Misfit Trials

Chapter 16

Rumpelstilzchen and his twin sister, Romy, sat in the wagon next to his father as they rode into town. Their mother sat in the back with the baby, Kort, and all of their belongings. Rumpelstilzchen looked around with wide eyes and an open mouth. In all his six years, he had never seen so many people in one place. It was mid-morning, yet people clogged the streets. Over there was a blacksmith, pulling an axe blade out of his forge fire and laying it on his anvil. The children clutched each other as the blacksmith's hammer rang off of the axe blade and sparks flew. On the other side of the street, was a bakery with a window full to bursting with cakes, pies, cookies, and breads. People bustled back and forth on the busy streets, looking in market stalls and talking.

Smells assaulted their noses: breads, meats, flowers, animals, all the smells of humans living together in a small space. It was amazing for the children to see and they craned their necks in an attempt to look at everything.

Their father had recently gotten a job as a master carpenter in the building of a cathedral for the town. This job would last for at least five years and the family had decided to move to the town.

Their father urged their horses through the streets and towards the unfinished steeple on the other side of town.

"Vati, look!" Romy cried pointing to a street performer juggling in the street.

Their father smiled at his daughter. "I see him, Mäuschen," he said, patting her head. "Can you count how many balls he is throwing?"

"No, Vati," Romy said. "He throws them too fast!"

"Mama, look at the animals," Rumpelstilzchen said, turning back to his mother.

"I see them, Rumpie," his mother said, trying to calm his baby brother at her breast. The baby had been fretful the entire trip and his mother looked exhausted. So exhausted that Rumpelstilzchen didn't remind her how much he hated his childhood nickname.

The family made their way through the town and finally arrived at the cathedral at lunch time. Their father pulled the wagon next to a group of men unloading wood from a cart.

"Guten Tag," their father said, hailing the men.

The men turned towards the wagon. "Guten Tag," one of the men said. "Can I help you with something?"

"I am a new carpenter. I was told to find Otho," their father said.

Pointing towards the cathedral, the man said, "He is probably inside, talking with the architect. You can leave your wagon here and go in."

"Danke," their father said to the man. To their mother he said, "Stay here with the children. I'll return soon." Turning to the children, their father smiled and ruffled Rumpelstilzchen's hair. "Let your mother sleep. Stay with the wagon and mind your sister."

"Yes, Vati," Rumpelstilzchen said.

With that, their father walked toward the cathedral.

For a while, the children watched the workmen at their jobs. Their mother passed them each strips of dried beef and they slowly chewed. But as the time passed, the children began to get bored. The baby had finally quieted and their mother had fallen asleep.

Rumpelstilzchen had started to doze when Romy pulled at his arm. "Rumpie," she said with some urgency.

"Don't call me that," Rumpelstilzchen said. "That's not my name."

Romy sighed, frustrated. "Rumpelstilzchen," she said. "I have to pee."

"So pee," Rumpelstilzchen said.

"I can't!" Romy protested. "Not with all these people!"

"Fine," Rumpelstilzchen said. He sat up and got off of the wagon. He turned and helped his sister out of the wagon. Looking around, he quickly decided to take Romy to a cluster of trees at the very edge of the worksite. "Come on," he said, pulling Romy by the hand.

Attempting to walk with her knees together, Romy shuffled along beside Rumpelstilzchen.

The two finally made it to the trees and Romy raced behind them.

Rumpelstilzchen turned back to face the cathedral. His father was taking forever. All he wanted to do was lay down in a space all his own. After traveling for a week with his family and sharing the wagon with all five of them, it would feel like heaven to stretch out.

"Hurry up, Romy!" he called.

"I'm going as fast as I can," she replied.

Rumpelstilzchen grunted and sat down. Sounded like this would take a while.

He leaned back against a stump and closed his eyes. Just then a shadow fell across him.

"What are you doing here?" a girl's voice said.

Rumpelstilzchen opened one eye. Standing there was a blonde haired girl about his age. She wore a peasants' rough spun dress and a vibrant red cloak. Her long hair was in two braids down her back. She carried a basket filled with muffins, breads, and sweets. She was beautiful.

Rumpelstilzchen gawked at her.

"Are you dumb?" she asked.

"No, no," Rumpelstilzchen said. "I can speak."

"Well, then answer me," the girl demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with my sister," Rumpelstilzchen said, his brain trying to formulate a coherent sentence.

"I don't see any sister," the girl said, placing her hand on her hip.

"She's peeing," Rumpelstilzchen said.

Just then, Romy came out from behind her tree, smoothing down her dress.

"There she is," Rumpelstilzchen said, pointing at Romy dumbly.

"Oh," the girl said. "Well, alright then." With that, she smiled and made a makeshift curtsy to Rumpelstilzchen and Romy. "I'm Marta. Who are you?"

Taken aback by such a quick shift in her demeanor, Rumpelstilzchen hesitated.

"I'm Romy," his sister said, looking at Rumpelstilzchen oddly. "This is my brother, Rumpelstilzchen."

"Nice to meet you," Marta said to Romy. Turning to Rumpelstilzchen, she said, "Rumpelstilzchen, huh? That's a very long name for you. I think I'll call you Rum. So what are you two doing here, Rum?"

"We just moved here. Our father just got a job at the cathedral," Rumpelstilzchen said, not even bothering to correct Marta about his name. Romy giggled behind her hand as she watched Rumpelstilzchen stare at Marta.

Marta, for her part, seemed oblivious of the spell she had cast on Rumpelstilzchen. "Oh, good!" she cried. "My father works at the cathedral too. He's a stone mason."

"Vati is a carpenter," Romy said. "Do you live around here?"

"On the other side of those trees," Marta said, pointing behind Romy and Rumpelstilzchen.

"Romy! Rumpelstilzchen!" Vati stood by the wagon looking in their direction. When the children saw him, he waved them back to the wagon. "Come children."

"We have to go," Rumpelstilzchen said, stupidly.

"Come back tomorrow," Marta said, smiling. "I can show you around the town."

"That sounds great," Romy said, grabbing Rumpelstilzchen's arm and pulling him to the wagon. "We'll see you here tomorrow."

Rumpelstilzchen waved to Marta, who laughed, a sound like a tinkling bell. She turned back towards the cluster of trees and skipped away.