It was dark.
It was gloomy.
It was raining.
Thunder roared across the heavens, crying a deep rumble. The tiny drops of water fell from the gray skies, falling down like little tiny rocks of translucent matter, pounding on those below.
A creaking cart unsteadily along the muddy road, swerved threateningly from left to right. Water creeps through the tiny spaces between the boards of wood, soaking it wet. On the driver's seat, a bearded old man nonchalantly slaps his horse with his coiled leather whip, forcing an irritated whinny from the steed. On the cart were his goods covered for safe keeping. But there were eight cloaked figures on the cart as well. Their heads were bent down, hiding away their faces. They had a monkey and a cat as companions as well.
"We're close to Neapoli. If it doesn't rain any harder than it is, we might get there in an hour," said the old man, lashing his whip at the horse's behind.
"We're sorry for the trouble, old man," one of the hooded figures told the man. "We would like to pay you for your troubles."
"It's fine, kid," the old man patiently replied. "It isn't unusual for me to give people free rides."
"Do people frequently ask for rides around here?" a feminine voice asks amongst the group.
The old man shrugs. "Perhaps. But I only give rides when it's only convenient for me. It'll be a pain if I just go back and forth for nothing, especially if I earn nothing from it. But not that I'm asking for you folks to pay for it. Telling by how you are dressed, you're not from here. Including your accents."
His companions say nothing more, disappointing the old man. But he just shrugs it off and continued to guide his horse along the muddy road.
As the rain continued to pour, the old man came up with a tune and he whistled for his own entertainment. In time, they reached their destination, an active town known for its purpose as the rendezvous point for transportation and trade. But thanks to the rain, it cooled down a bit. The group could see people crowded under the roof while waiting for the rain to stop. However, while they were waiting, the people found themselves chatting and laughing at stories together. Some though continued to conduct their business as they interact with the others.
The hooded figures could hear their muffled voices through the pounding rain, but the pain in their hearts was something that they found audible.
The guilt.
The anger.
And the last scene their eyes saw: Angelica's demise.
It was still clear and vivid in their heads like it only happened. They couldn't forget about it at all, especially those who were right there when it happened: Pietro and Alfieri. They were the most silent in the group, and they bore the heaviest glum. It was quite unsettling for everyone else.
It wasn't long until they stopped by an inn where the old man dropped them off. As a gift of thanks, they gave him a fancy piece of jewelry for his troubles. It left the old man with much glee in his eyes, so much that he couldn't even hide the grin on his face. But he fights to hide his little joy by placing it inside his coat and then lowers the brim of his hat to cast a shadow on his face. Nodding to the strange party, he goes on his way without much of a goodbye.
"Was it wise to give the old man a valuable piece of jewelry for a three-hour ride?" the girl cynically asks, stroking the cat in her arms with a disgusted look on her face. "He might go gossiping with the rest of the old farts about some rich travelers staying at an inn."
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Damsel in Distress 2: The Secrets Within (Arcana Famiglia FF)
Fanfiction[YOU MAY OR MAY NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK. YOUR CHOICE, BUT I GUARANTEE THAT THIS BOOK IS BETTER WRITTEN THAN THE OTHER.] A few months prior to the events of the first book, Angelica now lives as a fortuneteller in a town of lights where she recruits...
