Bernard looked up and down, but no matter how hard he looked he couldn't see two children.
They were not hiding behind their mother.
They were not peeking out from another room.
They weren't hiding under a table or behind a piece of furniture.
And they most certainly were not on either side of the woman as she was acting like they were, speaking to nobody.
"Dad, what is this woman talking about?"
"There aren't any kids here"
"Is this woman stupid?"
"Maybe she's just crazy! Haha! Crazy woman!"
When Bernard's sons said this, the face of the woman turned sour.
"What was that? Can you not see my beautiful two sons who are right next to me?", she said in a menacing and strict tone.
Bernard flashed a glare at his two children to tell them to be quiet, before responding to the woman's question.
"What are you talking about? There is nobody here aside from the five of us."
"You too? You also are unable to see my two adorable little boys?"
'Adorable little boys? What is she talking about? That reminds me... what did those elves say... she was a wonderful lady with two adorable sons... they did say that, right? Where are these two sons? Am I missing something here? No... my two sons also said they cannot see them. What is going on?'
The woman was clearly distressed. Bernard looked over to his wife and held her hand instinctively as if to say 'Don't worry. I'm right here.'
"Well, anyways... I came here to discuss the wheat situation. Could we begin that discussion?"
The woman sat down carefully and quietly with her hands behind her back. Her expression was serious, and she looked back and forth between Bernard and his wife.
"Right... I suppose ya'll are here to buy some wheat. How much are we talkin'?", she said in a sweet voice.
"Well... for my bakery we use about 20 sheaves per day... if I were to stock up for a month then I would need 600 sheaves. Are you able to spare that much for us to purchase?"
"Oh, no problem. Me and my family are real good at tending to the fields, ya see... we produce more than any other farming plot, despite the fact that it's just me and mah boys here. Mhm."
"Ahem... what would you suggest the price to be per sheaf of wheat?"
"Lets start at 5 coppers. Costs me 2 for the seeds, 3 for the labor."
"Can you make it 4?"
"What do you think Durst? Should I let him buy them off us for four? If I buy it for 4, that means that your portion would get cut out. No? You're not willing to give up your share? What about you, Faux? Do you think you could spare your copper per sheaf so that this man could get a discount? No? Well shucks. Mama can't give up her portion cause that's all we gots to live on. Sorry Sir, but you heard the boys. They want to be able to buy their candies when they go into town."
'This woman... is she mocking me? Or is she truly just nuts? Did those elves send me here as some strange prank?'
The woman continued to smile at the family with her hands behind her back. Her toothy smile was so sinister it almost hurt to bear.
"Alright. We'll keep it at 5 coppers per sheaf. If I purchase 600 sheafs now, then that makes 3000 coppers... 30 silvers for the month's supply."
Bernard took out the pouch of saved money that was originally supposed to go to the next shipment of wheat. He didn't dare to pawn this off to those elves for the information, because there wouldn't have been any point in obtaining the information if he didn't have the remaining money to purchase the wheat, so he didn't even include this in the calculation when he said that those 4 silvers were 'all he had left'.
Now he was truly broke though. It was a dangerous spot for one who owned a business to use all their money on a single batch, and risk being unable to make it back incase something goes wrong, however he wasn't in a position to complain. Bernard was going to be grateful that he was able to get to this point and make the purchase to keep the business running.
He handed over the bag of coins to the woman after counting them to ensure that the correct amount was in there, and she inspected them while keeping one hand behind her back.
The woman took out the pieces and split them into three piles, one of 18 coins and the other 2 of 6 each.
"Faux, Durst. Here are your portions. When we go into town ya'll will be able to buy all sorts of goodies! It'll be just like the old days when your father was here... I wish he would hurry up and get back from his post as a soldier... sigh...."
She remained seated and looked up to Bernard.
"The storehouse is in the building across the first field... feel free to retrieve the amount of wheat you paid for... why don't I stay here and talk with your wife while you and your boys load up your wagon.... how about I have my boys go out and help ya'll as well? How does that sound? They're such good boys... even if they get into a little bit of mischief here and there, they would never hurt anyone. They're always helping me out around the farm after all.... I'm sure they'll be of use to you."
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"What is the lady talking about?"
"Where are her sons? I thought we were coming here to play with them!"
The frown on Bella's face deepened as Bernard's sons continued to complain.
"Come on boys... lets go load up the wagon....", Bernard said- ignoring the suggestion of Bella.
He walked out the door, completely wierded out.
'That woman had more than a few screws loose... we better hurry up and get out of here... I am never trusting the suggestion of an elf again... not after this.'
Bernard decided against charging elves at the regular prices from now on. If things had gone smoothly, he might have considered otherwise... but those elves... clearly there was something fishy going on here.
'Two adorable sons.'
What were they talking about?
Bernard couldn't wrap his head around this woman or those elves. What were they all thinking?
Bernard and his sons went out to load up the wagon with the hay. After moving the wagon near the storehouse, they went inside to find a large amount of wheat, grain, and potatoes stored.
'It sure was trusting of that woman to let me come in here and help myself after driving such a hard bargain... then again, she certainly isn't right in the head...'
Bernard found himself hurrying as he and his sons started loading up the wagon. The wagon was large enough to hold quite a bit of wheat, so the storage for even such a vast amount of it wouldn't be an issue.
'Heave... ho... heave... ho...'
One by one, the sheafs were loaded onto the wagon. His two boys were carrying one together which they brought to their father, who then took it and threw it up on top of the others on the wagon. This process repeated itself many times until the wagon was loaded.
Wiping the sweat off his brow, and brushing off his hands, Bernard got back on the carriage after loading his boys back up there. They headed back to the house where they were his wife and the farmer was waiting for them.
"You two stay right here. I'll be right back with your mother. Be good boys now and don't mess around."
"Alright!", they both chimed.
Bernard then headed back inside.
-----
Malicia sat across from Bella at the table. They both fakely smiled at each other.
"You have two beautiful sons... just like I do...", Bella stated.
"You... where are your sons? There is nobody here aside from you and I."
"Of course, because my sons just left to help your husband load up his cargo."
"What are you talking about? The only three people who just left were my husband and my two sons."
"Ah. I see. You too."
"What?"
"You too think that my sons are dead?"
"I'm sorry?"
"I said. You too, think that my sons are dead. You too are going to tell me that they are no longer alive? That they were killed by that Lieutenant for stepping in his path? Is that what you're going to say? I've heard this story too many times, you know. My sons aren't dead. They're right here, with me. Right here... they live in my house... ah I wish my husband was here to help us out with the farmwork... it sure is tough with just a couple young boys and myself..."
"Excuse me? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm sorry."
"I see.... you don't believe me. Is that it? You don't think that my sons are here? Maybe it's because your own sons are so ugly... because your sons are little shitheads who never listen to you, and you're jealous of my own sons... my sons aren't like that you know... my sons always listen to me, and do what I want. They work hard, and they will grow up to be fine men, you know.... but you don't believe that, do you? Do you?"
"What are you talking about!?! You don't have any sons here!"
"I see... that's how it is.... mmm... I suppose I will have to prove to you that my sons aren't dead...."
"What?"
Bella stood up and walked around behind the chair that Malicia was sitting in.
"Here... you'll see soon... my sons won't be there in the next life... you'll be all alone, because my sons are here with me alive!!!! HAHAHA!!!!"
Bella cupped the mouth of Malicia with one hand and stuck a knife to her throat with the other.
Malicia shouted and thrashed, however before she was able to break free, the knife sliced open her neck artery.
Blood sprayed from her neck onto the wall, and her head flopped over like a ragdoll. Hey eyes were popped out in surprise and fear, and Bella was left standing behind her, hands covered in blood.
"Ah... see? See?!!?! My sons aren't there, aren't they!?!?! They're right here!!! I told you!!! I told you!!! I warned you, but you didn't listen... you refused to believe that my sons were still alive, eh?!!? Look at what has happened now... I guess I'll have to get Durst and Faux to help out.... for now I should bring this to the back..."
Bella wiped her hands off on her overalls, smearing the blood all over herself.
She then dragged the body of Malicia to the back room. Blood was spraying all over while she did this, however Bella was not phased in the least. The body was completely limp, and its head flopped about, hanging by only a thread after the neck was almost completely sliced off.
"I suppose I should ask the father what he thinks of my sons when he gets back...", Bella thought.
----
Bernard knocked on the door of the home. It was time to head back. He didn't want to spend any longer here than he had to.
"Just a minute!", Bella shouted.
She then came to the door after a loud thud was heard, and only cracked it open.
"Ah... you're back! I'm sure my sons were a great help to you, no? Were they good? Did they help you load up the cart?"
Bernard sensed that something was off.
"I'm just here to get my wife and leave. Please let me in.", he said firmly while grabbing the door and trying to pry it open.
Bernard was a fully grown man, and Bella was nothing more than a skinny girl... however when he tried to pry open the door, it remained shut.
She was strong enough to keep it held shut.
"I said... did my sons do a good job? Did they help you out?"
"Where is my wife? Let me in. Now."
Bella sighed and a look of disappointment came on her face.
"You too?"
"I said let me in. If you don't, I will break down this door."
"You too? Do you also plan on telling me that my sons are dead? Do you also plan on telling me that they were killed just for something as simple as stepping in the path of that Lieutenant? Are you too going to tell me that??!!?"
"LET ME IN RIGHT NOW!!! WHERE IS MY WIFE!?!"
"I see... you too... I need to show you too that my sons are not dead... I need to show you too that they are still alive... I need you to go and see for yourself that they are not there..."
Bernard grabbed the door and stuck his head in, trying to force it open with all the strength he had. The door shook and creaked under the stress, and Bella simply held onto it with one hand while giving Bernard a cold stare.
"They are not among the dead... you will see... you won't see them there... your wife knows.... she is already there... you will meet her there, but not my sons... oh no... not my sons! They are in the land of the living! They just helped you out!!! How could you be so cold as to not thank them for their hard work!!?? You greedy piece of shit!!!"
The dagger in Bella's arm flew into the eye socket of Bernard as he was trying to force his way through the door.
Blood sprayed once more, and his cold dead body fell to the floor in between the door frame.
"Ah... ah... Look at what you've done... see? My sons aren't over there, are they? Now then.... where are they?"
Bella opened the door all the way, and looked over to the carriage.
"Ah. There they are."