"Never show your face around here again!" The door to the only orphanage in the city of Markete closed in the face of Aegar. It had been his home for the past twelve years and now? Now it was just part of his not too distant past, much like his parents...whoever they were. Aegar kicked a small rock and sent it sailing into a nearby alley. What was he supposed to do now?
Aegar looked back at the place he called home for most of his life. He never knew his parents, he'd been dropped off at the door as a baby and the orphanage never saw who dropped him off. The two story building had a base of brick with solid wooden walls built atop. Decorative flowers here and there were maintained by the orphans as part of their daily chores.
The gate, normally locked, was open to allow him to exit a final time. It would be closed later when the children came out to take care of the lawn, also a part of their daily chores. He never realized it until now, but there was a sense of routine in everything they did.
Aegar looked up into the sky, it was mid morning. Right about now he would be cleaning the attic with a couple of the other boys. They cleaned the attic every Third Day. Then after the attic was cleaned, it would be sweeping the front, finally followed by lunch and then play time.
Yesterday he messed up big time. The orphanage had received a new shipment of toys and he had fought with George, the most popular boy. The director used that as an excuse to kick him out under the guise of not having enough mouths to feed.
Aergar understood that he was being kicked out for rocking the boat, and not necessarily because there wasn't enough food to go around. While the orphanage was poor, it was also subsidized by the city. Every orphan who turns thirteen would be immediately conscripted into the city guard, where they would find some function until the Coming of Age Ceremony at fifteen.
Aegar was only twelve. A few years from his Coming of Age Ceremony. Though, he did learn to read and write by ten, and except for some really advanced words and concepts, was passable enough for employment at most places.
A smile brightened his face as he thought about it. He could go and apply to work at various places in the city. His ability to read and write would grant him at least a chance. Aegar looked at the orphanage before he started skipping away. His sadness at being kicked out shortly replaced by a newfound sense of freedom. He would make the most of this.
A few hours later found Aegar looking downcast, sending another rock sailing into another alley. The sun was high in the sky now and the heat it brought with it in the sweltering summer did not improve his mood. Sweat dripped down his face as he smashed his fist against the brick wall of a building he leaned against. He barely felt the physical pain over the emotional turmoil of being rejected over two dozen times.
First he had gone to the book seller's and was swiftly run out as "riff raff". Looking down at a puddle he couldn't see how he looked like riff raff. His outfit was standard for a young boy his age. Brown breeches with a white cotton shirt, slightly stained from all the running around. He had socks and shoes on as well. His hair was a little messy, but not entirely out of place.
After the book seller's, he'd gone to the bakery, but he'd been rejected because he didn't know how to bake. Fair, but how could he learn to bake if no one would give him the opportunity to learn? Then he'd gone around to all the stalls to see if they needed a helper. Except for one shady stall he passed on, they'd all said no. This city really hated the poor.
It was as he was about to cry that he heard someone call for him. "Boy, are you looking for work?"
An old man with barely a wisp of hair on his head dressed in somewhat decent clothes approached him from the darkness of the alley.