Chapter 3

Rieka stared at the gray smoke escaping from the chimneys of the little house before her, a sarcastic smile on her face. In her last life, it was this exact house that had held her down—she was locked up here until she had managed to save him. But in this life, she didn't expect that she would be asked to leave before anything even happened. The small cloth bag which she was clutching tightly contained all her valuable belongings. Though they were nothing of much value, but they were very important to her. Bading one heartless goodbye at the village that she had grown up in, Rieka stepped into the large, rickety carriage that was departing that day. ..... 'Are you traveling alone?" Someone asked in a low and concerned voice. Rieka turned to face the old woman that was sitting beside her, a vigilant look in her eyes. Her past life had taught her a lot of things, the most important being: never to trust anyone. No matter their age or in what facade they had come in. 'I don't mean to scare you. I'm just worried that a human child like you should not be allowed to travel alone especially in a time like this that the dark Faes are roaming around," the aged woman explained, as if she could sense Rieka's vigilance towards her. Rieka relaxed a little bit and flashed her a small smile 'I don't have parents," she gritted out. The old lady's eyes widened and a look of pity filled her eyes, 'Oh my dear, such a poor thing" she cried out 'How did they die?" She asked. Rieka shifted uncomfortably in her seat, rubbing the edges of her worn out bag. 'Oh…it must be such an uncomfortable topic for you to talk about. Such an unfortunate child." This time, tears were almost rolling out of the lady's eyes. Rieka nodded her head, and looked down. Her hair which she hadn't cut for a long time covered her face, so the lady didn't see the cringe expression on her face. Rieka didn't trust anyone anymore. What he old lady was saying was like a drama in front of her. She even began wondering who had sent the old lady. 'Was it Ariana who sent you?" Rieka blurted out. 'I'm sorry.... you say who?" A look of confusion crossed the old lady's wrinkled features. 'Sorry for the mistake. I thought you were sent by someone my parents must have known to pick me up," she lied flawlessly. Throughout her unsuccessful years in the palace, one Skill Rieka had picked up effortlessly was Lying. 'Ah, I see." The old lady nodded, seemingly convinced. She brought out a jar of peanuts from her bag and began chewing on them. 'Do you want some?" Rieka was just about to say no when her stomach rumbled loudly. She held onto her shriveling stomach, her face red in embarrassment. The old lady chuckled and poured some out into a paper bag then she thrusted it Into Rieka's arms. Tentatively, Rieka took the peanut and put one in her mouth, rewarded with the sweet and crunchy taste, she smiled happily. She hadn't had such a tasty snack before in her home. Even during her days in the palace, she had been restricted to salads and fine dishes, trying to keep In shape and all that for a man who she hadn't even seen for a day. While eating the peanut, her mind went through a lot of things. She felt bad for suspecting the old woman who just wanted to be good to her. The whole ride to the next village was spent in silence, except for the quiet voice of Rieka narrating her childhood experiences to the kind old woman. ..... 'Get down all of you! We have arrived at the village stop!" The loud voice of the carriage driver came from the front. Then followed with the halting of the carriage and the sound of the front door opening. Rieka gripped her bag tightly, with an anxious feeling settling in her stomach. The door of the carriage was slided open by the driver with a loud sound, and the passengers got ready to get down. Outside, the village stop was filled with a large crowd of people milling about. Rieka could even see some children hawking goods under the blistering hot sun. 'Who is coming to pick you up?" Rieka asked the old woman worriedly, her thin hands placed on the woman's shriveled and wrinkled hands. 'My son," the woman chirped. "But he runs the local bakery. Now is the peak of business so I'm not really sure if he would be here." Rieka was about to offer to take her to her home but then she clenched her fist. ‘Respect yourself Rieka, Don't completely trust anyone', she reminded herself. Once she got down from the carriage, theme smell of sweaty bodies, and fragrances of different foods filled her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose, an unpleasant frown on her face. The different fragrances when perceived separately were different but when mixed with the scent of sweaty bodies and body odors, it smelled putrid. 'I think we should go on our separate ways child. But you can always pay me a visit if you want! Tge bakery is the only one in the village" Rieka listened to the old woman chirp on and on. It could be seen that the closer she was closer to her home, the more happy and elated she seemed. Just as they were about to reach the location where those who had come to pick the customers would stand, they were pushed forcefully. Rieka held onto the old woman tightly, trying to prevent her from falling. She was too focused to the extent that she didn't know that the old woman's bag had been stolen. 'Thief!" A voice in the crowd yelled. Rieka looked down and found out that her bag was missing. 'Oh no!"