The Adventures of
The Dodger
and
Shadow

THE BIRTH OF SHADOW

By: Louise Kirkpatrick and...a friend



The Shadow of Venice

In the night she dwells
In the alleys she hides
In the alleys of that fair city on the water
Fair yellow hair hooded
Beautiful young face masked
Hers is the only masquerade that hides everything
And yet hides nothing
Her shadow the shadow of a noblewoman
Her shadow the shadow of a thief
A noblewoman she was
A thief she is
But which is she truly?
Hair and face covered to hide who she is
Hooded and masked to reveal who she is
A masquerade unmasked is she
She who is the shadow of Venice



An Introduction

   Who is that artful boy who calls himself “The Dodger”? Who are the street urchins who call themselves the Dodger’s “gang”? These questions are among the most asked questions in beloved Venizia. Even the Doge, our great leader, is interested. Why should he not be? After all, the Dodger has worked for even him on occasion. Perhaps you do not know what it means to have the infamous Dodger in your service? You see, the Dodger gets a job using false recommendations, and then his employer eventually begins to notice that items have been… disappearing. A vase here, silver sugar tongs there, that sort of thing; after that who knows what else will happen. This particular adventure begins when the Dodger and his gang were still rising to the peek of their fame.



Dodger
“Hired”

   It is done, once again, I have gone off with false recommendations and got myself a respectable job, one that will hopefully prove prosperous. The catch? I am a lady-in-waiting, in other words I am Female. And it’s all Jaguars fault! Again! The fool thought it would be better for me to be a woman for this job. Boy was he mistaken! As a woman I have no rights, zero credits for being good at me job, a lot less fun, and absolutely no respect from men. I’ll have to remember to thank Jag when I return. Oh, and I’ve left out the worst part! Until my current Master decides to take my current mistress, his most likely stuck-up daughter, to the Venetian masquerade I’m stuck outside of Venice with a job that might account for nothing, unless I get to that masquerade in two weeks! What do I think? I think that it could’ve been a lot easier if I just stayed in Venice and done the job without Jaguars help, in my own special way. There goes the bell, and the first day of this job begins. Let’s hope milady isn’t too awful.



~Lady Louise Dezna~
“Foiled Again”

   Once again, my attempt to escape has been crushed. Father is much too protective. When will he realize that I am no longer a child? He has not let me out of his sight since Mother and the baby died. My mother died in child birth last summer, and my baby brother, my father’s only son, did not last the night. Ever since then Father has been paranoid. I do not understand, it is not like I will receive his wealth and titles, everything will go to my second cousin upon Father’s death. Unless he manages to marry me off, unlikely. I must get away from here! I am at my wit’s end, I am sick of being fawned over because my uncle was the late “Holy” Roman Emperor. That is the bell for breakfast. I believe I am to meet my new Lady-In-Waiting. Simply lovely. That is one more person to slip past on my next attempt at freedom. Is there no one who will help me?

Chapter I
Lady Louise

“I don’t know milady, we were almost caught last time. Your father could send me away, or have me hung.”
“Come on, my father won’t find out. And I told you, call me Louise.”
“Are you sure, my Lord won‘t find out?”
“Absolutely.”
“Alright, let’s go out back this time.”
“Ooh, scandal.” An average-looking stable boy thought to himself as he followed the two young people from the barn. “Milady and her father’s squire. I think Milord may be interested in this.” To his surprise, when he reached the back of the barn he was greeted by the sound of wood pounding wood.
“Come on, I know you can do better than that.” the young woman laughed “Or is the student better than the teacher?”
“In your dreams!”
“Prove me wrong.” She dared.
The squire, in an attempt to out do his pupil, raised his sword, and executed a spin. However, as he brought the wooden sword down upon his adversary, she flicked her wrist and his weapon flew from his hand. Putting her sword point to the young squire’s neck, she backed him into the back wall of the barn. Bending her arm so that she could step forward, she whispered in his ear, “Game over.”
The stable boy watched, disgusted, as they gasped for air. “Wonderful, Milady thinks she is good at swordplay.” Rolling his eyes, he turned on his heal, only to step on, and snap, what must have been the noisiest twig in the yard. Lady Louise and the squire started at the noise, being caught could mean death for the young squire, and confinement for the young woman.
Swearing under his breath, the stable boy ran for the stable and climbed the ladder to the hayloft. Being caught would render this trip futile.
The lady and squire, raced up the ladder after him, but when they reached the loft there was no one in sight!
“Where did he go? If he tells Father we’ll both be in terrible trouble!”
“Here is our answer.” the window stood open, “The stable master secured this after the new shipment of hay was put up here.”
“Who was he?”
“I do not know, I have never seen him before tonight. You should get back to your room. Did anyone see you come out here?”
“No, no one.”
“Good, be sure no one sees you go back.”
“You can be sure. Good bye, I will not come back for quite a while.”


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