Introduction of an Anarchist

[likeclearwater]

Here is a girl of eleven or so, tall for her age and thin, with a cloud of dark hair and a bearing that, even in the gangling uncertainty of pre-adolescence, is self assured, steady, supple with the freedom of someone who has never known a locked door

Comments

[decentscoundrel]

Pyetr looks at her askance, though not with hostility (askance is his default setting, particularly in a place like this). "Say again?"

[likeclearwater]

"A commons?" she says, looking up at him with a little almost smile, enormously relieved that he can understand her.

"Am I to one already?" she asks, nodding towards the Mansion, which is certainly big enough. Larger then big enough.

[decentscoundrel]

"I don't know. I suppose you could call it that."

[likeclearwater]

"It doesn't sound very as if it is, then," Sadik says, "If it were I think you'd know."

Her eyes are a little wider. "The father will worry," she says, and it comes out sadder and smaller then she'd meant.

[decentscoundrel]

He looks down at her a moment, struck silent. His mouth quirks, habitually cynical; but he sets a hand lightly on her shoulder, and says, "Well, he'll come looking, then. Won't he?"

[likeclearwater]

"He will," she says, and puts a hand over the hand on her shoulder.

"That's why I wanted to find a commons - so he can find me more easily."

[decentscoundrel]

"Once you get here you can hardly miss it," Pyetr observes, somewhat dryly. (He's not as shocked at the excess as she is, but anything as imposing as the Mansion deserves to be poked fun at, on principle.)

[likeclearwater]

She laughs, her head tilting back and her mouth open - she gets her laugh from Takver - and says, "That's true!"

She grins at Pyetr, easier now, not as nervous. "Sorry, I missed your name."

[decentscoundrel]

He grins back. It's hard not to. "Pyetr. Pleased to meet you, miss."

[likeclearwater]

"Oh, I'm Sadik," she says.

[decentscoundrel]

"Sadik. Haven't heard that one before. --D'you want to go in? It's warmer."

[likeclearwater]

"No," Sadik says confidently, "After all, it's mine. And yes, I think that would be good."

[decentscoundrel]

So he crosses the terrace to let them in by the kitchen door, kitchens being usually a good place to start.

[likeclearwater]

Kitchens are a familiar environment - every child spends some time in kitchens - and this one's scale is about right. Its set up, however, is a little strange. "Why is there only one oven?" Sadik asks Pyetr, rubbing her hands together to warm them.

[decentscoundrel]

"Guess they only need one." Pyetr shuts the door, not about to admit how long it took him to realize that was an oven. "How many d'you have at home? One for every day of the week?"

[likeclearwater]

Sadik frowns. “I just thought there were more people here than that - with enough people for a building this big wouldn’t you need more bread then you could get from one oven?”