Chapter 5

I lean against a stone wall to catch my breath and wait for my stomach to settle. Then, composed once more, I notice a group of children playing a game, laughing raucously and enjoying themselves immensely.

‘Hello. Miss?’ A young woman with a posh accent says. She has long dark-brown hair and brown eyes. She appears to be in her mid-twenties, and two young girls hold her hand.

‘Hello,’ I nervously reply, saying hello to another human for the first time in my life. It’s odd yet liberating. I shade my face with my velvet hood, so she does not see my violet eyes.

‘Is everything okay?’ She asks. I nod.

‘Yes, I'm fine, thank you.’ I say.

The woman tilts her head to the side, frowning.

‘I'm sorry. It's just that you’re not wearing any boots, and it's not very ladylike or customary for a young lady to be barefoot in the street,’ she says. I look down at my feet, and boots were not something I thought about when I stole the clothes from the stall. I’ve seen the forest visitors wearing boots but had no idea how important they are.

‘I'm not from around here. I’ve travelled a fair distance. I don't have any boots.’ I say.

The lady gasps, ‘Dear me, sweet girl. I didn't realise you were homeless.’

I try to explain that I'm not homeless.

‘Now, now. Not to worry. I live up the road. I will happily part with a pair of my boots for you.’ I let her escort me to her house, and her children follow behind us.

‘Sit, dear. Sit.’ She ushers me into a beautiful, handmade, ornate wooden chair in her kitchen.

‘Firstly, this is the village Wellmore. My name is Vivian. These little girls are my five-year-old twin daughters, Ella and Grace,’

‘It's a pleasure to meet you, Vivian, Ella and Grace,’ I say and smile at the children.

Vivian puts her hands on her hips.

‘Well, dear girl. Aren’t you going to tell me your name?’ She asks. I giggle at my obliviousness.

‘Maia,’ I say.

‘Maia. What a beautiful name. Well, Maia. Let me get you some boots,’ she says, walking into a room and returning with a pair of brown, lace-up boots.

‘I dare say, these should fit you nicely,’ she says kindly.

She holds my left ankle as I push my left foot into one boot, and then she holds my right ankle as I push my right foot into the other boot. She ties the laces and finishes them off in bows.

My stomach rumbles embarrassingly loudly.

‘Oh, you poor thing. You are starving! You’ll eat a meal before you’re on your way, won’t you?’ She says, pulling a pot and a saucepan out of a wooden cupboard.

‘I will. Thank you very much.’ I say, emotional with her generosity.

‘With our king’s army growing, finding good food is harder. I can offer you soup and bread,’ she says happily.

‘Soup will be perfect.’ I say, relishing the thought of eating hot soup.

Ella and Grace play around the table and sing a song to me while Vivian stands at the hob and cooks the soup.

Watching children play for the first time is a wonderful experience. It warms my heart and makes me reminisce on my childhood in the forest with the animals.

‘Girls to the table, please,’ Vivian says,

and the girls sit on the chairs on either side of me.

Vivian ladles soup into four bowls from a big metal pot and puts a bowl down on the table in front of us with a chunk of bread.

I’m devouring the food when Vivian interrupts me.

‘Ahem,’ She clears her throat. I look up. She and the girls haven't started eating yet.

‘Maia. It’s not polite to have one's face covered during mealtimes,’ she says politely.

My face pales. ‘May I be excused to not remove my hood, as I am afraid you may not like what you see?’ I say nervously.

‘Maia, please forgive me. I had no idea you had a deformity. Yes, of course, you may be excused.’ She says, mortified.

When my bowl is empty a second time, I thank Vivian for her kindness and stand.

‘You’re very welcome.’ She sighs, escorting me to the

door.

   ‘You’ll come and visit us again, won't you?’

‘I’d love to,’ I reply after we have hugged one another and said our goodbyes.

Among the fruit stalls, I steal several pieces of fruit which are rightfully mine and stuff them into a hessian sack I have found. No one has taken notice of me.

Wanting to learn more about Wellmore Village and its people, I find a nice spot to sit down and observe the main street while crunching on a red apple.

A few robust, middle-aged women in pastel-coloured dresses and shawls converse with one another, and I don’t mind eavesdropping in on their conversation.

‘The Alpha King's Ball last night was unsuccessful,’ one lady says happily.

‘Oh? I’ve heard the Alpha King is the most handsome man anyone has ever seen, yet has a heart so cold that even his wolf is frightened of him.’ they say, bursting into laughter.

‘We will win the war and wipe out those filthy animals.’ They giggle and waddle toward a market stall.

I leave the village and make my way back home to Ember. I tell Ember about Wellmore and how I met Vivian and her twin daughters.

 ‘I'm going to have to go back to the village every few days for food. I'm also worried about this war.’ Comforting me, Ember crawls into my lap and snuggles into my chest, and we sleep.