The Grimaldi Archives

Prologue

"Lass, yer killin' me, it's time to go!" Said the man in frantic surprise. The screaming of bombs landing, and the sound of crossfire sounded all throughout the city. Men on dirigibles clambered down the ropes that the ships had sent below towards the ground. She put her hands over her head cowering, waiting, expecting the blow of the bomb... it didn't come. She breathed heavily before looking up into his eyes. Brown, kind, sad, sincere, and intense. "Lass, a girl shouldn't have to cower before a man. She should be the one to make him cower." She thought intently about this, as a child she'd resorted to living on the streets. Ending up in numerous, petty fights for food. She looked down at herself, realizing that her attire was in rotten shape, her shirt threadbare, her dark chocolate hair, stringy. Her skin flushed in embarrassment. "It's okay darlin' my wife will help you." The older gent lifted her into his arms, cradling her as if she were a precious gift. She wailed at the sudden human contact. She hated being touched. She began to kick, a plan of hers to escape the confines of this man's arms. "Lass, I'm tellin' ye we've got to get out!" She reached up, clutching his dark blue coat, the outfit of a general. He jumped from the window out of the building. Covering her head, and making sure she was protected from the falling city, being blown to shambles around them.