Rapunzel [JunHao]

11

Junhui

The village close by was small. Maybe a dozen houses in total. I had passed it while running from the royal guards. And just like back then, I was reluctant to stay there for more than a few hours to restock on food.

The problem with those guards was that they never really let you off. The moment they see you stealing something or even doing something remotely illegal, they are going to dog you till they catch you. But after tonight I also had to worry about the mother of my beautiful companion. Hiding from the royal guard was one thing, trying to hide from a witch a completely different one.

I had only ever seen one person that was able to use witchcraft and the old man managed to split a whole house in two pieces. And apart from that I had only ever heard about witches and wizards in stories. Scary, dark stories with cruel men and woman that would tear families apart and eat curious children.

Back then my mother had lifted me up and ran as fast as possible. Fleeing the scene and even as a seven year old boy, it didn't take much to guess that those stories were not as much of a lie as I had thought.

Later my mom had explained that the wizard we saw was not even very powerful, a house, she had told me was a dead object, destroying or moving and even changing it was comparable easy, only a great magic user could control and change a living thing.

Now thinking back about that day I started to wonder how she could have known so much about magic and wether it was even true. Or maybe just one more of the many stories that she had told me.

~•~

Minghao

The city was amazing. It took over my senses in so many ways that I was confused on what to concentrate more on and dizzy from all the new impressions I gained. The houses and clothes of the villagers were in all kinds of colors and shapes. And even among the people no one looked like the other.

I tired to take in everything, the small children that played on the streets, the smell of bread and fish that hung in the air. Even the sounds around me were confusing, shouts and laughter was mixed with the noises from various animals. Animals I had only seen in books before. Donkeys and Ochs and small colorful birds in caches, that hung at entrances and from peoples arms. Small cats sun bathed in empty spots on the streets and thin, hungry dogs ran around the crowds feet in hope of some food.

And then we got to the market. I thought the streets before had been crowded but this place looked like the whole city had decided to meet here. It was overwhelming to see so many people on one spot after all those years I spend alone with Mary and occasionally my mother. Overcome with a sudden fear, I shuffled closer to Jun and held onto the back of his jacket. I would have preferred to take his hand or at least hold his arm, but no way in hell would I give him that much leverage against me.

Somehow I managed to make my way through the crowd without pumping into too much people or loosing track of Junhui. But in my concentration to stay close to him and as far away from anyone else, I did not notice when he stopped and promptly ran into him.

„We should probably find something else for you to wear and get some food", Junhui mumbled and I could hear the slight worry in his voice.

„Come on", he tucked on my arm and pushed me in the next shop.

It was a small dark shop with only one lamp to lighten up the windowless room. Additionally it was so stuffed full with various objects, that it was hard to make out the color of the wall.

A small men made his way towards us, „Welcome. How may I help you?".

„My ..." Jun through me a warning glance, „my wife here needs some new clothes". It took me a second until I realized that he was talking about me.

„Wha!", I was just about to correct him and tell him off, when Junhui elbowed me in my side and threw me a second warning glance. Fine.

The shop clerk did not seem to have noticed our little fight, because he turned around and led us to a part further back in the shop. „What kind of clothing where you thinking of? I am afraid I do not have as fine dresses as you wife's, those clothes have mostly belonged to someone before so they are rather worn off".

„That's fine, she was looking for something way more simple. Maybe some pants? And a shirt?"

„How about this one?", the men showed us, what I was sure where the finest clothes he could offer and I was about to agree, when Jun pulled an gray jumper and brown slacks from the dresser. „These are perfekt, we will take them. And a hat please".

I looked at him in horror, „I don't want to wear those old rags, what's wrong with my current clothes".

„They are to flashy. Someone could recognize you from meters away".