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

[she_is_france]

Enjolras looks at her, thoughtful. She makes him think of things he worked for.

"I don't know either," he says, "Citizen," (he could not call her mademoiselle) "Citizen, come up and out of the cold. Your coat is thin."

[likeclearwater]

"Oh," she says, and trots up the steps to him, "It is cold."

She smiles. "You're lost too?" she asks, ruefully amused, sharing the joke equal to equal.

[she_is_france]

His eyes are laughing, though his mouth doesn't smile. "Yes," he says, and pushes the door open, holding it for her to go first, a gesture more to do with the relative lightness of her jacket then anything else.

[likeclearwater]

She accepts it, easily, it never occurring to her to read it any other way.

"That is warmer," she says, once inside. "I'm sorry you're lost, brother."

[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.

[traitorforlove]

"Pardon me, miss?"

[likeclearwater]

"It's Sadik," she says, with a conciliatory smile, "And I'm looking for a commons."

[gypsysorceress]

There isn't one that I've seen. The main room is good, though. Plenty of space to perform.

[likeclearwater]

"Thanks," Sadik says, because while it's not useful information at the moment, it could be at some point.

[gypsysorceress]

You're welcome. *pause* Is it to perform that you need to find a commons? Because I never asked, but I can't think of another reason why you would. That's what I always did. I used to dance in the commons outside of the cathedral. People said that it was illegal, but I couldn't imagine what was wrong about dancing where everyone could watch.

[likeclearwater]

"Il...legal?" Sadik says, slowly, as it takes a moment for her to parse the word - she knows it, but rarely needs to use it. She straightens and draws back a little, shocked and somewhat disgusted, never mind that in an abstract fashion she knew such things happened, where there are archists.

"Dancing... illegal?" she asks, making a bit of a face at the word. "I am sorry, sister," Earnestly, warmly, relaxing back towards Esmeralda - it is not Esmeralda she is shocked by.

"I am looking for Shevek," she adds, because she didn't answer the question earlier, "It will be easier for him to find me at a commons."

OOC: I am going to kill my keyboard. Slowly and painfully.

[fingersofleaf]

"There's the lawn out that way," Percy says, pointing helpfully. "Are you new?"

[likeclearwater]

Sadik leans to look again, and blinks, hard, because she's worried and she doesn't want to cry. "It's a very pretty common square," she says, "Like the ones in Abbenay, almost." She smiles at Percy. "Thank you, brother. Is there a common kitchen, anywhere? I'm lost. I thought the father could find me better - "

[fingersofleaf]

He notices that, and offers his hand. He has good, strong working hands that give comforting squeezes. "I've never been to Abbenay, but I know where the kitchen is. Or I've got soup back at my place, and a fireplace, if you want to get warmed up."

[likeclearwater]

She takes his hand in both of hers and smiles up at him. "Thank you. I think I should stay where it might be easier to find me. Could we go to the kitchen here?"

(The possessive pronoun is strange to hear, for her, but she ignores it.)