A story not to be shared

—————-Present Day——————

"So what happens, next mother?" Len wondered

"Oh, Len you've had already heard this story I don't know how many times." I remarked

"It's not just a story it's real An!" Len replied

"Len it is a story, and you must never tell anyone about this story. It would make the Royal family and Nobles very unhappy, and it would put all of us in grave danger!" Anouma declared

"Yes, mother..." Len

"I'm leaving to go find some work again today!"

I turn facing the exit of our small one-roomed house. Where my Mother, Sister, and I live, in the back left corner stood a small cooking pot with a dormant fire. The other side had three bedrolls folded up, and an oil lamp. I approached the door to leave.

"bye, be safe!" Anouma and Len

Our house was nowhere near a palace, but it keeps us warm and dry most the time nonetheless. It had stone walls and a dry grass roof. Our father had built it before Len was born.

Just later that year war broke out on the west side of the country, between followers of the late king and new king. I lost my father because of that war. At only age nine and I blame both kings for it! Len was born two months after we received word of my father's passing.

All that Len knows of our Father is the stories mother tells about him I wish I would have been older when he was alive so I could remember more of him.

After a 1/4 mile walk down the dirt path, I reached the village where we get our food and supplies from and where I work every day. It's hard to find decent work as a female. Mostly the work available is low pay or to work at a bar where you're not treated well.

Which is why outside of my home I'm not a girl. My name is Deroun it's my made-up name it's a blend of my mother's and father's name Anouma and Denor.

I walked through the old creaking door. There was my boss Houston he's and nice guy mid 40's trying to make a living. Catering is his specialty he makes various dishes. He's told me that when he was younger he traveled all around the world and has seen many people and places.

"Hello Deroun, I got your delivery in the back it goes to the smith's house." Houston

"That's all the way across town!" I whispered to my self

"Hurry they are hosting a party and the costumers paying a pretty penny if they're happy with the delivery time ill give you a bonus!" Houston replied

"Well, when you put it that way!"

"I'm working on another one right now. Don't wait for the next package." Houston Added

I walked through the crowded kitchen with stacked pots and sacks of fruits and vegetables on the floor. The order consisted of three larger parcels and two much smaller ones. Carefully carrying the stacked boxes wrapped in fancy red fabric with yellow trim.

"bye!" I said walking out the door

Houston waved from the back as I walked out the door.

Loading the order in the store's wooden hand-pulled wagon. Flipping up the wood board and securing the lock, and grabbing hold of the handles to start pulling forward.

"Okay, I have to walk 7 blocks and take a right and go down 4 more blocks."

I walk three blocks to see Guards beating an elderly man. He was laying in the dirt sidewalk about a foot from the cobblestone road.

"If you think you can refuse to sell to us. We can refuse to NOT beat the living pulp out a Ya!" one of the three guards said to the old man

"Ya, it's practically our job to beat you!" another one added

"This is your last warning old man if you refuse to sell to us or any of the guards you're done!" the last one said

"Come on there's no reason to waste any more of our youth on this disrespectful geezer."

"YA!"

As they turned and began to walk away, I pulled the wagon over to the right and approached the elderly man lying on the ground. His clothes were full of boot marks from where he had been kicked and rolled. Prior to my hand letting go of the wagon, he reached out to try and grab a walking stick over three feet away from him.

I quickly dropped the wagon to run over a pick up the stick.

Him taking the walking stick, propping the pole readying to push Himself upward. After returning it to him I let out my hand to help him up.

"Oh, no dear" said the man

Waving to me to remove my hand from in front of him.

"I'm quite used to this, you see those guards just will never leave me alone to finish my day's peacefully." he added

Watching him stand with the help of the walking stick.

"I knew to stay as far away from the guards as possible, but I never knew it was this bad. Hey wait you called me Dear. I'm not a girl."

"Your outfit might foul some but it's wouldnt foul me."

".....Please don't tell!" I whispered

"We all have our secrets, anyway. Its always been this way young lady, for the real royal family's followers." stated the old man

"The real Royal Family?" I asked