Fractured Kingdom

Scene 2

There was a steady stream of customers until mid-afternoon and Anika had been busy serving and charming most of them. Kinsey noticed that she was careful not to overcharge or cheat any of the people who frequented their stall. Kinsey could tell her middle sister had been humbled from her inability to use her charm with the one couple from the morning, perhaps it had pricked her conscience.

“Excuse me, how much are these?”

Anika glanced to her left at the delicately crocheted scarfs that the owner of the voice held. “They’re 15 crescents each.”

A low whistle was the man’s response.

Kinsey caught her sister’s reaction. She chuckled guessing that Anika was fuming inside. The price she had offered was a fair deal! No cheating.

“You!” Anika said. Her tone and facial expression revealed her shock.

The man jokingly started back, “Yes, me,” he replied with a casual smile highlighting his face.

“Sorry, you just surprised me, that’s all,” Anika replied. She turned from the customer and mouthed him to Kinsey who knew she was referring to the strange man from the morning.

Kinsey made a quick study of him and knew he matched the description Anika had given her. Kinsey nodded at her sister and walked over.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

The man settled his steady gaze on Kinsey and smiled.

He unnerved her.

“That all depends,” he replied.

“On?”

“Excuse me, miss, but these will never do!”

The brusque voice drew Kinsey’s attention away from the man before her to one addressing Anika.

The man was carelessly tossing many of Anika’s labourously hand-crafted items. He held some of the more delicate pieces up looking at them and stretching them out of shape in his harsh manner then flopped them back on the table. Anika was near tears as she cradled some of her ruined pieces.

“Give me a moment,” Kinsey spoke to the man who was still beside her.

“Take your time.”

His voice sounded amused. Kinsey gave him a quick glance and saw a trace of a smirk scattered across his features. She turned away and decided to deal with him later. One look at Anika communicated that this was hardly a laughing matter.

A fire was beginning to burn in the pit of her stomach. She took a deep breath attempting to calm the power that so easily rose within whenever she felt her or someone she cared about was being treated wrong.

“Sir, you will put those down, now!” Kinsey spoke as she neared the man and the disheveled pile. Anika was hunched over gathering up scattered remains on the ground surrounding their stall. Seeing her sister like this brought the fire in her to a steady boil. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly. Kinsey told herself.

The man seemed too engrossed in destroying Anika’s items to even realize Kinsey was next to him.

“Sir, I have asked you to put those down.”

“Huh, what’s that, I said these are all utterly unacceptable.” As if to demonstrate what he meant, he grabbed hold of the crocheted sweater in his hand and stretched it until it ripped.

Fire blazed in Kinsey’s eyes and it took all her self-control not to harm this man who had now damaged nearly all of her sister’s products.

She firmly placed her hand and on his stopping him for touching another garment. “I said, leave them alone!” She made sure her tone carried the authority she wanted to convey. Maybe it was a little too strong like her grip on the man’s arm.