RED NOTES AND KISSES

Chapter 136: FRIDA - 136

Frida’s pov:

They were gathering vegetables of all kinds, stealing from people’s farms because these farms or fields didn’t belong to this giant. She was sure about that much.

They were too lazy to even dig soil let alone actually plant crops. They used their height to terrorize people and bully them out of their food.

She looked across the vast field, even tried hiding between the tall elephant grass but he always found her.

Even if she sprinted for a mile, he could still see her from that devastating height and catch up with her. What a nightmare.

She sighed looking at the warm morning sun, it was these suns that kept the land barren and dry even with the rains.

The rains no matter how heavy they were, failed to produce crops in the land so they believe the land is cursed.

The crops we were stealing weren’t even healthy. They were scrawny and malnourished, lacking manure and eaten by locusts. How tragic.

"Let’s go to the market to trade the dirty ones for some Penny’s." he growled after getting frustrated with how little the spoils were.

Leaving almost nothing for the actual owner of the field who had nine children.

The cart we sat on was being pulled by a lone donkey, it was skinny and she could see its ribs from its dull brown skin.

It moved slowly frustrating the wager "Move your trunk you lazy beast!" he sneered.

Poor donkey had to pull the weight of this large being, I sighed pitying it as it moved slower.

The donkey hadn’t eaten and yet the owner kept yelling at it "The donkey is hungry."

"So, you think I should give him our little carrots we managed to gather to eat so we can make him happy?" he asked sarcastically.

She nodded and he glared hard at her "Perhaps it will appreciate my kindness more if I add some meat with it."

She gulped her hand gripping her skirts, she has to find a way out of the hands of this giant.

Desperation sat at the pit of her stomach as he led the way through the busy market streets "Stay close unless you want to end up for sale." he sneered and she held the hem of his large shirt.

The market was a dangerous place crawling with traders desperate for fortune.

They would trade her for even a single silver coin and they would cut off their own arm for a piece of gold.

That was how bad the economy was in this era.

The giant stopped at a shady store. People with awful looking faces and smells sat drinking.

As he dropped a small number of vegetables on the counter.

The scrawny man at the other side of the counter took out a magnifying glass and observed them.

He tossed two silver coins on the counter and said "That’s their worth."

"They should be worth more." Her giant father leaned close to him and she watched as every man in the store put their hand in their pockets and weapons gleamed in the soft lights of the store.

Her father’s gaze moved around the store "Not here." The scrawny man warned him and he took the two silver coins with a grunt.

They walked through the market streets and stopped at the milk shop. "Stay here and don’t move an inch or I’ll rip off your little legs."

She held her breath as he stepped into the milk shop. She stood there analysing the market looking for an escape route, was there a way to quickly disappear without being seen.

An old haggard looking woman was walking about, she paused to look at me "You look thin girl, should I help you?"

Everyone else seemed to avoid her so I thought she was mean but to her she seemed nice. "Yes please."

The old woman put her hand into her robe and brought out a pouch of powder and a bottle of something golden. She took it "By ten this evening before supper, serve this golden drink and sprinkle this powder in the drink no matter what you do...do not drink and you will have your freedom."

She quickly hid the golden bottle and powder under her dress in her belt just as her giant father stepped out holding a single bottle of milk and one egg "Let’s go."

She turned to see the old woman had completely disappeared with no trace as she followed her wager home.

Rain fell heavily outside like the world was about to end.

Well it was, they were about to have her for supper.

"Frida came down to prepare the things for dinner." She heard Paisley cackle and she gulped looking at the golden bottle.

"You are all I’ve got so please work." She prayed then tiptoed down the stairs.

Wager and Paisley sat quietly chatting in the other room waiting for her to chop the carrots and vegetables as usual as the king and queen they presumed they were.

She snuck into the kitchen quietly and poured the golden liquid in two cups, then she poured the powder in the two cups while holding her nose and stirred.

To her surprise the golden fluid turned transparent like water and wager shouted "Get us water little girl, we are thirsty."

She carried the two cups, her heart beating with every step she took.

They were discussing quietly and she walked in "Well don’t just stand there." Wager sneered impatiently.

Both of them took the cups and drank the contents to the last drop.

She took the cup and walked back into the kitchen, as she chopped the vegetables. She was sweating, waiting for a yell, a scream, something anything but all she heard was loud silence.

Had the woman lied to her?

She tip-toed to peep from the slightly open door.

She heard snores, they slumped over the table and she realized they were in a deep slumber

"MrWager, MrsPaisley...Father...mother"

She moved quickly gathering all the vegetables as much as she could into a small portable sack.

She ran upstairs and picked up some worn out clothes and sack shoes, throwing them in the sack.

As she was about to leave a glint caught her eye. It was a book, how she got it....she did not know but she grabbed it and another mysterious looking magic orb.

The sack was a bit heavy but she had everything she needed, as she walked by their room, yanked the only blanket and spotted loads of jewelry, silver and a piece of gold.

She took them all with glee and put it in her sack.

Outside the rain had stopped to drizzle, she took Wesley in her arms "I can’t leave you here." the doberman barked "Shhhh." she looked over her shoulder, they were still deep asleep.

She went to the tiny corner where the donkey was tied and loosened it from the cart "You’re coming with me too!" she said excitedly.

Mounting its back barely, she looked into the darkness with a single dim crescent moon, the howl of wolves loud enough to make her skin crawl.

Wesley pouted looking at her and petted his head even though the donkey was scared. "I know Weasley I’m scared too and Mr donkey what do we call you? How about Fletcher?" she suggested petting his hair.

She closed her eyes and said to herself "You have to be brave if you want to make it out of here alive."