Chapter 13 : That girl from the market

"Why are you crying?"

I asked that girl who was sitting on the ground and tears were pouring from her eyes. She was a girl with short blond hair and blue emerald eyes. Her body was very thin, as if she had not eaten for a long time, and she was wearing old and torn clothes.

Her body was very thin, as if she had not eaten for a long time, and she was wearing old and torn clothes "I…I lo…lost…" She tried to gather herself and speak, but the crying overwhelmed her.

(What should I do now?)

My heart did not allow me to leave her and go, so I waited until she calmed down a little and could speak.

She said with great sadness: "I lost the money that my master gave me to shop from the market". Then she almost cried again.

I said to her gently: "How much is the amount that you dropped?"

"A silver coin".

I smiled and said: "I found this silver coin on the road. It must be the one you dropped".

Her face lit up a lot: "Really?!"

I said: "Yes, it is not worth crying for this much. It is just a coin".

The girl was silent for a while, then said: "Thank you, sir".

"You're welcome, now go so you don't get late".

(Here I am interfering again in what does not concern me. How stupid of me! But I felt a great fear in her features. Will she be alright, I wonder?)

The girl hurried away, and I went on my way. I was hungry because I had not eaten anything yesterday, and since I still had some money, I decided to go to a restaurant to eat.

"There are many restaurants, but it is better to choose a small one to save money".

After wandering for a long time, I finally found an old restaurant in one of the suburbs of the city. It was late in the day, and when I entered the restaurant, I found most of it empty. There was only a table with three men laughing and drinking.

I sat next to a small window absent-mindedly, looking through it contemplating the sunset. While I was doing so, I heard someone shout: "You stupid! Haven't you finished cleaning yet? Go serve this customer".

Without looking, I knew it was one of the three men.

"Sorry sir. How can I serve you?"

One of them asked me, and I felt that I had heard this voice before. When I looked I was surprised, and she was surprised too. It was the girl from the market who was crying.

I said: "It's you! How are you?"

She said gratefully: "Thank you again sir for your help today". (She tries to smile despite this miserable situation that she is in but I saw in her eyes this faint glimmer of hope)

"It's okay".

"What can I get you sir?"

I said: "I want the cheapest food you have".

The girl went away, but she stumbled and fell to the ground. She must be very weak from lack of food.

That man shouted at her: "You are useless! You cost me a lot in feeding you and I don't benefit from you anything".

(Feed her! Are you kidding me?) I said that to myself and did not speak.

He was a big-bodied man, his nose was flat and his features were coarse. He continued to abuse the girl and hold her by her hair until she got up and left. This scene was very difficult, and I was very angry.

That man said to the others sitting with him: "What do you think if someone buys this girl for just fifty silver coins? It is a small amount for a slave".

The other man said laughing: "Are you joking? That girl will die soon I will not buy her even for ten coins".

Then the three laughed hysterically. I could not bear it, I felt very sorry for her (I did not know that there is also slavery for humans in this country!). I got up from my place angrily and put the remaining silver coin with me on the table and left without saying anything.

And after a short while I came back again, stood in front of that man and said: "I heard that you want to sell that girl for fifty silver coins, right?".

He smiled a wicked smile then said sarcastically: "I never said that, I treat this girl like my daughter". I almost punched him but I controlled myself and said: "It doesn't look like that at all". They all laughed then one of them said: "She is in good health and young in age I think one hundred coins are suitable". The other two agreed on that.

(Damn him he talks about the girl as if she is a commodity he bargains on).

I said: "Okay". I took out a bag full of money and threw it on the table. And after that man grabbed the bag and laughed then said "What will you use this girl for?" I said firmly "It's none of your business!" He shouted loudly: "Luna! Come here!".

She said confused: "Y…yes sir".

"He has become your new master from now on".

Her features did not change, it seems that she suffered a lot and thought that she would remain like this all her life moving from one master to another.

I left from there and the girl followed me. And after we walked a little I stopped then said: "You are free now. You can go wherever you want. You are no longer forced to serve anyone".

She was surprised and said: "What do you mean sir?".

"I told you, You are free now. Don't follow me. Go wherever you want".

(I sold that necklace for a hundred and ten coins but I am not sorry for what I did. In fact, I would regret more if I did not intervene. I am not a good person, but if I did nothing I would become like them. I do not like to disregard human lives).

I continued my way going to the place where I used to sleep. I brought a cover and a pot to cook some food that I brought.

"You! Why are you still following me? Didn't I tell you you are free".

I was noticing her all the way trying to hide so that I do not see her.

She said sadly: "I'm sorry sir but I do not know where to go. I have no one to resort to".

(Damn! Did I make a mistake when I freed her?)

The night had drawn its curtain and it was hard for her to return again alone.

I said: "Can you cook?".

"Yes".

"I brought these ingredients but I am not good at cooking".

She looked pleased and then said: "Yes please let me do it".

She lit a fire and then the girl started cooking and I sat watching her. And after she finished preparing that soup she poured some of it in a dish and brought it to me.

I heard the sound of her stomach rumbling from hunger. I think she felt embarrassed.

I said: "As long as you poured it, eat it".

"What do you mean sir?".

I said: "I said eat it yourself. I brought the ingredients and you prepared it so we will share it".

She brought some of it and tasted it (it is really delicious).

The girl was sitting watching me without eating a bite then asked me: "Is it good?".

I said: "Yes it is delicious. I did not eat anything yesterday anyway".

She smiled and then started eating. So I said to her: "Eat whatever you want".

She nodded her head with pleasure.

After the meal she slept deeply. I covered her with that cover that was with me and sat near the fire guarding. I was not afraid for myself but for her and I could not sleep that night.

In the middle of the night strong winds came, they were like a storm. And the weather became colder. Then I heard her voice as she hallucinated and suffered. So I felt that there was something wrong.

When I went to check on her, I put my hand on her forehead and found her temperature high. (It seems that she caught a cold.)

I felt responsible for that. For I allowed her to stay in the end. So I took off the cloak that I was wearing and dressed her with it. Then I stayed up all night putting cold compresses on her.

After a while she woke up a little and then said with great difficulty and tears streaming from her eyes: "Please let me stay with you sir".

I could not refuse her request while she was in that condition. So I smiled a faint smile and said to her: "If you get better, I will let you stay".

I said that to give her hope to be able to resist the fever and not surrender to death.

(But did I give her false hope?)