Post by Zenith Hart on Apr 24, 2006 17:05:46 GMT -5
"Orli Mentor, you put that wrench right back where you found it or I'll have you working for it," Zenith Hart called from under a whatever-she-was-working-on to the congregation of children at the back of her workshop.
"I swear, she's got eyes in the back of her head!" whispered the exasperated Orli to a few others.
"And ears like a bat," Zenith added, crawling out. On average, these kids were about half her age and three quarters her size to the same. She stood only at a little over five feet, but from her grease-stained top to her grease-stained bare feet, she was still one to be reckoned with. "Speak up. What'd you want?"
One of the smallest girls spoke shyly. "Your parents said they'd be out for a while in the islands. We're almost out of things to eat, Miss Zenith. We need to go to market...."
"Aw, honey, is that it? You could have just told me," she said with a large smile, ruffling the girl's hair. All of these children were orphans staying with she and her parents for various reasons. The elder Harts were off to the Northern continent, and while they were gone Zenith was left to take care of things back home. "I'll get the money, you get me two or three who can go. And not Traener. No matter what she says. She's proven all too good and convincin' y'others to do things you shouldn't be. "
She never had minded having all the children about, big and small. They'd always come and gone since before she could remember. They were all her family, though only a few she got particularly close to. One of those had been Terrace Niteshine, and after she left Traener Niken had become her "project." The girl was the type not to let anyone close, always angry and headstrong, but still a born leader. The kid was going to get herself into trouble someday.
She crawled back under her who-knows-what after retrieving a bit of money for the kids, and the sound of pings, pang, bings, and bangs, could be heard al throughout her shop behind the house.
"I swear, she's got eyes in the back of her head!" whispered the exasperated Orli to a few others.
"And ears like a bat," Zenith added, crawling out. On average, these kids were about half her age and three quarters her size to the same. She stood only at a little over five feet, but from her grease-stained top to her grease-stained bare feet, she was still one to be reckoned with. "Speak up. What'd you want?"
One of the smallest girls spoke shyly. "Your parents said they'd be out for a while in the islands. We're almost out of things to eat, Miss Zenith. We need to go to market...."
"Aw, honey, is that it? You could have just told me," she said with a large smile, ruffling the girl's hair. All of these children were orphans staying with she and her parents for various reasons. The elder Harts were off to the Northern continent, and while they were gone Zenith was left to take care of things back home. "I'll get the money, you get me two or three who can go. And not Traener. No matter what she says. She's proven all too good and convincin' y'others to do things you shouldn't be. "
She never had minded having all the children about, big and small. They'd always come and gone since before she could remember. They were all her family, though only a few she got particularly close to. One of those had been Terrace Niteshine, and after she left Traener Niken had become her "project." The girl was the type not to let anyone close, always angry and headstrong, but still a born leader. The kid was going to get herself into trouble someday.
She crawled back under her who-knows-what after retrieving a bit of money for the kids, and the sound of pings, pang, bings, and bangs, could be heard al throughout her shop behind the house.