I COULDN’T think of anything more to say. Maybe I should have stayed, maybe I shouldn't have said anything and just let him speak. I don’t know. “Afternoon, Hana,” Zarola said to me. “Hello,” I replied. “Who were you talking to?” “When? I’ve talked to a lot of people.” I sarcastically said. She looked confused. “That was a joke.” “Oh. Ha. Ha. Ha.” “I was just talking to Elbert.” “Oh, I see. Just Elbert.” She winked. “No, honestly, there’s nothing between us. I don’t like him for anything but a friend.” “Yes, you do.” Zarola was starting to remind me of Winter. “Nope, I refuse to believe you. We’re just friends!” “Whatever you say, but I still think you do.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “See you to-morrow, Zarola.” “‘Bye.” We parted. I headed directly to my room and sat at the small washbasin in the corner. I gazed at my reflection. “Why does everyone think that I like Bert?” I asked myself. I stood up and went back into the hallway. The lists (which were just outside my door) held everyone’s chores for the day. It was the same chores like every other day, but I still didn’t have mine memorized. Clean the fireplaces on the first floor. Did that. Sweep the eating chamber. I’ll do that. I walked up the stairs, turned left, and took another right into the mailroom. The closet in the back corner held both brooms and mops. I picked up one of the brooms. The cool wood felt good on my warm hands. I bent down to feel the hay bristles. Soft. I scoured the floors of all the rotten potatoes from the meal before. For good measure, I took up the mop. Whoever was mopping after me was going to be lucky. I needed something to do, and just then, it was a mop. Each time I heaved the stick with ripped-up rags into the pail of water, I thought of Peter who was probably sick with worry about me. I smiled at the thought. Maybe we could court after all. Maybe I did like him, despite how much I protested at Hanter. I knew he liked me. I speculated this thought for a while. Nah. It would never work out. Even if it did, we’d have one argument and our friendship would be over. I didn’t want that to happen. I cherished our friendship like my very existence. Plus, it would be too hard to explain to our parents, who had been friends since they were each 10 years old. Plop, slosh, plop, slosh, the mop went as it cleaned the floor. A rat appeared and skittered across the floor in front of me. Just before it went back into its hole, it looked at me. I ignored it and continued mopping in a different direction. He left. A sudden burst of loneliness ran through me, and I was once again alone in my thoughts. Why can’t I be something other than a maid? I thought. They turned once again to Peter. I really think that he and I wouldn’t work, I don’t even know what he always waits for when I hug him. He and I both know we are, and never will be, anything but best friends. The following rest day, I went into the nearest town - Vigilius Town, named after the kings of the past 16 generations - with Bert. Apparently, he’d never been. I was shocked that he hadn’t been, then I remembered that he hadn’t been at Wildwood for very long, and hadn’t seen the nearby attractions. We walked, and once we got there, Bert was very red in the face, and huffing and puffing like there would be no tomorrow. When I asked him why, he didn’t reply, but pointed out a bulletin board in the center of the town. “What’s this?” “It’s the village announcement board. The kingdom puts up kingdom-wide event posters and things like that, and the city puts town events and wanted posters up unless the king or his majesty Prince Vigilius XVI really dislikes that person, then it’s put up by the kingdom.” I replied. He blushed at the mention of Prince Vigilius and pulled his cloak tighter around him, but I didn’t bother to ask why. His reasons are his own. A general came and pounded a nail into a piece of parchment on the board. It was a lost poster, with a picture of... I couldn’t catch a glimpse of it in time, for Elbert was dragging me to a shop. I shivered at his touch that sent both heat and a chilling cold rushing up my arms, melting down my back and out my toes. “Hey, I wanted to see that poster.” I protested, then I smiled to make sure he knew it was a joke. He smiled back - awkwardly, sticking the hand that wasn’t holding mine into his pocket to fiddle with something. He then pulled his hand away. “So… uhh… how about these books?” I asked. “They’re nice…” “Come on! I’ve seen that look before. What’s on your mind?” “Nothing,” He replied. “Are you sure?” “Yup.”
Read ^ first! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We looked around awkwardly. He broke the silence by asking the manager of the shop where a good place to eat was. He told of an eatery called Haleina’s and shooed us out of the book store. “Do you want to go there with me?” Bert asked when we were out. “Um…” “It’s fine if you don’t.” He started to walk away. “No, I do.” His face brightened. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” I hesitated, then strolled after him. We had several conversations along the way to Haleina’s, one including where we each were from. “I’m from Stonedocliffe,” I said, pulling my shawl tighter around me, and blowing on my stiff fingers to warm them. “I used to live in the palace,” Bert said as he started to take off his cloak. “What did you do there?” He put it around my shoulders as I was speaking. He didn’t appear cold. How gentlemanly of him! “Um…” “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” “I was the uh…” “Go on…” “I was the tea boy.” He finally blurted out. “Did you like being a tea boy?” “Yes,” He replied stiffly. “Then why’d you leave?” “To see y- Uh… to see the school!” I nodded. “What did you do in Stonedcliff or whatever you’re town’s called?” “It’s Stonedocliffe.” “Yes, that.” “Well, I went to school for a few weeks every semester.” “A few weeks?” I sighed. “My father doesn’t make enough money as a cobbler to pay for school. The most he gets is when he does the Prince’s shoes once a year - or whenever he grows out of them.” His jaw fell open. I don’t think he thought that I saw, so he quickly closed it. “I also help Peter in the bakery when Winter is out.” “Do you have any siblings?” I nodded. “Mm-hmm! I have three. Frida, Tammy, and Sammy.” “Are they younger than you?” “Nah. Frida’s a year, two months, and 24 days older than me, but the twins are just babies.” It was his turn to nod. “Do you?” “Do I what?” “Have any siblings.” “No, I don’t. My parents hardly even care about me.” “I’m sorry,” I replied. “It’s okay. They have other things to worry about.” “Mmm.” “Look, we’re here!” He said a few seconds later breaking the silence, and pointing at a large gray stone building with tiny doors and a sign over them saying “Haleina’s Place” “Certainly looks expensive,” I said. “I can pay for it,” He replied. “Are you sure?” He pulled out a small leather bag in which held more gold coins than I had ever seen in my life. There were only around 30, but it was still worth a lot of Rona. “Where did you-” “The palace. It was my weekly pay from two weeks ago when I ran away.” “You don’t have to waste that on me, you know.” “No, but I want to because… nevermind.” “Here, you can have this back.” I handed his cloak back to him. “No, you take it. You’re colder than I am.” “No.” “No!” The argument ended in laughing, much to my appreciation, the cloak lying forgotten on his shoulder. I’d never been in a serious argument before and never intended to be in one. He held his arm out for me to take, and I did as we walked into the eating house. The waiter who showed us to our table seemed awfully familiar. On top of that, he smelled like bread. Peter! I knew he was taking an internship at a restaurant, but why’d it have to be this one, and right now of all times? I had to get out of here before he recognized me. “Bert, can I talk to you?” “Ye- You already are, Hana. You just asked me a question.” He winked. So he does have a sense of humor! I thought. “Yeah, um… my stomach is a little queasy, I’d prefer if we left and came back another day.” Now that I had said something, I did, in fact, feel sick. “Are you sure?” “Quite.” “Okay, then. Good thing we hadn’t gotten our food or paid for anything yet.” I nodded in agreement. “Waiter!” Bert called Peter. I lowered my head. “Yes?” He appeared in a flash. “Turns out that my good friend here isn’t feeling very well.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” “Yeah, we’re to be off now.” “Okay,” He shrugged. “Let’s go then!” He picked up his cape and tucked the little leather bag into his pocket. I pressed a coin of mine into Peter’s palm. He could tell my touch. “Have we met before?” I kept my voice an octave lower. “No, I don’t suppose we have.” “I could swear you look familiar.” “Nope, I just have one of those faces.” I lied. Maybe I shouldn’t have, considering how I feel when I lie. My stomach heaved. Bert and I walked out of the building. -------------------------------------------------------------------- One more chapter down! I really hope you enjoy this one, it took a lot of planning. The time is way back in the 1800s, or so I've gathered. D.W.B.H! -Oreo ------------------------------------------------------------------ Previous chapter: Please check the studio Next chapter: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/487643375/ © @OreoTurtleBear ©
