Six Fates

Chapter Seven

The muddy paths were paraded with people, lightly tapping their feet against the sand. Racks of freshly baked cakes, encrusted in a golden glaze of sugar, sent its aroma across the streets. The jingles of bracelets, keys and necklaces echoed loudly from Miss Charlotte's shop. Finally, the radiant rays of the sun brightened the tips of far, grassy hills, picturing a serene day.

"Isn't this too much, dear?"
Mr Landon asked. Buckets of hot, sweat dripped down his forehead. Everytime he lifted his hands to wipe it off, it would form again and again like a waterfall. His body shivered and cowered in fear. No one had ever seen him be this scared.

Teeth as sharp as Landon's very own swords, hands as big as boulders, muscles that were stronger than two lions combined and the face of a wild beast could make the strongest female and male warriors take a step back. Unfortunately, Mr Landon was an ordinary trader and he couldn't even stand in close proximity to the werejagguar. He stood a few feat away from the girls and stretched out a long metal stick to the front table.

"Why do you want a sword?," he asked squeakily. Like a dying old man, his throat became as dry as the desert. The sound of his voice couldn't even reach Aife's ears, that she had to ask him to repeat his question. Thirty minutes had passed and Asher gave up on being patient.

"We're wasting our time," he said and gently pushed in front of Aife.

The heavy steps he took moved the rocks and pebbles underneath his feet. Black mushrooms were forced to give off their stinky odour, because of the vibrations on the ground.

"Listen here, we need a few weapons, because we're travelling out for a while. So, I would appreciate it , if you could give them what they want,"Asher complained.

His words were demanding, but Mr Landon wasn't quite sure if he could trust them. They were creatures from Sylvia and Sylvian creatures were known to be manipulative. What if they were taking the girls to some unknown place? Aife was one of his favourite visitors and he had known her since she was as tall as a tree stump. They weren't very sociable and the odds of meeting two Sylvian creatures were as close as to zero.

Reluctantly, he picked himself from the ground and walked to the counter.

"Aife, how do you know these people?"He questioned firstly.

At first, Aife couldn't think of a perfect response. Everything that happened a night ago, wasn't exactly a normal situation. She couldn't say that they were her distant relatives or friends. Mr Landon knew, that her sisters were her only family and friends.

Unlike Aife, Mirai was quick-witted and she had a bright idea. So, before her sister even uttered a word, Mirai quickly rushed to convince Mr Landon.

"Mr Landon, they're my friends," she said motioning to Asher and Azrail.

"Mr Herbert, used to come and work for Ms Linda, the lady that lived a few houses from here. I would see him everyday, when I came to fetch water from the city fountain. I came across him and his adoptive brother at the festival yesterday, the tall Werejagguar standing there. I admired their brotherhood so much, that I asked them to resolve poor Rainey and Aife's feud. They suggested, that an adventure to their land would be the perfect place for a lesson, because of their strong family culture"

"A troll and a Werejagguar? Brothers? "Mr Landon asked unbelievingly.

"Nothing is impossible," Mirai replied, her teeth glowing to a bright, white colour.

"Who's Herbert, again? "Azrail whispered into Mirai's ears as he struggled to force a smile.

"It's you, Azrail, " Mirai whispered back. Her breath was warm and soft like blanket. He wouldn't mind hearing it forever.