Chapter 5

As we got closer to the harbor, the more people we met on our way, and I had to keep my head down for longer, so I could see almost nothing of the small town.

All I could collect was only what I could hear. Conversation of two women who met by chance on the street and told their news, a shopkeeper, told a customer I guess he was waiting to receive new merchandise next week and if he could wait until then.

"Are we getting close?" I once asked Brielle. I can't longer not seeing where I am going.

"Yes we are close, be patient. Raise your head if you want. There are no other people now."

"At last!" I raised my head and looked around.

On my right, I saw shops that hadn't yet opened for the new day. It seems that it was still too early for these stores to open. I turned to the left to see what was there, and I saw a lovely wooden house where its inhabitants were probably still sleeping. They had a flowery garden with beautiful colorful flowers and fruit trees.

My hands had numbed from carrying the cart. At first, when I had lifted it, it didn't feel so heavy, but it started to get heavier as time went on. My stamina was beginning to run out.

"I'm starting to get tired," I remarked to Brielle

"Come on, Kira, chin up! Think that I lifted the cart with you inside?" She was talking to me without turning to look at me. She had her gaze pinned on the road in front of her.

"Really, how did you manage carry me?"

"I am used to it, don't be worried about me. That was nothing to do compare of what we are planning to do. I'm stressed about it. What if I make a mess of it? I'm afraid I might disappoint you."

"Don't worry, Brielle. We will do just fine. After all, the disguise will not be last forever. Only until we reach our destination. Oh, my god! Where do we say we are going?" I started to panic in the realization we weren't as prepared as I thought.

"Calm down, Kira. I will say that we want to go to the realm of Buthernaut. You will not speak anyway. The maids do not speak. Remember that. Only if it asked for."

"Okay, I will remember that."

We arrived at the port. It was the second time I came to this port. The first was with my father when I was eight years old. As far as I can remember, some changes have been made since then. But it remained the beautiful circular harbor it always was.

The voices of the port workers who came were many and mixed with each other. I couldn't understand what they were saying but a loud hum. As if we were near a vast beehive.

We started getting closer to the ships in order to ask for what we wanted.

"Let's start from the beginning of the ships-row," I advised Brielle.

"Okay," She replied, and we started heading to the first boat that was anchored. The workers passed by us carrying wooden barrels on their shoulders. Some of them had a barrel on each shoulder.

Once in a while, we heard swearing that they were calling at each other, and someone whistled when he saw us saying filthy words that I didn't even want to remember. We didn't pay attention, and we kept moving on our way.

As they passed by us, they left a stench of uncleanness, sweat, and dirt. The stench was so pungent that it made me sick.

I noticed that the workers carried the barrels inside the ships, which meant they would set sail as soon as they finished loading.

I took a breath of encouragement. They could take us along!

A long wide piece of wood connected the boat to the mainland. The workers used this piece of wood to enter the ship carrying the barrels.

In this opening stood a husky, a dark complexion man with a rich beard and long dark hair. He was wearing a shirt that must once have been white and had his sleeves folded up to his elbows, a pair of brown and dirty pants, and a long having pair of boots that had to be cleaned for a long time.

He supervised the work and kept notes on some crumpled papers.

I made a nod to Brielle using my eyes and showed her the husky man.

She looked at him and widened her eyes. "What? Him?" she stuttered, terrified in a whisper.

"Yes. The ship will set sail soon so it is a great opportunity ".

"His has a grim face. I'm little scared of him. "

"Oh! Brielle. You don't have to be afraid. He will not kill us. We will only ask him a question."

"Okay," she mumbled and sighed.

We headed towards that man and stood almost opposite him.

"Hey, Ladies watch out!" we suddenly heard a voice shouting from behind, distracting us, and immediately stepped aside for the worker to pass by.

At that moment, the husky man noticed us and fixed his gaze on us.

His savage look testified that he wasn't pleased with our presence.

"What are you asking here?" he asked us sharply with his orotund voice.

"I want to ask you a question, sir," Brielle said gently.

But I felt her body tremble as she leaned slightly against mine.

"Make it fast. I am very busy."

"Let's us come near to you to hear us better." Brielle suggested.

"Not even think about it!" he roared.

Brielle had to raise the volume of her voice to be heard over the turmoil that predominated.

"We need to take us with you on the trip. We want to go to… »

"What??" the man's voice echoed almost hysterically. "This is out of the question! Leave now!"

"One moment please. We have to…." Brielle continued her effort.

"Get lost from here!" the man screamed. "And don't dare to come back. So, get your cart and move on." He shouted, waving his hand to leave.

"Let's go, Brielle." I whispered, "We will get in trouble. Let's go."

Brielle agreed and started walking away from the boat. Carrying our cart, I followed her with my head bowed.

Fortunately, the workers stepped aside as we passed through them.

As we moved towards the next boat, I raised my head carefully and looked at the moored boats. I counted only three ships left to ask if they could take us along. The chances of someone accepting us were discouraging, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

We arrived at the second boat, and to our great misfortune, this boat was being unloaded, so it was not immediately available for sailing.

"We will go and ask to the rest ships. If they don't accept us then we will return to this ship to ask. If it's needed we will wait until it sails. We have no other choice." I told Brielle, and she nodded to me that she agreed.

We passed it and moved on to the next one.

With relief, we noticed that cargo was being loaded on this ship as well. This time, however, it was something wooden crates that, if I understood correctly, contained potatoes, onions, and something else that I couldn't distinguish.

Here the workers worked faster and more organized. Nobody looked at us, and several of them worked chewing tobacco.

The smell of chewing tobacco was something that I hated.

Also, a man was holding some papers and writing down everything. His dimensions were much smaller than the previous man, he was shaved, but his hair was also long. His clothes were much more expansive than his body and were hanging graceless on his thin body.

We approached him as much as possible.

He seemed very absorbed in his notes, and I decided to wait for a while until he finished, but the time passed, and I realized that he probably was not going to stop, and until he did, maybe it was too late, I decided to interrupt him.

I shook Brielle slightly with my hip to speak.

"I'm sorry, sir!" she said, raising her hand to get his attention. But he didn't answer and spoke to him again in a louder voice. But again, we got no response.

"He's not going to listen to you" we suddenly heard a voice next to us that made us jump startled, and we turned to see who it was. He was one of the workers who would probably see us trying to talk to that man, and he wanted to help us.

"He is deaf in his right ear, so you need to shout louder. Like this. TRAVIS! HEY, TRAVIS!" he shouted so loud I thought he would make us deaf too.

The man heard the workman's voices and turned to face him. Then the worker showed us and shouted again, "THEY WANT TO TALK TO YOU!"

The man looked at us and then smiled. His black rotten teeth appeared, and I felt sick to my stomach again.

He gave up his papers, and he came to us. His gaze was fixed on us, looking at us greedily. His small black eyes looked at one point Brielle and then me. I noticed with horror that his gaze stood on me for more time.

"What do beautiful girls as you want?" he asked in a disgustingly sweet voice.

"We0 would like you to take us with you on the trip and…."

His little eyes sparkled, and an alarm of danger sounded in my head.

"Oh, of course," he said and smiled with his disgusting teeth reappearing and rubbed his hands happily, licking his thin, dry lips.

"It would be our great pleasure to help two beautiful girls like you. I guess you are alone right?" he asked, looking around to ensure that no one else was with us.

My heart started pounding. We had to get out of there. Immediately!