by Damian Foyle
"Now," he continued, handing me a piece of paper. "Read those sentences and build small stories around them. I want them for tomorrow and I want that story of yours ready by the end of the week. Maybe, some study will work some of that frustration out of you."
He stepped out and left me thinking about Al-Talik, Brae, and Matilda.
I wondered how Al-Talik would react to this situation. Would he try and find what happened to her? Would he just go west to finish his part of the story? There was no answer to those questions.
I lay on my bed, my thoughts always drifting to Matilda. Finally, I studied for an hour under the dim light of the candles and went to sleep.
Chapter 07
My sleep was riddled with dreams. Al-Talik was killing Brae in cold blood in one dream, and chasing me in another. Matilda and Master were laughing at me in one final dream. Matilda, Al-Talik, Brae and I all became parts of the fuzzy world of dreams where Matilda was the only constant.
I woke up restless and tired. I skipped my chores and went directly to the corner, hoping to steal a glance at Matilda. She didn't show up. After the third bell of the night, I finally gave up and started walking to the inn for a cheap drink.
"Kid!" someone yelled behind me. It was the pimp. "I got other merchandises, you know." he said.
"Where is Matilda?"
"You see that blonde there." He ignored my question. "She's a lot more experienced."
"Where is she?" I demanded, taking a step towards the short man. It didn't seem to bother him much, but his hand was suddenly on his rapier.
"The west gate," he said. "She wanted to work there. I'd take it as a clue if I were you."
West! I thought. Brae was taken to the west after all. I could hear Al-Talik's low voice as he talked to the informer. He was pressing a sharp knife at the man's throat. Poor man couldn't even swallow properly.
"West, it is then." Al-Talik said grabbing whatever small belongings he had from the safe house. A shaving knife, a few shirts, a letter from his father, and a many times used pan were the only things in the bag. Maybe there was more, but I didn't know about them then.
Al-Talik set on a difficult journey, and I strolled to the west gate. I had to go through the night bazaar to reach the gate. The place was crowded with food stalls, selling everything from fried desert rats to exotic fishes from the south and filling the small space inside the bazaar with foreign scents. Sellers got in my way, showing their goods and claiming best prices in the entire kingdom. Pickpockets circled me like vultures.
It took me two hours to pass through. I reached the west gate with my stomach churning, carrying two brand new capes, and more than a few silvers short. I found the fountain facing the west gate and sat watching the people around me. Matilda was talking to a client, a plump short man with curly hair. An ape of a bodyguard was shadowing them.
She was laughing at his jokes, touching him slightly on his arms. I didn't know why but it bothered me. I didn't have the right to feel angry about it or to have any feelings at all. I just sat there and watched -each laugh pushing the blade even deeper, until it was just too much to handle.
All I could think was how Al-Talik would react in this situation. He was already on his way to free Brae. It was the least I could do to go there and tell her how I feel.
"I-" I stammered. "I don't know if it's love or not but I just can't stop thinking about you."
"You must be mistaking me for someone else, sir," she said and followed with a lusty laugh meant for the fat man.
"Alright, kid. You heard the lady. It’s time to leave, so we can talk business."
I ignored him. It soon turned out to be a mistake. I didn't even notice the bodyguard moving behind me without making any noise.
"Look Matilda-" I started talking, but something hit me right at the temple and lights were out just like that.
"I told you to leave it be, Mortimer. Why couldn't you?" Someone said and I lost consciousness.
I heard Al-Talik laughing at me from deep inside my imagination while slaying his enemies one after another. He reached the cell she was being held in. A strong swipe of his sword broke the lock on the door and she was in his arms in a moment. They kissed, and Al-Talik taunted me, torturing me as if wanting revenge for the things I put him through. He laughed and laughed. What a bastard he was turning out to be.
I expected to wake up lying in a pile of trash at some poor part of the city, bleeding to death maybe but similar walls and dampness of my room welcomed me. A cold hand touched my forehead.
"How are you feeling?" she said.
"Groggy, in pain and mostly stupid."
"You should." She laughed. "That was a stupid thing to do Mortimer."
"What are you- how did we get here?" I asked.
"Is he awake?" Someone interrupted. I tried to stand up to see who it was.
"Lie down, Mort," Master said. "I swear you're worse than a kid sometimes. Matilda, can you leave us alone for a while? You can get back to the kitchen. What will we have for dinner tonight? No, don't tell me. Make it a surprise. Come on girl, get on with it."
"Kitchen?" I asked when we were alone.
"Yes, it turns out she's a really good cook."
"Kitchen?" I asked again, trying to gather my wit.
"Snap out of it boy. Did that blow left you dumb? Stop repeating yourself. Yes, the kitchen. She wouldn't leave your side, causing fuss all over the place so I put her to work. She agreed to stay and work in the kitchen until you were awake. It's up to you to convince her to stay and you better be successful. After that chicken soup she made last night, I can hardly go back to the disaster you kids make each day."
"Sir, how long was I out?"
"Matilda and a fellow dressed like a peacock in mating season brought you here three days ago," he said before leaving the room. "You've got a lot of things to catch up to. I would start studying if I were you."
I sat up in the bed when I was alone. I wished Al-Talik was here so I could laugh at his face. Yet, I didn't feel the urge to think about his story anymore. His story was about to end. The unrest in the west would have to wait for a while. I left Al-Talik and Brae in their small world.
I had started looking for a heroic story desperately, but I found something entirely different. It turned out to be a love story at the end. Master didn't usually approve stories where characters lived happily ever after, but just for this occasion I really didn't care.
I lit a candle. I took out some paper, dipped the feather pen into ink and started writing.
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