And The Wish...

And the Wish is Altered

The crowd is cheering at me, telling me to 'hold up his bloody face again'.

But it's not bloodied if it's all dried up and cracked, is it? The head is smelly as hell too. I probably will wash the head off later. Why am I even keeping it? Apparently marching around with a large head of a bandit is like marching around with a trophy. The only reason I'll even touch it is because the decapitated head has an antler hat on.

Sickening.

"Let us see the head!"

I don't even know why I am still here, besides the fact that all the villagers in Bowerstone are blocking me in their little circle. They get so many visitors but by their reaction it seems that no one passed by this day. That would explain it. But what I don't get is all the touching especially from the males of the group. It's gross. But I can handle myself, now that I can see who is doing what and glare at them as if cursing them to hell.

"You're such a lovely person, uh, excuse me," a girl with the whitest blond hair I've ever seen speaks up. "What's your name?" I don't respond though because I'm speechless from her beauty. Her hair is so long and soft, and it looks amazing in a bun. Unlike the other women, she has no hat on top. The electric blue of her wide set eyes is alluring and matches her tan very well. She's got an ovalish face and rather small pierced ears. Her lips are thin but look adorable as she smiles at me.

What sticks out me the most is her outfit. I'm pretty sure there's only a couple of factories around here, as I've heard from the little weird bard whose been following before even the crowd. He keeps talking about the old Heroes and then corrects himself by adding that I'm better than them.

How on Albion does he know that I'm a Hero? And if I've done more, have they done nothing? I mean, come on, I only cut of a dude's head and freed two people who were from my camp. And I'm pretty sure they went the opposite direction of Bowerstone. Why are they celebrating me as if I've saved the world? AND how do they know I'm a Hero already?! It took me twenty-three years and a Seer to do that!

Wait...I was talking about the woman's outfit....

Anyways, it's dirtied and ragged and brown with buttons. She's got big boots that fold over and trousers. It doesn't suit a woman so beautiful and exquisite. I would think that she would be a queen with such a dazzling smile. Gowns and robes and slippers should be given to her freely instead of the worn out fabric.

Even I had pink in my outfit as a child, from what I've heard.

"Sparrow. Everyone calls me Sparrow," I introduce myself, shaking her small hand.

And I totally regret it.

You wanna know why? Because the DAMNED Town Crier is right STINKING next to me and I know what they do. And he did it. So fucking loudly too. Right in my blasted ear! Curse him to oblivion! Curse him to hell! Curse him to damnation! Curse all Town Criers!

"This woman will be called Sparrow from now on. Her title is Sparrow for now on!" he bellows, still ringing the bell. Well, at least until I take it and throw it into the river.

And everyone's laughing.

EVERYONE.

Even the Town Crier for pete's sake!

I laugh along with them as I back away from the crowd. I just realized that there's blood all over my wrist and down my arm from holding the head for too long. That is really disturbing.

I somehow manage to make my way to the other side of the bridge, and I walk down the stairs to where the docks are located. The water's so clear here, surprising for a city so large and industrialized. I dip my hands in as rub off my arms, scraping the dried bits off. The water becomes reddened for a bit, but when I wave it away, I see something in the waves. I wait until the circles calm and look closer.

There's a woman on the other side. She's got strange pale yellow eyes which sparkles brightly in the light dancing across the water. She's got a rather strong tan, and somewhat muscular body without it being bulky, just a normal sized body. Her rich wavy ash brown hair blows in the wind, stretching out rather long, probably to her stomach. She looked rather good, but average compared to all the other women, painted with makeup and hair twisted and curled and put up.

I bend further down to see the woman's odd thick x-shaped scar on left side her face, and to my surprise she does the same. Is she attacking me? I jump back in alarm and take my cleaver out in which she repeats. She must be a ghost or spirit or water demon or something! Why does she have the same weapon as me? Cheater!

I put away my cleaver and lunge at the woman with a fist. I almost reach her when someone grabs me from behind.

"What is a woman doing, trying to take a swim in the water?" an orotund voice questions, pulling me into a man's arm. I turn around and open my mouth, not caring if I sound crazy. "But there's a demon in the there!" Curious, the middle aged, somewhat heavy man peers down into the water and I follow in suit. I begin pointing at the woman who appeared again. "There! There she is!"

"That lovely woman is no demon, my lady," he begins, chuckling. "But in fact the same beautiful woman in front of me."

Huh?

Oh.

REALLY?

"That's me?" I ask, peering further into the water until his arms stop me again. "That's what I look like? But they said that I was thin...."

And then I blush as his words echo into my stupid head. He called me lovely and beautiful and he didn't sound sarcastic. He didn't seem to have any lust. I look back down at my image. Of course he wouldn't, they're not as large as the other women's, just a bit, and much smaller than the blonde's from earlier.

"Um, I know you've just arrived, but would you care to have some tea?" the man asks, pulling my attention away from the water. I look at the man. He most certainly looks handsome even with that blond mustache if his. But it is also quite obvious from his gentlemanly attire that he was rich so he probably is just trying to establish another trade partner. I'm drawn to him, for sure, and knowing myself I'll end up making a fool of myself and he'll be wary to avoid me. However he must just be trying to find a trade partner, right? But his smile is so sweet, not a business man's forced one.

What about Lance though? Wait, no, he told me that we couldn't be together now. I have a quest and his father is training him to be the next leader of our camp.

"But I don't even know your name," I tell him.

"Lord Earl. And might I inquire yours?"

Lord Earl? That's amusing.

"Sparrow," I reply, linking my arm in his. "So where will we be having tea?"