A dainty figure sprinted down the street followed by a pair of city guards. Somewhere overhead an excited and rapid tune swept along on the air with them. As the figure darted down a blind alley and the music changed. A tittering giggle followed along with the music.
Abruptly, the two guards skidded to a stop and looked around. The one on the left pointed to a girl balanced precariously on top of a ramshackled house. He scowled and shouted.
The girl lifted her guitar and held it close to her head. She smirked, plucked out a taunting tune, slung the instrument over her shoulder, and leapt into the street behind the building. With a snicker, she turned and slammed into a solid form. She stumbled back two steps and landed hard on her buttocks.
“One of these days, it’s not going to be me standing here after you taunt the wrong guard, girl,” the man stated as he folded his arms over his muscular chest. As he regarded her, he shifted his weight and held out his left hand.
With a sigh and shrug, she pushed herself to stand. She dusted herself off and casually reached into her tunic. She hesitated.
He cleared his throat impatiently, and motioned more insistently. “Don’t toy with me, girl.”
After another moment of hesitation, she bobbled her head and dropped the sizeable pouch into his waiting palm. “There.”
He tested the weight of the contents, not taking his eyes from hers as he did. After a moment, his gaze narrowed.
With a final, frustrated sigh, she took three coins from the small pouch on her hip and slapped them onto his palm beside the bag. “Bastard,” she grumbled.
“Don’t forget it.” He spun on his heels and vanished into the crowd.
She uttered a curse after him, then turned and moved through the crowded streets.
The World of Terra 