And The Wish...

And the Wish Locked Her In

A month.

It's been a month.

It felt like a year.

And I'm finally returning to Bowerstone Market.

I wonder, what will Mrs. J say?

That she missed me? That I should be ashamed? That she doesn't want to see me again? Maybe she already has a replacement for me. Jo the blacksmith too. I wonder what I will do if they did. I may have to move back to Oakfield and become a woodcutter to get gold.

What of Lord Earl?

I've missed him so much.

I wonder if he missed me at all.

I pick the worst times to fall in love, don't I?

Oh, be quiet Sparrow, you have to focus in the task at hand.

Locating Lord Lucien's former butler.

Jibbs, was it?

It was so long ago....

Forget Sparrow, forget for now.

Now you need to get your jobs back.

I hear a gasp as a woman drops her bundle of carrots. "The Hero of Bowerstone, she's back!" She runs backwards, her eyes still on me. "The Hero has returned to Bowerstone!"

I bend down to pick up the carrots and throw it over to the woman's wailing arms. It lands perfectly and her startled expression amuses me.

"You dropped these!" I yell to her, my hands cupping my mouth.

"What?" she yells back, clearly confused.

Of course she didn't. There's a bridge's distance between us. I'm surprised I threw that far, that accurately. I've never been skilled with a crossbow and the only gun I touched was a toy one.

All those years ago....

"The Hero is here! Dumpling, our lovable Hero is here!" that damned Town Crier calls out, ringing his cursed bell loudly.

And great, now that whole stinkin' town has me surrounded. AGAIN.

"Show us your trophies! Show us your trophies!"

Not this again!

Curse the life of a Hero!

🌺😇🌺

Finally having been able to escape the crowd, I rest on the couch in Mrs. Johnson's shop, waiting impatiently for her to wake up. Morning's are terrible for her so she wakes up an hour after the shops open.

But Mr. Johnson is here.

He took time of his duty to come see me, he was actually the sheriff who helped me get out of the crowd.

"Oakfield, eh? That's were ye been?" he now asks, leaning back into the chair in front of the couch. "How was it? Filled with wheat and corn, I assume?"

I nod my head with a smile. "That and more. Ever heard of hollow men?"

"I'm not much one for reading, Dumpling, the shift for a sheriff is all day, everyday." He pauses, thinking it over. "Hollow men in Oakfield? Why wasn't I alerted sooner?"

Why does pronoucate every other word? Because he part of the guard, they all act and look the same. and it's still creepy.

"No, no, no, no, no, no. They're not a threat. They've been cleared out by someone and they were deep underground."

"Well, I need to find this person and thank them for they're service."

"Bleed to death afterwards," I inform him. he nods his head.

I wonder how I learned how to lie about things like this? Making sure I don't get credit. It is a relief, really, but I feel a tiny bit of guilt when I do. I feel sad too, because I want them to know, but I don't want then to know either, so that feeling goes away as soon as it comes.

"Dumping?" I hear Mrs. J's soft, accented voice call out to me.

I looked up from the tea I had been drinking and smile. "Hey, Mrs. J"

And with that confirmation, Mrs. Johnson rushed down the stairs, pulling me into a hug.

"I told you to not call me that," Mrs. Johnson says, tears in her brown eyes. "Silly Dumpling."

She pulls back, her hands still holding my shoulders. "Don't you ever leave again without a goodbye, you hear?"

I shake my head in agreement.

"Now, that's a good Dumpling." Mrs. J then tap me on the shoulder. "Better get a move on, there's work to be done."

I nod quickly as I rush over to the bins and begin organizing the supplies. Mrs. J hugs her husband goodbye and gives him a small kiss.

My heart breaks at the sight.

I want to be like that someday.

I would be retired from a life of heroics, I would get married to the person I love with all my heart, be it man or woman, and we'd live by the ocean on a large farm, far away from the problems of modern society, where there will be new Heroes to take my place. We'd have many children, maybe three or four, and depending on the spouse have them be adopted.

We'd be so happy together, forever, the world will finally leave us alone.

I smile I myself as I imagine my forever love as Lord Earl.

I thought I'd never leave Lance, that I'd never get over him. It was a bad relationship though, one built on pity instead of true love.

But with Lord Earl I feel different, better. The world becomes brighter and the flowers much more delightful to smell. The air is always fresh and clean. I truly love Lord Earl.

And whenever I am around him, I forget the scar I carry in my mental form. I don't feel like crying, or apologizing, or even vengeance

But that's only when I'm around him,

If only I knew if Lord Earl really thought of me.

"Mrs. Johnson?" a voice that makes my heart jump asks with confusion. "Why did you bring me here? I'm looking for-"

"Dumpling?" Mrs. Johnson finishes, a grin taking over her chubby face.

He steps forward in excitement as I slip into the back of the store, finding my way to a closet.

And you know what I just did?

I locked myself like an idiot would do.

Yes, I am an idiot. Shocking, is it not?

"Actually, Lord Earl, she's here."

DAMMIT!!!