The Oracle Saga: Assassin's Oath

Chapter 4 - Neglected

 

HASAKI

Anger welled up inside of me as I stared at her.

I could not believe that this thin, frail little figure had actually followed me through the woods. Sure it was just a preview of what was in Gate 2 but it wasn’t entirely safe. I looked her over; her clothes were lined with dirt and reeked ever so slightly. Parts of the kimono were ripped in tiny shreds and some holes provided a wholesome home for broken, dead twigs and leaves; not that her hair didn’t already do a perfect job.

I almost cracked a smile but stopped myself just in time. I could not have this girl thinking that any part of this situation was the least bit humorous.

Letting out another growl, I looked dead into her vivid dark eyes; the same tint of purple still visible from somewhere within. It held some sort of a calming sensation. There was something about this girl that somehow captivated me, and it wasn’t her beauty that held an intriguing quality. She had certain attractive qualities, sure...but it was something else.

It took me a moment to realize that I’d been staring at her this whole time. She was looking at me, full of wonder. It amazed me at how she wasn’t even frightened.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, roughly.

I suppose that broke the trance she was in as she retorted with the same amount of harshness, “What do you mean by what am I doing here? This is a market place. I am here to do some shopping of course.”

            Not understanding whether to laugh or yell, I simply observed her for a moment.

The way she had blurted out the words, in such haste and with such little focus; was she really that stupid? It was an obvious lie.

I heard her raging heartbeat as she waited, seeming eager to hear my response. A smirk stretched across my face as I decided to have fun with this. I knew I was already late as it was; fending for this foolish girl. A few more minutes couldn’t hurt.

“Oh,” I nodded, trying to look understanding. “What was it that you wanted to buy?”

She gave me a perplexed look. “I needed some...,” she looked around momentarily and then back at me, “some bread for my little brother. We had run out yesterday.”

I nodded once again. “Hmm, some bread right?”

She bit her lip and then slowly answered, “Yes.”

“But I thought the man that sold bread was a couple hundred paces behind, near the jewels’ tent…unless you are not here to buy some bread?” I pressed at the end.

Immediately she turned her head and then a smile appeared on her face as she turned back.

“Oh right,” she giggled like a small girl. “Well, I was going to buy some bread but then I decided against it.”

“Why is that?”

She paused, probably thinking up of another justification. “I think we need to change things up at our home. We’ve been eating bread since I was born, probably before that as well. So I figured, why not?”

Not bad, I wearily thought.

“And so why were you peering into the shop and not going up front like the other peasants and buying your supplies?”

She smoothly shrugged. “I felt like it.”

“Where is your coin purse?” I questioned rather cynically. “I don’t suppose you were planning to...?”