FIVE: The Despised Clan pt 2

As the days wore on, Esther grew more jittery.

Mordecai had settled on a date for her departure with surprising haste, but she couldn't say she was greatly disappointed by that.

Every so often, she would stop to wonder if she was betraying Mordecai, who graciously took her in, and the community that welcomed her with open arms.

"It's just a short visit," she would reassure herself. "It's not like I'm going to abandon them completely."

Still, the thought always lingered in the back of her mind: what if, after her visit, she decided she did want to leave permanently?

What if she loved the countryside?

What if she had no desire to ever return home?

"I won't let that happen!" Esther punched the dough she was kneading in defiance.

"I'm not sure what that bread dough did wrong, but show a little mercy, Esther." Mordecai's amused voice made her jump in surprise.

"Greetings, Esteemed Uncle!" she whirled around too quickly, sending a spray of flour through the air.

Mordecai raised his eyebrows and erupted into another chuckle.

"You're so on edge these days," he shook his head, dusting some of the flour from Esther's hair. "It's nice to see you acting like a normal young girl for once."

"As if such sentiment could really excuse my clumsiness," Esther frowned, patting her dress clean. "I apologize for making such a mess."

"I meant what I said," Mordecai insisted, grabbing Esther's arm to stop her from bending down to sweep away the white dust. "Seeing you so happy brings me more joy than you could ever know."

Esther didn't have the heart to tell him that 'happy' wasn't exactly the right word to describe her feelings.

Conflicted.

Nervous.

Excited.

But happy? Not quite.

"Oh, right!" Mordecai pulled back, fumbling in the pouch at his side. "I brought this for you."

He produced a jingling purple pouch and laid it in Esther's hands.

"You've already given me the shopping money for this week," Esther hesitated, "and this is much too heavy for just one week."

"This isn't for buying necessities," Mordecai corrected her, forcibly closing her fingers around the pouch. "It's for you to buy some new clothes or shoes.. or whatever else you wish."

"But my current attire shows hardly any signs of wear," Esther tilted her head. "Why waste money on new things?"

"The Believers out there don't dress quite as conservatively as we do in the city," Mordecai explained. "Besides, you'll need warmer clothes and proper shoes, anyway."

"B-but if it's just for one month.." Esther faltered.

Purchasing new attire to match the lifestyle in the countryside felt too decisive. It was as if she was preparing to move there permanently, not taking a simple trip to experience the way her mother's clan lived.

"Take that money, and buy something nice," Mordecai insisted. "And not at the dingy marketplace we have around here. I'll take you somewhere exciting."

True to his word, a few days later, Mordecai brought Esther to a place that filled her with awe. She couldn't stop her mouth from gaping at the shimmering jewels and colorful fabrics that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"W-what are all these?" she stammered, her eyes fluttering around wildly as she tried to take everything in at once.

"This is where regular people shop," her uncle smiled, pulling her out of the way as a fast cart rattled past. "You'll find no vegetables or spun wool in this place."

Esther nodded absently, still bewitched by the incredible scene around her.

It wasn't just the stalls of extravagant goods that had caught her attention.

She'd seen people from the inner circles of Shushan city on more than one occasion. Their dress, hairstyles, and even their shoes always caused her to stop and stare for a while.

But never in her life had she ever seen-no, even imagined so many beautifully dressed people in one place.

"Incredible," she breathed, oblivious to Mordecai's arm linked in hers, leading her down the street.

"It is," Mordecai agreed with a sad smile.

Perhaps, he had kept his niece too restrained until now.

As soon as he had that thought, however, he was quickly reminded why he had kept Esther inside the walls of the Despised Clan.

"Ha! Doesn't it smell quite bad over here?"

A voice jeered behind the uncle and niece.

"It's no wonder. What are the guards even doing to let a couple pigs loose in here?"

Esther froze, her bright smile quickly dipping into a frown.

She'd always heard of the disdain toward her people in this city. She'd been taught from a young age to keep her head low and ignore outsiders, so she thought she'd be fine if she ever encountered their scorn.

But she never realized that hearing such hateful words would make her whole body shake and a knot rise in her throat.

"Look. You can tell they're Despised from the tacky woven bands they wear."

A third voice had joined the leering.

Subconsciously, Esther reached for her bracelet.

It was the only accessory she ever wore, a 'tacky woven band' she'd received during one of the Believer ceremonies when she was young.

The twisting of threads to symbolize the joining of one's soul with God.

Red thread for sacrificial blood.

Blue thread for God's Holy Throne.

And white thread for the purity of a human soul that has been cleansed by the hand of Abraham's God.

It was tradition for clan members to weave a band for children who came of a certain age. The one Esther wore had been created by her parents before she was even born, for her to wear once she was old enough.

But why would these people poke fun at such a harmless tradition?

Esther had certainly never made a negative remark about their gaudy feather coats and heavy golden earrings, despite how ridiculous they looked.

She slowly began to turn around, filled with a sudden sense of determination.

"Excuse me!"