So the little girl was a witch after all, or would be someday. That was a strange thing to find relief in, Charley was only three years a witch herself. Somehow the insight gave her an odd sense of comfort, as she nodded warmly along to a kindred soul in the young chatterbox. "Aye, that's my job. Never seen you there, but I en't al'ays takin' delivery besides. That's Mrs. Mann, you'd know her then."
A wave of the urchin's hand dismissed the bee that flew by, discouraging it from bothering her.
"An' I'm Charley, which yer prolly thinkin' is a boy's name. But I en't no boy, nor some lady neither." Which she offered in lieu of returning the curtsy that made Maggie break out into a sweat of giggles. Charley scoffed at that, pishing the air above her face to disturb the few strands of stray hairs outside her cap. She grinned despite it all, a lopsided one that might be saying more than the urchin let on. "Guess I'm jes a workin' gal, when there's work anyhow. Bet you know how that is."
Anyone with Maggie's dress and thin frame would know exactly how that is, the urchin hardly needed to mention it. That she did was just a wordy wink at the little girl, proof enough that she could be trusted. Having a secret of Maggie's was Charley's own proof enough, one she'd share only with herself, barring any voiceless flowers with the same burden.
"Oh, my favorite's lurkin' 'round here somewhere," Charley declared, confident it had to be the case. The Potts were good at that much, even if they were the sworn enemies of Missus Crouch's shop. Not that she'd ever said such a thing, it was just something Charley knew without even asking. It was fundamental, a simple Law of Nature that all shops had to follow, their competitors were the enemy and the enemy had to be taken down.
Despite all that, the urchin could be just as dazzled as the next sort wandering around a zoo decked with flowers. "You seen the Mimbulus Mimbletonia yet? They put it outta reach, but betcha don't know why!" Launching herself back onto the path deeper into the zoo, she glanced back to make sure Maggie was following. Since the little girl had snuck herself in, it stood to reason that she was all alone. And with no one to cry to, or shout at someone for leading her astray, Charley might just have some more fun in store for the gullible, little Maggie. "C'mon!"
A wave of the urchin's hand dismissed the bee that flew by, discouraging it from bothering her.
"An' I'm Charley, which yer prolly thinkin' is a boy's name. But I en't no boy, nor some lady neither." Which she offered in lieu of returning the curtsy that made Maggie break out into a sweat of giggles. Charley scoffed at that, pishing the air above her face to disturb the few strands of stray hairs outside her cap. She grinned despite it all, a lopsided one that might be saying more than the urchin let on. "Guess I'm jes a workin' gal, when there's work anyhow. Bet you know how that is."
Anyone with Maggie's dress and thin frame would know exactly how that is, the urchin hardly needed to mention it. That she did was just a wordy wink at the little girl, proof enough that she could be trusted. Having a secret of Maggie's was Charley's own proof enough, one she'd share only with herself, barring any voiceless flowers with the same burden.
"Oh, my favorite's lurkin' 'round here somewhere," Charley declared, confident it had to be the case. The Potts were good at that much, even if they were the sworn enemies of Missus Crouch's shop. Not that she'd ever said such a thing, it was just something Charley knew without even asking. It was fundamental, a simple Law of Nature that all shops had to follow, their competitors were the enemy and the enemy had to be taken down.
Despite all that, the urchin could be just as dazzled as the next sort wandering around a zoo decked with flowers. "You seen the Mimbulus Mimbletonia yet? They put it outta reach, but betcha don't know why!" Launching herself back onto the path deeper into the zoo, she glanced back to make sure Maggie was following. Since the little girl had snuck herself in, it stood to reason that she was all alone. And with no one to cry to, or shout at someone for leading her astray, Charley might just have some more fun in store for the gullible, little Maggie. "C'mon!"
![[Image: UNpj1yr.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/bwXcVqtF/UNpj1yr.png)
Writer Notes: Charley is a street urchin in both appearance and behavior, unless written otherwise here.
Interactions may reflect Victorian-era morals rather than modern sensibilities; this is allowed and acceptable to this writer.