Tale of The Mother

Chapter 7

Hand of The Unseen

He stood there, shocked at what was in the letter.

She held his hand, "What is it? Jake."

"The bakery... It is on fire..." He answered her, worrying if his brother was injured.

"What!?" She gasped, "You should go there and take care of your brother now!" As she pulled his hand to the wagon.

Jake let go of her hand, "But, you also need my help... Mel."

"The help isn't important to me right now, your brother is much more valuable than me, Jake. You need to remember that!" She said to him, searching for her sack in the wagon.

"What about your daughter?" He asked.

"I've told you. What you should think of the most are the people you spend a lot of time with-!"

"We spend quite a lot of time together!" He cut.

"We've just met for like a week! Your brother? It's like more than eighteen years." She answered him, trying to convince him to help his brother instead. "He is more than me, Jake... He, is more valuable."

What she said was true, leaving him no choice but to leave her. He got up to the wagon, searching for the sack of his and hers. He took out a dagger, handed it out to her.

"I assume your kind doesn't have daggers as a self-defense tool. Maybe this can help your journey." He said as he handed it to her.

She took the dagger, "That is... Nice? What about you...? You do need a defense tool too? "

"I don't need one, " He chuckled.

He grabbed her sack, handed it back to her. She grabbed it, took out the backpack and put her stuff in it. He held her hands for a moment, his eyes that spoke a wish, seemed like his way to say goodbye. He went back inside the wagon, starting to move away as she was watching him going further.

She walked away, heading to an alley. The alley was getting smaller and narrower, pots of plants were everywhere in the curtilage. She tripped over the uneven pavement of the alley and held onto the wall, she saw women walking around out of the alley, carrying baskets and laughter.

Merida walked out of the alley, looking around, a market. Lifting her foot slowly to the street, wandering around. They were bargaining, they were trading food and stones. She walked the street, looking around the stalls. Step by step, the crowd walked past her, not putting their eyes on her. She walked straight, not looking left and right trying to ignore everything. Her speed slowly quickened, uncomfortable, scared on what worse she would witness.

She looked down, walking straight trying not to be seen, a mind that told her she wasn't safe. She stopped, standing there looking at the pavement. She spotted something, there was a quill hiding between the bricks. She crouched down, grabbed the quill slowly. It was the exact quill Bella owned, the barbs that were coloured with the juice of the fruits, now dirty buried between the bricks.

Merida took the quill with her, shoved it in the pocket of hers. She stood back up, but a woman bumped into her.

"Such a blind eyed bull." That woman said passing Merida.

Merida looked shocked at what that woman just said. She stood there, in disbelief that she should have seen.

Merida looked away, took steps walking away. Everything was just the same, what made the difference was just the look. Pathetic.

In the evening. She walked around, trying to find a place to stay. Almost all of them were filled in and far away. She walked slowly as the stars began to appear and the moon had replaced the sun.