REVISED AS OF 11/02/2022
"Come on, just a few feet further." You cooed to the tired horse. She whinnied, throwing her head back. You grasped the reins tighter, giving her a sympathetic look.
It had been an exhausting journey. You had been told the distance to the village, but you hadn't realized how rough the terrain would end up being. There had been many steep uphills and downhills, rocky terrain, and icy falls.
You were surprised that neither you or your mare had sustained any fatal injuries.
You stood in front of the no-longer sleek mare and looked out from on top of yet another tall hill. You could see chimney smoke, which you had been following for a few hours.
"Look!" You said, gesturing to the dark fog. "We're almost at the village! You can see the smoke! As soon as we get there, you can eat and rest. I promise."
You pulled on the reins again, stepping closer to your destination. She reluctantly followed, seeming to trust you. "Good girl." You murmured, giving her a reassuring smile.
You knew that she didn't understand you, but words of encouragement still flowed from your mouth as you slowly made your way down the hill.
As the small, seaside village grew closer, the smell of salt water and cooked fish drifted to your nose. It didn't smell bad at all, at least so far. Your eyes also picked up more details of the village itself.
There were children, chasing each other with large smiles on their faces. Around them were stalls, which held various goods being sold by villagers. If you strained your eyes hard enough, then you could make out a few tall figures out on a far dock. Fishing, you assumed.
You couldn't help but feel a bubble of hope rising in your chest. This village looked normal, happy even. The sounds that drifted up to you were cheerful and light. It was a large difference from your home village.
From what you could see, there were no dying children on the ground. There were no robberies happening in plain sight. People wore clothes that barely had any patches, if any. This village was much more well off than your home.
When you finally reached the entrance to the village, your legs shaking and your mare huffing, you weren't greeted with any glares or whispers like you had been expecting.
The villagers who caught sight of you didn't seem irritated by a newcomer's presence, especially during the cold months. No, they seemed curious. Some even seemed excited.
One of the villagers, a tall blonde man, came jogging up to you first. Behind him, a little girl called out, "Abel, where are you going?" Her tone was sad, like he had just left an important play session.
The man, Abel's - soft blue eyes never left yours as he slowly approached. "There's a visitor. A pretty one at that. Go back to playing, I'll return to you soon." He called over his shoulder.
You blushed at his statement, and sent the young girl an apologetic look as she made a whining noise. You placed a gentle hand on the mare by your side as Abel finally made it to you.
"Hello." You murmured, suddenly feeling shy. "My horse desperately needs to rest. Is there any place I could leave her?" You asked, looking up through your eyelashes.
Abel took the reins from your cold hands, smiling. "Of course. Please, follow me." He said. You nodded appreciatively, shuffling behind him as you fully entered the village.
More heads turned to look at you, curiosity evident on their faces. A group of older ladies near the fish stalls gave you warm smiles when you looked at them, and your heart opened just a tiny bit more.
Now that you were fully in the village, you detected a slight fishy smell. It wasn't enough to bother you however. You briefly wondered just how sensitive the noses were of the guards and royal family if they thought that Esteria reeked.
Abel brought you into a small barn, which was warmly lit by plenty of torches. There were a few other horses chewing on hay, alongside a couple of cows and even a sheep.
"Happy now?" You asked your mare quietly, smiling in relief as Abel guided her over to a pile of hay. As the horse happily began to eat, Abel helped you unload the bags from her back.
When all of your packs were finally on the ground, he dusted off his hands and rested them on his hips. "So, where have you traveled from?" He asked, his blue eyes resting on your face.
You felt panic surge through you for a moment, unsure of what to tell him. If you were to tell him that you were from the castle, then he might possibly sell you out if he realized you were being looked for.
Telling him you were from your home village could run the risk of painting you as a thief. In your village, only one person owned a horse and it most certainly wasn't a husbandless girl.
Wait. You mentally slapped your head. Your village was so poor and so hidden, that not many knew of it. You highly doubted that a coastal village would know enough about your home to be able to accuse you of anything.
"I'm from Greenridge." You said, lugging one of the heavier packs onto your back. You groaned a little at the weight, wanting nothing more than to lay down somewhere and be done with the day.
"Hm, I've never heard of that village." Abel said, pulling the two lighter packs over his shoulders. You sighed internally, your suspicions confirmed. You would be fine to tell others about your village.
"We're a poor village. Not many know of us, unless you live in one of the neighboring villages." You shrugged. "But...I'm here to see the Dubois family. Is there any way you could take me to them?"
Abel's eyes lit up at the name. "Ah! James never told us that he was having a visitor! You must be a family friend, hm?" He said cheerily. He nodded his head towards the barn's entrance. "I'll take you to him now."
You bid farewell to your mare, satisfied that she finally received a chance to eat and rest after three long days. Then, you followed Abel back into the cold. The air knocked the breath from you, as you had quickly grown accustomed to the warmth from the barn.
The walk to the large hut on the outskirts of the village was quick. Your heart rate increased again as the door grew closer and closer, until finally you were there, and Abel was knocking.
The smell of burnt fish filled your nostrils, along with the sound of pots and pans banging, and your eyes screwed up on their own. Abel turned to you with a warm smile. "Ruby must be trying to cook again." He said, as if you knew who that was.
Then again, you were supposed to be a family friend. You laughed fakely and nodded. "Yes, most likely." You said quietly, attempting to play along.
He knocked on the door again after a few moments of no response. The second time seemed to catch the attention of the home's residents, because a few seconds later the door opened.
Standing in the doorway was a tall, skinny man. He was strikingly similar to Joseph, and you instantly knew that this was his father. He looked from you to Abel, a faintly tired frown on his face.
You hesitated, attempting to recall the words that Alice had told you. When you were sure of yourself, you stepped forward. "Uh...decipula plena erithacos...?" You mumbled.
Abel looked at you, confused. The man in front of you, however, immediately stepped back. His face morphed into an expression of kindness. "Ah, please do come in." He said, standing to the side to allow you to pass.
Abel followed, setting your two packs down. Inside the house, the smell of burning fish was even stronger. You were also able to hear the sounds of an older woman scolding someone. You assumed it was Ruby that was being spoken to.
"Thank you for showing our guest the way, Abel." James said, shaking the blonde's hand. Abel nodded, shooting you a grin. Then, he dismissed himself and left the warm hut.
When the front door fell shut again, the tall man helped you pull the heavy pack off of your shoulders. He then pulled you into the light. "So, I see you've met my daughter." He began, examining you carefully.
You nodded, pulling the old cloak from your shoulders. "Yes. She sent me here because there was a problem at the castle. I'm extremely grateful." You said. He nodded, bringing his hand to his chin.
"It would have been nice if I had received a letter beforehand." He mumbled. "However I know that sometimes in situations regarding the castle and its female servants, there is no time to wait for a letter to be sent."
Before you could respond, he waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, no worries. My name is James, in case you didn't know. My wife, Martha, is in the kitchen with our youngest daughter." He said, taking the old cloak from your hands.
You introduced yourself to him, giving him an appreciative smile. You were about to explain why Alice had sent you to him, but was interrupted when a rather plump lady came storming out of the kitchen.
"Honestly, James!" She said, exasperated. "That daughter of yours purposefully burns things just to spite me! She's lucky that there's an abundance of fish in the sea, or else we'd have gone hungry every time she tried to cook."
James laughed lightly, placing his hands on his hips. "Calm down, Martha. We have a visitor." He said, gesturing to you. Martha's eyes finally landed on you, and her gaze softened.
She reached out to wipe some dirt from your face. "Oh? Who's this?" She asked. She brushed off her hand on her apron and examined you in the same manner that James had moments earlier.
"She's one of Alice's friends from the castle." James said. "She's just arrived. Can you get her into some clean clothes before dinner, my dear?" He asked his wife.
"Yes, of course." Martha said, gently pulling you closer to her. "My name is Martha, but you can call me Ma. Now, let's get you into some fresh clothes." She murmured, pulling you towards the back of the house.
You thanked her quietly, after also thanking James. The words that Alice had instructed you to speak really were magic. Within a second of saying them, you were suddenly being welcomed into the family it seemed.
You were guided down a short hallway, which held very messy paintings which were framed with mismatched pieces of wood. Crafts from children, it seemed. You wondered which, if any, of the paintings belonged to Alice and Joseph.
Finally you were pulled into a smaller room, with walls that were seemingly made of books. They were stacked to the ceiling and even partially covered one of the windows. It smelled faintly of cinnamon and old parchment, which reminded you of the library at the castle.
"It seems that you enjoy reading." You remarked, looking at a stack of books closest to you. There were titles in languages that you had never seen before, symbols that you didn't know existed.
"Not me." Martha laughed, waving at the stacks of stories. "James prefers it more than I do. I enjoy going out and fishing." She said.
Your eyebrows shot up. Fishing seemed like a man's job, and if your old village had a place to catch the silvery creatures then it would surely be crowded with men. Not because the woman wouldn't want to, but because they wouldn't be allowed to.
Maybe Esteria was one of the more progressive villages in the kingdom.
Martha brushed past you and shuffled towards a small closet situated by the door. She pulled a dark green dress from the back, humming in satisfaction at it.
It was a bit smaller than the rest of the dresses in the closet, and looked a bit more outdated. She handed it to you, before she turned to the small cabinet next to the bed and began to dig around its contents.
"This is a pretty color." You murmured, running your hands along the fabric. It was soft and thick, and felt much nicer than the rags that you were wearing now.
"Yes, it was one of my favorites years ago. It was a gift from my mother before I got married." Martha said, pulling a pin cushion and some thread from the cabinet. "A trader from a distant land stopped by with a large amount of fabrics, and my mother said that she simply could not pass up that fabric after seeing it."
She took the dress from your hands again and pushed you gently from the bedroom. "I drew a bath for Ruby, but she hates them during the winter. And, it seems like you need it more, hm?" She said, pushing you into the room across from hers.
You nodded appreciatively. The journey had been filled with lots of slips and falls. You were covered in mud and dirt, and even some of your blood from where you had sustained deep enough scrapes.
You were desperate for a bath, and felt excitement when your eyes landed upon the still steaming wooden tub of water. Martha sat down on a stool near the door and placed the dress in her lap, before she pulled a small pair of scissors from her apron and began to snip at parts of the dress.
"Oh, please don't feel the need to destroy that dress for me." You said, your eyebrows furrowing. "You said your mother gifted it to you, I would hate for you to take it apart..."
Martha waved her hand at you and shook her head. "Nonsense." She said, continuing with her removal of the frilly collar. "My mother gave me many dresses over the years. None of them I can wear now. What use are they if they simply sit in the back of my closet collecting dust and looking matronly?"
She gestured to the tub. "Now, I'm sure you know how to bathe yourself. I wont look, if you're shy. Go ahead and take your bath, dear." She said, focusing on the dress completely.
You made a noise of thanks, before slowly peeling the old dress from your body. You shivered at the feeling of cold air against your skin, and quickly stepped into the steaming tub.
You were unable to stop the sigh of content that left your mouth when you sank into the warm water, and Martha laughed lightly. You were quick to lather the soap resting on the edge onto the cloth that was left next to it, before you scrubbed at your skin.
As much as you wanted to simply sit and soak in the warmth, you knew that the water wouldn't stay warm forever. Especially during winter. When you were done scrubbing your body, you moved on to your hair.
It felt amazing to scrub the dirt from your scalp, and to feel the filth be washed away with each dip of your head into the water. When you finally felt clean enough, you reluctantly stood.
The water ran down your body and into the now dirty tub, and you cringed. You knew that you had been covered in dirt, but you hadn't realized just how bad it was.
Martha gestured to a gray towel, which hung on a hook nearby. "Dry yourself off, and then you can wear this." She said, holding up the now finished dress.
The dark green garment's collar was no longer frilled, but was rounded and simple. She had sewn an embroidered piece of fabric onto it, along with the bell sleeves and the bottom hem. The waist line was cinched in a tad, too.
The dress wasn't as beautiful as the ones from the castle, but it was simple and comfortable looking, and you were appreciative. You did as she said and toweled yourself off, before accepting the dress from her.
When you were finally clothed, she helped you brush the knots from your hair. It felt nice, to come from a steaming hot bath and to be given clean, warm clothes. To have someone help you gently untangle your damp hair.
Was this what it was like to have a caring mother?
When Martha was satisfied with your hair, she stepped back and smiled. "My favorite part about getting new girls is watching them transform from scrangly and terrified to warm and glowing." She said, setting the brush down.
"Do you take in girls from the castle regularly?" You asked her, tilting your head curiously. You knew that you weren't the first girl that they've helped, but you wondered just how often it was that they received a visitor.
"Not as often as you might think." She replied. "Although, you are the second one in three weeks. That's a bit uncommon for us. Normally it's a few every year. That's why we created the code that you must have recited to James."
"And they don't stay forever?" You asked. You instantly wanted to smack yourself upside the head for asking such a stupid question. Of course they didn't stay forever. Martha and James would have needed a much bigger house if that was the case.
Martha seemed unbothered by your stupid question however, and shook her head. "We shelter them for as long as they need. Eventually though, we either urge them to marry someone in our village, or let them go off to another location. It all depends on what they want, really."
"If you don't mind me asking...what was the reason that the other girls ran away from the castle?" You asked her. Maybe...just maybe, there was a reason that was worse than yours.
"Well." Martha began. "Sometimes it could be because they angered the head maid. Dan-i ran away because she angered Sanria. She was terrified of being sent to the dungeons, so she slipped out in the middle of the night. She married someone here."
"And, there was Kyong." She continued. "She caught the attention of a Duke. She was terrified of him taking things too far, so Alice sent her to us. We provided her shelter through the harshest parts of the winter months, before we gave her enough supplies for her to travel back to her home village."
"Why did Alice send you to us?" She asked you. Your heart dropped into your stomach, and you hesitated. Your reason seemed far worse than the others. It would surely put them in the most danger.
"I..." You swallowed. "I caught the attention of a Prince." You mumbled, looking down at the floor. Martha froze in front of you, and felt your legs wobble. What if she kicked you out, deeming your reason as too dangerous for her family? You would have nowhere to go.
After an impossibly long silence, she let out a heavy huff of hair. "That is...alarming." She said quietly, running her hand over her hair. You opened your mouth to apologize, but she waved her hand at you.
"But it's not a problem. There's always a solution, sometimes we just have to look a little harder for it." She said, giving you a reassuring smile. "Anyways, you must be quite hungry for something warm to eat. Why don't we go eat dinner?"
You nodded hesitantly. Before you could make your way out of the room however, a series of rapid knocks on the bathing room door startled you a few steps back.
Before you or Martha could say anything, a little girl with light brown hair was bursting into the room. Her bright green eyes landed on you immediately, and an excited grin spread across her lips.
"Papa said we had visitors!" She yelled, running over to you. She held on to your legs in a tight hug, her large eyes staring up at you. "You're my new big sister now, okay?"
You gave her an awkward smile, unsure of how to react. This must be Ruby. You thought to yourself. "Hello, it's nice to meet you." You said quietly, patting her head. The little girl rolled her eyes though and pulled away from you.
"You're my sister now, didn't you hear me say that?" She asked almost indignantly. "You don't have to talk to me so forcefully." Martha chuckled from behind her daughter.
"Formally, Ruby. Not forcefully." She corrected, before tugging Ruby away from you. "Now, come on. It's time for dinner, both of you." She ushered you both from the room.
The three of you walked back down the hallway and into the small kitchen, where James was standing over a pot of soup. His nose was scrunched in concentration as he took a sip of the creamy looking liquid.
Ruby pushed you into a seat and then sat across from you, swinging her legs happily as she stared at you with bright eyes. "Papa makes the most delicious stew ever, you're gonna love it! Everyone does!"
"Hm, and it seems that Papa will be doing the serving tonight, too." Martha said humorously as she took a seat at the end of the table. James chuckled and lifted the pot of stew, deeming it acceptable to serve.
He approached the table and began to speak in a high pitched voice. "Dear, dinner is ready! How was work today?" You all laughed lightly at him as he set the pot down onto the table.
Martha pulled the stack of bowls from the center of the table and handed them to James, who began to ladle heaping amounts of soup into them. As he did that, Ruby hopped back out of her seat and ran into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a basket of bread.
You felt useless, simply sitting there as James set a steaming bowl of soup in front of you while Ruby gave you a few pieces of bread. "Thank you." You murmured appreciatively, your stomach growling when the smell of hot food finally hit your nose.
When everyone was seated and about ready to dig into their meal, James turned to you with a curious gaze. "So, I never got a chance to hear your story." He said to you, his brow raised.
You swallowed hard. "My story?" You asked, though you already knew what he was referencing. You glanced at Ruby, who was already making a mess of her soup as she shoveled spoonfuls of it into her mouth.
"Yes, your story." James confirmed, slurping a small spoonful of his soup. "Why did my daughter send you to me? What happened at the castle?"
Martha hadn't seemed ready to kick you from her home when you had told her what had happened. Then again, James was the man of the household. What if he was less understanding?
No. You thought to yourself. Alice wouldn't have sent you to her family if she thought they would kick you out for needing a safe house. And, James would find out anyway if you didn't say anything. Martha would tell him herself. He deserved to hear it from your own mouth.
"I caught the attention of a Prince. He wanted to marry me." You said quietly, examining Ruby. She seemed completely oblivious to your words, still happily slurping down her soup.
James, however, was stunned. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was wide open. "What?" He asked after a pause.
"Prince Hoseok. I had only talked to him a couple of times before he confessed his love for me." You said, frowning. "When I told Alice and Rae, they helped me escape. I was told to come here. I'm sorry."
James sighed, the exhaustion on his face suddenly clear once more. He set his spoon down and ran his hand through his thinning hair. "I understand." He said, his voice low. "And I assume by Martha's reaction, that she already knew this too."
Martha nodded, breaking off a piece of her bread to dip into her soup. "I think it would be best to find a solution soon." She said to James, her eyes serious. "For everyone's safety."
James nodded in agreement. "Well, I think we should most definitely change your identity. Different name, most certainly." James said to you. "And a new backstory. Maybe even marry you off to a fine young man, here in Esteria?"
Your brows furrowed. You didn't mind changing your name, or forging a new life story. Those could easily be done, and would make it easier to erase your identity. Marrying someone you barely knew however? That wasn't something you looked forward to doing.
Martha seemed pleased with the idea of marriage however. "Ah, yes. Abel is young. He's the only unwed son of Cain." She said, turning to you. "If you were to marry Abel, you would take on his last name and would be able to blend in further."
You stared down at your bowl, suddenly feeling queasy. Martha and James were kind, they took you in without a second thought. You really didn't want to marry someone you just met, but they were right. It would hide you much better, meaning you would be safe. And, of course, they would remain safe too.
Ruby was your saving grace. She slammed her wooden spoon down onto the table. "No!" She whined, soup all over her face. "She's my new sister, and I want her to stay!"
You gave her a weak smile, appreciative of her distraction. Martha sighed and shook her head at her daughter. "We can discuss this later." She said quietly to you and James.
James hummed in agreement, before sparking up a conversation on something that one of the fishermen had told him earlier in the day. Ruby, satisfied with the discussion being over, returned to her soup.
The rest of your dinner went quietly. The family in front of you chatted about their day while you finished off two bowls of soup and a hefty serving of bread.
James spoke about a new book that he had picked up from a traveling merchant. Something about inventions, if you understood correctly. It all sounded so advanced to you, but James seemed to understand exactly what he was talking about.
Martha enthusiastically told the table a story from earlier in the morning about a massive fish she had almost caught. Ruefully, she clicked her tongue at you. "If only I had caught it, you could have had an amazing fish dinner tonight.", She had said.
Ruby described a perfect mud pie that she had made. It rivaled the one that the boy a few huts down had made, and he had been quite jealous of her. She seemed proud of that.
As the conversations progressed, you could feel yourself becoming more relaxed. You hadn't grown up with a family, really. The closest you had gotten to something like this was at the castle, when you would eat dinner with your fellow maids.
When dinner was over and you were finally very full, Ruby demanded that you go for a walk with her. You were hesitant at first, as you knew that you still needed to finish your conversation with Martha and James.
The older couple insisted that you explore the village however, and sent you out with a new, heavy cloak. They agreed to finish the conversation when Ruby went to bed for the night, in order to avoid a possible tantrum from the young girl.
You shuddered when you stepped back into the cold. The sun was already gone from the sky, but the village was well lit. There were large poles with lanterns hanging from them everywhere.
There were still stalls that held multiple people who were still selling goods. Others stood around small fire pits, chatting and sipping from metal cups that you could only assume contained ale.
The town was lively, even though the natural light was gone and it was freezing. It was a stark contrast to your home village, which would be empty and quiet by the time the sun started to set.
Ruby pulled you towards the center of the village, pointing things out as she went. She showed you the dock, which was rickety and looked like it could collapse at any moment. The legs of it were swallowed by freezing black waves. Just the thought of touching the water made your blood cold.
She pulled you to the stalls next, and you finally got a closer look at the goods that were being sold. Fabrics, fish, vegetables, winter flowers...one stall even had a small assortment of candies waiting to be enjoyed.
She then gestured to a large hut, which seemed to house a very rowdy crowd. It was apparently a small tavern, which was quite popular every night. Ruby pouted at it, mumbling that James and Martha wouldn't let her see the inside.
You were amazed by how...happy the village seemed. For people to be out, happily chattering and living well during this time of year felt so strange for you, considering the village that you had grown up in.
It was nice. Unfamiliar, but nice. The idea of staying in Esteria to live out your days didn't seem too bad now, even if it did involve marrying a stranger. Then again, you knew that you would never be fully comfortable living in the same kingdom of a man who was obviously crazed.
You took another glimpse around, preparing to turn yourself and Ruby around to head back home. You were cold, and your journey had left you tired and sore. The sooner you could go to bed, the better.
A familiar head of blonde hair caught your eye though, and you halted in your movements. Her back was to you, yet even the frame of her body reminded you of someone.
You took a few steps forward, the blonde woman's face slowly coming into view. With a strike of realization, you gasped.
"Kassie?" You asked quietly, your eyes impossibly wide.
Her conversation halted immediately and her head swung towards you so fast, you were surprised she didn't break her neck. Horror was clear on her face as her large eyes stared into your own.
"How do you know my name?"