by Dakota Lake
“Nilah this is Ruby, my friend.” he said, but all I heard out of those words was 'friend'. I smiled but it didn't feel friendly, all I wanted to do was remove her arms from Senka.
“Well it's nice to meet you Ruby.” she said before turning her attention back to Senka. “You must dance with me Senka,” she said spinning him around and pulling him back the way we had just walked.
“I can't,” he said untangling her from his arms. “I promise later though, okay?”
“I will hold you to that promise Senka Jenson.”
“I'm sure you will.”
She turned and skipped away. Senka reached out to take my hand but I quickly stuck it inside my pocket.
“It's a bit cold out tonight.” I said.
It was true after the sun had gone down it always felt cooler.
“Come on we're nearly there.”
I followed closely behind him and every few steps he looked back to make sure I was still behind him. We passed a wooden building with a sign outside with a drawing of a loaf of bread carved into the sign. The bakery I guessed.
There was a lot of laugher and noise coming from up ahead. A tall wooden building with a sign hung above the door, which read 'The Ugly Cow'.
Two men stepped out of the door holding mugs. One groggily took a sip and stepped aside for Senka and I. We walked inside to what I could only describe as a really old tavern. The wooden tables were filled with mainly men singing and laughing, everyone looked to be having a good time. Senka nodded his head towards the other side and I followed him over to the bar. I hopped up onto a stool next to him.
“Where are we?” I asked looking around at the people and the way they were dressed all wearing old fashioned clothes and handmade boots.
“Brackelburn.” he replied waving the barmen over.
“That sounds like something you just made up.”
He ordered two beers while I scanned the room. My eyes landed on Rex at the back playing cards with a group of older boys, he looked rather ridiculous in his onesie.
“Hey darling,” said a young women's voice.
I spun around and recognised the girl immediately even though she was now dressed in a long sleeved dark red dress, the complete opposite from the skimpy piece of fabric she had on the last time I saw her.
“Hazel,” Senka greeted her.
Hazel was carrying a tray full of empty cups and large mugs.
Her eyes landed on me. “Hi, it's Ruby right?” she asked smiling at me.
“Yes.” I replied smiling back at her.
“Well it's nice to meet you Ruby.”
“Hazel,” another girl called.
“Coming,” Hazel said. “My other job is so much easier.” she said winking at Senka. The barmen placed two beers in front of us.
“Three and bit daneric.” the barmen said.
I looked at Senka hoping he knew what the man was talking about. Senka pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and flipped it open. He pulled out a handful of coins and picked out three small silver coins and two small copper ones and handed them over. I raised an eyebrow at him and leaned over looking at the strange money.
“What's that?”
“Nothing,” he said, quickly shutting his wallet but not before I saw a couple of U.S dollar bills sticking out at the back.
“Huh, they don't use American dollars here then?” I asked.
He tipped his drink back ignoring me, I knew he'd heard me though.
“So how does she know my name?” I asked.
He shrugged. “One of the guys must have mentioned you. Don't worry she won't say anything about you being here.”
“So what's this other work Hazel was talking about?” I asked.
I knew exactly what her other work involved, what I really wanted to know was did she ever visit Senka.
“Huh,” he said looking at me.
“She said her other job was much easier, what does she do?”
“Err...she...um.....”
He looked at me completely stumped unsure how to answer my question.
“Senka I know exactly what she does, I bumped into her the other morning. She made it pretty obvious what she was doing.”
He scratched at the back of his neck.
“So do you know her well?” I asked.
I knew if I didn't ask it was going to bug me all night.
“What...No, I don't do that...I mean I do, do that just not with....err that came out all wrong. No I don't know Hazel like that.” he said stuttering his words.
“What about Nilah do you know her well?” I asked.
The thought of Senka with another girl made me uncomfortable, even thinking about Nilah throwing her arms around him was making me dig my fingernails into my palm. Senka smiled and chuckled to himself.
“What?” I asked.
“You. You're really cute when you're jealous.”
He leaned over and tapped me on the shoulder and pointed towards the upstairs balcony. Jack was leaning against the wooden railing, Nilah had her arms around his neck kissing him all over his face. Jack was laughing as he tried to drink from his mug but Nilah kept pushing his hand away. I looked back at Senka, he was smirking.
“Are they together or is she like....” I trailed off.
He shook his head. “Together. He's thinking about asking her to marry him.” He said pushing the large beer mug towards me. “Try it.”
I picked up the mug and took a sip. “Tastes different to the bottled stuff.” I said as I took another mouthful.
“Good stuff, will put hair on your chest.” Senka said.
I nearly spat the drink out and sort of snorted a laugh into my mug which caused beer to spray out at the sides. “Your joking right?” I asked.
Senka nodded and started laughing. We stayed inside the tavern laughing and joking, the environment felt so relaxed and the majority of people were friendly. There were a few that were blatantly staring at us and whispering to the person next to them, I'd probably be staring at us too. I felt as though we stuck out like a sore thumb in this place.
Outside the music continued and people were dancing and enjoying themselves. I helped myself to the buffet, only to the food I recognised though. Senka didn't touch anything I was starting to think he didn't eat, I was starting to think a lot of things weren't exactly normal about Senka. I thought about just coming out and confronting him about the whole fallen angel thing, but he'd probably deny it. He'd probably deny a lot of things. Cam had everyone under his control. Including me. Mack was right I did need to get away from him, I felt as if I was being lied to continuously. I was enjoying chewing on a piece of meat until I looked over at one of the fires and saw a man roasting a pig on a spit. The meat in my mouth suddenly became hard to chew and I didn't feel like I wanted meat anymore. At this rate I was one step away from becoming a vegetarian. “I need a drink.” I said to Senka, who was petting a loose dog.
There was a girl walking towards us with a tray of cups. Senka jumped up and lifted one of the cups from the tray.
“Here you go.” he said handing it to me.
“What is it?” I asked looking into the dark cup.
“It's water.” the girl with the tray replied, giving me a disgusted look as she passed. I waited until she'd walked away before I spoke. “Well she was friendly.”
“You get used to it. Some of the villagers don't like us coming here. But the majority don't mind cause some of the guys back at the manor come here to trade with the villagers. You've probably noticed how old fashioned and set in their ways the villagers are.”
“Err yeah! It's hard to miss. I feel like I'm on a movie set or something. So what do your guys trade?”
“Just stuff we get and they don't. Different foods, materials and medicine.”
“What do you guys get in return?”
“Money, which normal goes back into the tavern. A lot of the guys like to come here because it reminds them of the old days....” he stopped mid sentence.
/> “Huh, the old days. Really?” I said. He looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. He knew I was on to him.
“Um we should look for Jack and Rex,” he said reaching for my hand and spinning me around to distract me.
“Oooo can I can I borrow her?” Hazel said reaching for my arms, she was flustered and out of breath from dancing.
“Make it quick, it's getting late.” Senka said looking at his cell.
Before I knew what was happening Hazel had pulled me towards the circle of dancing people closest to us.
“I can't...I don't know the dance.” I said loudly trying to make her hear me.
“It's easy just do the same as everyone else. You'll soon pick it up.”
I doubt it I thought as I watched the other couples as they twirled each other around and dipped under arms. My coordination was terrible and I found myself doing the complete opposite to what everyone else was doing. I looked around for Senka but he was gone from the last spot I'd seen him standing at. Hazel held onto my hand and pulled me around from side to side and under archways of arms, after a few turns the dance seemed to repeat itself and I sort of remembered what I was supposed to be doing. The music came to an end, ladies curtsied, men bowed and the children clapped. The music soon started up again with a new song and rhythm. Everyone started lining up in two lines.
“I think I'm gonna sit this one out.” I said trying to back away.
“No way, I'm not letting you escape just yet. This one is easy. Stand in front of me and watch what everyone in the line does.”
“Err....” I was still searching the crowd for Senka as Hazel pulled me into the line and positioned me between two other girls. A teenage girl danced down the middle of the line and stopped in front of me and took one of the flower crown headbands she had hanging from her arm and placed it on my head. Hazel smiled and took one of the flower crowns from the girl and positioned it on her head as she walked over and stood opposite me. Everyone stepped forward and lifted one hand touching palms with their partners and walked around in a circle. It wasn't as fast as the last dance so I was able to keep up and soon picked it up. I still felt completely out of place in my hoodie and jeans though compared to all the other girls dancing around in their dresses.
The dance finished and I tried my best to curtsey in jeans. But I think I looked more like I was doing some sort of awful squat. Hazel linked her arm with mine and walked me over to a table with refreshments and handed me a mug. This one smelled different, I sipped it hesitantly. But I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it tasted, it's was fruity and I could definitely taste the apples. “So do you work for the overlord?” Hazel asked shaking her beautiful curls away from her face. “Overlord?” I asked wondering if I'd misheard her.
“Cameron, you work for him?”
“Oh no, no I um....just live there. I don't really know what I'm doing there. Apparently I grew up there.”
“Huh I've never seen you there before.”
“Hmm, maybe he had me locked away in a room growing up?” I joked.
I doubted it though. I didn't think I'd grown up living in the manor, which is why she'd probably never seen me before.
“So do you like your job?” I asked. She smiled at me and tilted her head to the side. “I mean working in the tavern, not the other erm...sorry I should have been more specific.” “It's okay, the money helps my family and helps buy food, but I prefer my other job. Better tips and the customers are friendlier, less work for more money.” She winked at me.
“So have you been doing it for long?” I asked.
“Nearly two years.”
“You dress differently when you're there.” I said looking down at the long dress she was wearing now.
“Well not all of us enjoy living in this dreary old town, but it's my home so I'm used to it. But when I'm at the manor I get to cut loose a little and Benny likes to treat me to the clothes.” “Is that who's room I saw you coming out of the other day?”
“No that was Zach.”
I nodded. Wondering how many different rooms on the third floor she had been inside. I was taking everything in around us from the older boys chucking things into a tall fire, to a group of older men singing a song about a sailing boat and downing their drinks, to the small girl skipping around with a goat on a lead.
“Are you okay? You look worried about something.” she asked handing me a home made biscuit. I shrugged. “This is all new to me, I don't think I've ever been outside the manor gates or castle, whichever you want to call it.”
“Well we're not that scary here in Brackelburn, well maybe a few of the older hairy bearded men are a little scary.” she laughed.
“I've never seen Senka with a girl before. He's very quiet and keeps to himself when he's here. You two look really close.”
“We're just friends.”
“That's what I say about all the men I spend time with.” she said in a hushed voice so no one would over hear her.
“It's not like, we're not....”
“Are you still a virgin?”
“Err....,” I thought about it, but to be honest I didn't know. I couldn't remember. But I didn't think I was the kind of girl to throw myself at boys so I probably was still a virgin. Not that I'd thought about it up until now.
“I guess so.” I replied. She smiled at me and licked her lips.
“Well I'm sure Senka will take care of you.” She winked.
I shifted uncomfortably on my feet, I hardly knew her and she was openly talking about sex with me.
“Hmm, well he must care a great deal for you. The way he looks at you is protective and very intimate.”
“Does everyone round here know about your second job?” I asked.
“No, I would be turned out into the street, have vegetables thrown at me, stripped of my clothes and thrown out of the gates and that's if I'm lucky. I've seen worse for lesser things.”
“Then why are you telling me? You don't even know me.”
“But I trust my men and I don't think they would bring someone they didn't trust here, especially Rex he's very particular and has a good eye for liars and cheats.”
“Rex, as in Rex in the cat suit?”
She smiled. “I have a good feeling about you. Call it intuition, I don't think you'll tell anyone my secrets because I think you have a lot of your own.”
I popped the rest of my cinnamon biscuit into my mouth, thinking about what she'd said. Hazel was not the person I thought she was, she was kind and honest something I longed for back at the manor. A bit of honesty.
“What do you tell your people when you leave and go to the manor?”
“I tell them what they need to hear. I clean, I dust, I arrange flowers. The few that work in the castle and still live here don't talk, they're not allowed. Workers sign a contract when they start working for his overlord, so they're not allowed to talk about what goes on. Obviously they can talk about general stuff but not about the comings and goings of guests and other questionable behaviour.” “Why do you call Cam the overlord?”
“It's what everyone here calls him. I've never met him though. Well I don't think I have, I have run into a man wearing a funny purple jacket before.”
“Grayson, Cam's personal assistant and my tutor.”
“Didn't think he looked like an overlord.” she laughed.
“I think it's time for you to go.” she smiled looking over at Senka. He was laughing and chatting with Rex and Jack stood near by twirling Nilah around in a circle.
I quickly finished my drink. “It was nice meeting you.”
“You too Ruby, I hope to see you again. Safe travels home.”
I cut across ducking under the arms of dancing girls and joined Senka.
“You ready to go?” Senka asked. I nodded.
“Good we better hurry, don't want the SUV turning into a pumpkin halfway home.” Rex said grinning. Senka patted Rex on the back and pushed him in front of us shaking his head. “He's joking, come on.” Se
nka said taking my hand.
We were nearly at the gates when the boys slowed down and came to a stop. I looked around and noticed Jack and Nilah had stopped behind us and were kissing each other, I even saw a hint of tongue. I felt uncomfortable watching their intimate moment and quickly turned back to see Rex holding his attached black cat tail, tickling Senka in the ear with it.
“Seriously stop that or I'm gonna cut it off.”
Rex stepped towards me and tickled my nose. I giggled and playfully pushed his hand away. “I like her and she makes you smile,” he said looking over at Senka. “He's been silently brooding for the last century since queen bitch left.”
“What?” I said looking from Rex to Senka not understanding.
Senka squeezed his eyes shut pinching the bridge of his nose. Rex looked at me and tickled my nose again.
“Anywho...Jack you ready to go? Before I dig myself an even bigger hole.” Rex called. “Coming,” Jack said pulling Nilah's arms away from his neck. “I have to go.”
“Will it always be like this?” Nilah asked him quietly.
“No, of course not.”
“My father will never agree for us to marry.”
“Nilah stop, you're just going to upset yourself. I don't want to see you sad right before I leave.” “Take me with you.”
“Nilah, we've talked about this. If I took you back with me your father would shun you and never talk to you again. You'd never see your family again.”
“He's arranging for me to marry the boy from the bakery. He says I'm dishonouring the family by throwing myself at you.”
“Do you want to marry the boy from the bakery?”
“No he smells of cheese.” she replied.
Rex snorted a laugh.
“Maybe you can offer to buy me for one hundredth daneric, I doubt my father would turn down such an offer.”
“You are worth far more. Just give it some time your father will come around.”
“Will you come back soon?”
“Yes.” he replied holding the sides of her face and pulling her into a kiss.
“Jackie come on, that dog over there looks hungry.” Rex said looking at a stray dog walking passed. “Hiss!” Rex hissed at the dog.
“Okay pussy cat let's go.” Jack said joining us.
