to the market place often, so when she had found herself lost, it made very little sense. However it had happened, this alley was a very dangerous place for a girl as pretty as Taryn. Her body was young, and despite the fact that poverty had taken her figure away rather savagely, she still retained a certain type of haunting beauty. Her skin resembled the color of tea and milk, her slightly slanted eyes and long hair were dark as night. She was one of the few girls in the kingdom with this coloring and her family had been cast off as outsiders for it. It wasn’t fair, but she found that life seldom was.

Little did she know, a prime example of life’s injustice would befall her in only a few moments. She let out a soft, muffled cry as a pair of large hands grabbed her from behind. One hand was on her mouth, the other across her sunken stomach.

“Look what I’ve found,” a sultry, masculine voice whispered in her ear. Despite the fact that they were near the entry of the alley, he didn’t move back into the darkness. She tried to look back at her captor, but he refused to allow this, instead holding her tighter, eliciting another cry for help.

 

[Darkling_Thrush]

Queen Isadora looked from side to side, leading her guards down the streets that seemed less familiar, the ones she knew she hadn't visited last time. She liked to keep the people guessing. It also helped squash assassination attempts if her assassins had no idea where she would be going. They never discussed the route beforehand. She never knew when they left the carriage just where they would go. This area looked highly unfamiliar. It seemed to set the guards on edge, which interested the woman even more. She tugged her hood further down just a bit, peeking out through the lace trim that lined the opening. It felt darker here, almost. Slimy, like there was old dirt and mold lining the corners and the walls of the buildings. The people were less excited to see her. They looked wary.

It was by now apparent to the Queen that they had meandered into the seedier area of the marketplace. She was about to turn about and redirect her guards back to the main junction when something caught her eye. The outline of a large man, and just barely visible... Was that...? She took another step forward to confirm her suspicion, and her eyes landed on the shape of a frail looking girl. She looked up at the guard on her left. "Dispose of him. Keep the girl safe and bring her to me." She was curious. The girl clearly didn't want to be in her current position, so Isadora figured she'd give her some help.

The guard moved forward with surprising speed, given his heavy armor. He had his sword drawn and pointed at the man before the ruffian had a chance to react. Though the man was strong, he was no match for an armed, trained man of the Royal Guard, and had turned tail and ran, but not without the tip of the guard's sword nicking his arm. The guard sheathed the weapon and took the girl by the arm.

"Gently!" Isadora scolded. She looked at the girl curiously. She'd very rarely seen one of her... type, and was intrigued. "My dear, you look starving. Come with me, I'll give you a good meal." She paused. "And a bath." The girl was in dire need of both. She waited for the girl's answer before having the guard lead her. If need be, she'd take her by force, but it would be so much easier if she came of her own volition.