Farryn

Chapter 1- Part 4

There were a few more hours to the final station, and Farryn watched Luli sleep as they travelled. The others in the carriage grew noisier as the morning wore on, and by the time they stopped, there were children running down the narrow aisles, yelping and leaning out of windows.

Luli didn't join them though, not even when she was awake. Farryn watched her watch them, her small face turning towards the kids as they dashed back and forth. Farryn pulled her legs back so she could go into the aisle, but Luli didn't budge.

"Luli," she asked. "Where are you going?" 

The girl put a hand to her frizzy hair and scratched. "I don't want to be in the factory anymore."

"Oh." That wasn't really what she'd asked. "How come?"

"Because they're mean. They hit me and Mama isn't there anymore." Farryn didn't speak, and Luli turned to her suddenly, grabbing her sleeve. "Do you have any money? I'm really hungry. I don't want to die."

"Well... my name is Farryn, and-" 

"Do you have any money?" 

"Yes, Luli," she sighed. "I do. We'll get to Tuckson's soon. I'll buy you something."

Luli grinned. "You need to eat every day, or you die." 

"I know. Luli... what are you going to do when we get there? Where are you going?"

A little girl skipped past, and Luli's eyes followed her before she answered. "I'm going to get lots of money and then I'll be rich." 

Farryn couldn't help but laugh. "Of course."

They sat together in silence for the rest of the ride. When the train finally stopped, in a little town very close to Tuckson's, Farryn stood, brushing her dress off. She stared at the little girl.

I don't have to take her with me. She would be a burden. Farryn had enough money to live comfortably for a while, but with someone else...

Are you really going to abandon her? Isn't that what got you in this mess?

She looked down at her and sighed."Come along then, Luli."

As she followed Farryn off the train, gripping her skirt to keep from getting lost in the throng, Farryn marvelled at how little she was. She was shorter than the little fence that lined the train platform.

"How old are you, Luli?" Luli let go of her skirt for a moment, and Farryn turned to make sure she didn't get lost but instead slammed face-first into a broad-chested man. He grunted, moving out of the way. "I'm terribly sorry!" She called after him. Luli was counting out loud.

"I'm five years old," She proclaimed proudly as they finally got off the train. Five? She was tiny, too tiny for five. She hasn't eaten enough. Hasn't lived enough.

The cool air was a relief after the mustiness inside the carriage, and Farryn took a moment to get her bearings as they stood on the platform. The town wasn't really a 'town', and was moreso a settlement built around the station. Tuckson's nobility didn't want a station on their land bringing in "foreigners", so they built it a little ways away instead.

That didn't mean they were lacking for a market, though. It was the main attraction in the small town, and Farryn and Luli waded their way through the crowd of locals and tourists to get something to eat. Luli pointed everything out fervently. "Corn! Bread! Soup!"

"A pie!" She yelled suddenly, startling Farryn. "Pie, pie! Pie please!" Farryn turned to look in the direction Luli was tugging her and found that she was pointing to a small cart with the words Pies and Tarts written on the plain wood front.