Long Ago, and Faraway...

[stillsmallvoice]

Jiminy works his way through the crowd unnoticed, as always, his fleet fingers finding a fat man's purse strings and liberating the coin as he barely brushes against the man. "Oh, excuse me, sir..." He mutters under his breath, his shoulders sloped heavy with guilt and not the pride his father and mother will have when he delivers the prize.

It's a slim crowd, not many easy baubles to pocket, and trying hard only made him feel worse about his deception - some part of him able to justify the theft when it's obvious.

"Pardon me, sorry..." He pushes through another clutch of hearty farmer's wives - his fingers liberating a small loaf of bread from one of their unnoticed baskets and an apple from another.

Disgusted, but hungry, he finds his way to the edges of the crowd watching his parents' hawk Elf Tonic to cure all that ails them - slipping past the edges toward a slowly running creek. Finally alone, he sits at the edge and doffs his worn shoes to cool his feet in the water as he eats.

Comments

[makeadeal]

It's really such a tiresome fable that he has to be called to a place. And quite untrue, yes, in fact, quite the opposite indeed.

He goes where he will.

Isn't that the point of freedom?

He leans close over the man's shoulder.

(He's really so very quiet when he wants to be.)

Suddenly: "Spare a crust for a beggar, dearie?"