Innocence and Punishment [Goblin]

[Zero]

"I want that little trollop out of my house and far away from here, do you hear me Samuel?! I want her gone now!"

It had been many hours, but Noelle could still hear those words echoing in her head. Those were the last words she would ever hear the Lady Kreston scream. She tried to remind herself of all the ways being thrown out of the only home she could remember was a good thing. The Lady of the house had become a very bitter and spiteful woman in recent years, a woman who was constantly yelling and berating the servants – especially any who were young women.  That wasn't even considering that Lord Samuel would never try to touch her again; there wasn't a thing that could be better about the situation than that, right?

Noelle still shuddered to think about it. A man that she had looked up to as almost a father all her life had tried to so such things to her! Lord Kreston had certainly been old enough to be her father.

Even with that threat hanging above her head...The Kreston household had been her home for as long as she could even remember. What was she even supposed to do now? She had been tossed out with naught but the clothing on her back – a fine enough dress for a lady's maid, but that wasn't helpful beyond keeping her decent from leering eyes.

"This is where you get off, Miss Dupont." The sun had set and she hadn't even noticed the horse stop until the middle-aged retainer's voice cut through her thoughts. Where were they? Noelle didn't recognize anything, and her already fair skin blanched.

Did he really mean to just leave her there?

With nothing?

Noelle felt tears prick at her eyes as she slid off the back of the horse with as much grace as she could muster. It hadn't been enough to throw her out of the house. Lady Kreston had demanded she be taken away – and apparently just dumped like trash. At least it wasn't the middle of nowhere. This was a populated area; there were people and shops here. Maybe the spited woman wanted her to be a homeless beggar on the streets here.

"Wait! Please!" The man had turned the horse, but he stopped and looked at her coolly for a moment. She wasn't expecting any sympathy or mercy. The man worked for the Kreston family and would leave her there as he'd been told. Still, she could at least try for something, anything. "What am I supposed to do?"

Roger hesitated for a moment, looking down at the girl with a scowl. She'd been raised in the house alongside the lord's own daughter. He sighed and pulled out a little pouch with a few coins and offered it to her. "You might be able to get a decent meal, maybe even somewhere to sleep for a night, but for what to do? Well, whores make good money, and you're a pretty little thing. Do what you want, but I'd figure it out quick, nights get cold up here."

That was how Noelle ended up wandering down the streets of Northwatch with nothing but the clothes on her back and a tiny coin pouch – homeless and dried tear tracks down her cheeks as she shuffled along after dark in quite the daze, unsure at all of what to do.

[GoblinFae]

With the setting of the sun drawing ever closer a pair of fair-haired young men hurried about their business. One of them in particular was practically bouncing with every step he took akin to a horse at the starting gate primed and prepped to burst out at the given signal. The other was more reserved in his excitement but his wayward glances to the open window did not go unnoticed.

When at last the final customer had been served and every surface had been more or less properly cleared, the twin men firmly locked the doors and barred the windows of their father's shop before venturing out in the night while hastily donning their nightly uniforms.

While one struggled with properly knotting a belt the other hopped ahead as he attempted to jam a foot into a polished boot as together they headed for their post. The Cabello brothers prided themselves in being members of the brotherhood of the Northwatch Nightwatch of which the ranks consisted thus far of only two members. It was for this reason that they took such immense pride in their duties as the "sole" night guardians of their beloved city in the heart of Northwatch.

Tonight was a night like any other and they were brimming with their usual excitement. They had every intention of ensuring the security of the city's borders particularly from inside the walls where it was much more secure from the cruel and nasty bandits outside that would dare lay siege on their beloved homeland.

However, as Oliver often put it, they did not wish to bring too much attention to themselves and thereby become distracted when the general populace noticed them. It would be bad form to lose focus on the tasks at hand even if they were quite a pair of catches.

For now though they simply began to do their rounds about the borders of the city, sticking to the shadows in order to avoid the noble guards that also were patrolling although not as enthusiastically in Donovan's opinion. Bit by bit they would work their way in tighter circles until they reached the city centre itself. It paid to be thorough after all. It was as they came around such a shadowed corner that they caught sight of a suspicious-looking person.

"Ho!" cried one of them stepping forward to catch the stranger's attention.

"State your purpose and business here, shadow-skulker," the other queried, moving to try and block off a retreat, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

[Zero]

 Dark, despairing thoughts were Noelle's only company as she ambled down shadowed alleys in the dead of night. She was too far in shock to really think about how dangerous it was for a well-dressed girl to be wandering about at night anywhere, let alone a city, and carrying even the small amount of coin that she possessed. All the poor girl could think about was that she was lost and alone; homeless, friendless, and without any family to help her.

Available options were bleak and unappealing. What did she do? She could become a beggar, a working girl, or perish. It would be the true icing on the cake to be killed by muggers. A sheltered girl like her was an easy target.

A voice startled Noelle out of her dark musings and she jumped, clutching at her heart with shaking hands, although if they shook from fear or chill was anyone's guess. "S-shadow-skulker? No, I am n-not...not..."

A fresh wave of tears rolled up and fell down her cheeks as she dropped her face into her hands. Not what? A vagrant? Was she not? Were they guards? What did she do wrong? Aside from not belonging there, but she didn't really belong anywhere, did she? Why did they have to go and pick on her now, though? Hadn't her day been bad enough?

Or...maybe they could help? That was what guards were supposed to do, yes?

"P-please. I d-don't know w-where I-I-I am." It was hard not to stutter, trying to speak around choked sobs as she was. "H-help me. I d-don't k-know where to g-g-go."

[GoblinFae]

"That has yet to be determined," the one blocking her path replied. "From where do you hail? Speak quickly," he ordered further, his chin raising with the authority he did not have. Meanwhile the other crossed his arms over his chest and eyed the stranger in silence, letting his brother do all the talking as was their custom.

Donovan was meant to be the intimidating one and Oliver the bright one anyway. "We will have no mischief out of anyone tonight. It is quite an important night tonight after all. You would do well to hurry on your way."

As if realizing his mistake, Oliver hastened to add, "but not before you answer us. Who are you and what do you think you're doing out here?"

[Zero]

They weren't going to help her. Of course they weren't. Why has she thought that anyone would care now that her patron family had discarded her? Noelle felt her face crumple further, realizing just how sheltered she had been so far in her life. She should have let Lord Kreston do whatever he wanted, she had been naive to think denying him wouldn't mean severe consequences.

"P-please, I'm s-sorry." She broke down, knees actually giving out on her as she dropped to them and put her face in her hands. Noelle did her best to bite back her tears and speak more clearly for the questioning guards. "I was a handmaiden to the daughter of Lord K-Kreston. They - they dismissed me. The lady of the house had one of their retainers bring me here and leave me. I don't know where we are, or what is so special about tonight. I am just lost and cold and alone and I don't know what I am supposed to d-do n-now."

She couldn't choke back the tremor in her voice anymore, so she just kept her head down and cried as quietly as she could in her misery.

[GoblinFae]

Donovan's stance softened, even as the twins exchanged concerned glances. Words unspoken passed between them. A woman was clearly in need and likely no threat at all. Still they had their self-made reputation on the line. There was nothing for it. She would be coming with them!

"Nothing for it then," Oliver barked, as he placed a far more gentle hand about her shoulders. "You will be detained with us for the night. Only way we can ensure you keep out of trouble. There's no use in crying over it either! Our minds are made up! Don't even THINK of running off. Are we understood?"