Without a King (Greatest Thief 1, mxm)

Bonus - The Reasons to Steal - Fear

Six years before Without a King

The brothel had always felt like a strange home, even though it was the only one Ninavi had ever known. She was lonely. There were other children, but they were boring and timid. There was only one other boy she had ever liked, but he didn't live in the brothel. He came and went, visiting his mother and sometimes smiling at Ninavi if they crossed paths. But he had stopped coming around. Ninavi knew, even though everyone tried to hide the truth from her, that his mother had been killed.

That was why she was so excited about having a new baby sibling. Someone she could play with and teach to be brave, like she was. She sat on a couch downstairs, wondering what the new baby's name would be. Nino would be cute, if he was a boy. Or maybe...

One of the younger women sat down beside her. "You're going to have to help your mother with the baby."

"I know," Ninavi said, with a firm nod. "I'll be very helpful."

The woman smiled kindly. "That's very good. I know you've been very helpful to your mother already these past months. Do you want to know a secret?" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think I'm going to have a baby, too."

Ninavi's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. I hope you'll have time to help me, too."

"Of course," Ninavi agreed. But then she really thought about how much she had helped her mother recently. It would be hard to take of the baby, her mother, and this woman. And then her baby! Ninavi frowned. "But, I can't just take care of babies all day. I'm very busy."

"Are you?"

"Yes. Do you remember Finn? I'm learning to climb like he could. Or, I'm trying to, at least."

"Ah, yes." The woman nodded. "Finagale. I guess he was an impressive boy. But you can't possibly think that's a safe thing to do. A pretty girl like you? No, you can help with the babies until you're old enough to start working."

Ninavi blinked. "Working? No, my mother says I'm never going to work here."

"We all thought that at some point." The woman placed a hand on her belly and sighed. "Just like we all thought that when we had babies, we would love their father. But Zianesa doesn't bless everyone equally. One way or another we all found our way here. You're pretty. You'll do very well. Maybe one day a rich sailor will take a particular shine to you and free you from this place, but that's just a fairy tale."

Ninavi got up and took a step away from the woman. She crossed her arms and tried to look brave. "That isn't going to happen to me."

"We all thought that."

"No, but—" Ninavi's attention was drawn by another woman coming down the stairs. Her dress was covered in blood, and for a moment Ninavi was afraid there had been another attack. Like the one that had killed Finn's mother. But then that fear dissipated and another one formed, stronger than the first.

The woman made her way over to them. With a nod at the younger woman, she turned to Ninavi. "Your mother... she didn't make it."

Ninavi felt like she was in a dream. She shook her head. "Of course she did."

"No, sweetie. She didn't," the woman said. "And your brother—"

Nino, Ninavi thought to herself.

"—was already dead."

Ninavi didn't feel herself collapse. But then the woman was crouched beside her, and pulling her into a bloody hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The woman was crying, but Ninavi's eyes were dry. "We begged Sunia to help, but... some things can't be helped."

They stayed that way for a long time.

There was a plague going around, meaning there were body collectors searching the city. They were called to the brothel, and they took the bodies of Ninavi's mother and brother. She sat on the stairs and watched, not making a sound aside for a whispered goodbye. When the door closed behind them, she ran down to the tiny room near the kitchen she had always slept in, and threw herself onto the bed.

She finally cried. Exhausted, she fell asleep with tears still in her eyes.

The next morning, Ninavi woke up with a single thought. She had to get out of the brothel. She didn't want the future that seemed in store for her. She wanted to see the world, to explore, to wear expensive clothes. She bundled up the few things she could call her own—a few old dresses, a blanket, and a hairbrush that had belonged to her mother.

It was early enough that the kitchen was quiet. She snuck in and added a few buns and strips of dried meat to her bundle. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. She never wanted to step foot in the brothel again.

It was a chilly morning. She hugged her bundle and dashed through the streets to get as far from the brothel as possible. When the streets started to get more busy, she sat off to the side and sat down to nibble on a bun. She watched the people as they walked by, each busy with their own lives and their own problems. Nobody paid her any attention, which she didn't mind. Watching the bustle gave her some time to think about what her next steps where.

She didn't have anywhere to go, that was clear. Her food wasn't going to last long, so she had to get money somehow. Maybe she could get a job, and help out with a family that had a lot of kids. Even if they couldn't afford to pay her with money, maybe they could give her food.

Thinking of kids just reminded her of her little brother, and she started to cry. She buried her face in her arms and let herself cry, until a tiny clink distracted her and she raised her head.

There was a coin at her feet. She wiped the tears from her eyes and gingerly picked it up. It sat in her palm, so tiny but so valuable. Hey eyes scanned the crowd. She was closer to the gate than she had thought, and the street was filled with slightly wealthier visitors to the city. Words from the young woman at the brothel came back to her unbidden.

"Maybe one day a rich sailor will take a particular shine to you and free you from this place, but that's just a fairy tale."

Ninavi looked down at the coin again. Maybe rich sailors could help her, after all. She just had to figure out how to get their money. She slipped the coin into her bundle, wiped her eyes and nose again, and stood up. But where could she go?

Men got drunk in the taverns, they probably wouldn't be safe. Going near another brothel was out of the question. Maybe the market stalls. Ninavi made her way down the street to the stalls, and found a nice little corner to sit where she would be out of the way but still be noticed.

She tucked her bundle out of sight. It was easy to start crying, her feelings were real enough. As people walked by, she called out to the ones who looked the richest. Most of them walked past without looking at her, but a few tossed coins at her.

At noon, she took a break to nibble more bread, and counted up her coins. Ten siyas. It wasn't a lot, but it was something. She put away the coins, feeling very proud of herself. This was going to work. The rich sailors would free her.