Kekeke...

The Knight, at your service. I'm a jack-of-all-trades. Find me a job and I'll get it done. When I'm not tending to the bell tower, that is. Speaking of bell tower, I live there too ,so if you want a word, meet me there. I'd be much obliged.

[nostenfer-blog]

screeeee

[feuforeve-byeeeee-blog]

If she wasn’t gripping his hand like a vice for the majority of the trip, she swears that she would have fallen to her demise. Missy was never really one for climbing things, let alone balancing on them. But, he made her feel reassured somehow. Maybe it was because he knew what he was doing.

The city sure looked different from such great heights. The smell of sewers and the depression of the lower class life was out of sight and mind where they were. All that was seen was the beautiful architecture of the high-rise buildings and other mechanical miracles. It felt like an entirely new place.

As the wind picked up, Missy started to recognize her surroundings. The balcony from which she so often escapes from was just ahead, and it made her feel a little bit sad. No one ever adventured with her, and even though he had led her home, it felt like a new territory to explore.

She climbed cautiously over the balcony’s railing and planted her feet to the ground. Missy smoothed out her coat and turned back to look at her guide.

“Merci, monsieur…ah! I don’t zhink I got your name? And…oh, my! I didn’t give you mine! How terribly rude of me, pardon.” She thrust out her hand towards him, as if they hadn’t held theirs together long enough that night. “I am Missy! But, you might have already known zhat, seeing as you know where I live…ah, but you are?”

[nostenfer-blog]

He watched her climb over the railing, making sure that she did not slip and fall. His arms were slightly extended towards her ready to catch her if she happened to fall on a wrong footing. It was then he happened to glimpse her dark lacey undergarments and he did not turn away. His only lament was that the moment of one-sided intimacy was too brief.

With a chuckle, he jumped onto the railing of her balcony, ignoring her hand. In his balancing act, he threw a flap of his dark cloak over his shoulder and looked down at her almost menacingly.

 “I’m the Knight.” He smiled at his own pun, reveling in his made-up bat signal (snrk). He jumped back down and held up a small metal pin of a bat. It was a pin that he usually kept for his regular customers. She, however, was an exception.“If you ever need a job done pin this right above your heart." 

He took her hands into his gloved own and placed the pin in the heart of her palm. After letting his touch linger, he jumped over the balcony again and down onto the rooftop. He looked up to the girl. "You know, you're so loud I could find you in this city blindfolded."

With a smirk he flipped forward his cloak ensuring a dramatic swoosh and propelled himself into the dark night. 

[feuforeve-byeeeee-blog]

Her face was blank and she was silent. “I…alright.”

He seemed nice enough, to be honest. A creepy entrance, maybe, but his voice didn’t waver and his intentions seemed true. Missy continued to look down at her feet, and spoke in a soft tone. “It depends entirely on zhe favour, monsieur.”

Missy let her hand linger with his, gaining composure to get a good look at his face in case something happened. All she could see, however, was the smirk on his face. It didn’t seem menacing, though. Maybe even kind…

With the hand holding the lantern, Missy gestured towards her house. “I suppose, monsieur, since you know zhe way, you may lead.” 

[nostenfer-blog]

Her approval was all he needed. It meant she trusted him to a certain degree and that was essential. The first inklings of trust. His smile grew into a full blown-out grin. “I’ll show you how to get there quickest.” He jumped on a trashcan and propelled himself onto the brick wall of the bell tower and extended his hand out to her.  “Take my hand.”

Pulling her up, he carefully led her across the wall, holding her steady. Then he lightly landed on a rooftop and traveled across the span of shingles covering the roofs all while holding her hand.

From the height, the mazelike city sprawled out before them. The tall chimney-stacks silhouetted by the pale light of the moon were like lithe specters billowing smoke. Airships hummed quietly in the sky, large black balloons tethered to their roosts until ready to take to the skies unbridled. He led her to the balcony.

A cool breeze slid by ushering the scent of ashes, coal, smoke, and oil. Far above on the rooftops, you could not smell the raw stink of the streets.

[feuforeve-byeeeee-blog]

She creeped back in tandem with his steps towards her, hoping for an escape until her back hit the wall. He was close, but it didn’t feel like it was an invasion of her space. Warmth resonated from his body…

When he brought up her house, any positive thoughts left her mind and filled with fear. “Uhm…” There was obviously no lying to this guy. He would see right through it. “Ah…o-oui. Zhat’s mine.” She interlaced her fingers and held them up as a plea. “But please! Don’t hurt zhem, please…” 

[nostenfer-blog]

“Kekeke. I wouldn’t think of hurting your family, Miss.” He shook his head as if to strengthen the claim. “I just want to lead this young miss back to her comfortable abode.” He gently pushed her hands down with his own gloved hand, making sure he kept his face covered. “Maybe gain her favor?”

He was extremely close at this point and he knew it. He loved making others feel uncomfortable, especially the rich ones. Maybe if his small push went to shove he could get something out of it.  He took her hand and took a step back. The light from the lamp barely lit the lower part of his face, revealing a slight smile.

“It’s late. Let me take you back home.” 

[feuforeve-byeeeee-blog]

Stealthy, stealthy, stealthy. Just like the detectives!

She repeated the words — almost like a mantra — in her mind as she crept along the darkened alley with nothing but her lantern in hand. She never found criminals or anything on these walks, but the light helped her to find an odd trinket here and there; mostly small gears and chains.

Missy reveled at the bell tower every time she passed it. Of all the architectural standings in the city, this was by far the most beautiful. She only imagined that whoever ran it was of equal beauty.

Almost down the alley, which meant almost time to go home before she got caught. Oh, papa would be so angry if he saw her parading around the alleys at night! Time to head h—

Her body completely froze up when she heard the light “ahem” behind her. Oh, no! Could it be…?

Missy slowly turned around to see a tall boy in a dark cloak. For a moment, she was relieved that it wasn’t someone she knew. But then she realized that it wasn’t someone she knew.

“A-Ah…Je suis desolee…I don’t have anyzhing you’d like! Please just let me go home now, I promise I won’t tell anyone anyzhing! Or, ah oh no…”

[nostenfer-blog]

"Ah hah." Knight chuckled at her reaction. "That's good. You should be suspicious of cloaked figures around these parts. Especially of the tall..." He took a step towards her. "...dark" Another step. 

"...and handsome ones." He was barely a step from her now, cornering her into a wall. 

"Now then....aren't you far from home?" His face waned closer to hers. "The one with the large balcony, am I wrong?" 

[nostenfer-blog]

He felt the twang of a pebble against a metal manhole cover reverberate through his ears. Another shuffle of damp cloth against cobblestone wall and the soft crackle of muscle coaxed an exasperated sigh out of Knight.

“She’s not even trying…”

His eyes followed a tall, lithe girl carrying an oil lantern through an alley just outside the bell tower. With a cocksure sniff, he threw on his cloak and descended from the tower, landing soundlessly next to her. She passed right by him.

The faint rustle of her coat. The almost soundlessness of a gulp sinking down her throat. The sway of her hair.

Her hair.

It was odd how the orange lantern light caught the colors of what seemed to be just dark hair. It was mesmerizing, almost spellbinding- but it wasn't the first time he had seen her. He had been..."tracking" her midnight strolls for a while now. It was amusing to see how she took to the city. And now- now was the time to approach her.

Knight made sure to completely cover his features with his dark hood and gave a small "ahem", just loud enough so that she would hear.

[nostenfer-blog]

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD?

...Who are you...?