Quinn
Inside our lovely delipidated cottage, Maria made me climb back on the bed and propped me up with pillows behind me and a blanket on top. I sighed because there was no use going against Maria.
"Now, I'm going to make us lunch," she said and toddled off to the other side and started her cooking endeavor.
Liam pulled a chair, put it near the bed, and sat down. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
Wonderful now that my broken ribs and other wounds were all healed, and the pain was gone.
I said, "Getting there."
Liam leaned forward and ruffled my hair.
Oh, wow, but it felt strange to be on the receiving end of that endearing action, considering I was two years older than him. Then again, I was Quinn Fairchild now, an eighteen-year-old pipsqueak with barely enough meat on her bones.
"Your face is all but completely healed," Liam said, a smile on his lips. "I'm glad."
"And still damn beautiful like always," Maria commented from the other side of the room. "I was so worried you'd get scars."
Scars? Like I'd worried about some damn scars on my face.
Beautiful? Why did Maria use the adjective beautiful when referring to my face? Was I, or rather Quinn, beautiful? I didn't know because I had yet to see what this new me looked like. As for me as Quinn Chen, I was considered quite a beauty, apparently, because of my mixed blood.
It didn't take Maria long to finish making lunch, and now, here I was, staring at my bowl of runny soup and bread in a brown color that was as hard as a damn rock. I found tearing the bread into pieces and dipping it into the soup softened the texture a little, but it was still hard to swallow.
Ah, damn, but I'd do anything for soft white bread, be it in the form of French toast, sandwiches, or filled rolls. In fact, I'd do anything for the damn soup to have some sort of taste to it.
Bland.
So. Damn. Bland.
I chewed on the piece of bread and instantly felt the ache in my gums and tasted the saltiness of blood. Not to mention the loose teeth.
Ah, scurvy. Obviously, Vitamin C was severely lacking in Quinn's diet. I glanced at Liam and Maria. They chewed like they had a sore tooth, and I bet they could taste their own blood mixed with the bread, too. I wondered if fresh fruits and vegetables were not part of a diet in this world? The soup did contain some vegetables. I could count a few peas and bits of chopped carrots and onions floating about in the soup.
Right, finding fruits and vegetables with high Vitamin C content in this world would be my first objective. As for the mineral iron? With the typical pale complexion, which was prominent in this family, it was certainly iron deficiency.
Though neither Elizabeth nor Liam or Maria had never complained of fatigue, I bet they felt it most of the time and I was also willing to bet they thought it was normal.
From Quinn's memory, most in this town, especially the poor, looked as pale and as lifeless as these three people, so I could only assume that lacking vitamins and minerals essential for healthy body functions was typical in this world due to poor diet. One could get iron from eating red meat, but that was expensive and usually only served to nobility and the wealthy, which explained why those pigs living in that manor were so full of energy—leftover energy they used to beat the life out of Quinn.
It looked like I'd have to come up with something before everyone in this family's health got any worse. It would be great if I could create pills or supplements like the ones back at home.
After popping a spoonful of tasteless soup into his mouth and swallowing, Liam said, "There's a lot of uproar at the manor."
Tearing apart more of the hard bread with all her might, Maria nodded. "Lady Calla and Lady Iris have been boring their eyes out and throwing another of their nasty tantrums since yesterday afternoon when they heard the news."
I raised my brows. "News? What news?"
Maria said, "Well, everyone in the manor and town knows by now, that on King Henry's order, Lord Bedford has to offer one of his daughters as a bride to the infamous Lord Aldric Templeton, Earl of Norsewood."
"Infamous?" I asked. I didn't know there were infamous people here in Athol, the kingdom I was currently in, according to Quinn's memory.
Maria said, "Well, I guess you don't know because you are never interested in that sort of thing, but that man, Earl of Norsewood, he's rumored to be a ruthless warrior from up north. Apparently, his conquest in battles is many. I heard, according to rumors, that he has killed many monsters and enemies and he does so without mercy. Because of his skill and talent in combat, especially in this latest one where he annihilated the army of Tasal only a few months ago, he has garnered King Henry's great favor and received rewards—gold coins, land, and a new bride."
Gold coins and land as rewards for something like winning a battle I could understand. But a bride? Seriously? Unless it was something to do with an alliance?
I asked, "Why a bride as a reward? And a new one? Does that mean this Earl Norsewood already has one?"
Liam answered my questions for me. He said, "King Henry is notorious for doing that. But, well, so did every other previous king of Athol before him. It's to form alliances. Although I don't know how Lord Bedford will benefit from this one. Everyone knows the lord of Norsewood doesn't play politics."
Maria nodded. "None of the other nobles desire any connection with him because of his ruthless, cold-blooded personality."
"And the fact that Norsewood is a region in the far north at the border, right next to Blackfield, the territory of monsters. It's an impoverished, isolated region with poor harvest for centuries, so there is no benefit to anyone who becomes an alliance with him."
I guessed it was the same in every world. The top one percent only join hands for connection and profits.
"Despite their nasty personalities," Maria said, "I feel a little sorry for Lady Calla and Lady Iris. One of them would have to be married to the infamous Lord Norsewood. I heard he killed his last wife because she couldn't sire him another son."
"Neither of those two would be able to handle Lord Norsewood. He'd be the type of man who simply doesn't take bullshit," Liam said. "A great warrior doesn't take bullshit."
"Lord Norsewood is a great warrior in your eyes, Liam?" I asked. "Despite his cold-blooded nature?"
"I don't believe in rumors, Quinn," Liam said. "You of all people know that. I only judge a man through his actions."
I didn't believe in rumors either, nor did I ever judge a book by its cover. Like Liam, I judged a man through his actions.
"Lord Norsewood is a great warrior," Liam continued. "He works hard in protecting his land and people and the land and the people of this kingdom. The same can't be said with our current lord."
From Quinn's memory, there was something about that fat pig Lord Bedford never even venturing out into the battlefield during any raids of his territory, nor had he ever personally stepped up to protect his people, let alone offering to go on a year-long battle to protect the kingdom of Athol. He left that dangerous job to the knights serving under him.
"When either Lady Calla or Lady Iris left for Norsewood after the marriage, there'll be at least one less to torment Aunty Beth," Maria said. Then she glanced at me. "And you, Quinn."
Ah, yes, now that Maria mentioned it, those girls did like to pick on Quinn, didn't they? I guess it was simply because Quinn was an easy target and their half sister. Or rather, half brother since Quinn had always disguised herself as a boy.
Thinking about being a target of bullies, I changed the subject and said, "I was thinking of leaving when I'm better."
That caught both Liam's and Maria's attention. To say they both looked shocked was an understatement.
Maria said, her voice shaky, "Leaving? What do you mean, Quinn?"
It was natural they were stunned to hear the likes of me, or rather young Quinn, uttering that sort of thing. The previous Quinn wouldn't even dream of thinking of something like this. Apart from the fact that she was a commoner girl and had no place of her own in society, Bedford was home, where she was born and raised, and she'd die here, which she did, as with the mindset of every girl living in this town. Besides, where would she go? How would she survive the dangerous journey when she didn't even know the way without any aid and especially threading through dangerous terrains where monsters roamed?
"Leaving as in leaving this place for good," I said. "I'm not sure yet where I'll be going, but I'll do some research and—"
"Lord Bedford won't allow you," Liam said. "Besides the fact that our family owed him a huge amount of debt, the likes we can work for the rest of our lives and still wouldn't even be able to pay off, he's your father and you're a girl."
I narrowed my eyes, a flare of rage rushing through me. I said darkly, "That bastard is not my father."
"Quinn?" Liam said, looking taken aback by my chill tone. "You don't normally—"
"I'm not the Quinn you used to know," I said honestly. "After what happened, I've changed. I've been through death if you must know." Which was true.
"Yes, you've been through that... near death," Liam said. "I understand you're angry."
"Don't say that that bastard is my father, ever again," I said firmly. "You, too, Maria. I have no ties with him and that is that."
This was also true. I, as Quinn Chen, had absolutely no blood tie whatsoever with Lord Bedford.
I continued. "And I'm serious about leaving this place. If neither of you two wants to come along, that's up to you. Your choice, but I'm not going to linger here and let that lot make my life a living hell."
Maria said quietly, "Still, Quinn, as Liam said, you won't be able to leave. The debt..."
I sighed. "Let's leave that for now," I said. "I'm tired."
I wasn't, but I needed time alone to think. Surely, with knowledge from my previous life, I'd figure something out. Not to mention my blessing, too.
Maria got up and took Liam's and my empty bowls and spoons and began washing them. Liam reached his hand out and ruffled my hair. He said gently, "Don't think too much and too hard. You're still young. Everything will work out for you. I'm sure of it. For now, just get better."
Everything will work out for me. Yeah, right. I had thought so, too, but life tends to throw you a curveball when you least expected it. I sure as hell wasn't going to leave anything to chance this time.