by Mark Hayes

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The back alley was dark even though the sun still hung in the sky , and would do for some hours yet . The overhanging roofs keep the small passage way between the busy market and the street of temples in dark shadows that even a summers noon could not penetrate . Filth and the smell of decay filled the air as the alley way was used as both a dustbin and a urinal by the local shops and passer-by . The stench was overpowering to those not used to it . Rats scuttled among the rubbish piles and roaches crawled in the corners . The odd bucket of waste would descend from the windows above , which at the best times were table scraps and at worst , well the alley way was the closest thing to a sewer in this part of Lux .....

It was here Flos made her home . A few planks of wood to form a roof pirched on a couple of old apple crates she had been lucky enough to salvage from the rubbish that surrounded her makeshift home . Her prized possession was perched on the roof ,a small ceramic bowl , with a fractured lip , that on good days caught ran water and saved her the journey to the market well . with her soiled ragged cloths it was the only thing she called her own .she hid most days among her rubbish . Hiding from prying eyes as she had done for most of her life .The life before the alley was a forgotten dream . A woman she called mother who had been kind to her most times , then beat her at others . A man she called farther who beat her when she had been young and later hurt her in other ways . But that dream was gone , left behind the day she fled to the streets , and later to the alley . There were voices coming down the alley . And flos risked a look between the rags that formed her door .

Two men , each dressed in cloths that to her looked beautiful . Though they were soiled with a days wear . There bright colours and soft fabrics as alien to her eyes . There was the noise of one of the men relieving himself upon the alley wall , and there voices spoke with words she did not understand in voices that were fine and gentle compared to her own rough gutter brogue . " That is a dozen crowns you owe me old man . " the first said , his voice betraying the drink that had passed his lips .

The other laughed in a strange sing song way , " You dealt the cards , it is you fault you gambled on a pair . " he replied

" You had me play that filthy wagonier , " he other snapped rebuttoning his fly .

" Worry not we can have the watch arrest him fr thieving , after all the gold was a years wage to him Dante . "

" What a capital idea ........" Flos peaked out of her home some more , knocking over on of the struts that supported the make shift roof which clattered to the ground .

" I say , what do we have here " the noble mans voice said grabbing her arm and pulling her from her hiding place .

" Your pardon sir , " Flos said , her eyes down to the alleys floor .

" Why Dante , you have discovered a girl in the stink of the alley " the other mad said , laughter in his voice .

" can this filthy beggar be a girl ? " the other intoned , garbing the small bowl of rain water and pouring it over her head before throwing it away , to smash against the wall behind him .

Flos let out a cry of distress . " My bowls .... " she snapped . before the noble holding her slapped her across her face with the back of his hand .

" Quite beggar . " he said thumbing her face clear of muck . his eyes lighting up in surprise . " Why Jerome look at this , a jewel in the filth pile . "

the other man leered closer , " why you are right Dante , she is a pretty one . " he said his hand reaching to his crotch . " Why she could be one of madam la Belles whores with a face like that . " he added . pulling at her clothing . which fell away easily to him rough touch .

" La Belles girls cost a fortune man , this is a beggar girl . " Dante said in reply , some slight disgust in his voice .

" Yes old man , but this one is for free , " said the other , glancing at the daylight street several yards behind him . Flos screamed , though she knew it was useless . no one would enter an alley after a scream was heard . Besides the nobles rough hands smothered her cry and forced her to the ground and his partner funbled with his buttoned fly . " After you old man , " he said laughing . Flos closed her eyes , knowing ti was best not to struggle . when you struggled they hit you . She remembered that from her dreams ...........................

The stifled cry was all he hear , as Jar took his easy by the market stall . But Jar moved quickly anyway towards the alley from which the cry had come . some cries of pain stand out among the general noise of the market . As he ducked in to the ally he saw the two men in the dim light on standing over another that wriethed on the floor, at first in the dim light he dismissing it as a simple mugging . Then he saw the prone form of the beggar girl below the laying man , her mouth clasped shut by one hand as the second hand fumbled with her clothing . The other was laughing at his friends antics . From there cloths it was easy to see what they were . Noble boys cursing the back streets for kicks . It was a sight Jar had seen before many times .

" Noble bastards . " he spat , he hand reaching to his dagger blade , touching the anchor insignia on his arm for luck . he walked purposely in to the alley behind the men . His foot steps measured and even , though nervously he fingered the red scarf tied around his neck . He garbed the laughing man from behind , one hand over the nobles mouth to stifle any cry while he force his dagger in to the mans back thrusting the blade upwards to find a way past the rib cage to his heart . The noble stiffened instantly and struggled to scream as he pulled the blade free and then sliced the mans throat and cast him aside to choke on his ignoble blood on the alley floor . The other man was up now , the girl screaming . But Jar wasted no time, kicking the noble back to the ground as he fumbled for his own blade and then hammering the blade into the mans rib cage where he left it . A good knife that oe , but he had others . He pulled the girl up . motioning her to silence . and began to rummage the noble mans pockets , finding several gold crowns and other coins among them . " Take these , " he said handing them to the girl . " and go , don't return here lest you be blamed for this .

The girl stood there looking at the gold that to her was a fortune . The noble man who was moaning to himself as he died it was probably nothing more than gambling money. " why did you help me ... " the girl inquired as Jar did his best to clean the blood from his clothing .

Jar looked up at her . and tugged on the red scarf around his neck ." You see this . " he said to her , " Know that those who wear this are your friends . The Army of the red scarf will rise , and end the tyranny of there kind . " he added . pointing to the now dead noble man who had his knife in his chest . " Now go sister , and remember , you are not alone . " With that he watched the girl go . before making his escape himself through to the temple street where he could become lost in the crowd . He smiled to himself as he went , think , perhaps the girl would grow and join the red scarf guild herself . One more to fight the tyranny of noble rule . The army of the red scarf would grow ............................................

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