So when I started typing this I didn't think it would end up this long. So it ended up being long and will appear as a series, the later parts will come later. Takes place in Victorian England, so there is plenty of the slang. Course it is current or close slang so don't expect to read something like great grams diary if you are british.
There is a little magic in this, and it will be explained a little eventually, maybe. Do hope I have not gotten the slang wrong, apologies if did there are not that many websites that have brit slang. I think about half of what I put in comes from watching the telly shows.
No children are involved in any sex, the main character is four feet tall so there may be confusion. I didn't do any little girl phrases or anything but it is obvious she is lots shorter than everyone. All it means is she is short, well there is more that ties to the magic but not explaining. So there. :p
**
"Here now you little vagabond get out."
"I can work, all I want is some food and a roof." He looks me up and down and shakes his head.
"Not here you won't, got all the cooks I need and you are too young for anything else."
Sigh and step out the door, my stomach rumbling. Get washed in a sudden venting of gasses as a motor carriage wheezes past. Look up when a dirigible moves along the street, sigh when it pauses above and can see the copper inside peering down at me. Stuffing my hands in my pockets and swishing my skirt about to make sure it is not caught, I move along.
Not a child but I am not blessed with enormous breasts and short is a good term. Kids are taller than I am, and am not one so it makes for finding work difficult. Got to help out in the markets some, when I could stay out of orphanage, pay is not good however so I need to find something else. The something else is eluding me sadly so walk along avoiding the venting of gases.
Many of the vents are supposedly safe, but they are not designed with a child in mind. Waist high to a regular adult is at my head. Not for the first time I complain about my parents. Being abandoned as a babe and then the treatment I received from supposedly caring adults, it is a wonder I made it to adult.
Dirigible still follows, which is fine on account I am just trying to find work. Perhaps he is one of those blokes that takes delights in a child for adult pleasures. Looking more like a child than adult has that perhaps benefit at least. Then I hear a sound, it is not a good sound but a bad sound. Takes me a moment to resolve on the nature of the sound.
I am hearing a person's hand meeting the body of another. This will not do, I may look like a child but I am an adult. Adults are to take responsibility for themselves and others. Beating up another bloke is not something adults are supposed to do. Wave up at the dirigible and point then head that way myself.
Copper above does at least follow, I don't want to think on why he is following. I am just glad that he is because I am not a bloke, stopping a fight or murder is not something I should attempt. My stomach rumbling reminds me I have not eaten today, means I doubly should not stop a fight or murder, not that I listen I keep going.
Get to weave my way through the alley, room for three or four abreast and sky above is good. The copper keeps up with me as I avoid vents then round a corner and find the fight. There are two blokes, one dressed well. He is in a suit with a dandy bowtie and a lovely hat, well was in a hat on account it was just knocked off his noggin.
Other fellow is wearing a loose fitting shirt and holey trousers. His shoes look to be on their last legs. Still gamely he fights on with the other bloke, neither looking to stop soon. Then there is a whistle above and the copper is dropping out his dirigible on a rope. Down he comes, on the ground he hands me the rope and pulls out a pistol.
"Hold this please my lady. Here now what is the meaning of this?" I'm beaming on account he called me a lady and not a vagabond or scamp.
"Oh excellent, I was feared of having to beat this bloke down then drag to headquarters." This from the bloke in holey trousers, he also pulls a wallet out of his pocket that is tossed to the copper.
"Heaven's above, royal police. You sir are to stay right there, I don't know the meaning of this but you are facing charges for attacking a member of Her Majesty's forces."
The bloke in a suit looks at pistol pointed directly at him and sighs then slumps. Cuffs are tossed to the royal police to then be put on the other bloke. Seems we have a small problem now, copper needs to stay on the ground but has a dirigible. Finally we tie it off here and head for a street, hopefully with a motor carriage to take custody of the prisoner.
"I can only assume you lead the copper to me and thank you." Look up at the royal policeman and smile then curtsy.
"Am an adult, look wise aside, so felt it best that I take responsibility for myself and others. I heard a row or murder happening and had a copper following along above so waved and ran." He looks me up and down, does not take long I am very small.
"You are an orphan?"
"As far as I know, what little information I could get says I was left on a doorstep." Walk on a step and it comes to me he knew that. "How did you know?"
"The dress you are wearing says as much." I am confused now, I have looked at the dress and it does not have words written or sewn in to it.
"There are no words." All of the blokes snort.
"Orphans are put in clothes that are different from what others wear. I was following you along to make sure you were not trying to break laws. If anyone put up a fuss I could come down and check papers but not allowed to just do that." Sigh and pull my papers out of the shirt pocket to hand to the royal police.
"Well you are an adult, I imagine finding work is difficult." Take the papers back and fold up again before I say anything.
"I am being called vagabond and scamp. The few times I get any response besides get out is I am too young."
"Orphans are supposed to be taught a trade." Look at the prisoner and sigh then shake my head.
"I learned how to cook a little, small orphanage so what few child there were helped out. The blokes went and did work, us gals stayed there and cleaned or made meals."
Reaching the street we do have a motor carriage waiting. Two blokes hop out and take possession of the prisoner to put in the carriage cage. The copper touches me so I look up at him.
"See if you can get a new shirt. Only a few pennies and it will make getting work easier. Help out at the market some and you should have enough." Nod and he heads for his dirigible.
"Come with me, need to file a report and you witnessed some." Look up at royal police and shrug.
"Alright, do I get monies for it?" He snorts and shakes his head then waves as the motor carriage gets going.
"No monies but we may have work for you."
Well that is good news so I move along with him. Sadly this requires me to fast walk to keep up, his legs are almost as long as all of me. Don't get a chance to ask him questions, like why he is dressed as if he is poor like me. We walk much to fast for me to do much besides breathe to keep up the strength to move with him.
Not that it causes any problems for me besides unable to talk. Likely could if I really wanted though don't. He is a police officer and above a copper, no point in questioning a copper. Stands to reason he is the same so I just keep up best as I can. He looks over at me a time or two and it is a long walk.
Plenty of vents spewing to duck under as we go along. Not that it is bad to be hit, just slightly warmed air and moisture. Still it is better to not be hit, makes your eyes water and cuts down on visual acuity. This is important for me, small and a gal so blokes would take the loss of acuity as a chance to attack to rob or other less pleasant things.
Takes a while, at least an hour, for us to reach his headquarters which is not an impressive building. Unlike most around with golden pipes running up and down, along with signs, this building is rather drab. It is simply a tall building, at least five stories all brick with windows at regular intervals. Not even a sign saying what is here.
Still he takes my hand and pulls me along with him into the building. The door opens in to a rather sparsely decorated entrance hall. There is a bloke sitting behind a desk wearing a uniform. I recognize this immediately, he is wearing the uniform of the Queen's guard. He looks at the bloke with me and nods then focuses in on me.
"Here now, are you taking in a child?"
"I am an adult." I say before royal police says anything, it is tiring to be called a child, I am just short of stature.
"She is a witness, have a prisoner being taken in and she assisted in the capture." My stomach rumbles then so I groan and look down. "Round up a runner and fetch a sandwich, she is staying for a bit, need to do report and see if we can find a use for her."
The bloke nods and turns to a voice pipe that is covered. He flips up the cover and leans in to the pipe then shouts for a runner. Get pulled along past the guard to stairs then up we go. We get off the stairs at the third floor. Opening the door there we are in a hallway with doors. Not very many doors, three doors in all, two on the wall as we pass them and one at the end of the hall.
Last door opens to chaos, there are desks and blokes all over the place. At least none of the blokes are walking around. Instead everyone here is sitting at a desk and typing, fitting a sheet of paper in to a tube for the mail tube or just sitting. Am lead through the confused jumble of desks to an empty one then he sits down to type.
Click clack of the keys are all of the noise at this desk for a while. At least there is a second chair so I can take a seat. Just look around at the other blokes in the room with us while he types away. Finally the click clack stops so turn to look at him.
"I'd like to know what you saw, but first tell me how you found the fight."
"Well was just walking along on the walkway..." He put his hand up so stop there.
"Little louder please." Nod and take in a deep breath.
"Was just walking along on the walkway with a copper floating above in his dirigible. Looking for work so paid him no mind, then heard a bad sound. Took a moment then realized it was a man being beaten so waved to the copper and tore down the alley. Rounding a corner I spy two blokes having a fight, one was dressed nicely, the other looked to be as poor as me. Copper saw the same so came down and bid me hold the rope to his dirigible. Believe you witnessed the rest."
He nods and resumes with the click clack of typing. Continues on with the typing then a bloke is brought in covered in chains and cuffs. He has cuffs on his wrist and ankles with a chain connecting both sets with a third chain running down to the ankle chain. As the three blokes get closer I retreat in to the chair more and more.
Do not understand it but the chains and cuffs are almost repelling me. As the prisoner is led past I am curled up in the chair as fully as possible. Then they are past and the repulsion is lessened, though I remain curled up. Practically leap out of the chair when the royal police touches my arm.
"Do you know that bloke?" Shake my head then wipe at my sweaty brow.
