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"Miss, get back from there. It's not safe."
Declan Wade's voice startled the woman before him, a woman peering over the edge of the floating city, through one of the walls that had fallen to disrepair since the city's ascent. There was a long pause; he wondered if perhaps he should have bothered. Declan was not typically one to stick his nose out for strangers; he preferred keeping it far away from most others in fact. Cheapside was not a kind place these days, what with the Haze, and the rash of murders that had begun plaguing the district. Murder, famine, disease and poison were neighbors all too well known.
It was his policy, therefore, to keep well out of the way of anybody he did not know. Still, watching a woman tumble over the edge of the floating city was not something he looked forward to doing.
It was clear she had heard him from the way her body jumped in place, but now it had been nearly a minute and still she had offered no response. Not even a shake of the head or wave of the hand to move him along. Something seemed wrong. His gut screamed at him to move along, to leave this woman to her thoughts, but another part whispered that he should see if she needed help.
Declan approached the woman slowly, tentatively. It wasn't that he had a fear of heights, but neither was he looking forward to putting himself in danger of falling off the side of the City himself. His steps were awkward and loud, but once again the woman refused to acknowledge his presence.
It wasn't until he had saddled up beside her, barely inches away from the edge of the City, that she finally spoke. "Have you ever dreamed of flying? What it would be like to be a bird, to soar through the air, to know the only thing between you and the ground beneath you is your willpower?"
The question - and moreso her voice - took Declan by surprise. The woman spoke in a throaty alto that was just a bit deeper than the typical woman's. He took a second look at her figure; her body was slender and lithe, but didn't feature any of the curves that typically excited him, especially in the chest ...
Declan forced himself to look away, blushing even so. He redoubled his effort to plant his feet firmly on the pavement. "I ... can't say I have, Miss."
"I have. Just think how exhilarating it would be. The feel of the air whipping into you, the freedom to know there is no place beyond your reach."
"Uh, yeah sure ... " Declan agreed noncommittally. "But, miss, really. It's not safe. Let's get back."
The woman glanced at him and finally nodded. "I suppose you're right. Let me just -- oh! How clumsy of me!"
She had dropped a pendant of some sort on the ground. By reflex, Declan bent down to retrieve it.
He felt two hands on his back push. His hands struggled to find something - anything - to hold onto, to cling to ... but it was too late. He heard himself scream, saw the wicked smile on the woman's face. There was nothing left between him and the Sundered Valley, nothing but currents of air and the clouds.
He closed his eyes and flew for all the time he had left..
Declan Wade's voice startled the woman before him, a woman peering over the edge of the floating city, through one of the walls that had fallen to disrepair since the city's ascent. There was a long pause; he wondered if perhaps he should have bothered. Declan was not typically one to stick his nose out for strangers; he preferred keeping it far away from most others in fact. Cheapside was not a kind place these days, what with the Haze, and the rash of murders that had begun plaguing the district. Murder, famine, disease and poison were neighbors all too well known.
It was his policy, therefore, to keep well out of the way of anybody he did not know. Still, watching a woman tumble over the edge of the floating city was not something he looked forward to doing.
It was clear she had heard him from the way her body jumped in place, but now it had been nearly a minute and still she had offered no response. Not even a shake of the head or wave of the hand to move him along. Something seemed wrong. His gut screamed at him to move along, to leave this woman to her thoughts, but another part whispered that he should see if she needed help.
Declan approached the woman slowly, tentatively. It wasn't that he had a fear of heights, but neither was he looking forward to putting himself in danger of falling off the side of the City himself. His steps were awkward and loud, but once again the woman refused to acknowledge his presence.
It wasn't until he had saddled up beside her, barely inches away from the edge of the City, that she finally spoke. "Have you ever dreamed of flying? What it would be like to be a bird, to soar through the air, to know the only thing between you and the ground beneath you is your willpower?"
The question - and moreso her voice - took Declan by surprise. The woman spoke in a throaty alto that was just a bit deeper than the typical woman's. He took a second look at her figure; her body was slender and lithe, but didn't feature any of the curves that typically excited him, especially in the chest ...
Declan forced himself to look away, blushing even so. He redoubled his effort to plant his feet firmly on the pavement. "I ... can't say I have, Miss."
"I have. Just think how exhilarating it would be. The feel of the air whipping into you, the freedom to know there is no place beyond your reach."
"Uh, yeah sure ... " Declan agreed noncommittally. "But, miss, really. It's not safe. Let's get back."
The woman glanced at him and finally nodded. "I suppose you're right. Let me just -- oh! How clumsy of me!"
She had dropped a pendant of some sort on the ground. By reflex, Declan bent down to retrieve it.
He felt two hands on his back push. His hands struggled to find something - anything - to hold onto, to cling to ... but it was too late. He heard himself scream, saw the wicked smile on the woman's face. There was nothing left between him and the Sundered Valley, nothing but currents of air and the clouds.
He closed his eyes and flew for all the time he had left..