Where there's a Will, there's a Tiara | Complete (ONC 2021 Longlister)

7. Market Day

Over the next few weeks, I had mostly settled into life at my grandmother's home. Well, I still hated having to be there, but we mostly left each other alone except when she was giving me instructions for work to do. It was annoying, but working alone all day wasn't so bad. It gave me something to do to keep my mind off everything else.

I hadn't fully settled in, though, because when she woke me at six in the morning on a Tuesday I still struggled to peel my eyelids open, even as I was not remotely surprised. Tuesday is Market day. And, as usual, I went through the motions to get ready and ended up dressed and ready to go by the front door at six-thirty sharp, with half a muffin stuffed hastily into my mouth on the way out the door. I've never been much for breakfast.

"We are taking Mr. Bellamy with us today," Nora said as she whizzed past me, wrapping a scarf around her neck. "I need help lifting."

When I look like this? We're taking people with us? If I'd bothered to say that out loud, she would have reminded me that I have plenty of quality clothing I could be wearing and my choices to be seen like that are only mine. I know this, because I'd heard the lecture no less than twenty times since I'd arrived. Starting with the first night at dinner. So I didn't say anything, instead sliding my feet into giant rain boots — which she called something that started with a W — and trudging out to the passenger side of the car.

"We've not got all day," Nora said from inside the vehicle. "Will you two please get in?"

Ezrah, who had somehow materialized, gestured that I should take the front seat and then walked around the car to sit in the back behind Nora. We were on the road in no time at all and neither one of us dared interrupt Nora's monologue about our plans for the day, which meant I mostly just stared awkwardly out the window, wishing I could be asleep instead of heading to the market with my grandmother and her not-so-helpful carpenter.

Perhaps I should blame it on the tired, but I didn't realize we weren't in town until Ezrah opened the door and I almost tumbled out of it, my eyes snapping open as the cold air hit my cheeks. "I'm fine," I said, shrugging off his offered hand.

"Of course you are." Ezrah shook his head and followed after Nora. The market itself was set up on a local farm. Or that's what it seemed like at first. I walked along the path and through a break in the trees, and then suddenly an enormous mansion spread out before me. The sheer size of the grey stone building was almost impossible to take in all at once and I struggled to decide where to look first. A small whoa escaped my lips.

"Don't hang out with Dukes often?"

Of course Ezrah was here. "Yes, as you know, there are a lot of Dukes back home in Canada or Greece."

"There aren't a lot of them here either."

I laughed despite myself. "That's true, but however many there are is more than I would have likely met."

He smiled and chuckled to himself. "Yes, I'm sure you wouldn't have met many of them yourself. Maybe you will one day."

"Maybe." I decided to try to be nice. "But hopefully not while I'm dressed like I just crawled out of bed."

He feigned surprise, holding his hand to his open mouth and raising his eyebrows. "This is how you look when you get out of bed? I'm truly shocked."

I shoved him with my shoulder and rolled my eyes. "What is there to get dressed up for around here, anyway? It's just my grandmother. Who am I going to impress? What am I going to do besides clean mud off of more mud?"

He smiled. "You could come out with the household staff at the weekend. All the younger ones, and some of the older ones too. We walk down together. I'm sure one of the girls would take you if you are interested."

"I'll think about it." Just as I said it, we reached the little group of tents set up as a market in the clearing. Nora beckoned us over to where she was standing in front of a large table that appeared to be completely covered in glass jars.

"What's taken you two so long?" she asked, pointing to the carton on the ground that she had filled.

"I was inviting Adelaide to the pub at the weekend," Ezrah jumped in. "She was mentioning she wanted to get out into the world and learn about how we live here."

I snapped my eyes up to him, pulling my lips together. "And I was saying I wasn't sure I wanted to go out. I have a lot of work to do and need to sleep. Plus, I was thinking I might—"

"You shall go," Nora said, inspecting the jar she held in her hand. "I will let you have the weekend off for some exploring. Ezrah is right: learning to fit in here will help you."

"I—" Honestly, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with that information. I didn't want to seem too eager to go out but also didn't want to stand out as disobedient to the grandmother who held my entire future in her hands.

Fortunately, Nora moved quickly, and didn't expect me to provide an answer as I followed her along, holding open a reusable bag as she stuffed various wooden or metal things into it. I had no idea what any of it did, but keeping my mouth shut was sure to get me home faster than asking questions, so I took to admiring the scenery instead.

Finally, when we reached the last stand, Nora ordered several batches of lumber or something else Ezrah needed to fix the roof. The man running the stand discussed a few things I didn't understand with Ezrah. Swinging the bag over my shoulder to keep it from dragging on the ground, I allowed myself to wander a short distance into the small crowd. The area really was bustling with people laughing, sharing items and embracing those they hadn't seen in a while.

It reminded me how much I missed Kat. We'd kept in touch by text, but I missed her. And the idea of going out to a pub without her just felt wrong. I'd have to remember to call her, but when I did she was almost certain to tell me I needed to get through the year and if my grandmother was making me go out, I really should just listen to her. Really, you need to pick your battles. That had been her catch phrase at least as long as I'd known her. And she was probably right. I should pick my battles.

"Hey, Ezrah!" I called, walking back over to him as quickly as I could in my boots. "I would love to go out with the group if you could ask one of the girls to give me the details."

He smiled and nodded. I guess that's a yes, then. This is probably a terrible idea. 

* ~ * Author's Note * ~ * 

Today's ONC recommendation story comes from the lovely and amazing -dreamsinwords and his novella Too Far to Forget. 

Struggling to fulfil his mother's last wish and to hide his feelings for the cook caring for her, Sivanesan Dilin must overcome grief, loss, and doubt to find happiness and love again.