The Cut of Fate

5. Spiraling Out of Their Control- Rosalie

Her jaw tightened as she noticed something was off, having seen her fair share of hatful looks in town she was all too familiar with hostility, but this was beyond the normal scope, even for her.

"How long do I have before you depart," she held the tome tightly to her chest. She would finish it, she had to. Tensions continued to grow with every passing year as if the townspeople saw her as nothing more than a walking disaster. She had wanted to leave for years, but not without Edwin.

He had already lost so much, and he was growing older with every passing day, she never thought of just abandoning him. But this was different, an opportunity to grow and come back to meet him as someone new. Someone better.

The realization of how far they walked never crossed her mind until she recognized the familiar stall. They rounded the corner and her eyes met with Edwin's, and he was livid. Edwin may have towered over Rosalie, but he was a few inches shy of standing at the full height of the man she traveled with. He was ginger, like many of the folk that roamed this town, and his bushy beard had a short braid tucked in the back, he insisted it would protect him.

His shoulders were pulled back, his chin tucked in as he looked down to her. When they got closer, he pulled her behind the stall.

"Where have you been?" He hissed obviously knowing something she did not, "Word is spreading around town you attacked one of the Dewberry boys."

He only paused the conversation when he realized that Hasmed was standing beside the booth. Edwin thought they were just passing by one another, but he realized the towing man was watching them both closely.

"I'm sorry for whatever trouble my apprentice has caused you," He forced a much nicer tone as his eyes cut over to a read faced Rosalie, "She hasn't break anything of yours, has she?"

Rosalie clenched her fists as Edwin talked about her as if she were a child running around the town causing mischief. She knew he was only trying to protect her, but at times it felt insufferable.

"Stave your fury," Hasmed stepped forward, "Your girl was attacked, it seemed as though they were attempting to steal from her initially, but–" Rosalie spoke up when she saw Edwin relax after realizing she had done nothing to the man himself.

"They said they wanted to teach me my place," She spoke quietly, not lifting her gaze from the ground.

"I decided helping her would be more productive then watching an aspiring mage get beat down." There seemed to be an air of annoyance as Hasmed spoke to Edwin. Regardless his eyes began to roam the booth, and it was apparent that he was impressed by the blades he saw. The pair put their heart into crafting things, and the quality of that produced was immeasurably better than that of any other smith that could be seen for miles.

"I have provided means to dislodge yourself from this ditch and find better customers along with a dwelling befitting the presence of a blacksmith as capable as the yourself," he spoke as his eyes roamed their booth, "As for Rosalie, we have came to an agreement about her studies." His eyes met hers for a moment then traveled back to the smith's.

"I think you have her confused with someone else," Edwin's jaw had clinched, "Rosalie couldn't become a mage if she wanted to."

"He's like me." Rosalie's voice was low, "You don't have to–"

"Out of the question, Roe. Whatever he gave you, return it to him and go home, there's enough fuss circulating around you right now. They'll expel you from the village if you keep this up." The pain read across her face clear as day.

"The only reason I haven't left this wretched place is for you!"

Never had she ever raised her voice at the only father figure she had ever known, and it caught them both by surprise. Guilt began eating at him, but he only wanted to keep her safe.

"You'd never survive on your own, you are too weak," He raised his voice in return to the girl, "they were correct in telling you that you need to know your place."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw the pouch of gold at him and spoke in a soft, menacing voice.

"And you should learn yours. You are not my father, you are nothing but a soft hearted fool who had to raise a toddler on his own because his wife found a baby in the snow. You are nothing more than a man who was stuck with a responsibility her never wanted to begin with. Let's stop pretending."

Their pain was mirrored in each other's eyes, but she wouldn't allow him the chance to speak, instead she ran off in the direction of their small shack.