The Last Healer

Chapter 8 Ariella

Chapter 8 Ariella

            A bell rung softly as we walked inside and the first thing that I realized was the smell. I had no idea what it was and there was no way that I could explain what it smelled like except that it smelled horrible and was really strong. Brittney giggled when she realized that I was looking around at my surroundings. There were shelves built into the walls which were filled with shoes of all shapes, sizes, and styles. No shoe was the exact same, they were similar but not exactly the same. On the far side of the room were a table and a couple of chairs.

            Sitting in one of the chairs, with his back towards us, was an elderly man. He made no acknowledgement of hearing the bell ring or of us being here, he simply sat there and continued with what he was doing. I jumped slightly when I heard a door crash open and I quickly stepped behind my mother, my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes scanned the room as I tried to see what happened and I realized that there was a door on the other side of the room, in the right corner, and a woman rushed through it and up to us, smacking the man in the head as she ran past him.

            "Forgive my husband, my lady." The woman said as she curtsied at us. She was an elderly woman as well, her grey hair was tied up in a bun; she wore a simple brown dress with a white apron tied over it. "He didn't mean any disrespect to any of you."

            "Bah, make them go somewhere else." The man grumbled. "I want nothing to do with the Mathews so long as they have that boy with them."

            "Oh, shush you!" The woman exclaimed and turned back towards us. "I am so sorry for his actions, my lady. Please, if there's anything we can do for you, please say what it is. We would be honored."

            "How many times have I told you, woman! I refuse to serve that family so long as that thing is in their family!" The man shouted and jumped up. He stalked towards us and stopped in front of the woman. "I will not and you cannot make me!" I stared at them in fear. Both of them were angry, they glared at each other as if they wanted to murder the other.

            Brittney stepped beside me and grabbed my hand; she gave me an assuring smile and pulled me behind her. I stared up at her in confusion until I realized that Mother had stepped towards the man and the woman.

            "Perhaps you need to learn where your loyalties lie." Mother told the man, her voice cold as ice. "Whatever your issue is with us is personal business. This is business. And a man who ignores that for his personal issues is a fool."

            "Exactly!" The woman exclaimed and then shoed the man away. "You can go do something else, you ungrateful man. I'll take care of them."

            "Bah." The man grumbled. "Serving them is a mistake, woman. When will you listen to me?"

            "When you start to use logic!" The woman shouted at him. "And if serving the family of the Captain of the Protectors, the man who keeps us safe, is a mistake, than I would hate to see what is right! Now, you will either behave and help out or leave!"

            "Then I will leave!" The man shouted and stalked back to his desk. I watched him go and coward slightly next to Brittney. Whoever that man was, he wasn't happy that we were here. I didn't understand why he didn't like my family, everyone seemed so nice. Or was it something that they did before I came here? Was there something that they were hiding from me? Or was it something else entirely?

            "Just ignore him, Ariella." Brittney told me and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "He's a jerk."

            "B-but why?" I whispered.