Post by wilson on Aug 29, 2007 23:43:47 GMT -5
It was just before dawn as Akane slipped over the high wall that surrounded the tiny yard of the manor house. Some noble's home, a place for them to stay while in the capitol city. The wall had been painfully easy to scale, his claws finding the little nooks and crannies. And dressed as he was in deep grey leggings and a dark grey turtleneck accented only by the dark brown leather vest and pads that served as his only armor, he was near invisible. His hair was braided tightly back, looped up so it wouldn't get caught in anything as he crept cat quiet towards the manor. A servant stepped out of the kitchen door to fetch water, and Akane took the opportunity to dart in, sliding behind the cook's back and into the main part of the house without causing so mcuh as a whisper of soung to give him away.
Once within the house, he relaxed a touch. He had at least an hour before the traffic picked up. Sliding into a small room off to the side, he removed folded clothing from beneath his vest, tightening the laces on the vest before pulling on the extra clothing. A plain, undied shirt, and knee length britches that he could roll his leggings up to hide under. His shoes were plain enough to do, and after he twisted his hair up over his ears, he could hide it all under the newboy cap he pulled on. It wasn't comfortable, but it would do. He exerted a little of his weak magic, changing his eyes from uncanny green and gold to plain, all too human brown. The hat gave the illusion of short hair, nd his tail was curled around his torso, hidden by the loose, too-big shirt that looked like a hand me down.
He worked quickly, keeping his head down as he melted into the routine of the servants, finding himself directe to cleaning emtpy rooms. Since he was largely on his own, that suited him quite fine. Before long, he'd picked up a number of things that caught his eye. Then, with a quick glance to make sure he was absolutely alone, he darted past empty bedrooms to the room of the young noble daughter. He slipped in with barely a whisper of noise, careful not to step on any toys the five year old may have left out. She was their only child, and they dolled her up like a princess. She lived in a fairytale, and when Akane had seen her a few weeks before at a masquerade in her father's arms, he'd seen something he couldn't live without.
Ignoring the sleeping girls except to make sure she remained asleep, he found the large locked box on top of her dresser where he'd observed her more valuable items being placed. He picked the lock in no time, and near reverently drew out a heavy choker, silver set with pearls and diamonds and a scattering of amber droplets on the outermost tiers. It was large enough that on the young girl if spread out over her shoulders and collarbones- on Akane, it would be slightly less extravagent, but no more subtle. He trickled the choker into a pouched under the servant's shirt he wore. Also into the pouch went a handful of small figuringes, all alabaster inlaid with chips of precious stones for eyes. A deer, a rabbit, a swan, a unicorn, a lion, and a lamb.
He heard a sound behind him and crept to the side of the bed, finding himself looking into pale, ice blue eyes. He smiled, reaching into his pouch and pulling out the little present he'd decided to bring her. He laid it gently on the white coverlet, a simple, brightly painted wooden top with a pull string of braided twine. She opened her mouth and he pressed a finger to his lips, grinning wickedly. "Our secret." He murmured. She nodded and he was gone, vanishing out the window into the yard he'd come in through. He used the roof of the servant's quarters to get from the upper floor to the ground, scrambling back over the wall in a flash. In the narrow alley way he contorted to get out of the cheap servant's clothing, leaving it in a crumpled pile. He dug his real clothing out of a crate he'd stationed for that very purpose.
The thick, white garment easily hid his thin frame, gold serpents embroidered over it. A twist flipped the collar out, exposing the inner red lining embroidered with golden wisteria flowers. He wrapped the garment tightly around himself, years of long pracice allowing him to tie it closed behind him without letting it fall open. The tie was the same color and pattern as the lining of the robe, scarlet with gold wisteria blossoms. The soft, brown kid shoes that he'd worn to begin with stayed the same- shoes were hard to carry around, and not as cheap as clothing to replace. Confident in his snatch, he let down his hair (though he kept it braided) and flicked up his ears. The final touch was a scarlet leather collar clasped around his neck, an oversized silver bell at his throat. After realeasing the magic on his eyes so they returned to their properly inhuman color, he drifted into the main street, not at al put off by the odd looks his foreign dress and inhuman appearence occassionally garnered. It was too early for there to be any real crowds anyway.
Once within the house, he relaxed a touch. He had at least an hour before the traffic picked up. Sliding into a small room off to the side, he removed folded clothing from beneath his vest, tightening the laces on the vest before pulling on the extra clothing. A plain, undied shirt, and knee length britches that he could roll his leggings up to hide under. His shoes were plain enough to do, and after he twisted his hair up over his ears, he could hide it all under the newboy cap he pulled on. It wasn't comfortable, but it would do. He exerted a little of his weak magic, changing his eyes from uncanny green and gold to plain, all too human brown. The hat gave the illusion of short hair, nd his tail was curled around his torso, hidden by the loose, too-big shirt that looked like a hand me down.
He worked quickly, keeping his head down as he melted into the routine of the servants, finding himself directe to cleaning emtpy rooms. Since he was largely on his own, that suited him quite fine. Before long, he'd picked up a number of things that caught his eye. Then, with a quick glance to make sure he was absolutely alone, he darted past empty bedrooms to the room of the young noble daughter. He slipped in with barely a whisper of noise, careful not to step on any toys the five year old may have left out. She was their only child, and they dolled her up like a princess. She lived in a fairytale, and when Akane had seen her a few weeks before at a masquerade in her father's arms, he'd seen something he couldn't live without.
Ignoring the sleeping girls except to make sure she remained asleep, he found the large locked box on top of her dresser where he'd observed her more valuable items being placed. He picked the lock in no time, and near reverently drew out a heavy choker, silver set with pearls and diamonds and a scattering of amber droplets on the outermost tiers. It was large enough that on the young girl if spread out over her shoulders and collarbones- on Akane, it would be slightly less extravagent, but no more subtle. He trickled the choker into a pouched under the servant's shirt he wore. Also into the pouch went a handful of small figuringes, all alabaster inlaid with chips of precious stones for eyes. A deer, a rabbit, a swan, a unicorn, a lion, and a lamb.
He heard a sound behind him and crept to the side of the bed, finding himself looking into pale, ice blue eyes. He smiled, reaching into his pouch and pulling out the little present he'd decided to bring her. He laid it gently on the white coverlet, a simple, brightly painted wooden top with a pull string of braided twine. She opened her mouth and he pressed a finger to his lips, grinning wickedly. "Our secret." He murmured. She nodded and he was gone, vanishing out the window into the yard he'd come in through. He used the roof of the servant's quarters to get from the upper floor to the ground, scrambling back over the wall in a flash. In the narrow alley way he contorted to get out of the cheap servant's clothing, leaving it in a crumpled pile. He dug his real clothing out of a crate he'd stationed for that very purpose.
The thick, white garment easily hid his thin frame, gold serpents embroidered over it. A twist flipped the collar out, exposing the inner red lining embroidered with golden wisteria flowers. He wrapped the garment tightly around himself, years of long pracice allowing him to tie it closed behind him without letting it fall open. The tie was the same color and pattern as the lining of the robe, scarlet with gold wisteria blossoms. The soft, brown kid shoes that he'd worn to begin with stayed the same- shoes were hard to carry around, and not as cheap as clothing to replace. Confident in his snatch, he let down his hair (though he kept it braided) and flicked up his ears. The final touch was a scarlet leather collar clasped around his neck, an oversized silver bell at his throat. After realeasing the magic on his eyes so they returned to their properly inhuman color, he drifted into the main street, not at al put off by the odd looks his foreign dress and inhuman appearence occassionally garnered. It was too early for there to be any real crowds anyway.