Page 35 of A Broken Promise

We finally arrivedat the large port town on the banks of the Kinderby River. Small lanterns on the streets were being lit up, shining as if little fireflies lit the mist. The sky was now stretched with gray clouds, hiding the lovely sunset. The Kinderby River was large and voluminous. A thin line of another shore on the horizon served as the only reminder that this wasn’t, in fact, a never-ending sea.

I climbed out of the carriage last. My bruises were faded but my bones still occasionally reminded me of the damage, though now pain was more of a ghost; nothing more than a memory, one that I tried to forget. I could feel my body getting stronger each day, my mind blossoming at the access to food and rest, and just eagerness of life.

Excited.

I was very excited.

It was a beautiful afternoon, and the pier was crowded with different vendors trying to win each customer’s last coin. I inhaled full lungs of the misty river air. Green moss covered snugly-fit, gray stone buildings; the same little dabs of stone were on the long cobble streets along the riverbank. All kinds of steam ships, sail ships, and even regular fishing boats were peacefully anchored for the day.

“Ugh, gods, I hate this town!” Priya’s voice sounded right next to me.

“You do?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, it smells like rotten fish and disease.” She huffed, walking up the steps to an antique-looking townhome. “Are you going to stand there and stare?” she snarked.

“Um, sorry, coming.” I pulled my eyes away from the beautiful pier, the rushing crowds and the ever-still water. We walked in a poorly lit room. A skinny young man, barely fourteen years old at most, approached us to take in our luggage.

“Welcome, miss Priya.” He slightly bowed.

“Ronald, you talk too much, you ugly shit,” she jabbed but still smiled, walking to the counter. By now, I was used to Priya bossing everyone around and by the looks of it, Ronald was too. He just beamed and nodded.

“Where is that old hag? Hello?” Priya banged on the dark cherry counter.

An old sweet lady walked out from the curtained door. “Oh, miss Priya, so glad to see you back so soon.” She bowed as well.

“Yeah-yeah, here is the thing.” Priya dismissed her and started spitting out her demands. “I want you to draw a big bubble bath, none of that lavender grass shit, an actual nice bubble bath.” She paused, glaring at the nice lady as if to see if she understood. The lady nodded in agreement. Satisfied, Priya continued. “I also want a chocolate cheesecake and you know full well how I feel if anyone cooks or so much brings a fish to this house.”

“Yes, my lady.” The old woman bowed again as Priya handed her a small copper key.

We walked up the large, wide staircase leading up to the second floor, passing a few rooms that seemed to be empty.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“Think of it as my personal bed and breakfast,” Priya casually said, as if it was nothing.

It seemed a little odd that we were the only ones here considering the perfect location of this place. As if reading my thoughts, she spat, “I’d be damned if after all the travels, I have to share a room with one of them.” Her face grimaced with disgust and her chin jerked to the large windows in the atrium, pointing at the pier full of people.

“This is yours for the night.” She pointed to one of the rooms on my left. “I’ll be right there,” Priya continued, pointing to the large double doors across the hall. “Our ship departs late night tomorrow, don’t sleep in,” she teased, showing her tongue and marching on to her room.

Right before entering her room, she turned and threw me a small bag filled with coins.

“Here are your wages, Freckles. Don’t spend it all in one night and for the love of all holy, save some for the boobs, I am begging you.” She winked at me and before I could say a word, she shut the door.

I quickly poured out the contents on the floor. I counted them once, then twice, then thrice.

There were too many coins.

Gold coins.

Priya never mentioned the amount she was going to pay, and I was desperate enough to accept work even just for food and shelter, so I never bothered to ask.

This, however, was the most amount of money I had ever had. No, I had ever seen!

This was too much. With this money I could easily feed and shelter a family of ten for at least two months. Maybe it was a mistake. No servant would ever get paid this much for two weeks’ worth of work.

I thought for a minute and still felt uneasy. I didn’t need this much, much less deserved it.

I knocked on Priya’s door. She didn’t reply.

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