InsaneJournal

One plus of being unemployed and living with your much older and slightly criminal brother who wasn't home most nights was that you got a chance to do as you pleased. Aside from the housekeeper glowering at you and probably keeping a list of transgressions to inform your brother of at his earliest convenience, of course. But Harry hadn't been informed, and Mary hadn't found a job (it looked like Lady Stanley's friends had told their friends and so forth) and auditions were a slow process when you didn't have a sponsor or a list of previous engagements. 

It was another in a series of late auditions that sent Mary down this particular street. She wasn't in Slater's territory (and thanks be for that what with relations 'tween him and Harry being what they were), and she wasn't in Harry's (thanks be for that what with her not knowing yet who was his and who wasn't). She slipped into the pub, not quite sure what she was doing but thinking maybe it was time to explore the other option on her list. One night, one man. At least, she could try it... her ma hadn't never seemed to have much of a problem in that and she tried hard to remember just how her mum had acted to see if she could somehow create those effects. 

Mary slipped into the pub quiet as she could manage and looked around. she wanted to see how others did this business first.  One boy who looked like he couldn't be much older than her caught her eye and she frowned as she watched him for amoment. He didn't look quite like one of Harry's but you never knew... 

"'Allo, poppet." The words were slurred and Mary spun to look at the man. His breath was enough to knock you down and hold you there but his build weren't near so big. Still, he was edging closer to her and Mary wasn't keen on that idea. "What you doin' here? You ain't even growed yet..." 

She straightened her shoulders. "None o' your concern, sir. Go on back to your cups and leave a girl be." 

"Oh-ho, 'ow d'ya like that, she's got it all down, she does. Bet you ain't ever been down the alley out back,  neither?" 

Mary's eyes narrowed, but her voice stayed pleasant. This wasn't her talking now, it was the daughter of Peribanou, the half-djinn girl who could hold herself in the midst of the Dark King's court and not be frightened. These were not djinn, just goblins and goblins could not scare a djinn. "'Course not. I ain't that type o' girl and you don't got the pockets for me. You want that alley it'll be extra anyway." 

The man's hand clamped down on her arm. "Says who?"  

Mary's eyes flicked to the boy she'd seen earlier. "You best let go, sir. Wouldn't want him to have to fetch Big Jon now would you?" 

The drunk's eyes clouded with confusion. "'oo's he 'gain?"  Mary slipped her arm out of his grasp. Leaving him to seek his friends and inquire after Big Jon, Mary slid away and mixed into the crowd. It was easy enough to get to the boy's side. 

"Good evening," she said when she was nearly even with his shoulder. "Don't suppose you'd fancy a bit of fun?"