His Wicked Days

Chapter Four

I stood, a little out of breath, staring out at the smoke rising up into the sky where telltale chimneys were radiating heat on a cold mid morning. I could hear the sounds of people, of working, and I thought back to all the times I'd ever gone to town with Mother. All the people who stared at me and whispered and mocked. The children who threw rocks or iron nails.

I prayed this would be different.

I readied myself to be surrounded. I wasn't used to crowds, to being around others, and all the noise I could already hear from here was bound to be worse when I moved closer. But I didn't have time to waste on worries, and I had no one to push me forward and be brave for me. I'd have to do this myself now. For the rest of my life.

So I walked, taking the first few steps out of the tree lined road and out to where it opened into a bustling street. I made my feet take step after step, the voices getting closer, the buildings looming up ahead...

And then I was part of it all. The jolting difference between the empty woods, the empty road, and this town left me breathless, but not with fear. With wonder.

Children ran by me without a care in the world, one dressed in a simple blue dress and the other in dark trousers and a grey wool jacket. His ears peaked out from under his hat, but I was struck by the little girl's soft green skin. I hadn't considered Fae could look as different as humans could, but all around me there was colour and variation and life. Maybe I wouldn't stand out as much as I'd feared.

Everywhere I looked there were Fae. Tall and long, big and strong, small with strange eyes or noses or skin. I heard mixes of my own language and of a soft lilting one that made my forehead crease, familiar and foreign all at once. People shouted about their wares or called for stragglers to move or yelled over my head at an old friend, and here I was in the middle of it with no one paying any attention. As if I belonged.

Maybe I did.

This was freedom. Even with my head still covered by my hood, people smiled at me. A man tipped his hat as I passed, his eyes like that of a cat's, and wished me a good day. Without thinking I replied in kind, and the thrill of just those words had my heart pounding behind my ribs.

It was like day and night compared to everything I'd endured for years. I knew it was too risky to remove my hood, knew I was still stranger than what they could see, but it felt nice not to be looked at like trouble.

No one knew me here, so no one could judge me. It felt nice not to have my history painted on my face, but I couldn't simply wander. I had to find that trader's Eiran had mentioned, and hope they knew what I needed. And that I could lie well enough if it came to that.

It didn't take me too long to come across a wide village square, and I could make out a few shop signs hanging above doors. I struggled not to look lost as I noticed each sign bore carved images of what they sold as opposed to names. It was a wonderful relief.

One sign had a carved image of boots and nails, and another store had a picture of a needle and thread above its door with a lovely green and gold dress displayed in the window. I'd never owned a proper dress before, and I decided there and then that I wanted one. But I needed to focus.

Behind me, across from a large and decoratively carved well, I saw another store with an image of apples, a bowl, and what appeared to be a sack of something. In the small window there were boxes and dried meats and barrels of spices, so this had to be the trader. Fuelled by the smiles and ignorance of the Fae around me I made my way inside as if I'd done so a dozen times.

The shop was empty when I entered, but all the walls were lined with shelves stocked full of various items. I could already pick out sacks of flour for bread and pastries, barrels of potatoes and other root vegetables that would be good to make a soup. I hadn't investigated the estate's kitchen well enough to know if there was a cold store room, but if there was a chance I could get milk here I would take it. And maybe sugar. And tea. My stomach was rumbling just at the thought.