Today started like any other for me. I got out of bed when the old lady running this house of unwanted children, rang the bell. I got out of bed looking at the other young children sharing this large room. "First bell! Get up or go hungry." I called rocking one of the older girls awake to help.

I gathered the younger ones while the other two older girls went to help with breakfast. I always get stuck with helping the young ones. That girl will never eat when I have to leave here. I thought, herding the children into the bathroom. Once everyone was washed and dressed, I herded them down to the dining room.

The old woman who insisted we call her mother came up to me, slipper already in hand to teach those that muck about at the table a lessen. "Katja dear. The young ones are being seen this morning. Did you lay out the good clothes last night?"

Of course, I did! After the full day of work I did and missing the dinner to do it. "Yes, mother. I did it last night befor bed."

She smiled at me then sighed. "That means that dinner in the pot was yours. Hurry now go and eat it before you have to head out. I will ask one of the others to get the young ones ready." She looked at the other two older girls serving the the watery poriage we had for breakforst. "You are our best worker Katja. You need to get going."

I nodded and headed for the kichen and poured out the thick stuew from the night before. Then I guzzled my meagre breakfast that I should have had the night before and headed out the door with the sun barely up. I'm missing annouther meal becuse the others wont do simple tasks becuse they know I will be asked to do them before bed. I thought as I walked up the uninhabited street to the baker shop.

Once I'd arrived and knocked on the door the baker yelled at me and kicked me out before I had a chance to ask him for work. After the last time I worked for him when the bakery court fire I could understand him not wanting me there.

Then I went to the forge and the smith slammed the door in my face before I could even say good morning. Which was not surprising considering how I caused the forge to go out. I was sweeping and the dust got into the forge. The fireball was impressive but I panicked and kicked the quenching barrel over to put the fire out. It fell into the forge putting it out and sokeing all the coal.

I sighed looking across the streat to the one place I could earn money without walking miles out to the nearest farm. I found myself in the only place I had been able to work in for the last week, the local tavern. The one place I really didn't want to be.

"You want to work here... again?" The owner asked leering at me as soon as I walked in the door.

Want is a strong word. You always grab at my ass when I walk past. "Yes, please. I need to bring in some money or we will not have the funds to feed everyone."

The owner sighed and then smiled. "Fine. You spill it you pay for it."

Well, that is not as hard as it sounds, except you pinching me anytime I get close makes me spill. "Thank you." I said despite my thoughts.

He handed me a broom and I started to sweep the old hay, mud and whatever else was down on the floor from last night. Why does he still act surprised when I walk in here? He knows no one else will let me in. I'm scared to think why he does let me work here. I've been just as bad at work here as I've been everyhere else.

I looked up from the floor to look around the small tavern. This place was never busy in the mornings so all there was to do was sweep and wipe down the tables, which had the upside of keeping me away from the barkeeper's hands. So when a tall woman walked in and sat at a table I stared at her in shock for a moment.

She was tall, thin, and every piece of exposed skin was covered in scars. It was odd the way she hunched over a table like it was too small for her but it wasn't that made me feel unsettled. Her hair was short and looked clean and neat but the rest of her felt off, like she was trying to fit in when she couldn't. Her clothes didn't seem to fit with the rest of her. The way she watched the room from under her fringe made me shudder when her eyes fell on me. She smiled at me making me walk over to take her order.

"What can I get you?" I asked as I stopped next to her.

The woman chuckled pulling a coin out of... somewhere and sliding across the table to me. "Beer and something warm to eat." She was softly spoken but still managed to be as gruff as she looked.

I jumped to do as she asked as she had given me a gold coin. She has been around here before. I wonder what she found funny about me serving her. I wondered as I put the coin in the lock box and noted the order. I filled a bowl with the hot stew from the kitchen while getting stared at by the cook. Even she thinks I will spill. I placed it on the tray and I carried it out to the bar setting it down to get the beer. I jumped when I turned my head and saw the owner was standing right next to me. Could he give me a little space? "Be careful around her. She is an odd person, always alone and never wants to interact with any of us town folk." He whispered leaning close enough to me so I could smell his foul breath.

Smiling as I filled the mug I whispered back. "I will be careful."

He grunted as I put the mug on the tray and carried the tray over to her table. She watched me while I put the bowl down in front of her. "Thank you. Tell me how things have been in town." I didn't think it was possible, but somehow, she managed to lower her voice further.

I smiled moving the tray to hold it against my chest. "Things have been, as they always have been. It's a small village. Nothing much happens here." She took a long sip of her beer nodding. "I need to get back to work if you would excuse me." I said with a small bow.

The woman smiled and nodded. Why wouldn't she look at me? Is there something wrong with her eyes.... they looked yellow?! I wondered as I walked out the back. I put the tray on the table in the kitchen as the owner grabbed me from behind in a painful grip spinning me around to face him. He loomed over me his breath makeing my eyes water.

"I said to be careful with her." He whispered through gritted teeth.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the cook tapping her spoon on the pot and watching us. "I was just polite. I didn't tell her anything." I said trying to get out of that grip.

He sighed letting go if me and gently straightening my dress. "In a few months, you are going to be out of that home, and you will need a job... and somewhere to live."

Where is he going with this? "What has that got to do with that woman?"

"She has tried to take you away from here several times. I know a lot of people in this village are not nice to you but... when you have to leave that house come here and work for me. That has got to be better than going with that odd woman. Who knows what a woman covered in scars wants with a child."

Sure he just wants me to work for him! That's why he is so 'hands-on with me when I work here. "I will probably come here. Thank you."

I felt slimy with his grin, and as soon as he stepped back so I wasn't trapped between him and the table, I picked up the broom and hurried out to the common room in the hopes of staying out of his reach. Yer. I think. Whatever that woman wants with me would be better than being around this man. I will leave here as soon as I am kicked out of the home. Its better than staying here with the people that hate me. Or staying with a man that will have a key to my room!

As soon as I was out of the kitchen I whent back to my sweeping. The woman ate slowly watching me as I worked. She had one more beer wich was served by the owner before she left the bar.

The morning went back to being quiet as was the norm. It was boring and meant I had to volunteer to clean the windows in the hope of keeping them away from the owner's hands.

I was grateful when the lunch crowd came in and forced me back inside out of the cold, but kept the owner too busy to grope me as I moved past him to fill my tray with mugs of beer. No spills to day... well not by me. The cook spilled boiling hot stue over the owner then yelled at him for ten minutes. He won't get handsie with her again. Shame I don't have the power to do that to him. I'm just a waitress, shes the cook! Without her this place would die in the day time.

The rush continued to ramp up as the sun went down and the place became heaving. The customers kept their hands to themselves because they wouldn't risk being banned for groping the staff. The next customer that came in showed me the darkness of the street outside. I need to get back before the old woman goes to bed or I will be locked out. I moved over to the bar keeper drawing his attention to me. "I need to get going it will be curfew soon."

"You could stay."

I smiled and shook my head. "I can't. I need to get back to put the younger ones to bed. I also need my money to pay for tomorrow's food."

He gave me that greasy grin again and offered me a few coins. This man is unplesent but honisest. He gave me the large tip that woman left. "Go on then, off with you." He patted my bum as he spoke and I hid my inner disgust giveing him my best smile.

I took the coins and hurried out into the night before he touched me again. I sighed in the cool night air finally free of that man's hands for today. Turning toward the home I shared with the other unwanted children. I took one step. "You should watch your back." I jumped at the soft voice coming from behind me.

I spun at that soft gruff voice and saw the woman I'd served this morning. Her hair hid her face but I could just about see her eyes. Its strange... like they are glowing. They seemed to emanate a soft yellowishgreen light. "What... oh it's you. I need to get back home and can't talk." I said hurriedly looking back in the direction I'd been trying go.

"I will escort you." The woman said in that same soft voice she had used before.

I nodded and we started to walk. I looked up at her. Her yellow eyes watched the road and every person that passed us. She started to frown turning her head like she heard something on the edge of her hearing. She kept turning her head on one side. I was about to ask why she was frowning when the woman stopped me with a hand on my shoulder and pulled me into an ally. I was about to protest when a group of men on horses ran through the street setting fire to the buildings they passed.

The woman let me go pulling out a long pole from a stack of them. "Stay hidden and I will return." She said gruffly pushing me against the wall of the building.

As I nodded she truned and watched the end of the alley. I started shaking with my fear as the village filled with screams. The woman ran out of the ally and smacked one of the men off his horse knocking him out before running off.

I watched one of the bandits grab one of the towns women. After a short scuffle he dragged her kicking and screaming into an alleyway opposite mine. Her screams tore at my heart until they stopped suddenly and the man reappeared with a sword covered in blood. Watching the blood drip from his blade made me swallow hard.

As I watched the streets became full of people and death in the light of the fire that was starting to spread. Some tried to put out the fire whilst others tried to use what they had to defend themselves.

Footsteps behind me made me turn and I felt sick seeing the same greasy smile on the group of three men coming towards me that the innkeeper gave me. I know what that smile means! I darted out of the ally and headed for the gate as fast as I could. I had to avoid people and bandits in battle and diying on my way to it. The men shouted and cheered as I ran. They were hot on my heels when I passed the gate and out into the woods nearby hopeing to lose them.

Running this fast made it hard to watch where I was going. My feet slipped on the damp moss as the branches wiped at my face leaving small cuts on any exposed skin. I know I will never outrun them, but still, I need to try. On I ran as the underbrush got thicker with more trees around I hoped to lose them in the forest. "Get her!" One of them yelled from closer than I hoped.

I looked over my shoulder, hoping that they weren't on my heels, and tripped over a root. I rolled a few feet then stopped looking up at the sky. I gasped and panted in the damp underbrush, no longer having the energy to stand, let alone run. I could smell the mud on me over the ever present smell of my home burning. I distantly hoped that I was so caked in mud they would run passed.

The bandits caught up with me quickly now I had stopped. "Aww she stopped running. Does that mean she has no fight left?" One of the bandits said sounding slightly disappointed.

I don't want to be here right now. There's no point screaming or fighting this, they are burning the whole village down. Who is there to come and help me? For that matter who would want to help me? "Do we drag her back or do we keep her for fun?" One of the three said scratching at himself.

"Both." The last of the three said.