Daughter of Water

Chapter 27

"Sylvia, do you really think that Clearence is alright with us being out in the city?" We were both dressed as peasants, myself a boy. And we had left the theatre without telling Clearence. At least we brought Arlo.

"I believe we will be find Aden." I smiled at the name that Arlo had picked out and shrugged.

"So we have to go to market to get more food? I went to a grocery store on the surface but this is by far the weirdest thing I have ever done.

"What is a grocery store? We don't have those here." Arlo was a kind reminder that my life wasn't completely made up of adults.

"It is a store full of food that people can buy. It comes from all over the world to be put on your tables." The world I was describing to him was the world I wanted him to one day be a part of.

Arlo and I were in our capes, mine the blue one from the last time I had been to the city but with a few changes, and Sylvia had just a simple dress and a basket to carry the food we will buy in.

"I wish I could have lived there with you. Your world sounds amazing. Can you tell me more?" I chuckled and nudged Sylvia towards a stand that sold bread. We headed towards it, Arlo still ranting about his excitement of the surface world. When we got closer, we noticed that some people were arguing about something. I hurried forwards, curious and worried about these people.

"What is wrong here?" I asked of the woman who was arguing with the baker-man. She looked to me, bags heavy under her eyes and a baby on one arm while a basket with a small piece of cheese rested inside.

"I cannot afford to get any of this bread because the King rationed the food again. I need more food for my five children." Amazing how she has five kids and still retained that figure. But rationed the food? Could this be the Fier's doing?

"The King Fier has ordered everyone to ration the food once again in an effort to capture the Liquis girl and the Blue Cyclone. It is not my fault that we have less so we must sell at an even higher price," the baker protested. It hit me hard when they said that this was because of me. All of their suffering was because of my existence.

"Here," I said and gave the woman our cheese and a few more coins to get more bread. Her face shown shock.

"I... I don't know what to say." I looked to the baker who looked just as surprised as the woman did. When I gave him a gentle look, he smiled and handed the woman a loaf of bread, the woman in turn giving him the coins I had handed to her and that had been in her hand. She hugged me once her loaf was secure and grasped my hands.

"Come with me. I want to introduce you to my children and husband. They will be thrilled." She began to tug me in the direction of the square of the city, my followers behind me worriedly. I gave them a small smile that said I was okay and followed the woman willingly so that she could stop pulling on my arm.

"What are you doing Aden?" Arlo stayed close to my cloak skirts, a worried look plastered on his little innocent face.

"It may help us to make connections here in the city. I figure that it won't hurt us too much to take a temporary detour." The lady promptly turned around a building and into a small wooden door that was modest looking. Little cries of excitement could be heard and a low tenor voice echoed outside to us.

"Come on in. Don't be shy," the woman's voice cooed. Without any warning, a tiny little girl's face appeared before us, her eyes kind and curious.

"Mommy, is this person a boy or girl?" The woman appeared behind her and pulled her a bit closer to her legs, a sheepish smile decorating her face.

"Forgive me. She is quite the curious one is she not?" She moved aside and allowed us inside. An apartment similar to our own temporary one in the theatre met us, the smell a bit different from the small children around us. The walls had little flowers that gave it a homey feeling and in the corner was a bed a bit bigger than the one I sleep on now. In another corner, a clay oven sat with logs already sitting inside, keeping the place warm. By the only window in the place, a table sat, two people already sitting at it, one tending to the other's arm. A white bandage decorated the area the one man was looking at.