Maeve: Of Blades

Chapter One

"You're only a little girl," the man stated, slipping his money back into his sack. He stared down at the girl with taffy pink hair and laughed. "You really think you can take me on?"

A couple of commoners, interested in the conflict, eavesdrop to witness the scene. It was market day, therefore, the town square was full. No one was daring to interfere though. Majority of the townspeople assumed that this man was a traveler, or stupidly brave. Surely, if he knew whom this girl was he would run away, right? For no one with a sane mind would challenge her. 

The girl, Maeve, raised her eyebrows, "I feel like I have a fighting chance," she began to twirl the blade in her right hand.

"Cute toy," the man pulled a shining sword out from his scabbard and pointed it at her, "what's it made of? Rubber?" 

A crooked smile formed on Maeve's face, revealing her dagger-like teeth, which made his heart miss a beat. He looked once more into her chilling blue eyes before swinging his sword in her direction. No scream.  Confused, he looks around. Where did she go?

As if to answer if to answer his question, "Hey, old man? You're going to have to quick then that to catch me." Maeve taunted whilst twirling her blades once again. 

Whipping around to find the mocking voice, his eyes widened in fear. "How did you get up there?" Asked the man, as he tried to comprehend how she had climbed to the edge of the roof. 

The wind let out a breath causing Maeve's cloak to ripple violently, "Wouldn't you like to know?" She hurtles herself forward landing gracefully, like a cat, on her feet. "Clearly, you don't know how things work around here. If you hand over your money now, I'll leave." She proposed.

With squinted eyes, the man replied venomously, "I never back down from a fight."

Maeve looked into his eyes, "Your loss." 

Suddenly, she charges full force in his direction and his sword was desperate to cut her. She remains unscathed, however, as she bounces off the stone wall and throws herself into him. Maeve quickly regained posture and turned around just in time as the sword was swung again.  Laughing, she ducked and rolled. Taking one of her blades, she created a small cut in the man's thigh.

Unfortunately for Maeve, the man took a firm grip on her collar and used it to swing her into the wall.

"Ugh..." Maeve groaned.

She noticed a pair of feet walking in her direction and swiftly stood up. Dodging an unexpected kick, she takes her left blade and sliced his torso. Crumpling to the ground, the man lets out a cry. Maeve stalked towards her prey who lie clutching his wound.

Ping.

Maeve swung her body back to avoid the on the coming group of bullets. "What the...?" Before she could finish the man had punched her in the face. Repeating it a further three times before owner of the gun walked up to the scene.

"I'm sick of this little girl acting like she owns the town, I'm Levi" The men shook hands, not paying to Maeve who has already climbed into a nook of a town building.

The shooter, Levi, frantically asked, "Where did she go?" Scanning the centre, the men could not find her.

Not until they heard the swishing sound of a dagger being thrown could they workout where she was. Her eyes emitted an uneasy blue light in the darkness surrounding. Levi started to fire generally into where the cat-like eyes waited.

Eventually, the bullets stopped chasing her and Maeve knew this was her chance. She slid down the thatched roofing onto the pathway beneath. Both men had their sword by their sides ready. Maeve crouched down, harnessing all her energy, before looking into their eyes again. "Goodnight..." She waved her hands knowing that they would be distracted only for a few seconds.

One of them cried, "I can't see," before dropping to their knees to search for their sword. She began throwing daggers at them. She never missed.

The men's vision soon returned, but it was too late. Blood was gushing out of various wounds on their bodies, in so much pain that they couldn't move. 

Smugly, Maeve sauntered over to them. She leaned down to whisper to them, "I hope you've learned your lessons." Before reaching into their pockets and tipping their money into her hand.

"This is not over..." One of them spat. 

Maeve hissed, "what did you say?" Her eyes were full of fire like rage. The man opened his mouth to reply, but Maeve punched him. Leaving him unconscious. Quickly, she retreated back into the darkeness of the shadows. 

Staying around to watch townspeople rush over to help her victims. She stared at them with a jealous passion. They were lucky to leave this unscratched. While she had never killed someone, Maeve has done serious harm. 

These people would likely never know what it's like to be reduced to this; having to steal to survive. The thought had never crossed her mind until a couple of years back. When her dad died, not only did he leave her with unresolvable hatred but in poverty as well. These people would never have to live like that.

Her hand gripped her blade tighter, these had been her only companions for years. Most would view daggers as dangerous weapons to Maeve, however, they are her protection. She pressed the cool metal to her forehead and sighed.

Peering over the side of the stone wall she could still see there was mass panic in the town centre, and something else. Something Maeve hadn't felt before. An undeniable tension of anger and lust for revenge. She knew that for now on, her life was going to be a lot tougher than before. 

After one last glance, Maeve jumped the wall and landed on the other side. But before she could run further into the forest she felt someone grab her shoulder.

"No one escapes the Law..."

-To be continued-