Holding the bow and arrows, Cressida walked into the woods. Her eyes were sad gazing at the ground. No tears could drop her pain anymore. Reaching the end of the forest, she arrived at the outskirts of a village near the seashore. People were standing in groups with luggage. She looked around were merchants in the tents selling pearls and stones. Fishermen selling fishes at the harbor.
"I am tired of eating fishes." A lady shouts near the harbor. Cressida marched towards her. Many people circled the fishermen.
"We don't have anything else to eat here." An old lady responded.
The argument; only able to eat fish, grew more. People were choosing certain fishes. Listening to their argument, Cressida ran into the jungle. Searching and running around the jungle, she was looking for something. Pulling out the bow and arrow, she again began to run. After some time she came out of the jungle breathing heavily. Standing in front the fishermen stall she shouted.
"Rabbits! Rabbits for sale!!"
Everyone in the crew turned toward her. She was holding three rabbis in her hands. Placing them on the ground, she shouts again. "Fresh rabbits for sale."
A lady who was complaining walked towards her. Looking down at the rabbits, she pointed at one. "How much does it cost?"
Cressida confused on the question. She doesn't know the price. Looking at the golden coin in her hand she said.
"Five gold coins."
A fisherman shouts at her. "That's too costly. Do those rabbits eat pearls?
Cressida looked at the lady who glared at her and marched back.
"Five silver coins, I mean silver." Cressida walked in front to stop her.
"That's too cheap. Are those dead for days?" The fisherman shouts again.
What's wrong with this man? Cressida though. "No. I hunt them just now." People around her laughed at her. "You hunt them?" Confused by their questions she thought can't they hunt? She again shouts. "Fresh rabbits for sale."
A man came by her side and picked one rabbit. Placing ten silver coins in her hand, he took the rabbit and went. The same lady again came to her.
"Are those fresh?"
Cressida gave a nod then the lady took out five silver coins. Refusing them, she raised the price to ten.
"Don't you play, boy." The lady said.
She displayed the coins the man gave her. Murmuring something, the lady gave her the amount and took the rabbit. Soon the second rabbit was sold too. Watching the whole scene, a woman beckoned her from a shop. The shop was small with bread and potatoes placed in the baskets. Picking up the last rabbit, she went to her. The woman bought the last rabbit. Looking at the bread, Cressida asked the price. Bought the bread with three silver coins, she sat beside the shop and began to eat.
"From where did you get these rabbits?" The woman asked.
"I hunt them." She said again and took a bite.
"A little boy like you can hunt them." She astonished.
Boy? She thought then glanced at her. Nodding, she took another bite.
"Where do you live?" The woman asked.
"Nowhere," Cressida replied.
"What do you mean?"
"I have no home."
The woman thought for some time, then gave Cressida an offer.
"You can stay in my shop."
"Really?" Cressida asked.
"One condition. You can stay here and sell your rabbits here, but I may get the share."
"How much?" She asked.
"Half." The woman replied.
Cressida agreed. As long as she has a place to stay and food to eat, she didn't mind sharing her money. Her daily work was to hunt the rabbits every morning and sell them at her shop. Every day she used to bring five to seven rabbits. As days passed the number of rabbits decreased. Whether the forest became a shortage for rabbits or they were to hide cleverly. Cressida couldn't understand why she was unable to find anymore. This time she returned with just 2 rabbits. When she was back, the woman was not at the shop. Placing the rabbits on the usual place, she called the woman but she was nowhere to be found. This was one of the days where many ships dock at the shore for business purposes. She might probably go to buy something. Cressida stayed guarding the shop. It was almost dusk and she had already sold a rabbit and some potatoes. When the woman returned, there was a man with her. On seeing her, Cressida ran to her and asked where she went. Smiling at her, the woman took her hand and handed her to the man.
"What are you doing?" Cressida asked.
The man looked down at her and questioned. "He?"
"Yes." The woman replied.
The man laughed at her. "You got a really pretty boy here." He said, dragging Cressida with him.
"Where are you taking me? I live with her. Let me go." Cressida turned to look at the woman who walked into her shop.
"Let go of me." She bit his hand and pulled out her dagger in defense.
With a swift moment, the man twisted her hand which dropped the dagger. Picking up the dagger, he lifted her on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"She sold you to me."
"How can that be possible? I can stay with her." She said while struggling to lose his grip.
"Stay, not live. Staying means temporary."
"But-" She began to protest.
"You are stupid to misjudge her words." He said while she was beating her fits on his back. "But she's dense to misjudge you. She could get the double price for a pretty violent girl."
"I am a boy, I'm wearing pants, can't you see?" She said, kicking her legs in the air.
"My wife wears pants." He replied.
"I have a flat chest."
The man laughed. "Oh yes and a flat crotch too."
Kicking and punching him unsuccessfully, she said. "Return my dagger!"
Ignoring her completely, he climbed into a huge ship and threw her at one corner. "Welcome our new member." He said and walked to a cabin on the ship.
There were dozens of people on the ship. Some came towards her and asked her name. Some gave her a glass of drink. While some were busy adjusting the dash of the ship. Slowly more people gathered on the ship, bringing boxes and packages. She was sitting quietly watching everyone busy in their work. Silently, she took a step to move, no one noticed. She moved again. She kept on moving until she reached the door of the cabin where he went in. 'Just take the dagger and run away.' She said to herself.
Taking a deep breath, she held the doorknob of the cabin. Slowly opening the door, she took a step in. There was a bed, a table, a chair and a couch in the cabin. Surveying her eyes, she found the man lying on the bed. He was not fully visible, his form was under silk sheets, and only a leg was hanging out. She took a relaxing breath when she saw him sleeping. Walking tiptoed, she searched around the room for her dagger but couldn't find it. When she was about to leave to search further, the man spoke.
"No one taught you to knock."
She froze at her spot and agape by the sudden voice. She was afraid to face him. Gulping, she turned towards him. He tossed the dagger in the air and held it. "Searching this?"
"Return it." She shouts.
"Shhh...You are too loud." The man said, pushing the sheets off.
"You are already awake," Cressida said.
"You woke me up." He said.
"I was barely audible."
"Exactly that is how you woke me."
Before Cressida could respond a voice distracted her. "What's so noisy here?" A woman came out of the sheets. Her hair was long, black curls reaching her waist. She stood into a sitting position, folding her legs cross. Her body was slim with long limbs. She was wearing a pant, reaching her ankles and a laced shirt. Yawning, she stretched her hands in the air.
"See, you woke her up too." The man said.
"Where did she come from?" Cressida said, surprised by her sudden appearance.
"She lives here." He replied.
"Live?" She asked again.
"Yes live. Not stay." He précised.
"Just give my dagger and let me go," Cressida said again.
"I paid for you." He played with the dagger.
"You paid?" The lady asked.
"Yes.15 golden coins." He said to her.
"That's cheap, she's pretty." The lady walked towards Cressida.
"He." Cressida corrected her. The lady made a confused expression at her.
"She's a boy." The man said.
With a gentle laugh, the lady smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, boy."
Cressida looked at both of them. "Are you making fun of me?"
"Yes." They both said in unison.
With a swift moment, Cressida ran to snatch the dagger from him but fell on her face when he threw the sheets on the ground. She stood again and jumped to snatch the dagger from his hand. He threw the dagger in the air, hit her head with his palm, she fell again. He caught the dagger. Irritated by his actions, she shouts at him. "Return it!"
The man stood from his bed and looked down at her. "A treasure is never returned"
Standing on her feet, she looked at then man. He was tall with chocolate brown hair, parted on both sides and reaching his shoulder. His eyes were narrow and sharp as an eagle, looking down at her like prey. His nose was pointed and there was a beard on his jaw. Smiling at her with his thin lips, he again tossed the dagger in the air.
She knew she couldn't get her hands on the dagger. His moments were quick and smooth. She doesn't know how to fight nor was she as quick as him. She was only good at archery. Instead of fighting, she decided to pay him to get the dagger.
"How can I get it back?" She asked him, looking into his eyes.
"You can't." He said.
"I'll pay you." She replied. The moment she said that the lady burst out laughing and sat on the ground, holding her stomach.
"Let's adopt her." The lady said.
Both, Cressida and the man said 'no' in unison. She laughed again. "Look, she matches you."
A horn sound rang loud in the ship which took their attention. The lady stood up and went out of the cabin.
The man crouched in front of her. Meeting her eyes, he asked. "Where did you get this?"
"It's mine." She answered.
The man shook his head and looked at her again for the truth.
"It is mine." She stressed on her words and stared in his eyes, there was something weirdly attractive about him.
The man waited and asked again for the right answer. This time. she stared at him with confidence. He gave her a little more time and then stood up to leave when he didn't get any answer. She saw him walking away. She cannot let go of the dagger. It was the only thing that's left from her family. She gazed at the man, as he walked pass by her. Turning around, she saw him going further away. She was afraid, to tell the truth. More than that, she cannot afford to lose the dagger. As he was about to leave the cabin, She spoke. "It belonged to my brother." As soon as she said that, the man threw the dagger over his shoulder and walked out.
She stood there bewildered; how can he not react nor ask any questions? She thought. Getting hold of the dagger, Cressida followed him out. What she saw mesmerized her. Her golden orbs were beaming wide. She surveyed her eyes from one side to the other, there were oodles of people playing and running around while some were singing and dancing. Widening her view, she saw some were eating and drinking in competition. They were doing anything they want. She had never seen so many people of different types in one place. One thing was common; they all were happy.
She slowly walked towards them, looking at each of them carefully. Some men in front of her were playing with wooden sticks, throwing and catching. Some girls running around, Cressida dodged left when they ran passed her. Her lips curved into a smile after many years. Smiling at the girls, she walked further to the people who were dancing. She stood there, watching their dance when the loud sound of men shouting took her attention. She turned to look at the source of the sound, men and women were in the form of a crowd. Passing from between them, she reached the center of the crowd. Two men were sitting on the stool, a table in between separating them. Their hands placed on the table by the elbow and fists holding each other.
Cressida didn't understand what was going on. She looked up at them; one of them was the one who brought her. When the hands bend to one side, the crowd shouts and they gave the same shouting when the hands were bending on the other side. At least she understood there was something with the bending of the hands. She was looking at the man; his facial expression was never changing. His eyes were the same narrow and a smile was tugged on his face. Within some time, he dropped the hand of the other man on the table, with his hand on the above. The crowd shouted and applauded. The man stood up and ruffled the hair of the man who lost.
"You have to wait until he gets old." The lady with long limbs who was in the cabin said.
"He is old enough to be called old." He replied.
On hearing this, the man brightened his smile and said. "I am never old." Picking a mug of drink he walked away.
Suddenly, a young girl from the crow jumped out at the lady. Hugging her, she asked. "I have been with you for 5 years you never changed. How old are you?"
The lady gave her a dangerous smile. "You will never know."
Seeing her scary face, Cressida left the crowd and followed the man. He was standing at the edge of the ship. Abruptly, Cressida stopped and stared around. There was a sky above her and the ocean beneath her, the wind around blowing her hair. Holding the railing, she widened her eyes and looked at the man with astonishment. "We are sailing!"
••••••••••
H. LOCKHART.