Ahana - Part 1
Ahana stared through the glass case at the rows of assorted warm, golden pastries, saliva collecting on her tongue. She ran her fingers over the coins that she had managed to collect that morning--it was never going to be enough to afford a proper meal, but even just one bread roll would suffice. As the line shuffled forwards, she hastily rubbed at the specks of dirt on her face, trying to make herself just a little more presentable so that the shopkeepers wouldn't turn her away like they had done at the bakery down the street.
'And what can I get for you, little lady?' The baker was a large man, with a dark beard and moustache, but under all that hair was a welcoming smile. His voice was like feathers tickling her fingertips.
She let out a sigh of relief. 'Um, can I--can I have a bread roll.. please?' she asked. Her Laïshan was still rough, but she hoped it was clear enough for him.
The baker ran his eyes over her as he pulled out a bread roll and set it on a thin sheet of paper atop the counter. As she laid out the few coins she had in next to the roll, he said, 'You must be hungry, little one.' She swallowed, looking up at him before nodding slightly. He was smiling again, like the melting butter that drizzled down the sides of fanna bread. Oh, how she missed fanna bread. 'Have this too, then.' The baker pulled out a honey bun, the top of the bread plaited elegantly, and wrapped it up with the bread roll. 'For free,' he added, when she opened her mouth to protest. 'I can't do this every time, but every now and then...' He winked at her as he slid the package towards her, and she beamed at him, bowing in thanks before skipping outside.
The Gods were looking down on her after all. She chided herself for ever letting doubt seep in, and vowed to remain devoted to them. Her spirit was as tattered as her bare feet, covered in dust and grime, but this was a sign that things were going to be alright.
The Sun's merciless rays glared down at her as she hugged the package close to her chest and walked deliberately down the street, darting between the rest of the crowd. She was not about to let two days-worth of coin and the baker's generosity go to waste. Soon she found a quiet square and perched on the stairs outside a building that towered over her, blocking out the Sun.
Her stomach grumbled as she unwrapped her delicious baked goods--sure, one was a simple bread roll, and the other was something she'd never tried, but any food was bound to be delicious right now. She admired the bread roll and its beautiful gradient of warmth before bringing it up to her mouth.
And then her eyes landed on a girl, who looked just a little older than her, sitting just across the square to the right, bathed in sunny rays that gave her an aura which said, 'I control the light.'
Ahana frowned, her nose scrunching up a little, and her stomach rumbled again, begging her to take a bite of the bread roll. But she couldn't take her eyes off the girl.
She was staring at the greengrocer's store back on the main street, head resting on a bony hand, connected to skinny limbs and a skinny body just like all the other street children. There was something different about her limbs though; her hands were bony, yes, but the slightest muscles clung to her arms and legs, barely noticeable through her brown tunic. Her skin was dark--darker than Ahana's--but it seemed to glow in the heat of the Sun, and her hair was black as the night back home, speckled with stars, pulled into a tight plait and tied up with a navy blue ribbon. Odd.
Ahana glanced down at the honey bun resting on her lap, letting out a feeble groan. She knew it was the right thing to do, so she forced herself to her feet and walked cautiously over to the girl, reminding herself that the Gods, too, would look down kindly on her for this.
The girl didn't react as Ahana approached, charcoal eyes trained on a wagon loaded with a bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables that was parked outside the greengrocer's.
'Here,' Ahana said, holding out the honey bun towards the girl, who finally tore her gaze away from the wagon and towards her instead. The features of her face were pretty, but the way they were arranged right now made Ahana's heart race. 'I - um.' Ahana racked her brain, trying to think of the right words in Laïshan. 'You looked--' angry '--hungry.'
'What do you want?' the girl demanded, her voice harsh, slashing into Ahana's skin. She didn't look like she was from around there--the native people were known to walk around with their skin covered from head to toe due to the unrelenting heat, but this girl seemed to relish it--and yet her Laïshan was perfect. She would never admit it, but a jealous flicker lit up in Ahana's chest. 'Nothing is free on the streets,' the girl continued, pushing Ahana's hand away. 'Stop bothering me.'
How long had this girl been out here? She spoke as if she had decades of experience, but there was no way she was older than eleven.
If anything, this was a clearer sign than any that the girl needed help.
'I don't want anything.' She tried to keep her voice firm even as she stumbled over her words. 'I just want to help you.' A pause. 'Maybe make a friend?'
The girl laughed, high and cruel, making heat rush to Ahana's cheeks. 'How new are you? Do you really believe it's possible to make friends out here?' Ahana dropped her eyes to the floor, counting the grains of sand as she shook her head solemnly. 'Exactly. So take your valuables and get out of here before someone else takes them from you.'
The package of goods trembled in Ahana's hands as she turned away. 'Okay.'
'Wait.' The girl grabbed Ahana's arm and whirled her around, and Ahana braced herself, her hands tightening around the packet as she scrunched her eyes shut. Who, exactly, did this girl think she was--refusing her offer and then trying to steal the food herself after warning Ahana herself? Then she felt a sharp pain on her forehead and gasped in surprise, yanking her eyes open to find the girl staring at her; she had flicked her.
Ahana opened her mouth to say--what, exactly? She had nothing to say, and she was too distracted by the girl's eyes. They were gleaming, something burning in them that Ahana was scared to identify.
'I'll make a deal with you.'
