Leiea swiftly moves through the crowd of people assembling at their stall. It's only early morning of their third day in Galerus, but Sheyric's already exhausted and worked endlessly. His condition makes Leiea a little guilty for not helping at all, but she's not one to miss an opportunity to roam the city after he agrees to it.
She turns a few corners to pass through the entry of the marketplace. Unknown to her, the caravan was parked the farthest from the entrance, making it impossible to get there without being interrupted somehow. She tries to go unnoticed, but in a world of brown and gray, having red hair doesn't help. Twice, people come up to ask where a certain vendor is, but it's not like she has any idea.
Finally, she makes it out and turns right, which leads into a neighborhood of thigh toy packed houses. A few front rows of them are two stories, and going on from there, the quality worsens to a tent hammered into the ground.
The road stops at an alley not much wider than herself. She crosses in, her eyes adjusting to the shadows. Above, two roofs overlap, not letting light in. On either building are windows facing each other, which seem pointless considering there's no light. One of the lower windows even has a planter of yellow flowers hanging from it.
At the end of it, two more buildings create a corner, leading the path to the left. Leiea keeps going anyway. The only thing she needs to hope for is her sense of direction and location working in her favor. Hopefully the buildings won't be impassable on the other side, since the only place she needs to go back to by sundown is the caravan.
From the corner, the alley seems even darker, only a faint candlelight from inside a window. On the damp floor are a few piles of trash, one of which seem to contain mining gear. A window behind her creaks open, echoing in the alley and making Leiea scurry to the wall. The brick she places her hand on to support herself comes back damp and speckled with coal dust.
Noises from the same distant spot continue, a series of echoing thuds and what must be the sound of something hitting the walls. Leiea flips the hood of her jacket up and wipes her sweaty palms on the sleeves.
Mysterious noises are not what my mental state needs right now, she thinks, trying to get her legs to keep moving. The noises stop and Leiea's able to move again. She takes a deep breath and jogs down the rest of the alley- this side is longer- dodging puddles, trash, and streams of water coming down from old gutters.
She makes it out, leaning up against the corner of the building next to the door, and inspect the surroundings.
It all looks about the same as the other side, if not a little richer. There's more one story houses made of good wood and rock foundations. The only tents and huts she sees immediately are scattered stands in front of businesses. Behind a larger house, a group of produce stands are visible. Those stalls appear to be much better and more sturdy than the ones in the market. Maybe this part is what Sheyric was meaning by Galerus being so magnificent, she thinks, nothing about that other side is to his liking. Not to me either , but at least I'm not revolted by it.
Behind her, she can distantly hear the light treading of footsteps. She tries to hide herself better in the jacket, but in the last minute remembers it's just her anxiety making her freak out. That it's not a danger. Just her mindset is. She lowers her hood and takes a few deep breaths to attempt stopping her heart beating out of her chest.
Suddenly, a hand grasps Leiea's arm. She shrieks and jumps to the side, nearly falling on the building's doorstep. She tries to focus on whoever touched her, but her eyes refuse to focus. All she can make out is a short figure draped in a green robe standing over her.
The figure bends down quickly and picks up Leiea by the armpits like a toddler and pushes her against the wall.
Her eyes suddenly focus to find the figure's an old woman with a gray bun pulled back, with even lighter gray eyes. Leiea tries to get loosened from her grip, but it's confusingly strong and forceful for someone so old. She gives up and slips down, trying to catch her breath. The woman shakes her slightly, getting her attention.
"Girl," she starts, her voice deep and raspy. The kind of voice associated with old wisdom. Leiea waits for her next words.
"Flee. Go... to your... homeland."
Leiea blinks, connecting her words. Something happened at home, she realizes. I might as well trust this lady. Something happened back home, just like we thought this whole time.
She nods to the woman, and the iron grip on her arms subsides. She shakes out of her grips completely, immediately turning left into the same alley, not looking back.
Without stopping, Leiea runs the whole way back to the caravan, not stopping to catch her breath or acknowledge the people she collides with in the crowded market. In front of the market is the most people she's seen here yet, and Sheyric's barely visible at the counter. She runs around the group and finds the entire open space in front of the car full of crates and containers. She grasps his shoulder and he looks back at her. Something about his expression looks like the work is driving him into hysterics.
He gestures to the customers that they need a minute and they object loudly before he turns back to her. "What is it?"
"This woman... said we have to flee... danger." She can't properly explain through her shallow breaths, but Sheyric goes pale and he nods. Meaning he knows what's happening, too.
He straightens up and yells to the impatient crowd, "We're closed! Have a good day everybody."
The people groan, most of them leaving, but a few start yelling insults and meaningless threats. He ignores them, already stacking crates, and motions to Leiea to pack up the stuff in the display cases.
With it the hour, everything gets packed and Sheyric leaves to find the horses. Leiea climbs back into the filled up caravan and hides in her usually spot, adjusting a few things so she can be even more hidden.
It's true, danger has befallen the village. Not even my family specifically. The people in general.
YOU ARE READING
Gift- Book 1
Fantasy- - -Don't underestimate your influence.- - - Before she knows it, Leiea's done with school and whisked away into Kiira by the brother of a girl she can care less about. Yet, while trading and learning along the way, she can't shake the sense somet...
