Mary woke up a little before the sun rose in summer, or at the same hour during other seasons. While she never liked waking up that early, living and managing a store alone forced her to do so. And after three years of doing the same thing, she had grown accustomed to it. She has Theo of course, but he was away. Even if he was home, he almost never did the house chore.
She came down, washed her body, and have a quick breakfast. After washing the dishes, she picked up a broom and started cleaning the house. She started from the attic, then to her room, then to Theo's ro... It was empty.
She stared at the empty room. It had only been three weeks since Theo left Aeston, but she already missed him. And the fastest he would return was in six months, it was unbearable. He did send some letter and she replied it whenever she could, but it only gave her a temporary relief.
She entered the room and began cleaning it. Since no one was using the room, it wasn't that dirty. She always hated the messy room that Theo never bothered to clean, or the smell of other woman's perfume sticking to his clothes and the bed sheet. But now.......
She shook her head.
No. She mustn't let herself drown in the sadness. She has a lot of things to do that wouldn't be done if she let herself cry.
After she finished cleaning the house, she walked toward the market. She needed to buy some ingredient for lunch and dinner. "Good morning, Mary." Said a plump old woman who ran a market stall.
"Morning, Miss Carley." She answered with a bright smile. She was Miss Carley. She had occupied the exact same market stalls since Mary could remember. And Mary lived her whole life in Aeston.
It was still early, some shops and market stalls haven't yet opened. But if you want to buy good and cheap ingredients, you have to buy it early. First thing first, she bought some cheap rye bread. It was not meant for herself, it was for other.
She looked around. "There you are." She said after seeing some children waiting for her behind the corner. They stared at her with a hopeful stare.
Their bodies were small, their skin dirty, and their clothes ragged. They were the orphans of Aeston whose number increase each winter. There used to be an orphanage in Aeston, but it was destroyed during The Great War and never rebuilt.
After the orphanage was gone, the orphans were forced to make their own community and feed each other. They lived in abandoned buildings. The older one worked as labor while the younger one beggared in the street. Mary caught them stealing once and scolded them. After that, they somehow stopped stealing.
One young child with orange short hair approached her. "Jack. this is for you."
"Thank you, Mary." He took the bread and returned to where his friends stood.
She called them by names one by one before calling the oldest one and gave her a bag full of bread. "This is for the rest."
"Thank you Mary!" they said in unison. Their faces were beaming with smiles.
"Don't forget to share with the other, okay?" She returned their warm smile.
Since the nobles never cared for them, the local people of the market had taken the habit of giving them food, clothe, or medicine. Though most people couldn't help much since they were also struggling with life.
After buying everything she needed and greeting everyone in the market, she returned home to open her shop. She was met with a surprise when she arrived. "Lord Edmund, Cynthia." She said when she saw the two people waiting for her shop to open. "I-I'm really sorry to make you wait. I did not expect for both of you to come so early."
"It's okay, Mary." Ed answered.
"It's fine, hon." Cynthia replied.
Mary put down the bag in her hand and hurriedly open the door for her two customers. "I'm really, really sorry. I haven't prepared anything. Do you want some tea?"
"You don't have to, I'm just going to get some books quick." Ed replied.
"You heard him."
"It's rare to see you here Cynthia. Did something happened?" Mary asked while putting her groceries.
"No. Usually, Theo brought me some books so I don't have to come here. But he's not here now."
After Ed and Cynthia finished buying their books, silence returned to the shop. But not for long. A knock came from the door and Miss Carley entered the shop with a face full of sweat. "Mary! It's bad! It's bad! W-where is Theo?"
Mary was surprised by her expression. "H-he's left the city three weeks ago. What happened?"
"By Lord Ketu! That's why they returned! It's the street gang, Mary. They resurface again and started harassing the orphans and people in the market."
Images of the young orphan children flashed in her mind. That was the hour where the older orphaned started to work. "W-what? What about the guard?"
"The guards turn a blind eye as usual. They don't even bother trying to help when they saw the street gang carrying weapons."
"Adventurers?"
"You know how they are. They won't do charity work. If Theo's not here, what do we do?"
" I-...." She hesitated. She didn't want to burden him, but if this was the case. "I will search for Fergus. Please stay here, Miss Carley. At least until I can make sure the market is safe."
She dashed out from her shop and headed toward the inn where Fergus stayed. The street was already crowded at that hour, making it hard for her to run. The distance between her shop and the inn was quite far. That, combined with the sun that already shining brightly, sapped her energy.
"Excuse me, Sir. Where is Fergus?" She asked the innkeeper with ragged breath.
The innkeeper's eyes went wide as he saw her. "Ah! You must be Mary."
"Please, Sir. It's an emergency."
"Oh, Sorry." Said the innkeeper. He failed to notice her panicked expression. "Uh, let me see..... Fergus left this morning, saying he will search something in the forest. He said he will return at noon.
Mary ran from the desk, heading outside. She stopped abruptly before exiting the building. She turned and bowed her head. "Thank you, Sir!" She then exited the building.
She headed to the market. She didn't know what else to do. Reporting to the guard wouldn't do any good. She could try asking Mikki or Cynthia, but Mikki wasn't always in the city, and Cynthia was in the inner ward. She was too far away.
She herself didn't know if being there would do any good. But she will do anything she could to help.
When she arrived there, the situation was a mess. Some people closed their shop and stalls. Some hiding in alleys. And some couldn't run away because of the street gang caught them first.
Ten people stood in the center of the market. They brought a weapon in their arm and threaten anyone who got close. Their leader, the biggest guy of the pack, was holding a child by his neck.
The child struggled to get away from the huge man's hand. But his short feet couldn't even touch the man's body. "C'mon brat! just give us the money!"
"No! I don't have any!"
The huge man slapped the kid's cheek, leaving it red. "Do you think we're stupid? You stole from one of my men!"
Tears began forming on the edge of the kid's eye. "T-Theo, Theo gonna beat you up!"
The street gang laughed. "You stupid brat! Don't you know, Theo left you all three weeks ago. He's not gonna-"
"Jack!" Mary called and ran to the child. The gang was surprised by the sudden shout. She pulled Jack away from the gang and told him to run.
The Leader was enraged by Mary's action and raised his hand to slap her. When Mary turned toward the gang, she was surprised and scared. She fell to the ground on sitting position.
"No! Don't hit her!" A voice of an old man rang out from behind her. A one-eyed old man came out of nowhere and held the Leader's hand. "Get away, Old man!" The leader lashed out and pushed the old man away, causing him to fall to the ground.
The Leader turned toward Mary again. "You, Bitc-" Another hand closed his mouth. It was a hairy, no, a fur-covered hand.
"You want some money?" Fergus let go of the leader's mouth. "Here take this and leave." He handed them 100 gold coin.
He laughed. "Hehehe, fine! Let's return boys." The leader spat on the ground and left with the rest of the gang. "Pussycat!" He sneered.
"Are you alright?" Fergus asked while helping her stand.
She wiped the dust from her clothes. "I'm okay, thanks. But you, your gold.."
"It's only a hundred gold."
"Only a hundred gold? Do you know how many people have that much money, Fergus? People around here would work for years before getting that much money!"
"Look around Mary. Look around. The peace and the people here worth a lot more than that."
"But they will come again, and they will probably come to you. I don't want to see you get hurt."
Fergus smiled when he heard she was worried about him. He grabbed her shoulders. "I'll talk with Damien okay? I will talk with him and make sure the city guard will do something. Okay?"
She smiled. "Okay."
"But treat me for breakfast for tomorrow."
"Okay." Mary then looked around for the mysterious old man that helped her. She has to thank him at the very least.
She spotted him trying to get away to an alley. She followed him, but the closer she got, the faster the old man move. "Excuse me, Sir." She called.
"G-get away from me. Please!" The old man cried. It was a clear fear in his voice.
Mary was confused by his reaction."I only want to thank you."
"Don't get close to me! Get away! If you wanted to thank me, then just leave me alone!" He started to run.
Mary was curious what drove the old man who saved her to be scared like that. While she wanted to know, she knew that chasing him would make him even more scared. Not to mention that the old man was actually fast, faster than her at her best.
She stopped chasing him. Maybe, if she approached him some other time, he won't be that scared and she could thank him properly.
"Mary." The voice of a child called her. She turned and saw Jacked behind her with his head hung low. He fidgeted his finger. "T-thank you. And...and ...s-sorry. You got yourself in trouble because of me."
She smiled and approached her. She squatted so their faces were of equal height, but Jack avoided her gaze. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her face. "Jack. Did you stole from those guys?"
Jack didn't answer for a few second. "Y-yes. And I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
"Why?" She asked. There was no anger or the sort in her voice.
"M-My sister is sick. She overworked herself and didn't get enough rest. She needs a medicine and I-I wanted to help her."
"How many times must I tell you, Jack? Stealing is not the right way."
"B-but they are bad guys! Theo told me It's okay to do bad things to bad guys!"
Mary sighed. How much of bad influence was her boyfriend to the younger generation? "Jack. Doing bad things to bad guys doesn't make it right. There's a reason we have the justice system and the court. Understand?" Jack nodded his head. "Why didn't just asked for my help? I can buy her a medicine."
"Y-you have helped us so many times, Mary. you gave us breakfast every morning and you gave us clothes. I...feel bad asking you."
Mary smiled and patted his head. "If it's an emergency, there's no shame for asking other's help. Don't ever steal again okay? You see how much trouble you cause for everyone?"
Jack nodded. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not the only one you troubled. You should apologize to everyone. "
Jack nodded again. "W-will those bad guys return Mary?"
"No. Fergus said he will take care of it."
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The moon hung high above Aeston. In the slum, Fergus walked with two healing potions on his belt and a few healing scrolls. He was heading toward a particular house. A gambling house where the street gang from before made their base.
He knocked on the broken wooden door and a man opens it. "Who the fuck are you, kitty?" the man asked with a half-drunk voice.
Fergus remembered him from the market earlier. "Can I get in?"
"Freak half cat like you are not allowed here. Fuck off!" There was no friendliness in his voice.
Fergus was not deterred."I need to speak with your boss."
"The boss have nothing to with you! FUCK! OFF!"
Fergus scratched his own head. "It seems I have to rephrase my words. Could you please kindly?"
The man walked toward Fergus and began poking his head. "Don't you hear what I say, you freak! Fuck! O-"
The man's body flew to the other side of the room, crashing against the bar counter and destroying it. Everyone inside immediately stood up and drew their weapon.
Fergus walked inside and looked around. The were exactly ten men inside, not counting the dozen prostitute they hired. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I need to speak with your boss."
"Who the fuck are you?" One of them yelled at him.
From the now broken counter, the leader stood up and looked at Fergus. "You're the kitty cat from before."
Fergus smiled. "Yes, I am."
"What? You want your money back? Too late, motherfucker! We've spent it all today."
"No, I don't want to get my money back. I just want to ask a few question." He walked toward the center of the room, placing himself in the center of nine armed men that wanted to kill him. "You are all not from here are you?"
"What the fuck does that has anything to do with you?"
"Nothing, just asking, and I count that as a yes. Why do you think there are no street gangs or rampant criminal in Aeston since three years ago?"
"It's the Theo boy they are all talking about." One of the prostitutes answered. "People said he's the most handsome man in here, and the most powerful. And they said he's so good, he can fuck ten women at once and still want more." They giggled.
"Shut up, you slut!" the leader yelled at them.
Fergus chuckled. "As much as I hate praising him, that rumor is true, ladies. Except for the last part, I can't confirm that." He averted his gaze. "Do you think he just beat the criminal out? Beat the street gang? No way. He set an example that makes everyone afraid of him. Then he set a rule. An unwritten rule that...... as much as I hate agreeing with him, is a good one. An excellent one."
The gang member started to be scared seeing his nonchalant attitude and his unbroken confidence. Fergus raised a finger to make a point. His calm face turned angry and aura poured out from his body, making even the toughest and biggest man there shaking in his boots. Even the wooden furniture began creaking in reaction to his violent Aura. "Anyone. ANYONE! Who even dare to try to hurt MY MARY! DESERVE TO DIE!!"
------
Fergus sat on a chair facing the wall. In front of him was a table with a bottle of expensive booze on it. "So you spent 100 gold for expensive booze and whore? Not too bad, but you could try better." He turned around.
The gambling house was destroyed. Six dead bodies were laying around the building. One had his skull crushed on the wall. One had her eyes gouged out and tongue ripped. One had a huge hole where his heart supposed to be. The other three was a mess of decapitated limbs.
Four other men were sitting in front of him, bloodied but still alive. They were trembling and pissing in their pants. The leader was one of them. "You are all lucky, that I'm the one here. Not Theo. Or even worse, Wrynn." He pointed at one. "Do you have a family?"
The man looked at Fergus with fear in his eyes. "I-I-I have a mum and sister." He kneeled. "Please! Please don't do anything to them! I will do whatever you tell me to!"
"Relax! I'm not Theo. I think that a man's sin should not be blamed to his family. Do you remember the old man who tried to stop you this noon?" They nodded. "He's the previous boss of a local criminal syndicate. Until he tried to drown Mary's shop in debt. Theo captured his whole family, tied them to a stake, and burned them alive in front of the man. Then he gouged out one eye and gave it to the old man as a reminder. That, anyone that tries to hurt Mary, deserve to die, or worse."
Fergus drank the alcohol in his hand. "But, me? I'm not as cruel as him. I might be a man-eating mass murderer once, but I don't torture my victim. Seeing them scream or plead doesn't please me. Only the red of their innards pleases me.... or the pink of their brain." Fergus threw a knife in front of the four people. "I will let only one of you walk away and I'll let you all decide who. Please, have a nice discussion."
Fergus watched as the four men killed one another, with a nice expensive booze in hand.
The next day, there was no trace of the massacre ever happened. 9 people disappeared overnight, and one person was traumatized for life, refusing to ever talk about what happened that night. The whores also didn't know as they escaped before anyone got killed.
But the criminals and the guards knew what happened, though no one dare say anything.