Dragon's Mother

Chapter 13

"Miss. Miss, we've arrived," a voice called, the merchant gently shaking Ansel's shoulder waking the boy from his deep slumber.

"What? Did we make it to the town?" Ansel asked, blinking tiredly as the merchant helped him to sit up when he heard the merchant chuckle.

"We're actually at the port. You slept the whole way there," the merchant told him causing Ansel to blanch, looking out the back of the carriage where he could see festive streets, small businesses, and the ocean between the tall buildings framing the road where the carriage sat as some men unloaded all the boxes and crates from inside. Ansel stared at all of them in shock, putting a hand on his belly while the merchant was telling him he tried to wake Ansel a few times to eat and check to see if he was okay but Ansel just wouldn't wake up. "If you're feeling hungry, I saved some bread and cheese for you," the merchant said with a smile, offering them to Ansel who took them with a polite thanks.

"Is it normal for me to sleep so long? What has it been? A week. Two weeks?" Ansel wondered as the merchant helped him stand up, a second helping Ansel get to the end of the carriage when he started to wobble on his feet. Someone set down a crate as a stepping stool for Ansel, all the men standing around in case Ansel toppled over but he managed to get down okay. "Thank you so much for getting me here. You have no idea how much it means to me," Ansel said to the merchant, thanking the other men who... blushed as Ansel smiled at them.

"It's an honor to help a young lady like yourself. I hope you get to your husband alright," the merchant said, taking Ansel's hand in his and kissing the back of it.

Ansel couldn't help but blush himself, thanking them all again before wishing them a good day as they continued their work. Ansel made his way down the street towards the harbor, hoping he could get on a ship to anywhere that wasn't here. It wouldn't be long before the knights caught up with him, or the King's Honor Guard. Ansel wouldn't be surprised if the King put a bounty on his head! As Ansel walked, he couldn't help but notice something... strange. There were many people who were looking at him which made him feel antsy. Maybe they were looking because he was so big and fat. Maybe it was because he was struggling a little with his suitcase though it wasn't nearly as heavy as the dragon egg. Maybe his hair was crazy from sleeping in the carriage? Except no one was looking at him like he looked weird. Actually, there were many people all around looking at him with almost bashful expressions. Several men, young and old, looked at Ansel with bashful smiles on their faces, one young man tipping his imaginary hat to Ansel who smiled awkwardly back at him wondering what the gesture was for. Women stared at him with awe, a few whispering to one another but it didn't seem like they were badmouthing him. He actually heard a few words from a blonde who didn't really know how to whisper.

"She's so pretty! If only I could look like that when I have my Edward's child," the blonde said as she swooned, her friends giggling amongst themselves glancing at Ansel as he walked past with his skirts swishing around him in the wind. "I wonder where she got her dress."

Ansel made his way down the street, feeling confused as everyone seemed to be staring at him in awe and wonder. "What is going on?" Ansel thought to himself as he approached the dock, looking around for a captain when Ansel realized something;

He had no idea what a captain looked like.

"Hello, excuse me, do you know where any passenger ships are?" Ansel asked one of the sailors working around him, moving cargo here and there and replenishing their ships supplies.

"Sorry, young lady. I work on a fishing ship so my captain would do you no good. Try further down the port. Most of the passenger ships are over there so you ought to have better luck finding a captain there," said a kindly sailor, smiling sheepishly at Ansel while his fellow strangers glared at his back in jealousy?