Forced Marking

|Micah's Point Of View|

When morning arrives, my mother wakes me up, and I know it is time to get the freshly baked goods to the palace as her knee pain doesn't let her move around. Though it is my first time going to the palace after years of spending my time in the village, I know that I've to do that for her—only this time.

Sigh. But how much I hate that place... not because I disliked the King and Queen but the noblemen... I hate those creatures so much... They look down on us like we are some pieces of shit that don't even deserve to be under their feet. Can't they see that we are human too?

I neatly stack the last box of bread in the cart. The horse tied to the front stomps its feet as if it is impatient for the journey. Our neighbour, who let us borrow the horse only for today, pokes out his head to see if all are good. I give him a thumbs up and get on to the front of the cart, so I can lead it out of the village to the town and then to the palace, which will be around two to three hours of travelling.

"Micah. Remember to stay on the path and go straight to the palace, okay? Show the guards your pass, and they will tell you where you should go, to the back of the palace, and then the workers will stack the goods down... and the Queen herself might come to see you as she sometimes does because--"

"--we bake her favourite cookies." I complete her words. "I know the mantra, mother. I will be back before you know. Give your feet some rest." I smile.

"Alright. Safe journey!" I take off under her nervous, watchful eyes.

I swiftly lead the cart through the village with several villagers staring at me because it is only my family that always visits the palace like this. So I feel this sense of pride inside me, but I ignore it, and I continue on my journey.

I made two stops at two places—one when nature called me and two when the horse started acting weird. But later calmed down after I offered it an apple. And after three hours, I am in front of the palace gates, and a guard walks up to me with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Lost your way here, kid?" he asks.

"No. Here's the pass." I show him the pass, and he glances at it twice before calling out for the others to open the gates. As I move forward through the open gates, I look around to take in the beautiful view of the palace. No wonder people adore this place. It is well cared for. And I see loads of workers around.

"That way!" a guard calls out and points to my right. So I go to the right and take a detour around the palace. In the end, I stop at the back of the palace, where I find a few women wearing scarves doing their duties and some working men. I assume it is the royal kitchen.

I get down from the cart and wait till one of them sees me. A young guy spots me and walks to me with a smile.

"Are those the bakery goods? Right on time!" he exclaims, walking around the cart. "Hey, you! Come over here. We'll have to unload this stack right now!" he calls over a few lads who join him. I give them a hand in unloading the boxes as well. It takes us quite a time to pull them all out and take them inside. Once we are done with that, the same guy turns to me.

"The chief cook must sign the order papers. Did you bring them?" he asks.

"Oh, yes. Is this it?" I ask, showing him the paper where the details of the number of bakery items I brought and their prices are written.

"It is. And I already have your payment with me, three gold coins, but the chief cook must witness the transaction. Let me get him." he says as he goes back in. I patiently wait for his return, and he comes back running. "I am sorry, he's not here but in the fields, probably checking the new batch of vegetables. Can you do me this one favour and find him? It's not hard. Just follow the footpath over there, and you'll find the vegetable field right next to a flower garden." he explains.

"Are you sure I won't get lost?" I ask.

"You won't, and thank you!"

I sigh as I walk toward the footpath. And I follow it. I know I should be patient and get the gold coins because they gravely help us to survive for more than one month. Other than that, all we get from our bakery products are bronze coins from the villagers and sometimes a silver coin or two from a big order. This is the only way we earn gold coins.

I walk for a bit, following the footpath and reach the flower garden that the young guy mentioned. And right next to it, I find a small wooden fence and a rich vegetable field next to it. I walk toward it and look for the chief cook but realise that I don't know who he is or what he looks like.

I sigh for the second time and look around in frustration. The sun shines in the sky, and it starts burning my skin as I stood in the middle of nowhere. But I sigh in relief when I see someone in the middle of the flower garden with a few branches of hydrangeas in her hands.

So I walk to her so I can know who the chief cook is and get the gold coins. But as I get closer, I see that she's wearing noble clothes and she might be a noblewoman, and I doubt if she would help me. (Noble people are egoists)

And with each step, my eyes are able to capture the image of the person in front of me... capture all the tiny details of her... The unrealistic beauty, baby rose lips, untouched skin, silky hair, dark brown pits of pupils, long eyelashes, perfectly drawn eyebrows... and... and a sweet scent coming from her body that is similar to freshly baked cookies and freshly plucked strawberries.

All those keen factors make me unconsciously walk closer. It is like an unknown shade of force behind me that makes me sway, and I don't know what I am doing. I don't know what is happening around me. I feel like I am being drawn to her, like magnet to magnet. Or magnet to metal. What is this? Why am I walking closer without stopping?

Her scent is sweeter than the sweetest. I've never smelt anything like this before. It invades my nostrils, taking my breath away and all my five wits feel nourished by that one glance she gives me.

It perks what is forming inside me, and before I know I am right in front of her, she's looking at me with wide eyes and...

Before even heaven knows, my canines bury deep in her flesh between the neck and shoulder, claiming her as mine.