OSAT CH3: Contracts of a Child
Sirens, lured in crowds of all ages and genders, races and backgrounds. Everyone looked on to see what tragedy, what mishap had befallen another careless waste of blood. Seeing if yet another asshole got what he deserved, no one ever thinking it could be some poor soul. Not a one of them believed in good people in this city. That is, all but one little girl who stared down from her balcony, high above the streets, peering down between the ornate railing from 28 stories up. The sirens' song lost it's piercing ring, their flashing lights just a blip from that height. Her eyes strained at the sight, curious at what it could have been, her eyes had seen such things often, and yet she was uneducated in the ways of the street. She would never know the woman who drew the sirens, who drew the crowds, she would never remember the missing maid among the many who tended to her needs.
A voice spoke out to this little girl, long and calm, but with a tone of sheer cold. "Tikka, why are you not studying with Helen?" A figure barely lit, the only light from the outer world entering through the balcony. A tall, firm man, standing straight and poise. Clothes tailored to his every last desire to the finest detail, like all of his suits. A glass in his left hand vanished into the shadow concealing his face, only to return shortly with the brown liquid. "I have told you, should you continue to waste my money, you shall have none. And the time you waste looking upon that which we do not own, is a waste of money."
The girl nodded to him, curtsying and bowing her head. "Sorry Mr. Vyx, I'll return to my studies right away." Upon standing straight she smiled to the figure, genuinely happy to see him for once in a great while. She walked gracefully beyond the man through the door he had left ajar, receiving a light pat upon her head as she passed, the only sign of physical affection he'd offer to her. Being a man of strict business it would be months before she saw him again, even so she still loved him and looked forward to the next meeting he'd decide to call her in for.
Some months later the girl sat in the garden, her small round ears took in all that was spoken to her. Her soft green eyes strained at the words beneath the pictures in her book. Her dark mask only made them all the more noticeable. Her only sister an exact resemblance to the small 'coon, only 7 years further along. Her bushy tail drooped as she struggled with her studies, this book unlike the others she had used before, the pictures were less detailed and further spread, the words in smaller fonts and longer sentences. It did not help that the book was that of college professors, nor did it help she could not read. She had difficulty following the written text, but grew tired of the spoken word which repeated the text aloud, for she had already known this. "Sissy? Can you slow down?" she asked setting the book upon her lap, flattening her skirt to her small thighs. She only wanted to stop and have some fun, as all girls her age should, even if it was in the form of speaking with the maids. She huffed and leaned an elbow upon the page, wanting to communicate and avoid the boring lectures and lessons for a day.
A sigh escaped the older sibling, the kind of teenage frustration. She set her own book aside and stood to cross to the young girl, fluffing her attire all the while. The same maid attire one would picture in the old movies of rich men and old times. "Miss Vyx, we cannot stop until the hour is done. And I am Helen, not sissy. I tend to you and instruct you. That is all your father has hired me for." She pressed the youngling's back out, her chin up and pulled her elbow from the page. "Though I was your 'sissy' once, and though today is your birthday, I must do my job, and you must study. Mr. Vyx would have it no other way." She sat back near the child at that time and set her eyes to the book reading for the youth.
Upon the end of the study hour for the young heiress she was dismissed and free to do as she pleased within the rooftop estate, but no place else. This was one rule never to be broken, her sister learned this all to well. It was well known that Mr. Vyx's eldest daughter was to be his heiress, but this was ended when she broke his rule. His daughters could do anything they pleased as long as the two rules were not broken. The first being to never leave the estate high on the rooftop. The second, but more important rule was more of a contract. They could use his money as they pleased, for whatever they desired, as long as such things were used to the full extent and milked for every penny. Should they purchase food, every last crumb must be eaten. Should they hire an escort, they must use said escort for every minute of the hour or hours they paid for. Nothing was off limits as long as not a cent was wasted. When either of these rules were broken one too many times, the daughter would have to make a living on their own, and that was his law. Being only 14 help for the house was all Helen had to offer.
Because of those two rules and because of the example her sister was made into, the young girl never learned anything of the street sorts, this did not mean she was not the type who did not fantasy of the streets, nor did it mean it would keep her from one day breaking these rules, but for now she was perfectly content in her childhood. Though she was missing real friends she would gain one that night, in the strangest of ways she could have ever imagined. And this friend would lead her to a path of adventure, risk taking, and he would lead her to find that friends were more valuable to her than money.
It was just before the girl's time for rest, the maids were dressing her and preparing her for sleep when a short knock came to the door. Now only two sorts would ever knock before entering the bedchamber of the young girl, the help, who were already in the room, and her parents. The doors were opened for the wealthy couple, having just returned from retrieving a special something. The girl immediately proceeded towards the couple having left the help behind with their job only half finished. The woman gracing the girl with a brief hug, the man gave the same pat as he always had. "Now Tikka, we have a gift for you." The couple nodded to one another as Mr. Vyx spoke. " We believe you are old enough for a friend. He will live with us, but your interactions will be limited." The girl of course already knew this meant another contract she would have to bind herself to, but this was the way it was and it would be for years to come. Still a friend, her first and true friend other than the help was overwhelming to her. Eyes beaming like emeralds in the light. Her fluffy, pristine tail flickered in excitement as the couple parted allowing a young boy to step forward from behind them both. "Introduce yourself, boy. Like you were taught." Mr. Vyx's voice was cold and sharp, as if speaking to one of his own employees at a conference who had lost a client.
The boy bowed his head slowly and stood straight looking to be only a year or so older than the girl he was presented to. "I am Slayne Inaru Cross." it was then the girl took notice of his eyes. One violet, the other as green as her own. "And I am now at your beck and call, Miss Tikka."
From then on, only one thing could separate the two...and even that contract would come to an end before too long.