Saving Miia

Chapter 1- Kasshi of Treno

         The hot humid air buzzed with the energy of hundreds of eager customers. Treno’s Market Square was known throughout the land as the finest area for peddlers to set up shop.Everything that could fetch a price was sold,including food, toys, furniture, pets, and whatever else the seller could think of. Standing off to one side, out of the sun and way of the bustling people was another of Treno’s renowned marvels. A smile flickered across her tanned face as her hazel eyes followed the market’s activity closely. The 17-year-old Kasshi leaned against a wall and crossed her bare arms, her eyes never leaving the Square. Her black hair tied in two heavy braids hung heavily across her shoulders.

         Impatiently she kicked the ground sending dirt into the air.
“Today is not a good day.” She whispered.
In response her stomach growled noisily and Kasshi tried her best to ignore it. Instead she focused her eyes on the food vendors’ movements. Kasshi’s mouth moved automatically as she observed. “Greet, wrap food, accept money, greet, show food, bake food, there . . . There!” Kasshi sprang up and dove into the crowd keeping low to the ground. Her soul came to life as she neared the food cart. The vendor had kept a large fish out on the counter top as he was busy preparing the oven to cook it. Out of sight, Kasshi’s deft fingers reached around the fish and quickly she pulled it to her chest, her balance a bit unsteady from the weight of it. She took one backward glance at the vendor and dashed again into the throngs of people. The Thieves of Treno were no secret to the public. Most of Treno’s citizens thought the market thieves an important part of Treno’s legacy and restrained from persecuting them. In the mind of a vendor, it was your own fault if you were stolen from and not the thieves.

         Kasshi turned down an ally away from the market and sighed, a sigh full of relief and the rush of adrenaline. She loved being a thief but not when another person was relying on her. Because of that there was always the fear of not being able to succeed. Her footsteps echoed sharply down the ally and Kasshi saw the appearance and reappearance of eyes checking who she was. Usually a pair of eyes she recognized revealed themselves and Kasshi nodded her head to them. Although it was not unusual for thieves to work together, Kasshi preferred to work alone. At the end of the ally a wooden door hung slightly off its hinges leaving a small opening visible. Kasshi slipped her compact body through the space and was greeted by darkness and stale air.

“Rikki? I told you to leave the window open!” Kasshi called blindly. Almost instantly she felt her body being attacked by an elated young girl.
“I’m glad you’re back.” Rikki said tightly hugging Kasshi’s waist. Kasshi stumbled across the room painstakingly, as Rikki clung to her. She put the fish on the counter and opened one of the windows allowing streaming light and fresh air to flow in. Rikki let go of Kasshi’s clothing and spun to the kitchen counter.
“Ooh! You got a big one!” She turned her eight-year-old face excitedly to Kasshi beaming. Kasshi ruffled Rikki’s dark blue hair and affectionately smiled back at her. Rikki closed her almond eyes contently, feeling Kasshi’s fingers run through her hair. The light from the window illuminated the abandoned shop beautifully.

         Now that she could see, Kasshi flopped into her favorite chair and felt herself sink into it. She watched Rikki run around the counter and drag the fish into the sink. The small girl ran cold water over the fish washing it and scraping off its scales. No matter how young she was, the girl was a hell of a cook, Kasshi thought to herself amused. Rikki began to sing to herself as she worked occasionally glancing back at Kasshi smiling. Kasshi smiled back and again felt her usual pity for the girl. She had found Rikki two years ago huddled in a ball on the riverside. The rain had fallen aggressively that day causing the river to swell angrily. Caught in the downpour Kasshi was running home when she heard wretched crying and instantly she turned and looked for its source. The little girl was soaked to the bone and her hair, then long, covered part of her face. Kasshi had no idea what had happened to Rikki’s family or even if she had one, but Kasshi had scooped up Rikki and resumed her original path home. Rikki now hated to be left alone and loved Kasshi like an older sister.
“Are you going back out today?” Rikki interrupted
Kasshi’s thoughts. Kasshi shrugged. “We don’t need anything until tomorrow.” Rikki’s face lit up and quickly she turned around and sprinkled spices over the fish. Kasshi went over to the window and leaned out.

         Her home rested on a side ally way to the Market Square which ended in a sharp drop-off. The window overlooked the nice homes of Treno and the gate to the rest of the world. Down there, foreign peddlers came to sell their goods and Treno’s actors and musicians performed their pieces.
“I saw a strange man today.” Kasshi turned her head to Rikki as she went on. “He was by the gate and then he came up here.”
“He came up here?” Kasshi asked alarmed.
“Only for a minute.” Rikki reassured her. “I didn’t let him come in, he just passed by the door.” Kasshi looked back outside puzzled. “But Rikki, you see a lot of foreign men.”
“This one was different though.” Rikki protested.
She took a large knife and began to carefully cut the fish in two. “He was different.”
Kasshi didn’t say anything else; if Rikki felt something different about him she didn’t feel like arguing with her about it. However something about if didn’t feel right. Kasshi shivered slightly and backed away from the window.
“Actually after dinner do you want to go to the gate? There might be a performance going on.” Rikki nodded, happy to go anywhere with Kasshi.


         The delicious scent of a well cooked dinner lingered in the air around the two girls as they finished their portion of fish for the night.
“Save the rest for tomorrow morning ok?” Kasshi told Rikki as she washed their two dishes. Rikki wrapped the pieces of fish that were left and put them into their small icebox gingerly. “Are we leaving now?” Rikki asked trying to hold back her excitement. Kasshi dried the dishes and set them on the counter neatly. She peeked over her shoulder at Rikki and observed her. “Is your face clean?” The little girl nodded. “Your hair combed?” Again she nodded. “Are you sure?” Kasshi teased. She knew how much Rikki wanted to go out. “Kassshi!” Rikki whined tugging on the older girl’s shirt. She cocked her head frustrated, her soft sapphire hair falling to the side.
“Okay, okay,” Kasshi laughed. “Let’s go.” Rikki sprinted to the door and disappeared through the small space to re-emerge on the other side. Kasshi followed her into the ally way and looked up at the glowing orange sky. With the setting of the sun the Market Square’s activity was dying down as people packed up to head home. Rikki took Kasshi’s hand and dragged her down to the Square. As usual various vendors called out to the girls in an effort to sell their goods.
“Do you want some candy Rikki?” Kasshi asked pointing with her free hand at a candy stand. Rikki thought for a second and then shook her head. “Can I get some later?”
“Sure.” Kasshi said squeezing her hand. Rikki released Kasshi’s hand and ran to the edge of the Square hopping up and down. Kasshi ran after her stopping once she got there. A steep road led from the Square down to Treno’s gate. A cable car transported people up and down the hill but Rikki wasn’t looking at the cable cars. Kasshi walked over to a bush next to an old building and pulled out a bike.

“Yay!” Rikki yelled. Kasshi straddled the bike and Rikki ran over to her and climbed on as well.
“Ready?” Kasshi said inching to the edge of the street. Rikki wrapped her arms around Kasshi’s waist and nodded. Kasshi pushed off from the ground with her foot and gravity took over. The bike raced down the road picking up more speed with every second. Kasshi’s breath was taken away as the wind whipped across her face refreshingly. Delighted screams from Rikki prompted Kasshi to make her body streamlined to pick up even more speed. On the left a cable car slowly ascended past them and the driver honked to the girls as they sped past. Rikki waved happily and then lay her head on Kasshi’s back. The street soon leveled out and Kasshi expertly maneuvered around various obstacles in her way. The momentum from the hill wore off and Kasshi reluctantly began to peddle. Rikki glanced at everything they passed, not letting anything slip past her eyes.
“Look, there’s a stage set up.” Kasshi informed Rikki. Rikki glanced over her guardian’s shoulders to look at it. Her gaze sat fixed on the stage for a second before she saw something else and froze. Kasshi tried to follow her stare and saw a figure in a flowing black cloak standing solemnly away from the crowds. Kasshi slammed on her brakes causing them to squeal painfully. The bike stopped instantly, throwing Rikki off balance and making Kasshi’s chest bang into the handlebars.

“That’s the man.” Rikki threw herself off the bike and pointed at the figure. Kasshi painfully squinted at the man and saw him float over to her. She shook her head and reached for Rikki’s hand in a panic, not able to stop looking at the place where the man’s face should be. He was enclosed in black with a dark gaping hollow where his face should have been.


Don’t be afraid. We’re here to help you.


“What?” Kasshi cried. Now the man was right in front of her bike and she couldn’t avoid looking at it. Rikki stared transfixed at him as if in a trance.

“Rikki?” Kasshi tried to ignore the man as jumped off her bike. She grabbed the little girl. “Rikki?!” Rikki didn’t respond and just continued to stare. Kasshi’s heart froze and she angrily looked up at the man. “What have you done to her? Leave her alone!”


Don’t be afraid. Trust us.


Kasshi shook her head and pulled her dagger out of its sheathe on her hip. The man floated away from her in a bemused way and Kasshi found there were three more dark figures behind the one that had confronted her. She put her dagger away and shook Rikki even harder than before. Slowly she saw the girl’s eyes focus and her pupils shrink back to normal size.

“Kasshi! Wasn’t he nice?” Rikki smiled up at her. Kasshi fearfully looked after the man as he disappeared with the rest of the figures. “Kasshi, didn’t you think so?” Kasshi felt the familiar tugging of her shirt and looked down at Rikki’s innocent face and her trusting
smile.

“Rikki I don’t want you going near those things again,” Kasshi sternly told her. Rikki's face fell with a look of extreme disappointment. Kasshi was alarmed but more concerned for Rikki’s safety. “I’m serious alright?”

“Okay...” Rikki mumbled quietly. Kasshi didn’t understand what Rikki found so appealing about the hooded strangers. Her own instincts told her that they were extremely dangerous.
“Do you still want to see the play?” Kasshi poked Rikki playfully. Rikki’s attitude turned back to normal in the blink of an eye and she nodded. Kasshi picked up her bike and waited for Rikki to climb up and put her arms around her waist. Kasshi snuck a glance where the strange men had disappeared but there wasn’t any sign of them.

“Ready?”

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Rikki hugged Kasshi with all her strength. Kasshi put on a smile for her young charge but on the inside she was badly shaken and afraid.