Everdog: Tale of the First Female Knight

Chapter 09 - The Market

A love letter from his cousin; Everin knew that in the past, it was common for people to marry their cousins and they usually did that to keep the wealth and power within the family. In the modern day of her world, this practice has died down a lot because of the knowledge that baring children with someone of similar genes will cause birth defects.

Everin placed down the sacred letter to avoid invading anymore of the squire's privacy. She didn't understand how the squire can give something as personal as a love letter to a stranger to read. Especially when a maiden poured her heart (as well perfume) into the letter, which by the way Everin found the scent very pleasant.

"Do you know how to read? If you do, I think it's best if you read it."

The squire sat comfortably with one side of his butt locks on the desk while enjoying a strip of bacon. Everin shivered upon remembering the squire's pink round bottoms.

"I already know what is written." Taylor said wiping his oily fingers on his pants. "As ye can tell, my cousin is a tough nut."

"You meant she is madly in love with you."

"Pretty Face, I understand that ye may feel sympathy for my cousin, but assure ye, she is a one vile woman. On my sixth birthday, she gifted me a dog and commanded it to attack me for her amusement. When that didn't play out as she imagined, she attacked me...," Taylor lift up his sleeve to show the fainted teeth marks on his forearm.

"But that happened when you were young." Everin tried to help the squire realize that his fear was irrational.

Taylor took the letter and pointed at beginning of the poem. "Did ye read the letter!? She wrote 'When I first saw ye I began to love ye," On my sixth birthday was the first time I ever met that cruel woman!"

Taylor took a step back to calm down. He breathed in and then he breathed out. Everin leaned back in her chair. It seemed like the squire was literate seeing that he knew how to read.

"Shouldn't you being writing the response yourself when you know how to read and write?" Everin asked. She didn't understand why the squire was wasting money to have someone else write the letter for him?

That was Taylor's weakness. He was good with the ladies, but he wasn't good at breaking their hearts. He didn't like to deal with women when they were crying or angry, it scared him. "I need ye to write a rejection letter." Taylor said giving Everin the prompt. "Say that my heart already belongs to someone else and that this will be the last that she hears from me."

Everin pondered for a moment. Should she take this ridiculous job, or should she not? What were her losses if she didn't? She would not have any cash and will have to wait for another person to walk into the filing room, who was willing to pay with cash. Her benefits, she gets cash and can focus on returning home.

"Deal." Everin said accepting the commission. "But, the fee is doubled."

"What!? That is not what we agreed on."

Everin stood up from her wooden chair. "I offer services for people that need my help. You are literate and yet you are making a lowly servant write your love letter for you. Fine, forget it. I will just write a long letter to your cousin explaining how you were planning to lie to her, after all it's a gentlemen's duty to save a maiden from danger."

Everin was sprouting anything that came up to her mind. She didn't quite owe anything to Taylor's cousin, she just needed cash badly.

"Alright, alright, double the fee." Taylor said willing to do anything at this point.

"Promised."

"I promise."

And with that one commission (extortion), Everin obtained some cash for her departure.