The Violet Flamberge

Inferno Flamberge: Chapter 13

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Chapter 13

Starlyn awoke in a cold sweat. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around the darkness. She hadn't been in the spare room in almost a week. Glancing to her side, she noticed Noraes was gone. He had to get started on his kingly duties early. She had improved significantly, but he still wanted to wait before announcing his marriage to the public.

She was comforted to be back in his arms at night, but she still worried. Her mother hadn't shown improvements, but she still remembered the events that led to her mother's death. She shivered. Starlyn slid out of the bed before tiptoeing to the door. She cracked it open and looked outside. Everything was still dark. The morning hour was early. Starlyn shuffled over to the dresser and donned a pair of plain clothes. She crept out of the room and out of the king's section. Starlyn wanted to tour the rest of the castle as well as the streets. Her strength had returned, and she was tired of hiding away all of the time.

As she exited the castle, she paused, feeling the small bump on her stomach. She had begun to show. Noraes wouldn't have long to claim her as his wife before the whole city would know his child was out of wedlock. She hoped her strength continued, even if it was short lived and she grew ill again, as long as the public saw her as strong. After that, she could hide away in the king's section of the castle until she fully recovered. Would she fully recover? Her lips pinched together. She stepped outside.

A cool mist pressed against her face. Chills spread throughout her body. Winter was approaching. She hadn't been so far south during winter before. She wondered if it had more snow than Sudegam. She rubbed her arms as she found the alleys. The sun wasn't fully in the sky yet, and so the light around her was dim, but somehow the city looked beautiful in the obscure light.

After wandering a decent way away from the castle, she left the back alleys and stepped into the main dirt road through the city. Roosters crowed as she glanced along the road. Small wooden stands were on the left and right side of the road. Early morning wanderers stopped at the stands for their fresh produce. Starlyn smiled. Living as a kheshlar was different. They didn't have markets, or trade. Everyone grew their own food and ate what they desired. She touched the coin purse at her belt and strode toward the stands.

She wondered what kind of fruit and vegetables the humans had, and if they were any different than those of the kheshlars. Starlyn slid the hood over her face, hoping the dullness of the morning and the hood would keep her kheshlarn appearance hidden. She wandered over to the first stand and looked. What she saw horrified her. A middle-aged plump woman had dozens of chickens in cages and several baskets of eggs.

"You want fresh eggs? Only three coppers a dozen. One silver for a chicken, two silvers for a laying hen."

Starlyn shook her head, shivered, pulled her cloak tighter around her body, and continued forward. She saw a butcher slicing chunks of red meat on the next stand. Starlyn had to turn away, clenching her eyes as she scurried past his stand. She'd forgotten how savage the humans were. The third stand looked different. Instead of livestock, it had a collection of fruit. She saw apples, oranges, bananas, and several other fruit. She paused, and looked closer at some of the fruit.

She pointed to a small light colored fruit resembling a peach. "What is this?"

The dark-skinned woman smiled. "Apricot. Two for a copper."

Starlyn fished in her coin purse and withdrew two small copper coins. She handed them over to the woman who accepted them greedily. Starlyn reached toward the top of the pile.

"Are you planning on eating them now?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Starlyn answered.

"Pick from the lower side. They are ripe, plump, and juicy. You don't want firm fruit unless you plan to wait a day or two for them to ripen."

Starlyn smiled. "Thank you."

She reached down and grabbed two apricots before continuing to the next stand.

When she took a bite of the first apricot, juice ran down her chin. She reached her hand to wipe it away. The man at stand widened his eyes as he watched her. The taste of the apricot was delicious. She quickly finished both of them as she looked at the jewelry the man had to offer. She nodded to him before she continued on, unnerved when he didn't take his eyes off of her.

Starlyn continued on through several more stands before disappearing through a small alley. She knew she had to get home before Taasheka or Sophie noticed her absence. As she turned at another alley, she froze. Two men blocked her path, grinning sideways at her. She abruptly spun around to find two more approaching from her rear. Her hand moved to her belt, but she forgot she didn't have her hammer with her.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Is the rumor true? Are you a kheshlar?"

Her body went ridged. One of the men behind her grabbed her arms, locking them behind her back. The man in front of her stepped closer, pulling her hood from her face. His smile broadened as he took in her features.

"Ah, so it is true. The question is ... what are you doing this far south? And ... alone? I imagine you'd be worth a pretty penny to the right noble. Many people have wondered if you are any different than a human wench."

"If you know what is best for you, you'll let me go," Starlyn said.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," she said.

"You have spirit. That's good. You'll need it."

She glared daggers at him with clenched teeth.

"Boys, tie her up. We found a new worker for the brothel."

Starlyn struggled to get loose, but the second man behind her held her tight as well. She flinched as they tied her arms behind her back with rope. She still shook as she glared up at the man, memorizing his face. Everything went dark as he forced a burlap sack over her head. She struggled, moving her shoulders forward, trying to gain leverage to attack.

"Feisty, are we? The boys at the brothel will love that."

Her anger consumed her. As something hard hit the back of her head, she had one thought in her mind. Perhaps the Ikchani had been right. The world might be a better place if women were in charge instead of men.