Cinderella vs. Happily Ever After

Chapter 22

             Valerie dropped her pack into the corner and glanced around the room, the odd chuckle still escaping her lips. The room was a basic wooden box with a window, a large bed, a nightstand that held a pitcher of water, a desk and a single chair making up its entirety. She had to admit that even if it was bare it was at least clean. And it was a bed, not the ground under a sleeping bag. She’d half forgotten how wonderful beds were until they’d stayed at Enax’s. Now she wasn’t sure she could go back to the ground.

            “Looks like we’re bunking together,” Valerie said, watching Miette look over the room, lips pursed.

            “Yes. This…I had thought it would be better.”

            She grinned. “Miette, it’s a village in the middle of nowhere. What did you expect? And anyway, it’s way better than sleeping outside again.”

            Miette nodded. “You are right. I had not realized how…well, spoiled is the only word I can think of that is accurate, I am.”

            “Oh we’re all spoiled. Me and Isaac might have gone camping before but that was only for a weekend or so. And no one was hunting us. And we always had tents. And campfires and s’mores, and dammit now I want a s’more. Anyway, you’re not the only one who’s spoiled.”

            She smiled a moment before the door opened and Isaac popped his head in. “Hey let’s-Ah! No fair! Why do you two get a big bed?”

            Valerie rolled her eyes. “Because there are two of us, idiot. Now let’s go get some dinner. I’m excited beyond reason to eat something for dinner that isn’t instant ramen.”

            Isaac sniffed as he held the door open for them. “I’ll have you know that the last time we had noodles they were instant fettuccini, you uncultured swine.”

            “They’re instant noodles. They’re all the same. Only the flavour packets change.”

            If it hadn’t been for the glint of mischief in his eyes, Miette would have thought Isaac really was affronted by Valerie’s remark. She chuckled as she followed them down the stairs and to the only free table left, listening to them arguing about the noodles. They had barely sat down in the beam-ceilinged room when a black-haired woman who looked to have only just finished puberty appeared.

            She gave them a once over, her eyes lingering on Isaac. “Today is chicken pie or pork roast. You can have one free mug of ale, wine, or cider with your food. What do you want?”

            “Pork and cider,” Valerie said.

            “Pork and ale,” Isaac replied, winking at Val.

            “Ch-” Miette began before she felt a light kick on her leg. “Pork and…cider.”

            When the server left, after giving Isaac a sidelong glance, Miette turned to Valerie. “You have no idea what’s in the pie until after you eat it. At least with a roast you can see what it was. Pies…when just because they say it’s chicken that doesn’t mean it’s really chicken. You’re safer this way.”

            “I do not understand. Why would they say it is chicken if it is not?” Miette said, a frown providing a single crease between her eyebrows.

            She chuckled. “You are such a lady sometimes. It’s to make money of course. Sometimes other things are cheaper than chicken so that’s what they use and just call it chicken. Most people won’t notice. Even if they throw it up later, they’ll just convince themselves that the chicken was off or that something else they ate upset their stomachs. One of the basic tenets of life is that people are stupid. They’re very good at deluding themselves.”

            “And she knows from experience,” Isaac added, grinning.

            “Unfortunately it’s true. Sometimes I delude myself into thinking you have something worthwhile to say. But I’m always wrong.”

            Isaac was saved from a reply by the arrival of their waitress. She dropped plates in front of Miette and Valerie before setting Isaac’s down with a smile and a flutter of her lashes. Isaac was clearly trying not to laugh and Val sighed as she watched the girl slip through the crowd towards the bar. It would be best to nip this in the bud.

            When the girl returned with the drinks, Valerie leaned across the distance and took Isaac’s hand. “How much longer will it take to get home, darling?” she asked, part of her inwardly retching for the tone and words she was forced to use.

            Isaac’s lips twitched. “It should be no more than a day or two, love.”

The waitress flushed slightly and scampered off without a word. As soon as she was out of sight Val dropped her hand and made a face. “Can you please stop smiling at them?” she said. “It only encourages them.”

“I can’t help it if I’m resistible to both men and women.”

“Hush!” Miette ordered, making them both turn to look at her. She jerked her chin towards a nearby table whose voice just reached them.

“…heard the whole palace is encased in ice. No one can get in or out,” said one man, the slight slur to his speech indicating that this was not his first or second cup of beer.

“Nah, nah. I heard there’s an army in there. They wouldn’t freeze’em inside. I heard they’ve got two of the strongest warriors alive guarding the prince,” said one of his friends, no soberer.

“I heard everyone in the palace has been frozen solid. And people are saying that Lady Ruby’s raising an army to go fight’em all out of here,” said the last, making Val nearly choke on her drink.

 “Brave of her. Course she’ll be caught in minutes. I mean everyone knows she’s a tall red haired woman. She’s gonna stand out. And there’s a reward too,” replied the first.

“But still. If she could get an army…I’d join. Show these invading bastards what we’re capable of!” The second said, raising his mug in a tilted toast.

“Betcha we could run’em out of here before they even knew we were coming,” the last added.

“You couldn’t. I could. But you’re too clumsy.”

“I’m not clumsy!”

“Remember when you dropped the whole-”

They turned away from the conversation to stare at each other for a long moment. Then, in unspoken agreement, they focused on their food not saying a word about anything.