Chapter 1

My existence is insignificant, very much so. I'm a peasant, one with no family or at least none that have stuck around as far as I'm concerned. I live in an orphanage, a rather large one at that. Red bricks stacked high with windows decorating the sides and ivy that cascades down the walls. The door is made of a thick type of wood and has a small handle on its left side. The orphanage is a total of three stories high, not including the fact there is an attic and basement. Above the door reads a sign which says 'Welcome to Red Witch Orphanage'. The roof is made with slate tiles and pipes line the sides for collecting rainwater that funnels down to a container which filters the water allowing it to be safe for drinking.

We have both a front and back garden, both of which are also rather large, most likely due to the fact that there are 79 children living inside the orphanage's walls. We aren't allowed outside of the orphanage's owned land until we reach the age of 4 or are adopted. When we reach the age of 4 we are meant to go out and earn money for the orphanage but since we are still young we have to be accompanied by an older child above the age of 8. We'll need a space to exercise and that's why the gardens are so big. The front garden is decorated with a multitude of different species of flowers, plants and trees. We have hedges along the sides of the wooden fence which goes around the entirety of the orphanage's owned land to keep the children inside and aware that we cannot go past until granted permission. There's a rather long space from the door of the orphanage to the oak fence which has a singular gate directly opposite the door. That space between the door and gate is lined with stone slabs which are rather close together yet not touching to form a path. The back garden also has flowers and trees much like the front garden but it also has things to play on like climbing equipment and swings. There are wooden benches and tables to sit at and a small shed at the very back corner next to a small training area.

I've lived at Red Witch Orphanage for as long as I can remember. I've been here for a total of 6 and a half years now. My first memories are of being outside of that thick wooden door of the orphanage in a small basket covered by a small yellow blanket and being taken in by one of the workers of the orphanage.

During my time here it hasn't been pleasant, quite the opposite actually. The workers here are very strict and abusive towards the children including myself. Children are crammed into small rooms while the workers get a big room to themselves. There are a total of 31 workers so they take up the majority of the rooms. The basement is where everyone studies and does schoolwork, there is also a library but you can only enter when you're with a worker, and the ground floor has the dining room, kitchen and offices for the workers along with an assembly room. The first floor is specifically dedicated to the children living here. There are 29 rooms on the first floor. 2 of which are bathrooms, one for the males and the other is meant for the females. Each room will have 3 children. The rooms are rather small containing 3 small single beds with possibly rotting wooden frames and hard matrices along with a small desk for each child. There is a single lightbulb hung from the ceiling by a piece of string to illuminate the room when night falls and a small hand-held lamp for if someone needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That's it. Each child has a pair of clothes which are most likely hand-me-downs and very old, ripped or worn out slightly. They are expected to be folded in one of the desks draws until worn and put away neatly after. Also in the draws will be your school books if you've been permitted to bring them to your room instead of keeping it in the classrooms located in the basement. The second floor has lounges for the workers and bedrooms for the workers which is pretty much the same as the third floor except the third floor has lounges, spas, bathrooms, bedrooms, and a games room to play cards and such. Also inside the games room is a bar for the workers to get alcohol. The attic has 3 small rooms and the rest of the space is used as storage.

Currently, I'm outside of the orphanage and in the streets with two others accompanying me since I'm only 6 and a half; the two accompanying me are both males. They both are incredibly similar in both looks and personality making me think they're twins. Short and scruffy vibrant ginger hair, small and still rather round faces with soft green eyes and a few freckles dusting their cheeks and nose. The only thing helping me tell the two apart is the fact one of them has more angular eyes than the other. The one with angular eyes is called Danny or just Dan for short while the other is called Thomas. We are all currently working so we can earn some money before returning to the orphanage. The orphanage is very strict on this, you must earn at least 13 copper coins a day each or you'll get harshly beaten. I'm not planning on getting beaten again today.

"It's early so we still have plenty of time until our curfew," Thomas began, "Mei, you'll just slow us down so meet back here by 16:40. Got that?" He said sternly, turning to face me with a hint of irritation shown in his eyes. I've always been good at telling how people are feeling, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing but so far it hasn't done me any harm.

"Got it," I reply back to Thomas, "16:40."

Danny and Thomas nod with a snort, "Good. Don't be late." Danny says with a scoff before he walks off to who knows where with his twin.

I stand there until they've both disappeared from my vision. I take a quick glance at my surroundings, taking it all in. I'm in a different part of town today, I haven't been here yet so it's best to check what's going on around me. It's mostly just a bunch of stalls and shops. Not much I can do as a 6 year old though. I begin walking through the streets in the opposite direction Danny and Thomas did and pass by a few stalls selling fresh meats, hide, fish, vegetables, monster cores, monster parts and other things like jewellery and enchanted items. I continue walking and turn around the corner to the left. Perfect.

The first thing that catches my eye is an area where people are lining up to make money in an arena. I assume it's for adventurers to fight against each other for some money or something but I saw another line with younger people lining up so maybe I could earn money fighting against them but it's not very likely that I can win. The next thing that I could have a go at is gambling games. I'll have to hand over money first and it'll double if I win the game. Currently, I have 2 coppers on me in a small leather pouch attached around my hip with some rope. Maybe, just maybe, I could win that. I might as well have a go. I walk up to the man who looks up as I approach.

"Ah, a customer. Here to try your luck young one?" He smirks at me from his seated position at a small table. On top of the table is three cups.

"Yes I am, I don't have much on me though," I say as I take a seat on the other side of the table, "how do I play?"

"It's very easy," he nods with a smile, pointing at the cups laid before him before holding up a small stone, "this stone will be placed under a cup, I'll shuffle the cups and all you've got to do is guess which cup it's under. Before I start, you aren't perhaps an adventurer in disguise are you?" He raises his brow.

"No, I'm not." I shake my head.

"Good, how much are you planning on gambling with me today?" He asks as he holds out his hand.

"Just one copper for now." I answer, taking a single copper out of my leather pouch and placing it in the palm of his hand.

"Perfect, let's begin," He takes the copper and puts it in a bag by his side before placing the stone underneath a cup. He begins shuffling the cups around, starting slowly and gradually picking up pace. I keep my eyes fixated on the cups, tracking the one with the stone underneath. His hands move in a blur and my eyes struggle with keeping up, maybe this is harder than I thought. He is definitely going faster than I should be able to keep up with but somehow I manage. He begins to slow down his movements until he lets go of the cups all together, "Take your pick, missy."

"The one on the left." I reply quickly and he nods, lifting up the cup and revealing what's beneath. Lucky for me the stone was under that cup so the man hands me two coppers.

"Would you like another go?" He smirks at me, holding out his hand.

"Why not." I shrug and hand him the two coppers he just gave me. He smiles and nods, starting the same process again. My eyes yet again somehow manage to keep up with his movements. Just like last time he stops and asks which cup to which I reply with, "the middle cup."

He lifts up the cup and yet again, there's the stone. He hands me back 4 coppers. Perfect, now I just need 8 more and I'll have 13 coppers.

"How many times am I allowed to play?" I ask the man who yet again has his hand out.

"As many times as you wish, I've got plenty of money on me anyway." He smiles. I stare into his eyes. He looks amused, maybe he will try and trick me, that's most likely how he gets all his money.

"Alright." I reach into my leather pouch and take out the other copper I left in there. I hand over all 5 coppers. This time, if I win, I'll get 10. Let's hope it goes well and I'll need to watch more carefully this time, he'll probably try something.

"Perfect." He takes all the coppers and does the same process. I watch his movements more closely this time as each cup replaces the other quickly and randomly. Left, right, left, middle, left, right, middle, left.. there. Right there, he just flipped the cup and the stone flicked out into his sleeve. I need to pay attention to which cup he flicks it back into. I stare intently at the cups and his sleeve at the same time. He flicks the stone back into the middle cup and continues moving them for a couple seconds more. With a proud smirk he ask me, "which cup?"

"The left one."

He lifts up the cup and.. there it is. The stone is under the left cup. His face shows it all; shock and anger. Shocked I guessed right or discovered his trick and managed to still win and anger at me for winning or just anger at himself for not making it harder for me.

"W-well done," He smiles as he hands me 10 coppers, "would you-"

"No thank you." I shrug and get up, "thank you for letting me play." I say as I put the 10 coppers into my pouch and walk away.

'What should I try next.' I think to myself as I secure my pouch back at my hip.

….

(2051 words)

This is just a started chapter, obviously nothing interesting is going to happen yet but things will get into it :) thanks for reading <3 xx