DEALING WITH SCUM

Ara guided the carriages one after the other patiently, giving directions to some and letting some soldiers deal with others. After going on for a while, the endless stream of carriages ended, and she was left standing there before the open gate. Ren came over with a carriage then and she got on. It was mostly made of gold, and the red color stood out well enough. The doors were of well-designed gold leaver that joined into the roof of the carriage. Its edges consisted of gold vines that extended upward to a soaring Vermillion bird made of a translucent red gem. Its beak was opened in a screech, and its tails hung in the air The driver's seat where Ren sat had two golden statues of children sitting on either side of him. The wheels were thick, with rims of gold having diamonds inserted within. Instead of lamps at the driver's side like every other carriage, this one had two smaller gold vermillion birds that had an orb in both their opened beaks. Inside it, soft, red cushions in diagonal shapes lined every part for comfort, and the windows had a curtain for privacy.

"I already told you where we should be going so just head there," Ara said and Ren led the horses.

"Ren? Where are my clothes? I told you to get me my clothes, where are they?" " I they were in there, I swear I put them in myself before going to the commander." "I thought I told you to put the clothes in last. Isn't that what I wrote in there?"

"I didn't take note of that" "Stop the carriage, I can't go on like that, having to put up with that brat Lia in this dress then this? Turn around," Ara told Ren but Ren didn't stop.

"Hey, I thought I said stop."

"Sorry, I can't stop," Ren shouted back and Ara knew what was going on.

"Lia, if you don't come out right now, I'll kill you!" Ara said loudly and the seat before her shimmered and Lia came into view sitting across.

"What, you'll kill me? Try me," Lia taunted, ignoring the seething face before her

"What are you doing here?" I told you, I just want to come along. Why are you so cruel?" "No, you have no right to speak of someone being cruel. you're just a crazy person, that's why I can't let you come along."

" hey...that's mean..." Like I care" Where are my clothes?"

"What clothes are you talking about?" Ara frowned some more. "Don't pretend, okay? I know you're not dumb. I let Ren put it in here, and based on his behavior right now, it has something to do with you." "I don't know." what do you mean you don't know? I'm getting you out now," Ara said and rose to walk towards Lia Lia would have continued to mess around but looking at the resolution on that face, she knew she was in trouble.

"I hid it and changed it with some of my clothes instead, besides it would be weird if you didn't go as this. Please, I'm sorry." "You know something, Lia? One of these days, you'll regret your behavior toward me, and you-"

"We're here," Ren said out loud and stopped the carriage.

From outside the carriage, people all around stopped and stared at the carriage that had stopped before the auction house in awe. Anyone could know a carriage from the palace when they saw it. Such beauty, it looked like it even shone there instead of reflecting light. Most were in awe, but some were rather thinking of the reason why a carriage from the royal family would make its way to that place. It couldn't exactly mean good, could it? As bystanders watched, two of the workers at the auction house came out to greet whoever was in the carriage but just when they got close,

"If you mess this up for me, I'll make sure I have you killed after this," they heard the voice of a girl child from within the carriage. What was going on? They were now starting to think of going back but, "Call me the owner of the carriage," the same voice called out. The two who'd walked up to the carriage stared at it, confused then looked at each other with the same expression.

"What are you doing just standing there? You two, I said call me the owner, will you?"

The two were startled but acted quickly enough and left to get their master. No matter who was sitting in that carriage, even if it was a child, as long as the person was in that specific carriage, the person had more than enough power to deal with them so they had to leave and do as they were told before they got into trouble.

Soon enough, the doors of the auction house burst open, and a man in his forties walked out, but even though he looked at the carriage, it was hard to know from an outsider's view for one eye looked here whilst the other eye looked the other way. Due to this condition, he ended up with the name crazy-eyed Derek, although the name also had another meaning. His eyes looked about even more carelessly when he saw lots of money. It was rumored that he couldn't cultivate any higher because of his intense attachment to money. He couldn't concentrate at all on the force within himself to stir it in the slightest bit and remained powerless. A kid from the streets could kick his butt easily in a fight. People also hated him because he respected no one at all as he was about to. Only if he knew he was about to make the worst mistake in his life, and possibly the last mistake.

"Who dares to come to disturb me in my state of peace!" he shouted the moment he got out, and by the state of peace, anyone who knew him would know he was calculating his earnings for the day.

"Please sir the person is from the palace, so it would help if we don't offend them. We don't even know their motives," The two workers chased after him, trying to convince him to not act rashly, but

"Shut up you two, is that what I pay you for?! Now, where is that person who dares to disturb me?" He walked straight to the carriage and glared at Ren. "tell your boss to come out, I want to speak to him."

"Please sir," "Shut up, you're fired! Now get out you," he knocked hard at the door of the carriage.

"Don't try to trick me, I know you're not from the palace"

"Is that so?" The childish voice spoke from the carriage. By that time, many people had gathered around to see what was going on, and they were especially curious about that carriage. Who from the palace was in it? Now as they heard the voice of a child, they were more than confused. Who was that?

"Get out, kid you I'll teach you a lesson imposter! Many people like you create carriages and go around demanding things from people, I know you. If you don't get out I'll force open this thing and you'll regret it. Do you think I'm a fool? A real carriage from the palace would have guards following and leading it but look at you, you only have one weak man as a coachman and you try to fool this old man? I've seen way better tricks in this world way before your father even got to know your mother. Get out now!" He continued to shout at the carriage, and the bystanders were now starting to side with him in their minds. What he said made sense. There once was a case where someone got a carriage just like the royal family's and went around flaunting authority and demanding payment from people, but that was a long long time ago. No one would think that would repeat itself.

"Get out!" Derek shouted again and before anyone knew it, he had grabbed the door handle and opened it, but right after he opened it, a small foot shot out and kicked him in the face, knocking him onto the ground with a broken nose

"How dare you, you scum," the same childish voice said again and a young girl walked out dressed in a red dress with a gold ribbon tied around the waist. The hems of the dress had flying vermillion birds connected from tail to beak. She had long, dark hair and a veil covering half her face but with just half of her face, one could tell she was beautiful and would grow to be a charming lady who men would fight just to see. She glared at Derek with her purple eyes and stood straight before him. He got up and wiped the blood from his nose

"Hey, brat You broke my nose! I'll teach you," he rushed at her but just before he could touch her, an arrow came from the sky and caught him in the palm, pinning him to the ground, more came quickly and held him at the edge of his clothes, pinning him, spread-eagled.

"Aaaaah it hurts! Who shot me? Release me! Let me go, I did nothing wrong!" He screamed.

None of the people knew when they appeared, but all of a sudden, soldiers appeared on the roof of the buildings all around with their arrows drawn and before one could let out as much as a gasp, more soldiers streamed in from the surroundings, holding spears or swords and wearing the official outfit of the royal family's guards.

Derek shouted and screamed, struggling to break free from his position, but the more he struggled the more his palm hurt. In the end, he only resorted to screaming. He lay there tired, wheezing as the sun burned his face, then a shadow covered his line of vision. He squinted and opened his eyes after they'd adjusted to the change in light and purple eyes looked straight at him.

"You wanted me to come out, right? Now teach me the lesson you wanted to. I have many ways of dealing with scum like you," she scoffed