Chapter 3
1106 Words
Chapter 3
Vinny and Regina stood in the field for a long time, just looking around. The grass came up to their knees and the sky was a bright blue with no clouds. A bird flew overhead, except the bird had 4 wings and a tail that split into 2 parts.
“Did you see that bird?” Vinny asked.
“I saw it,” Regina said. “4 wings. That is not normal.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Vinny said. He let go of her hand and turned in a circle. “Okay. We need to figure out where we are and if we can get back.”
“We cannot get back,” Regina said. “The portal is gone. We saw that.”
“Maybe it opens again in the same spot,” Vinny said. “Maybe we just have to wait.”
Regina shook her head. “We do not know how it works, Vinny. Waiting here with no food or water is dumb. We need to find people.”
Vinny looked at the dirt path leading toward the city. The walls were visible in the distance, maybe a 20 minute walk. “The people in that city threw a rock at the drone. They might not be friendly.”
“We have dealt with unfriendly people before,” Regina said. She started walking toward the path. “Remember the real estate guy in Chicago who pulled a knife on us?”
“That guy was drunk,” Vinny said. He followed her. “And you broke his wrist.”
“He should not have pulled a knife,” Regina said.
They walked in silence for a few minutes. The grass gave way to packed dirt as they reached the path. Vinny noticed the dirt had footprints and wagon tracks pressed into it. The tracks looked fresh.
“People use this road a lot,” Vinny said. “So the city is active. Trade, maybe.”
“Or just a lot of people going in and out,” Regina said. “We need to look poor when we get there.”
“Why?” Vinny asked.
“Because rich people get robbed,” Regina said. “And we do not know the laws here. Better to look like travelers who lost everything.”
Vinny looked down at his clothes. He was wearing jeans, a black t shirt, and sneakers. Regina was wearing leggings and a grey hoodie. “We already look weird,” he said. “These clothes are not from around here.”
“Then we say we are from far away,” Regina said. “Very far away.”
They reached the city gate after 25 minutes of walking. The gate was made of thick wood with iron bands across it. Two guards stood in front, both wearing leather vests and holding spears. The guards looked tired and bored.
One of the guards held up his hand. “Halt. State your business.”
Vinny understood the words. They were speaking English, but the accent was strange, like old movies. ‘That is convenient,’ he thought. ‘Too convenient.’
“Travelers,” Regina said. She put on a friendly smile. “Our cart broke down on the road. We lost everything. We just need food and a place to rest.”
The guard looked at their clothes. His eyes narrowed. “What kind of travelers wear such strange garments?”
“Far away,” Vinny said. “Very far. Our village is beyond the eastern mountains.”
The guard snorted. “There are no villages beyond the eastern mountains. Only barbarians and beasts.”
“Then we are lucky to be alive,” Regina said. She kept smiling. “Please, sir. We mean no trouble. We just need to see the city.”
The guard looked at the other guard. The other guard shrugged. “Fine,” the 1st guard said. “But do not cause problems. The Duke's son is in the city today, and he has a bad temper.”
“We will be quiet and invisible,” Regina said.
They walked through the gate and into the city.
The city was smaller than it looked from the drone. The buildings were made of stone and wood, with thatched roofs and tiny windows. The streets were dirt and filled with people. Vinny saw a blacksmith hammering a horseshoe, a woman selling bread from a cart, and 3 children chasing a dog.
“Medieval,” Vinny whispered. “Definitely medieval.”
“Look at the clothes,” Regina whispered back. “Wool and linen. No cotton. No synthetic fabrics.”
A loud noise came from up ahead, like a crowd cheering. Vinny saw a group of people gathered around a large building with red banners hanging from the windows. The banners had a gold symbol on them, something that looked like a lion or a wolf.
“That must be where the Duke's son is,” Vinny said.
“We should avoid that building,” Regina said.
But before they could turn away, a young man walked out of the building. He was tall and thin, with blond hair and a red coat. 4 guards followed behind him. The young man looked around the crowd with a bored expression. Then his eyes landed on Regina.
The young man stopped walking. He stared at Regina for a long time. Then he smiled.
“You,” the young man said. He pointed at Regina. “I have never seen a woman with skin like yours. Where are you from?”
Regina did not smile back. “Far away. We are just passing through.”
“Passing through?” The young man laughed. “No one passes through Tucson Duchy. This place is a dump.” He walked closer to Regina. “But you are beautiful. What is your name?”
“Not interested,” Regina said.
The young man's smile faded. “I am Dorian, heir to the Duke of Tucson. You do not say 'not interested' to me.”
Vinny stepped forward. He stood between Dorian and Regina. “She said not interested. That means walk away.”
Dorian looked at Vinny like he was looking at a bug. “And who are you?”
“Her husband,” Vinny said.
Dorian laughed again, but this laugh was mean. “Husband? In this dump of a duchy, husbands lose their wives all the time.” He turned to his guards. “Take her. If the husband resists, break his legs.”
The 4 guards stepped forward.
End of Chapter 3
- Writer
