A Wish Destroyed

Poorly Prepared

"Hold up his bloody head again!"

What the hell? Again? These people sure are weird. I'd rather get rid of it. I'm not quite sure why I brought it along in the first place.

But, I listen to the painted woman with her 'flattering' hat and lift up the head of the bandit king. The one who stationed his slavery operation just outside the road to Bowerstone. Which is where I am now, actually.

I still can't believe it, though. I haven't been in a town for a decade and I've never been in this part of Bowerstone. The market place, they said it was. And it is correctly named since the unwashed streets are lined with all sorts of stalls and in the square, a wall of stores blocks the living spaces.

"Again! Again!"

Oh, ewwww, the blood is running down my arm. That is just really disturbing. But I can't get through the blockade of villagers, toppling over one another to get a glance to get something to clean it off with. How much longer am I supposed to stay here?

"If I may," a oversized man in red and a brown triangle hat speaks next to me in a loud voice as to be heard, "What do they call you, miss?"

"Well, I'm Sparrow. Just Sparrow."

Then a deafening sound come from the bell the man waves around without pause. "This woman is to be called Sparrow from now on! This woman is to be called Sparrow!"

And even after that announcement, the town crier, I take it, continues to swing around his ear-piercing instrument. If this goes on, my ears will be busted. Avo, when will this man stop?

"Can I see that for a moment?" I ask sweetly to the crier as I hold my tan hand out.

"Why sure you can," he says, handing it to me, "Sparrow," he adds with a wink showing that he remembered my name. I mean, who wouldn't? He was yelling it out at the top of his lungs a moment before.

"Why thank you," I say smiling as I chuck the blasted thing into the river. "You are very kind."

And then everyone starts laughing. Everyone. And not at me, but with me. Even the town crier is laughing along.

These people are really strange. I don't think they're sane. Maybe I should just leave....

"Yes, yes," I laugh along, squeezing my way through the crowd. "How very amusing. Haha haha." And then I manage to get past the horde. Thank Avo. "Now if you'll excuse me."

Before they think about tailing me, I take off into a sprint down the path and under the bridge to the docks and quickly wash the now-dried blood off me, waving away the red hue of the color to reveal my face as the ringlets disperse.

"What the--"

My eyes. They were blue before! I peer closer to the water. Big nose, check. Tan skin, check. Square ears, yep. Full lips? I wish. Ash brown hair, it's there while the stress is low. Almond eyes, yeah, but why are they pale yellow?!

"What in Avo did Theresa do to me in the cavern?!" I ask aloud in frustration. My eyes are yellow. Y-E-L-L-O-W.

I pound the ground until my hand slips from the mud and I lose my balance. Just as my nose touches the clear river, arms wrap around me and pull me back up. Thank goodness for that.

"Thank you," I say, turning to a man sort of heavy in weight and fancily dressed from head to toe in white. I hold back my laugh as I see his small blond mustache. The white top hat is more ridiculous, however.

"No problem," he replies, his grey eyes smiling at me. "But I do have to ask, what is such a lovely lady doing, trying to take a swim in the evening? Most of us just come down here to enjoy the water."

I lightly blush at his words and try to hide my smile. "You know, just looking at the demon in the reflection." Hiding my smile becomes easier as the color of my eye comes back into my mind. "Quite literally."

"Well," he chuckles, "If you're done with that, would you like to get some tea?"

"Sure. Why not?" I ask with a shrug as I smile at him. "Lead the way."

****

"Wait. Lucien's not just a murderer, he's a lunatic who wants to bring about the end of the world? Huh. A bit ambitious, isn't he?"

"Quite," Theresa agrees besides me as I lean on the stone wall that overlooks the calm ocean.

I had just finished spending an hour with Lord Earl. The man who caught me before I fell into the river, that is. Is was rather enjoyable--until Theresa dropped by and took me away.

And now we're here, in the west neighborhood of the market place. I can see a caravan in the corner of my eye. It hasn't been too long since I left. Just a day or two. I'm not really homesick, considering that home is within walking distance.

Unless they moved. Please tell me they didn't. Avo, I bet they did.

How am I going to give them souvenirs? Just leave them at the main camp?

Like I could anyways. I don't have gold to buy anything. Which could be a problem, I mean, I'm not too sure about this, but a Hero is still a human and a human still needs food.

I'm not going to test it out.

"Hey, Theresa, know anyone who needs work--" I pause as I look around. "Avo, she's gone. Could've at least teleported me to Oakfield, but noooo, gotta be mysterious and cold hearted. Whatever. I'll just walk."

I turn the corner and cup my hands to my mouth when I stop at the bell tower. "Hey!" I yell out. "I'm poor, does anyone have a job for me?"

A plump lady paused as she passes me. "You need a job?" she asks in a kind voice.

"Yeah," I say, depressed. "I also just realized I don't even have a house. Avo, I am so unprepared to save the world. I don't want to be those travelers who live in taverns either. Oh, man, I'm going to have to, aren't I? Aw, man, this is going to be awful. Just like the gypsies.

"Dearie, your mumbling," the lady points out, bringing back to attention.

"Sorry."

"Don't be dearie, you just couldn't hear me."

"Hm? Sorry about that. What were you saying?"

"Well, I was just looking for a young, lovely spirit to help me around my shop. You certainly seem the type."

"I do?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"I would think so. Anyways, I assure you it will pay well and you can even stay in the spare room we have."

I blink at the woman in the pink, puffy dress. "Really? Wow."

"If you'd like it that is." The woman jumps a bit as if she just recalled something and reached her hand out. "Oh! And I'm Mrs. Johnson, a pleasure to meet you, dearie!"

"Sparrow," I introduce myself, taking her hand, "if you haven't heard from the Town Crier. I'll try not to let you down, Mrs. Johnson."