Page 7 (1/2)
Many had left the city during the last year--noble some other place of business Yet, at the same time, the city had swelled with an influx of skaa They had somehow heard of Elend's proclamation of freedom, and had come with optimism--or, at least, as much optimism as an overworked, underfed, repeatedly beaten populace could e
And so, despite predictions that Luthadel would soon fall, despite whispers that its army was small and weak, the people had stayed Worked Lived Just as they always had The life of a skaa had never been very certain
It was still strange for Vin to see theher custo about the ti the days before the Collapse It had been the quiet ho shops
When Elend had abolished the restrictions on skaa hfare had blossomed into a wild bazaar of shops, pushcarts, and tents In order to target the newly eed--skaa workers, the shop owners had altered their selling methods Where once they had coaxed with richdisplays, they now called and delers to try to attract trade
The street was so busy that Vin usually avoided it, and this day was even worse than most The arrival of the ar, the people trying to get ready for whatever was to corim tone to the at Elend had ordered all eight city gates barred, so flight was no longer an option Vin wondered how retted their decision to stay
She walked down the street with a businesslike step, hands clasped to keep the nervousness out of her posture Even as a child--an urchin on the streets of a dozen different cities--she hadn't liked crowds It was hard to keep track of soon As a child, she'd stayed near the edges of crowds, hiding, venturing out to snatch the occasional fallen coin or ignored bit of food
She was different now She forced herself to ith a straight back, and kept her eyes fro sothe crowds reminded her of what she had once been What she would always--at least in part--still be
As if in response to her thoughts, a pair of street urchins scaeat them There were still urchins in Elend's neorld In fact, as she considered it, paying the skaa population probably made for a far better street life for urchins There were more pockets to pick, o around, and ars
It was difficult to reconcile her childhood with such a life To her, a child on the street was someone who learned to be quiet and hide, soe Only the most brave of urchins had dared cut purses; skaa lives had been worthless toher childhood, Vin had known several urchins who been killed ornobleht not have eli he so much wanted to do, but he had i other things--she loved him
There were still some noblemen in the crowd, men who had been persuaded by Elend or circumstances that their fortunes would be safer in the city than without They were desperate, weak, or adventuresouards He didn't give her a second glance; to hinore her No noblewoman would dress as she did
Is that what I a over the books inside--the sale of which had always been a small, but profitable, lass reflection to make certain no one snuck up behind her Aued that she was noble si himself loved her--had asked her to marry him--and she had been trained by the Survivor of Hathsin Indeed, her father had been noble, even if herthe si she had as a memento of Mother
It wasn't much But, then, Vin wasn't sure she wanted to think about her mother all that much The woman had, after all, tried to kill Vin In fact, she had killed Vin's full sister Only the actions of Reen, Vin's half brother, had saved her He had pulled Vin, bloody, fro into Vin's ear just moments before
And still Vin kept it As a reminder, of sorts The truth was, she didn't feel like a noblewoht she had more in common with her insane mother than she did with the aristocracy of Elend's world The balls and parties she had attended before the Collapse--they had been a charade A dreaovernhtly assassinations Plus, Vin's part in the balls--pretending to be the girl Valette Renoux--had always been a shairl who had grown up starving on the streets, a girl who had been beaten farfrom theThe next shop, however, drew her attention despite herself
It contained ball gowns
The shop was eowns on the eve of an invasion Vin paused before the open doorway, held al duar, bell-like skirts She could alround, tables draped in perfect white, Elend standing up on his balcony, leafing through a book
She almost went in But why bother? The city was about to be attacked Besides, the garments were expensive It had been different when she'd spent Kelsier's money Now she spent Elend's doowns and walked back out onto the street Those aren't me anymore Valette is useless to Elend--he needs a Mistborn, not an uncoown that she doesn't quite fill Her wounds froht before, now fir well--she'd been burning pewter heavily all day--but she'd be stiff for a while yet
Vin quickened her pace, heading for the livestock pens As she walked, however, she caught sight of so" was too generous a word--theunnoticed He was balding on top, but wore the sides of his hair long He wore a siarment that was stained dark with ash
Great, Vin thought There was another reason she avoided the athered
She sped up again, but the ained attention--but, instead of cursing him, most people paused reverently Soon others joined hi her