IX
o0o
Edinburgh, Scotland (newly part of the United Kingdom) 1710
Even though Edinburgh was emerging as a banking center, its sheer population density led it to being one of the most overcrowded cities in Europe, and naturally, there was an almost innumerable amount of people living in, or near poverty. A large part of the urban center was made of tenements, and it was not simply the poorest who lived in these closely-built structures. With the wide diversity in economic status, the gap between rich and poor intensified further with the unsanitary conditions generally to be found throughout much of the overpopulated city.
Like so many other densely-populated human centers, misery was inevitable. Suffering in many forms existed, from the cruelty of a human hand, to the vermin ad diseases that traveled easily between bodies, to sheer bad luck like dying in childbirth. Many crimes were committed out of desperation, and the people who were so desperate were often themselves the victims of crimes of greed or hate. Inevitably, vengeance would be called for.
Going about as a charity worker was a surprisingly effective disguise. Clad in plain gray traveling clothes with a hat and veil, she was easily identified by the cut and modesty of her garb, as well as the modest-sized cross she had pinned to her breast. Deference to the rank Koshka masqueraded to led her to a certain leeway not afforded to a woman of propriety or gentility. Had Catholicism been more tolerated in the United Kingdom, she would have masqueraded as a nun, but the strife between Catholicism and Protestantism had culminated in the exclusion of Catholics from the line of succession to the Crown, and the firm establishment of Protestantism as the state religion.
Regardless of the popular religion though, there was always the poor and downtrodden, as well as people of wealth -- for money was just as much a lure to evil deeds as lack thereof -- and people would always seek redress.
Her last vengeance spree was for a young woman whose father had sold her into servitude to cover some of his debt. It was not uncommon for daughters to be sent to maid or laundress services to support their family, but much more had been asked for -- or more accurately, taken from -- the girl. Her father, along with the men she'd been forced to service, fell before the meat knife that Venjanca had placed in her hand, and the next day there were stories of a demon haunting the neighborhood. The young woman was of course unharmed, as the demon had used her power to shield her from identification.
There were many others in the maid's position, but the ancient laws that even such beings like her had to follow prevented magical folk from wreaking too much havoc upon the world, and even curbed their benevolence. For her to grant vengeance, her name had to be invoked, but then, it was a good thing she'd gone by multiple names, and she was not without a name in the tongues of the Isles.
The demon who had been known as Ekdisiki, Venjanca, Koshka, and now Aicheamhail, was the image of piety as she strolled down the street, ignoring the scent of garbage on this warm day, and the clouds of flies that hovered over the waste thrown from the windows of the buildings that lined the streets and alleys. Hands folded into her sleeves, her pace was brisk.
o0o
Though Puck normally kept to the peacefulness of the countryside, sometimes, going into town became necessary. Or, if nothing else, it provided for amusement one could rarely find amongst goat-herders and their ilk. Floating over the crowd unseen, he marveled at the displays below. He couldn't understand how the humans allowed their kin to descend into such abject poverty. Even amongst the Fair Folk, with all their trickery and backbiting, they still took care of their own.
He sensed a magical aura that was almost as familiar to him as his own, and a slow grin stretched across his lips. Here, in Edinburgh, that far west? It was a surprise... but not at all unpleasant one. It did not take him long to track her down, and looked over the people milling about along the street, narrowing his eyes as he looked for a familiar face. That is, if she'd chosen her usual human appearance.
He did a double-take when he figured out that the somberly-garbed woman with her face hidden under the brim of her hair making a brisk pace was the woman he was looking for. He trailed after her for several minutes, watching as she tossed a coin to a woman begging, a grubby-looking infant at her breast. She said several words to the woman before making a sign of benevolence. Whatever it was she said, the woman frowned, weeping as she clutched the coin in her fist. Likely from some firmly-worded advice, but then the vengeance demon wasn't known for honeying her words.
A vengeance demon doing charity? Puck mused. Well, it was nice to know that somewhere inside of the hot-tempered demon was a soft touch.
When she turned into a poorly-lit alleyway, he alighted beside her and let himself be visible. He'd taken on the glamour of a mortal man with sandy blonde hair, and clothing that was somewhat shabby, fitting in with the general fashion and class level of this area.
"Hey, you," he murmured happily. "Nice hat."
Without missing a beat, she kept walking, and he maintained her pace, keeping at her sides unless he had to duck around a pile of garbage, or a person out and about.
"Yes. It's all the rage in London and Dublin." she replied lightly as she regarded him. "And what's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" she asked.
"Just people-watching. Though now I'm focused on one person in particular," he smirked, winking at her, "So you're up to date on the fashions in England and Ireland, but you decide to come out here, and you even called me pretty! Did you miss me?"
"I've already been to London and Dublin, and other places. Quite a time for the Isles. And of course, in all that turmoil, plenty of people here needing vengeance," she commented, sidestepping his question.
"Yeah, it looked like you were administering out some vengeance. No, wait," he cast a sidelong glance her way, "that was food, and money. All your time among people make you grow soft, Venjanca?" He was teasing, of course, and lightly nudged at her side with the tip of his elbow.
"Retribution is meted upon people who deserve it. Little children don't. It's not their fault they have parents who would rather spend money on alcohol instead of food, or keep breeding like rabbits even if they can't afford the children they already have,. It's common sense, really." She huffed and rolled her eyes, "And what have you been up to? Swapping human babies for fae babies?" she teased back.
She seems to be in a relatively good mood, Puck mused. If anything, she almost actually seemed happy to see him.
"Nah," he waved the comment off dismissively. "I'm more the baby-eating type. They're so soft and juicy. You know how it is."
