Six gil was what it cost Maudit for a half-loaf of bread and a chunk of cheese the size of his fist. It would do. He sat down on one of Ul'dahs many low stone benches and watched the people pass. So many. More than he'd ever imagined really. All different types too. He found himself distracted from his meager meal as the whole of the city's population seemed to file past him.
A clatter nearby drew his attention and he looked to the side to see a pair of children, one miqo'te and one hyuran, sitting on the bench next to him. Each held a roughly hewn wooden bowl in their hands. They kept their eyes low and their arms up, dirty hands offering their bowls to the air. Maudit watched as the citizenry of Ul'dah walked past the children and their empty bowls.
Quietly Maudit began to evaluate the passers-by as they drew near. He was attempting to guess whether they would drop a coin into the bowls based on their clothing, their bearing, the look on their faces. He found he was wrong more than he was right. It began to strike him as absurd how little coin the children had gained. They were clearly homeless and likely desperately in need of food.
Ah, excellent. Here are some that will help them. Thought Maudit as a young woman, apparently in the garb of a Sultansworn, drew near. She was followed closely behind by two people dressed in the finest clothes. Gems glittered on fingers and dangled from their ears. Maudit found himself smiling slightly, certain that the Sworn and the well-to-do followers would see the children and assist.
And then they were gone. All three. Maudit was stunned. He looked to the children and noted that their posture had not changed in the slightest. That they had been walked past was nothing to them. He frowned and moved closer, tearing his bread in half and breaking his cheese as well. He placed roughly half in each bowl.
"It's like they don't even see our bowls..." Said the miqo'te child as he looked down at the food.
Maudit watched the pair for a moment as they began to eat, then he turned and walked down the lane. His expression clouded over and his mind with it.
"It's like they don't even see our bowls..." He repeated the child's words to himself. There was something there. Something important. He simply had to find it...
A clatter nearby drew his attention and he looked to the side to see a pair of children, one miqo'te and one hyuran, sitting on the bench next to him. Each held a roughly hewn wooden bowl in their hands. They kept their eyes low and their arms up, dirty hands offering their bowls to the air. Maudit watched as the citizenry of Ul'dah walked past the children and their empty bowls.
Quietly Maudit began to evaluate the passers-by as they drew near. He was attempting to guess whether they would drop a coin into the bowls based on their clothing, their bearing, the look on their faces. He found he was wrong more than he was right. It began to strike him as absurd how little coin the children had gained. They were clearly homeless and likely desperately in need of food.
Ah, excellent. Here are some that will help them. Thought Maudit as a young woman, apparently in the garb of a Sultansworn, drew near. She was followed closely behind by two people dressed in the finest clothes. Gems glittered on fingers and dangled from their ears. Maudit found himself smiling slightly, certain that the Sworn and the well-to-do followers would see the children and assist.
And then they were gone. All three. Maudit was stunned. He looked to the children and noted that their posture had not changed in the slightest. That they had been walked past was nothing to them. He frowned and moved closer, tearing his bread in half and breaking his cheese as well. He placed roughly half in each bowl.
"It's like they don't even see our bowls..." Said the miqo'te child as he looked down at the food.
Maudit watched the pair for a moment as they began to eat, then he turned and walked down the lane. His expression clouded over and his mind with it.
"It's like they don't even see our bowls..." He repeated the child's words to himself. There was something there. Something important. He simply had to find it...
