章節 16: PRICE OF A CHICKEN
[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: BIRDS OF A FEATHER ~ BROOKE BUTLER]
Oriana dusted her hands on her dress, watching as the carriage left with Bessie. She waved her hands at the maid, whose head was now hanging out from the window, looking at the princess with sadness.
"I shall remember your heroism, Bessie," Oriana hit her chest slightly. Finally, she crossed over to the nearest town, unsure of where she was going; she just walked casually, enjoying the normalcy. The princess was done finding her tribe; this place resonated with her, and she felt a sense of belonging. There was no class; everyone enjoyed themselves and laughed together, also arguing.
"You insolent child! Come back here," Oriana turned to look at the mother chasing her child with a soup spoon, as the little girl giggled.
Her eyes moved around her surroundings, where she noticed an open space inn where a man sauced a full chicken, turning it by dipping it in the sauce first then raising it up for people to see. The sight had Oriana salivating; when she touched her purse, which was usually tied to her waist, to bring out money, she realized it was missing.
Oriana turned back, trying to see if she had lost the purse when she fell, but there was nothing on the floor. She bit her lips; she really wanted to have a taste of what the man was doing. The way he raised the chicken every time he sauced it had Oriana wetting her lower lips.
She walked closer to the inn, trying her best not to look like the sore thumb she was, she cleared her throat, "Excuse me, kind sir," she greeted.
The man stopped for a second to look at the girl. There was nothing special about her, neither did she look like an elite. He huffed and continued with what he was doing.
The princess, not willing to back down, continued, "Please, can I have a little taste? I promise I'll get you your money next time I come to this town," Oriana said, meaning every word of what she said.
The man eyed the girl suspiciously. "Find some other place, you swindler. I'm done helping the likes of you," he turned his back, and when the girl tried to say something else, the man spat on the ground, indicating that he was not interested.
Oriana glared at the man, pissed off at his rude behavior, but she decided to let him be, since he could make chickens look really delicious.
"Excuse me, miss." Someone called the princess from behind.
Oriana turned to look at the person, then she pointed at her chest. "Are you talking to me?"
The woman who had touched her nodded. "Yes, I noticed you've been looking at the chicken there. What if I told you there's somewhere you can get it free?" The stranger said with a smile.
Oriana twitched her lips; there was nothing free in life, and she knew that. She shook her head, "I'm fine, I'll come back some other time."
But the stranger persisted, "You would miss the opportunity then," she said, seeing the suspicious look on the girl's face. "I can take you if you don't believe me. The thing is, the inn is having an event, and it needs to be two persons before they let you in, and I don't have anyone to go with."
The young princess gauged the woman, who looked a little older than her. She didn't look bad. Oriana sighed; she didn't have breakfast before leaving the palace, and she was hungry. It wasn't a bad offer either; what could possibly happen in an open space? She thought to herself.
"Lead the way," Oriana said after deciding. The stranger smiled happily and started walking in front.
Oriana turned to the chicken seller and huffed, "You can have your chicken to yourself!" She harrumphed, following this stranger behind.
When they got to the inn, Oriana noticed that it was mostly women there than men and all the women were dressed in beautiful bright-colored dresses with wide smiles on their faces.
"Wait right here; let me make our reservation," the stranger said to Oriana, before going ahead. After some time when she returned, the young woman had a sad look on her face.
"What happened, is the event over?" Oriana asked seeing the young woman return.
The maiden shook her head, "Not that, they said they can only let you in but not me."
It sounded absurd to Oriana, "Why?" She furrowed her brows.
"They said I don't meet their standard; they only let pretty women inside." The young maiden said with a sad face.
Oriana scowled, what is wrong with this town's people? "Then let's leave," she said now looking angry. First it was the chicken, now they were calling people ugly openly. She couldn't take that! When she turned to leave, the young maiden held her.
"What again? Another free inn? What if they don't like the color of my hair?" Oriana asked because there was every possibility the different parts of this town discriminated one thing or another.
The young maiden shook her head, "Please help me; they gave another option." She said. "They can allow you in, but give me compensation for not eating."
Oriana bit her lips; it didn't sound right to her. It was almost like the girl was selling her off. "I'm okay, thank you. Look for another free inn."
"Please help me, I haven't eaten for the past two days." The stranger maiden said, looking down on the ground. "These days things are getting difficult around here, and the royal family don't care about it."
Oriana didn't hear the part her family was mentioned; she saw the same chicken she wanted being carried inside the inn. "Hold on!" She raised her hand for the girl to stop talking.
"King and Que-" the girl paused, praying that her heart-touching words had worked.
The princess pointed at the chicken, "Is that going to be served inside there?" Her eyes followed the tray of the deeply sauced chicken, and she gulped.
Noticing where the girl's eyes were going, the maiden nodded. "It's the same chicken you wanted, right? Yes, you'll get served it too."
"Say no more, let's go," Oriana said after deciding. The stranger smiled happily and started walking in front.
The person attending to people was an older woman, also dressed in bright color with a long pipe in her mouth as she puffed her smoke.
"Are we giving her the money or you?" The woman asked, with a condescending tone.
Oriana raised her brows, "What?" She asked.
The young maiden who brought Oriana, stepped forward. "I'm to take the money, she's the one going in."
Oriana nodded, "I'll be taking the sauced chicken. Thank you," she said with a hint of excitement.
The inn woman blew off the smoke from her pipe, sizing up the girl that had asked for chicken. "Here, half a crown." She said giving the maid the pouch of money.
Before the maiden left, she said to Oriana. "Thank you so much for today." She said before leaving there.
The gate to the inn was opened and Oriana walked inside without looking at the name of the inn. With a wide smile on her face she walked straight inside. When she tried to turn around, she bumped into someone.
"Oh my, I'm so-"
"Chicken brain," the person said to her, without sparing her another look, and walked away.
Oriana scoffed, "I'm going to forgive that because I'm going in to eat some chicken." She shrugged her shoulders.
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