The Black Unicorn

Marketplace Mayhem

You hopped onto the back of the cart being pulled by two very familiar horses. They snorted and nickered, pawing at the ground with their hooves impatiently. You hoisted yourself onto the back and turned around so that you were facing the castle as the cart started moving.

Your legs dangled off of the back, swaying a little as the cart wobbled around as it moved from dirt to cobblestone road. The sound of the hooves and wheels drowned out everything else as you stared up at the looming stonework of the castle. Your eyes scanned the upper walls, seeing if they could find the familiar slanted windows of master Ambros's study.

You were too far out to really make out which windows were slanted though, even though the castle still towered to the clouds with how big it was.

You could hear the other people up front talking slightly as they moved the cart further and further into the royal city. This was your first time actually being out here.

You were not used to a place so compacted with stone buildings, stretching out for miles and miles. Back in your village most of the buildings were wood and straw. The only compacted place was the market. Otherwise, it was all houses here and there for the fields they worked in.

You watched as the people of the city went about their lives. Some doing things in their houses, others walking down the street, Others laying drunk in the road.

You jumped when someone suddenly plopped down next to you, and you looked over with wide eyes to see the smiling face of Adela. her long platinum hair was braided back wich gave a better view of her pale, doll-like face and all the little freckles dotting it.

" Hey Y/N! I did not know you were back here! Bernard and I have missed you so much!" She said, giving you a long hug. You blinked in surprise, not fully comprehending what she said.

" You... You miss me? But... no one else can even stand to look at me, and you never come to talk to me in the bed chamber." You said, and she looked at you with sad eyes.

" Right after the master made you his servant, I was moved down closer to the dungeon with a few other girls. there are fragile stock down there and we need to be ready to get up really fast and clean it up instead of having to run all the way down from the bed-chamber. I spend most of my time down there now, I have only seen Bernard on the few occasions he brings things down to us. I'm on a supply run!" She finished with a happy smile.

Oh, well that would explain that. You had just thought she was avoiding you like all the rest and you did not put a lot of thought into it. Now you felt a little bad for thinking like that.

" I am too, the master wanted me to get some supplies for his study I guess." You finished with a mutter, looking down at the list. You shivered when you saw most of the things on the list were that of plants known to cause harm. Adela sighed.

" If only Bernard was here than we would all be together again. I miss the three of us talking in our free time. The others will talk to me too, but its not the same, it was us three that became friends since day one... now we don't even get to see each other anymore." She said sadly and you smiled at her.

"It's alright, we should just be happy that were are able to see each other now." You reassured her and she nodded before smiling. The cart halted to a stop as it entered the market area. You and Adela hopped off and your eyes went wide again as you took in the gargantuan area.

The market in your village was literally just the town square. The market place here had to be at least a mile long. Adela said goodbye to you as she made her way off. You stood there awkwardly behind the cart as you looked around... you had no idea where to go.