Failure & Losing Something Important
Holding the small child in her lap the night before, listening to the others vie for her attention. Trying to answer them all. It brought back memories. The little girl had been younger than Ritti. She had felt like she had been stabbed in the heart when the little one had cried and clung to her.
The group of them had approached her as she’d been on her way to the bank and the printer for the evening. They had swarmed around offering her items to buy. She’d sunk down to their level and let each of them tell her about their treasure. Then the little one had just climbed into Risri’s lap as if it was her favorite spot and Risri had held the little girl, digging into her bag for granola when she’d heard her tummy rumble. They had all devoured the pieces in moments.
Then the comms had gone off about imps at the Stockades. Risri had tried to leave without the children following, tried to get them to go back to the orphanage before she left them. She’d promised to visit and given her card so the girl could have someone help find Risri again.
She’d spent the entire day yesterday going through the papers after the break in. Taking inventory of what was missing. The girl had weighed in the back of her mind most of the day. It was almost dusk when Risri had decided she had a good idea of what had been taken. Her mind still whirling at the failure of the wards and the loss of months of files. She worried over who had taken them and what they would do with the information.
Plastering a smile on her face she entered the orphanage, looking around for the child. One of the Matron’s approached. Risri still looking around, as the children took notice of the tall elf in their midst, asked after the group and the little girl, giving descriptions. The Matron called forth a few of the smaller girls but none of them were the orphan that she gave her card to the night before.
Risri left feeling disheartened. Who were those children then? Was someone using them for their own gain? She’d wandered off her normal path; looking and hoping to catch sight of even one of the group.
It was full dark when Risri wearily made her way back to the office. Her search a failure. She could only hope the child would come find the office someday.
(@blacksandsgrotto for Cugel’s kids and the break in)
(Day 12 & 14 Elfebruary)
