I once was a Duchess

Page 7

                                  The roads were rocky, and it seems the more I lead myself out onto an unknown road the more an odd feeling crept up into me. Like eyes were watching me, the giant wooden wheels kept turning, bumping onto the small pebbles, making our path even more wobbly and rocky than it usually is. As the steed still continued to make way to its unknown destination not showing a shred of exhaustion.

" You're one of a kind" I say out loud tightening the reins in order to balance myself just in case the road gets more rocky.
It had been just a few days since we left Crex docks. As I managed to pick up a map from the outskirts of the land, I was now exiting only thanks to an old village lady whose home was way far past any near towns.
With great difficulty I managed just by a whim to get another map. Since the old couple I encountered was money hungry and tried cheating me out of a reasonable price and upping the costs.
And as for Atticus, he was still out cold as I occasionally stopped to give him water which he subconsciously drunk in deep exhaustion and dehydration.

Deep in the distance I began to see small houses with small figures lingering outside of them. But something seemed off about this place. Just by watching from a distance I could see it was abandoned and torn down.
A sudden sense of fear welled up in my stomach and an uneasy feeling settled in my throat.
I put on my cloaks hood and grabbed the leading ropes and I quickly covered Atticus keeping ourselves hidden and unknown.
I pulled my map from out of my cloak's pocket as the stains of a long journey covered some parts of the map. 
Until everything began to settle onto why this place was so unsettling and unfamiliar. It was a completely different map.
The couple had sold me a map from decades ago, one of my many great grandparents could have used. " Those idiots selling me this old worn out map." I thought to myself.

 I quickly calmed myself down trying to at least see if the map could be of any use. Only to quickly encounter a small but prosperous Capital. As it's named laid on the page laying flat in the middle of a land similar to my surroundings. Now I knew I couldn't trust this map but it was worth a try.

Only problem is the Small "Prosperous" village I had seen was now filled with abandoned homes built entirely out of wood. While fungus grew outside of the homes, With worn out panels ready to cave in and plunder.
I then entered the town gate as an old sign sat at the entrance, Tilted to the side and hanging from the old rusted nail. That somehow separated from its Original state. All ink worn down from years of negligence. 
" The Villa of Duhimel" Was its original name.
I recalled my grandparents telling me grand tales of this Village for it had an abundance in Duhimel glass which was a special type to the people of this village who knew how to make. But along the years many raids happened and stole the properties to make Duhimel Glass leaving its people with no homes. No food. And no Village to ever be seen. Along with the one ingredient needed to make the glass but even that ingredient that was native to this land was now gone, Extinct to ever been seen.

And eventually the town was soon erased of the map replacing as an abandoned village but I never knew many people still lived here.

Starving children backed away from the small wagon hiding behind there mothers. As there mothers had the look of death in there eyes as if all hope was lost.
The hunger that lingered in there eyes as the gloomy and deep clouds began to role in. Grains sat on the floor as feral animals fought over the food for survival. Crops were dead and nothing but the Spirit of death roamed inside these walls. With its people being its victims. 

"Please, please give me some grain for my children." An fragile women walked up to the wagon. " I apologize I don't have any." I walked past her quickly signaling the stead to head its gallops more.
Many children stared, holding their mothers hand. And even some appeared fiddling with
remains of what was left of their family.
I wish I could have taken the whole village along with me, But what was even more unsettling was the moans and groans with people wallowing in pain. 

"Just what has happened in the few years," I asked myself

No more taxing. No more trading routes. No more exchanges and visits from the royals are special guests. Just complete silence and abandonment. My heart aches watching as each street I turned on, was waiting another orphaned child, Thin and malnourished as their organs pierced through their flesh.

Soon approaching was a tavern. Both old but clearly still being used. Nothing but the smell of alcohol lingered as the dense atmosphere continued to draw in closer and closer until I finally made it. With the dimmed lights peering though the windows. 
I hide the wagon behind the tavern. And seeing many crates of tools I grabbed them placing them high and tall around the wagon soon covering them in another big spare blanket I had. Fully cloaking Atticus and the wagon.
I tied the steed onto a post feeding it an apple before I had left. Grazing its nose with my hand for both of our own comfort in this sheepish world. 

And there I finally sent off standing in the entrance of the tavern taking a deep breath before walking fully into a women's very known danger. A tavern full of drinks and full of men. 
The entrance has two doors that could swing open, With once again worn out wooden panels and mold mushrooms growing on the sides of the tavern.

  
I had no clue who could be in here. But one thing for sure is where taverns are lays men and we're men lay is where information stays especially in a wolves den. Give them some liquor and everything will find its way to your ears.