Peasantry

ch 6

Hugo, Jenni, and Steen entered the charming village of Canaries, where a collection of enchanting cottages stood nestled among vibrant green trees, their branches swaying softly in the refreshing breeze. Fluffy, billowing clouds paint the sky above, casting dappled shadows on the cobblestone streets below. The afternoon sunlight bathes the scene in a warm, golden glow, adding a touch of magic to this enchanting setting. The distant chirping of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves gather to create a peaceful ambiance that blankets the village in serene tranquility. As they take in the breathtaking scenery, a wave of calm and contentment envelops them.

Jenni, Steen, and Hugo rode into the quaint village on their trusty steeds, the cobblestone streets echoing with the clip-clop of their hooves. As they searched for a spot to tether their horses, their eyes landed on a cozy tavern with a weathered sign swinging in the breeze.

As they approached the bar, a burly innkeeper greeted them and informed them that they could only park their horses if they intended to purchase something.

Jenni wasn't very excited about the quest. In fact, she was bored out of her skull. But now that she thinks about it, she could probably use the bar as an excuse to get away.

Jenni thought to herself, (At least I can squeeze a bit of fun out of this boring quest!)

Jenni pouts, "You two can go ahead; I don't really need to join you. I'm sure you can find the necklace shopkeeper all by yourselves." Hmph "Who needs me to find the necklace shop anyway? You two are perfectly capable of doing it by yourselves. So go ahead, and I'll stay here."

"Jenni, it's best for you to go with Hugo, and I'll stay here since I'm the more responsible one. Sorry, but I won't allow you to spend our money on beer."

Steen thought to himself that she was overestimating his intelligence and believed he couldn't predict her every move, as she really thought he wouldn't notice her plans.

Steen's heart raced with a mix of worry and annoyance as he hastily snatched the cash from Jenni's horse bag and bolted into the bar. His silence spoke volumes as he disappeared inside.

Outside the bar, Jenni stood, pouting and yelling angrily, "Oh, just because you consider yourself the more responsible one,' does that mean you think I am not capable of handling our money?" Hmph: "Oh, so it's best for me to go with Hugo? Do I look like a child to you? Do you think I can't take care of myself? I'm an adult, you know! I'm not a kid anymore. Fine, whatever; just go with Hugo then."

As soon as Jenni turned around, her heart raced when she realized Hugo was nowhere to be seen. Panic washed over her as she frantically searched the town, desperate for any sign of Hugo. The crowded streets seemed to close in around her, amplifying her growing sense of fear.

Ignoring the curious stares of strangers, Jenni dashed down alleyways and peeked into shops, calling out Hugo's name with increasing urgency. Each dead end only fueled her fear; the cool air tinged with a sinister edge as she imagined the worst possible scenarios playing out in her mind.

She couldn't shake the feeling that Hugo was in danger, a sinking pit forming in her stomach as she raced against time to find him. (Where could he be?!?! I turned around, and... he's gone?!) "I need to find him! He was just here a second ago! What happened to him?"

As Jenni continued her search, she stumbled upon a curving path next to a peaceful body of water, its banks dotted with tall trees. In the distance, she caught sight of Hugo and a group of children engaged in what seemed like a friendly conversation. However, as she approached, she soon realized that they were actually in the midst of a heated argument. Hugo stood tall and firm, defending a young girl whom the other kids were harassing.

Jenni felt torn as she wondered whether she needed to interfere in this physical confrontation. As the heated argument escalated, she silently slipped behind a dense copse of trees, peeking out cautiously to observe Hugo's impassioned defense. Hiding in the shadows, she watched his every move, mentally willing him to stay calm and composed in the face of trouble.

One of the kids who was the ringleader Veniamin, aggressively approaches Hugo and the girl, taunting and shoving them. "Look at this filthy outsider, protecting that other filthy outsider girl. You know what we do with trash people like you? We take 'em out!"

Hugo remained calm and kept his eyes on the kid. However, he found it concerning how the other kids seemed to be quite rude and aggressive. One even mentioned that they take out people like him, which didn't sound good.

Veniamin grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her away from Hugo while shoving him away. "C'mon, girl, forget about this trash. You're better than that. Don't be with him; he's not worth it."

Then he turn to Hugo, who is visibly angry and upset. "You know the rules; outsiders are not welcome in our town."

Hugo remained calm, but his anger was certainly showing as he clenched his fist and replied, "You know, maybe instead of treating outsiders like trash and harassing them, we should all try to act as a community. Instead of pushing others away, we should try and welcome them with open arms." Hugo stared straight at the kids. He remained calm, but his rage was also still apparent as it was slowly growing inside him and continued with a stern tone, as he still stared straight into the Veniamin eyes and got up from the ground, "We all should learn to respect others and not discriminate them because of silly things like where they're from or what they look like."

"Who are you to tell me what to do? This isn't some major rule where we welcome outsiders with open arms. I am the one who makes the rules in this village, and my rules are plain and simple outsiders don't get to live in this town; they don't get to be here, period. It doesn't matter where you're from or what you look like; if you aren't from this village, you're not welcome." Veniamin tugged on the girl, who was fixated on trying to escape their grip.