Dispersion: What you have never been told...

"I think you've gotten it all wrong." A melodious voice demanded."This earthling ... she may not possess the charm of The Noble Lady, but I have seen the lord's madness ... He wants her. And wants her badly." "No wonder ..." A pair of deep-set eyes danced across my body. I can barely remember the last I have been surveyed with such intensity. It has barely been a few weeks in Agaethi and I had already been given the strangest looks, a lady of my age could never possibly ask for. "You mean the dunce with hedgehog hair?" I smiled, attempting to conceal the roundness of my chest with too many undershirts. The faces the villagers were making were enough of an answer. "You men are all the same. " I grumbled, gesturing them to leave the tent. "Maybe it would help if you didn't suspect every second man wanted to bed you." The shortest of the villagers passed me a wide, ragged shirt, the sort the lowest class of women wore in Jakarta. "You give me no choice." My brows drew in a furrow as I peered outside. What would be worse: being r***d again because of my pretty looks or possibly fainting due to the desert weather that threatens to scorch every living organism out there? "You call yourself the best merchant in town yet you don't even have waistbands!" I fanned myself with both hands. Even though we were inside his tent, I was already drenched in sweat. "Earthling ... my carriage is waiting. And if you are still thinking of joining me, you better hurry." The chef from Syntephia said, a nuance of impatience to his tone. "Xandi, don't rush her! You know too well that brute ... what he did to her." The merchant pointed at my neck, where the belt of my aggressor left hideous and way-too-deep marks. I fought back. I did. And it might have been a mistake. The chef inspected the spot, lips clenched in a straight line. "Yes, the heir ...", he said, "we all know he can be quite unrestrained, but he is never a fool." "Xandier, you can't mean ..." The chef nodded, his eyes wandering somewhere way beyond the tent, the heavy bustling outside of various races of visitors, all caught up in a very earth-like trance. "He wants her blood." "Did you not say that violence was legally prohibited hundreds of Agaethi-years ago? I want him to be punished. Punished severely." A seething urge of hater and rage made my whole body tremble. How could I possibly let go? Of the man who treated me like a worthless doll, okay to be licked, caressed, and kicked where no human with the right piece of mind would ever think. "This is not your happy, little world anymore, earthling." Xandi shook his head. "In Agaethi there are only two kinds of people: those who rule others and those who let themselves be ruled. If you don't wish to die, you better listen." My eyes teared up at his words. I hated to show weakness. But I hated Xandi even more. "Oh, Lord's Blessing! Finish your chit-chat and come serve your clients already." The merchant's helper dragged Wilson by the sleeve. "They are smashing the vases again!" Wilson sighed, petting me on the top of my head. "Stop causing the shifters to spit at you this time, will you?" I forced a smile as I always do and gave him a nod in false reassurance. Shifters who talk badly of us are shifters who never learned their lesson. Until now. It had been no more than a few weeks and I am already regretting my choice of ever having bought that damned Carnelian crystal! I was it would help my body heal, fill me with all the vitality I'd need to start a new chapter of my life. Who ever heard of stones that teleport people anyways? And to stupid, warring kingdoms. Places where beasts of all races and powers roar free. Uncouth beings of little common sense and empathy. What a beautiful manner to seek unnecessary danger and pain! "Do they sell amandines here?" "What?" "You know, those delicious, little sweets, with chocolate filling inside..." Xandier crooked his head to one side. "You put on all those rags and traveled hundreds of miles just to buy cakes?" "What does that have to do with you ..." He sighed. "I could have just made your chocolate cakes." "Xandier, has anyone ever told you what an irksome pal you can be?" "Only about everyone I know." His lips morphed into a small smile. "But that was before they tasted my cooking." I pulled the parchment from my second blouse's pocket. Unfolded, the list was so long it nearly reached the musty road below. And I was not a short person. "You brought only 15 agors ..." "Sht!" I rose my finger to his lips. "Less talk. More action." I strode towards the closest tent. Although much more luxurious by appearance than those in Pratley, the tents mostly harbored counterfeit items. Some of the cutlery which actually contained real precious metals like white gold and silver, but in very small quantities, was heavily overpriced.  "Beautiful design, but it is chopped." I picked up the cup which looked a lot like the one I've seen at the local museum back home."How long do you think I will be able to drink out of it? I mix my tea not gently enough and it all goes to the trash. Two hundred. Two hundred and no agro more." Xandi knew too well I enjoyed testing people's limits, but this time even he looked pale. "Lord's curse! This is a royal piece, the sort only descendants of Great King Nelson drank of. Have you any idea how much it took to get my hand on it? 1000 agros. No agros less." "Nelson? That king. You must be a good thief. 650 agros." I didn't think possible the chubby man could get even more upset. His whole face got so red he'd bring even lobsters to shame and was wiggling the handle of his broom in a more and more agitated manner.  It's only at these times, Xandi dares to hold me by hand. "Erm, Maelys, I think it's time we..." "Oh." I put on my best victim expression. "This merchant is being rude to me!" I gestured to the people passing by. "I was only talking about buying this pretty piece of cutlery when all of a sudden he started cursing me and threatening to beat me up with the stick." Murmurs were starting to rise and I could barely hold back a chuckle. "Lady, I have never!" he showed his empty palms to the growing crowd, barely containing his temper. "Sir, please... I know how much you value your items but, it hurts." I revealed the seemingly fresh scar on my neck. "Last time, I almost passed out because of this man." I peered at the mob gathered at my back, tears dancing down my cheeks. Compared to the beings from Pratley, these people seemed genuinely shaken by my words. One by one, they drew closer, wearing a mixture of concern and rage to their expression. The beautifully muscular men from the dojo across were whispering in a passionate style, reaching for the hilt of their swords. Some elders, most likely acquainted with the merchant, didn't seem as convinced. "She is just a little thief, plus her scar doesn't look any fresh." "Yes." Another shouted. "She scratched herself on purpose." I gulped the knot forming at my throat. This could go very wrong... I buried my eyes into Xandi's, pleading. As usual, he appeared serious, even dignified, but there was something else to that look of his... a kind of sparkle, a playfulness that made it all be worth it. "The girl is telling the truth." He said. "I have seen it happen with my own eyes." The dojo fighters from earlier drew even closer. Seems like they were the ones in charge of the citizens' welfare. "Tell us what you have witnessed." The taller of the five demanded. "I was going about my business, as usual, buying herbs and other ingredients for my restaurant, when all of a sudden, I heard cries, shouts coming from a dead-end street. For your information, it was exactly the one parallel to where Merchant Dunn's tent is located." He pointed to it, a hint of sadness coming to his eyes. "I went closer... and it was her. This girl was pinned under merchant Dunn, who looked so out of himself he barely heard me. He was tearing at her dress...mind me," he shook his head with a scowl", groping her, calling her names I dare not recall." Even the elders' doubtfulness from earlier turned to disdain. "Now that you mention, he always had a weakness for drinks." One whispered to his neighbor. "And what happened next?" The fighters' professionalism was like a breeze of fresh air. Even I, the master trickster, could not outdo Xandi at telling lies. Not when he got serious. "No one came. The few women passing by were so scared, they all ran away." "He is lying! I would never ever defile a child!" The merchant nearly managed to escape from the fighters' grasp. "You were drunk like a beast." I chimed in. "If it wasn't for Chef Xandier, I'd be either dead or pregnant." All the housewives, brownies, elves, and every other female creature present started throwing Dunn's precious merchandise at his face, calling him the most vicious names. "I reckon you are the one who caused that bump on his head." Xandi nodded."I had a bad with me." He cleared his throat."Look, mr. Dunn, it is not my intention to humiliate you. Every one of us makes mistakes. But this time you went too far." His voice was more passionate than I'd ever heard it. "Mister, I beg you." I bowed my head before the leader of the creed. "Make him pay."