Burnt Bread

"I have a solution."

"Thank goodness."

"It involves fire."

"Absolutely not."

"But come on," Marcus tapped on Hesperia's shoulder again, "It's the only way for me to get that loaf of freshly baked bread."

The girl glanced up. "And what's in it for me?"

"I'll snag you a couple of grapes if you want," the boy offered, " I'll also throw in a book."

"I think I'll pass on the grapes..."

The boy frowned visibly, but Hesperia went on.

"But what I do want is the book that you promised," her eyes sparkled with mischief, " Tell me what your plan is."

-

Hesperia kept her hood pulled low and her cloak tight against her body as she strolled past the villa Marcus had decided to loot from.

"Oh, gods." The villa was as large and majestic as Marcus had described from the day before. Hesperia only hoped that Marcus was also right about what he could loot from the house.

There was a tap on her shoulder.

"Hesperia, yell as loud as you can. And wreak as much havoc as you can while you're at it. Just make sure you're not caught." Marcus hissed in her ear as they kept making their way round the back of the house.

"'Wreak as much havoc as you can?' What's got into you? You never say that."

"Ah, just personal ties." The boy smiled impishly. "Good luck!"

"Yeah, you too." Hesperia gave one last wave at the boy who slipped into the crowds once more.

-

Taking two pieces of wood out of her cloak, Hesperia knelt next to the villa and placed one on the ground, held the other one vertical to it, and began the spin the woods against each other.

It took while for Hesperia to start a spark, but once she had it, the spark bursted into a tiny flame, a faint trail ash spiraling skywards. Once the fire was large enough to keep itself going, Hesperia took out her last hidden branch from her cloak, which was thicker and longer than the first two.

She held the branch against the fire, catching the prancing flames that flared up. What she did next she vowed to never do again. She set the back door on fire and ran away. In hopes that no one would notice the girl in a black cloak.

But the gods were not smiling down on her behavior.

At least, for now until she repaid her price.

-

Hesperia rushed out onto the streets, in front of the villa, which by now the smoke of the fire could be seen faintly.

"Fire! Fire! That house is on fire!" The girl shouted, catching the attention of several passersby.

But no one stopped to care.

"I'm serious! There's black smoke everywhere!" As if on her command, the faint wisps of smoke started coughing up clouds darker than the abyss of Tartarus himself.

That's when people started pointing it out.

Hesperia only hoped that Marcus wouldn't be as dense as these people.

-

Later that evening, Marcus returned with his winnings. A loaf of bread and a stolen book.

"You remembered my book." Hesperia smiled faintly as she flipped through the scrolls.

"Course I did. You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

Hesperia smiled faintly.

"Thank you."