The Hermit & Heir | A Short Story

Part 6

The couple walked about half a mile until they found the beginnings of the village. Vera grew nervous. She did not see Ted growing nervous too. His hands were coating his walking stick with sweat. Unbeknownst to her, he had an important object on his person – an item that could get him in trouble in a village like this.

Vera slowed her pace as she walked through the village trailing behind Ted. She resisted the urge to grab his sleeve like she used to do to her late mother when they went into town on the rare occasion. Vera felt as if everyone's eyes were on her – examining her. Ted led the way into a marketplace.

Booths, tents, stands, and people covered every inch of the area. Vera knew that markets were the busiest when they first opened, and this must have been the case.

Strange smells invaded their noses. Men shouted deals from behind their tables, and women bickered over prices. The two fell into the chaos of it all.

Fruit vendors offered them samples. A jeweler offered Vera a necklace saying, "a pretty necklace for a pretty girl". Vera cringed at the attention. Ted stopped Vera and suggested they should find some food and continue their way. Vera nodded wanting out as soon as possible.

Ted pushed through the crowd with a goal of getting food and not loitering. He looked for the nearest booth that sold food. Near him, children stood in front of a puppet stage as a man moved the puppets and gave them life. They laughed as one gaudily dressed puppet hit the other with a stick. Vera smiled.

Ted called for her. She looked over to where he was and tried her best to reach him when a man came running in front of her and practically knocked her off her feet. The man caught her by the arms and had a wild look in his eyes, "Have you seen my boy?"

Vera couldn't reply. The man shouted, "Felix! Where's my boy?" He looked to the children by the puppet show and didn't recognize any of them as his son. Ted came over to Vera where the man still held her. "Sir," he started, "what's wrong?" The man whipped over to Ted. Vera noticed that Ted towered over the man. The man released Vera, "Sorry dear, I can't find my son. He's blond and about this tall," he held up his hand to the middle of his chest. The man couldn't focus on anything as he whipped his head back and forth across the marketplace.

"Please can you help me find him?"

Ted was about to decline when a little blonde girl grabbed the man with tears in her eyes.

"Papa, they have him!" she exclaimed, "I got away, but they have him!" The man looked at her and bent down to her level. She explained the occurrence that had taken place in broken sobs and whimpers.

The siblings had been playing by a pond when two men jumped out and threatened them. They managed to grab the boy. The girl ran away quickly, but the boy was still being held. With large tears in her eyes the girl sobbed, "They asked for the money in our pouches." She held up a small coin purse in her hand.

The man settled the little one down and then looked up at Ted and Vera. "Please could you help us? I will repay you. I cannot do it alone," he asked with a pleading look on his face. Ted, previously wanting to escape the scene, had been touched by the young girl's tears and looked to Vera. Vera looked back.

"Alright," Ted agreed.

The young girl led her father, Ted, and Vera towards where the kids had been playing. Ted had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He questioned why he agreed to this as they reached the pond far from the marketplace.

They found a boy being held by two dirty looking men. They wrestled him towards the pond. The boy tried to wriggle his way out of their grip but failed. The father of the children crouched in the grass out of sight with Ted and Vera. He told his daughter to go home then turned to the travelers. They were out of view of the rough-looking men and the boy.