[ P ] young dumb and broke

M

onths had passed since the girl found herself stepping foot in Inverness. When she left, she'd sworn it would be for good. At least, it would be for a good long while. The land was littered with memories that sent the bastard spinning on her heels in nostalgia, both good and bad. A brook ran nearby where she and her siblings would spend their freetime between lessons, swimming in the cool water and catching crawdads along the bank. 'Ay, I hope they're doin' well...' A soft smile crossed the corner of her lips at the thought.

And then, as if on cue, a reminder as to why she left in the first place made itself know. A stranger, tall and looming, passed by her without so much as a second glance. They seemed in a hurry, carrying a loud, clinking bag of renown. A begger reached out, pleading with them to spare a coin, to which the stranger laughed and spat in their face. 'Whot a bobber he is,' She scowled at the interaction before an idea crossed her mind. She could fix this.

"Oi! Mister!" Scrambling to her paws, Calliope glided over to the stranger with a sly grin across her features. "Would ya mind tellin' where I can find meself a nice drink? That sun sure is a doozy today!" With a fluttering of lashes and big doe eyes, the man was hooked. Though she had no intention of bedding him (or even giving him a good winch), he thought differently, and that's all that mattered. Quick to please, the stranger pointed to a local shack, offering to take her there himself. "Uh huh- ye, I see it- oh! Well, how kind of ya, mister, but I ye don' have to go out ye way for a lil' ol' lady like meself. I 'ppreciate ya help!"

She looped an arm over his shoudler, gifting the man a hug before peeling herself away in a hurry. Little would he know, she took a gift of her own. His renown. "Like takin' candy from a wee bairn," Calliope chuckled under her breath as she made her way towards the begger, offering them the bag as a whole with a genuine smile. "It'll do ya more good then me," She assured them. "But ya best be on ya way! Wouldn't want tha wanker to see us minglin, ay." And sure enough, they agree and scurry off into a nearby alleyway.

Calliope lingered for a moment longer with a smile on her face before turning to head in the opposite direction. It felt good to do something for someone else for a change, even if it left her high and dry. But, the day had only begun, and there was still so much to do!

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

@Coal