The Mechanic

Chapter 1

The tinkling sound of music sounded much too out place in the quiet workshop, with all the strange contraptions and piles of of wrinkled parchment crammed between the stacks of well-worn books. It seemed as if this were no place for a lullaby - as if it were intruding upon the silence that usually took up the small space every day. But I found myself pleasantly pleased with the little dinging of small instruments as they played inside the music box and the glass couple dancing happily on the surface.

"Do you like it?" Father asked with a sort of timid quality in his voice. I took his hands carefully in mine and smiled.

"It's beautiful. Do you really need to sell it?" I studied the couple one last time before he shut the box gently and slipped it inside of the pouch resting on the table.

"I can get good money for it at the festival. The committee there love my inventions and I usually get a good deal on them, so it will work out fine." I smiled sadly as Father tucked the pouch inside of his coat. I ran a hand through my hair, which had begun to fall from its bun.

"Well, be safe anyway. I'd hate for you to get lost in the forest before you even reach the festival." Father rolled his eyes and laughed, pulling me toward him in a hug.

"I won't be long - perhaps a few days or so." I nodded and was about to say something more when a knock sounded on the door.

"I'll get it," I muttered and rushed toward the entrance to the workshop, wiping my hands on my apron as I went. "Auden! What are you doing here?" I asked as I opened the door, revealing a boy with light brown hair and matching eyes.

"I've come to talk to your father, and hopefully you. He's not gone yet is he?" Auden was a friend I'd had for all my life - my only friend for that matter. His mother was the local baker and I'd met him running an errand for my father years ago. We had both been eight.

I stood back and allowed him to pass through, noticing how nervously he was clutching his hat.

"Are you alright, boy?" Father asked as he came to stand in front of him.

"Yes...yes sir. I've just come to speak to you in private about...about a matter," he said, not meeting Father's gaze all the while.

"Evie, will you leave us a moment?" Father asked kindly with a small smile on his lips that I couldn't quite interpret. I nodded quickly before grabbing my shawl and pushing through the door that led into the snow-coated alleyway, my boots crunching over the cobblestones. I leaned against the wall of the workshop and tried hard not to shiver as the wind raced through my hair and pressed up against the fibers of my shawl, making it feel useless against the winter air.

"Evie?" a soft voice said and I turned around quickly to see a girl around my age with black hair styled in braids and a hideous splatter of freckles across her nose.

"Victoria. What a pleasure to see you," I lied and forced a smile to my face. Victoria was the daughter of the richest man in town. She always dressed in fancy silks and styled her hair in ways that us commoners never would have dared even to try. But that's not what bothered me - what bothered me was the fact that Victoria was always mean to every single person she came across. Not once had she ever spoken a genuine word to me that made me feel good about myself. I couldn't bear the thought of her and usually did my best to avoid her.

"What are you doing here?" I studied my cold hands, not wanting to look at her any longer.

"Oh just looking at shops and walking around. I'm meeting a decorator later and we're going to talk over details for the winter gala. My father actually has money to spend on things rather than bread and water."

"And you're saying my father doesn't?" I counter, suddenly angry.

"Well look around you. Your shop is a miserable wreck and nobody here ever wants to buy whatever it is your father creates. And your dress, dear, is pathetic." I looked down at my grease-stained apron and cotton-spun dress, my cheeks suddenly aflame.

"Don't you have somewhere better to be?" I spat. "I'd imagine your fancy decorator is waiting for you by now. Go do whatever it is you rich people do while us commoners work our arses off to satisfy your needs. Good riddance." I smiled blandly, pulled open the door leading inside, and shut it with a snap behind me.

"Evie! I was just about to get you!" Father said happily with a much too big smile on his face. I smiled and glanced over at Auden who looked less pale than before and was clutching his hat with reduced anxiousness. "I just realized that I forgot to get matches for the oil lamp so I'm going to have to run out. I won't be too long."

Father gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, smiled at Auden, and hurried out the door without another word. I gave Auden a small smile and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Do you mind taking a walk?" Auden asked and I realized he was back to clutching his hat much too tightly against his chest.

"Sure, is everything alright?" I asked. He nodded quickly.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on." He handed me both my hat and gloves and held the door open for me on my way out.

We walked in silence for a while, our footsteps crunching in sync against the snow. Finally, I spoke, "So I take it you and Father had a nice conversation?"

"Yes, it went much better than I thought it would go. He's a good man, your father. I've always liked him." I laughed and nudged Auden playfully with my arm.

"What did you have to talk to him about? Everything's going well at the bakery?" Auden nodded.

"We talked about you, actually. I had a question I needed to ask him about you and, um, I really couldn't wait any longer." I frowned and glanced up at him, my interest suddenly heightened.

"My birthday isn't coming soon, is it?" I asked jokingly. Auden suddenly pulled at my arm, signaling for me to stop.

"Evie, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for quite some time now and I didn't know how you'd respond so I've been holding off." I was facing him now, my face pointed upward in order to speak to him directly.

"What is it then?"

"Well...well you see....we've known each other for quite some time now. Nine years is it?" I nodded. "And, um, this past year I've been wondering.... Do you ever think about marriage?" I looked down at my hands, suddenly unable to look him in the eyes.

"I guess I do," I muttered.

"Me too. I guess I've just been wondering if maybe...if maybe you wanted to marry me." He glanced down quickly at his feet after he said it, but not before I caught sight of the burning red spreading across his face. I took his hands carefully in mine and studied our fingers, not sure how to respond.

"I...I guess I'll have to think about it," I said at last. Auden smiled, somewhat relieved and kissed me gingerly on the cheek.

"Well now I have something to look forward to. I best be getting off; Mother will be needing my help at the bakery by now." I smiled and watched him leave, a knot hidden somewhere in my stomach and a bad feeling rising in my throat.