Black-Market Taboo

chapter iv

--------------- Chapter Four

Will's POV

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     The girl, whatever her name was, trudged closely behind me, constantly asking me terribly irritating questions as to where we were going and why I'd decided to bring her along with me. Yet, I refused to answer to them, because either way, she'd discover the answers with her own eyes soon enough. After all, I was taking her with me, and we'd both eventually reach both of our destinations.

     As she rambled on, I sauntered forward, consistently following particular trails and guidelines displayed on my father's map. But what surprised me the most about her was that she wanted to travel to a different realm, just as I wanted to. She could have gone back to wherever she came from (I remember my father saying something about Abryss. .) but then again, they'd find her and lock her in the cellars.

     Why had I chosen to bring this burden along with me? She wasn't a complete burden, but she was a burden all the less.

     "Hello? I have been asking you what exactly your name is for the past few minutes, and all you seem to do is stare at me. Isn't that fascinating? That you talk when I don't want to, though when I need you to, you don't." Her strong accent burned my ears. "Fine," she huffed out stubbornly. "Don't answer me."

     My upper lip curved into the slightest smile. "We're going to have to enter another sector in a few hours," I said, glancing down at the map then up at the sun. The sun was setting, and we were nearly approaching Knupmets, the sector of machinery and clockwork. There wasn't much to the sector itself, however it was a crowded enough sector for the girl and I to travel through unnoticed.

     I had more than enough coins to help pay for our supplies and whatever we needed, but I couldn't waste it all. There'd need to be some left over once- if we reached our destinations. 

     "Which one? Don't treat me like I'm stupid, I know my sectors. My dad's an aerial pirate," she said, falling into step with me. 

     "Oh? Is he now?" That was seemingly intriguing. She was a criminal. He was a pirate. There was an odd connection. The thought of her mother's title just itched terribly. Dismissing the nonchalantly rash thought, I folded the map and returned it into my pocket. "Knupmets. We'll have to get more food there, considering you finished up the last pieces of bread, but there are bound to be posters with your face on it, so we'll have to get you to look different," I muttered, ignoring the urge to look at her once more.

     She had dark brown hair that seemed to always be pulled into a ponytail and there was something about her eyes- something unusually beaming that made them stand out from the rest of her appearance. She didn't look like anyone else I'd seen before, and I had been itching to ask her about her name. Though being that I'd denied telling her mine, I doubted  she'd even consider telling me hers.

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     We were feet away from Knupmet streets.

     Literally, feet. If we took one more small step, we were on the crowded, poverty-filled streets of Knupmets and we'd instantly be noticed if we'd entered in such an open place. "Follow," I whispered hoarsely, guiding her away from the streets and back into the woods. We crept around the gates that surrounded Knupmets, far enough from the guards that lined its perimeter and found one of the alleys people-free, which we then took advantage of.

     And sure enough, her face was tacked on most of the buildings and posts.

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