Chapter 44
I walked along the sidewalk minding my own business and giving flowers to the women of my kingdom.
It had been three days since my encounter with the prince, and I hated to admit this, but I was a little upset that I hadn't seen him since then.
"Someone likes the prince," my dragon teased when he caught my thoughts. "That's so sweet."
I held back an eye roll and made sure that my cheeks didn't turn red. "Shut up," I said and curtsied to the lady I had given flowers to before I made my way to the next house. "What do you want?"
"Your company," Shilan replied, "and food. Can you tell Jonah to get me more food? I am hungry."
"You are always hungry," I replied, and my dragon mentally shrugged.
"I am always growing," he replied. "I am taller than I was yesterday."
"By how much?" I asked, and my dragon mentally shrugged again.
I gave the last flower that I had to the last female before I started to walk towards the bread market because I had an order to pick up for someone else, knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to get it due to medical reasons.
Shilan grumbled under his breath, and I bit back a small smirk because I knew that it meant that he wasn't any taller than he was yesterday. "It doesn't matter," he grumbled, and I had a feeling that he yawned. "But please, can you get me some food?"
I didn't respond and looked around the area before I walked forward. I could sense that something, or someone, was watching me, but I had no idea where nor why, and I didn't like it one bit.
"Are you ok?" Shilan asked and moved closer in my mind so that he could see what was around me. "What happened?"
"I don't know," I said and set my jaw. I grabbed my basket tighter while I looked around again, trying to figure out what unnerved me.
Shilan flicked his tail, and I had a feeling that he did not like not being with me while this happened. "I don't see anything," he said. "Look around again."
I held back an eye roll but did what I was told to do and looked around again. "Well?" I asked because the feeling hadn't lifted.
I picked up my pace while I went to the bakery, trying to get the feeling to leave, but it didn't work, and I couldn't help but wonder if it meant something bad was going to happen and how I should prepare for it.
"I am not sure," Shilan said, hesitantly. "I do not sense anything out of the ordinary." He paused, and I had a feeling that he flicked his tail. "It's not coming from the alleyways; is it?"
I didn't respond and mentally shrugged. I didn't think it was, but I could be wrong and knew that I should check there after I was done with this.
Maybe the feeling would go away before I was finished...
"Keep doing what you were doing then," he said, and I had to hold back an eye roll and a scowl. "Maybe they will come out later."
"Gee, why didn't I think of that," I said sarcastically while I pressed my lips into a thin line. "Thank you so much for your help. I do appreciate it, Shilan."
Shilan scoffed and rolled his eyes while he scowled. "Very funny," he said, and I couldn't help but smirk, feeling pleased. "There was no need for that, Marini."
"There was," I replied. "There is always a need for sarcasm."
Shilan grumbled but didn't say a word.
I walked into the bakery, the little bell on the door signalling my entrance and looked around, my stomach growling while my mouth watered.
"Hello, Marini," the baker, Toran, said from where he was kneading some dough for an order. He bowed his head and smiled before he turned his attention back to what he was making. "How can I help you?"
"I am here to pick up Tyra's order," I said while I bowed my head. "Is it ready?"
Toran nodded. "It is," he confirmed. "Do you mind waiting for a while so that I can finish this order and put it into the oven?"
I shook my head, no. "Tyra isn't needing it soon, so I don't mind waiting," I said, and the baker nodded, relieved.
"So, how is everything in your household?
" Toran asked, changing the subject. He nodded to the seats that were at the front of the counter, and I looked at them before I looked at him.
"Go ahead and take a seat at one of them.
I'm sure that you have been on your feet for a while today, yes?
" He raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded.
"They are good," I said and walked over to the seats. I sat down with a soft sigh before I placed my basket beside me. "Work has been busy for Mama, but she likes it. I've been helping out when I can, but as you can see..." I shrugged and gestured to my basket, indicating that I had work as well.
Toran chuckled and nodded while he shaped the dough into a loaf. "You've been busy yourself, haven't you?"
"I have," I confirmed and nodded. "However, I am able to change my schedule around if need be to help her out."
"That's good." He nodded and cleared his throat. "Do you think she can fix one of my shirts?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "I can't pay much, but I can give you a few loaves of bread to make up for it."
"If not her, then I can," I replied. "You don't have to pay for it in bread, however. I know how difficult it has been for you too."
"I shall be paying in bread," Toran said. He gave me a look when I opened my mouth to protest, and I closed it without saying a word. "Business has been ok, but the prices of stuff..." He trailed off and shook his head with a grimace. "It's been getting rough."
I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded. "I know," I said coldly. I moved a hand through my hair and sighed before I shook my head while I looked at him.
Toran cleared his throat and pressed his lips into a thin line before he looked at me. "How is it at your place?" Toran asked, changing the subject while he raised an eyebrow. "Has your mother's business been hit hard?"
I shook my head no. "She is still getting people that need their clothes sewn or new dresses embroidered or whatever. Prices are getting more expensive, and I know that she is having problems with that."
"Hmph." Toran nodded. "But we take care of our own." He winked while he put the loaf into the oven, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "How's Jonah and them?" he asked while he went to wash his hands before he went to get the order that I needed. "He seems to be quite busy."
"The pub is always busy," I replied and gave him a pointed look. "It should be with the food that they serve."
Toran cleared his throat to hide a chuckle and slowly nodded. "Is Maron still cooking over there?" he asked. He raised an eyebrow while he looked at me.
"Of course," I replied and nodded. "I don't think she will leave any time soon."
"I hope not," Toran said. "It means that more people will come for my bread and not hers. I don't have the capacity to cook that much bread." He winked, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.
"The bread that she does sell is for the pub only," I reminded him. "I am sure that you get more customers than she does."
Toran shrugged and wrinkled his nose while he pursed his lips. "About fifty fifty," he said. "However, most do order here while they sit at the bar to eat whatever else she cooks." He walked over to the order that I needed to get, and I stood and walked to the counter with my basket in hands.
"She does cook well," I said, my mouth watering at the thought of eating her delicious food, grateful that they decided that I would be able to eat every day, even though it does hurt them.
"The question is, whose bread do you like better?" he asked and walked over to me with the person's order.
I reached into the basket and pulled out the change that I was given to pay for the bread. "It doesn't matter," I said and placed the change on the counter and moved it over to him. "I will eat any bread that is given to me."
"Hmph." He smirked and dipped his head closer to his chest. "Would you like to eat some now?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.
I pressed my lips into a thin line before I shook my head, even though I wanted to have some. "Can't," I said. "I'm going to need fire, and I still have a strict deadline that I have to follow, so I will have to wait to eat."
"Hmph." He nodded and cleared his throat.
"Then have some for later," he said and raised his hand to keep me from speaking.
"I am serious, Marini," he said. "You might not be able to eat it now, but I know that you could find some place to eat it.
" He gave me a pointed look, and I held back an eye roll but scowled.
"I can," I said. "However, I do not have an-"
"It doesn't matter if you can pay or not," Toran said, interrupting me. He cleared his throat and grew serious while he walked over to me with the order that I needed to get and then an extra loaf of bread for my mother. "I didn't even want your money."
I held back an eye roll and set my jaw. "You are already giving us a loaf as payment for my mother fixing your shirt. I don't think I need an extra loaf of bread just because. Like you said, you are struggling right now with prices and getting items, and I don't want to ruin your livelihood."
Toran bit back a snort and shook his head while he set the bread on the table and took the money from me. "You can repay me back later," he said. "I am sure that you can come up with something." He winked, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.
"Very funny," I said dryly, and he laughed before he counted the money that I had left him. "Is it enough?" I asked when he furrowed his brows and counted it again.
"I think they gave me extra," he said and looked at me. "Did they say anything about giving you any money for doing this for them?" he asked.
I shook my head, no. "They didn't," I replied. "Maybe it is a tip for you?" I raised an eyebrow in question, and he shrugged and grimaced.
"It would mean a bigger tip than normal," he replied and recounted it again. "I do believe that they might have given you some money, bu-"
"I won't accept it," I said, interrupting him. "I am not going to accept it."
"Hmph." Toran counted the money one last time before he placed the rest of it on the table and shoved it to me. "Then give it back to them," he said. "I have what I am owed, and I am happy."
"They won't accept it back," I reminded him, and he shrugged and walked over to get the extra roll of bread. I looked at the money before I looked at him.
"Then give it to someone else in need," Toran said. "Just let them know that is what you did so that they will... understand why you don't have it on you."
"Or you keep it," I said and shoved the money across the counter, "for the bread that you will be giving to me." I placed the bread into the basket, making sure to keep it wrapped and safe.
"But it's been decided that it's a gift," Toran said, "and an apology for making you wait." He handed me the other wrapped bread and pushed the coins back to me. "So enjoy."
I took a deep breath but relented. "Fine," I said coldly, ignoring my dragon's snicker. "I hope you know that I don't like it." I grabbed the bread and the remainder of the change and placed it into my basket while Toran chuckled.
"I know, Pr- Marini," he said, catching himself from saying something that he wasn't supposed to. "I know."
What did he know?