A/N:First ever Fable fic. Obviously, I own only what is written here, not the game or the characters. Please enjoy!
Sparrow, or Blades as most townfollk had begun calling her, walked along in Bowerstone Market, looking at what goods the stall vendors had to offer. She thought she should know better what they had, seeing as how she owned all of the stalls, along with a few of the businesses and homes in the city.
"We have some lovely celery in." the fruit and veg vendor said, holding out a basket of the vegetable for his employer to see.
"Yes, very nice." she nodded. "Business is good?" she inquired.
"Of course, we are owned by one of the greatest Heroes..."
"A simple yes would do just fine." Sparrow said, stopping the man from going on one of his longwinded attempts at flattery.
"Yes, business is very good indeed." the little man nodded, slightly embarassed. "Good day!" he called as she nodded in return and began to leave.
She had been back in town for less than twenty-four hours, just long enough to return home and have her husband tell her that he wasn't happy and that he was leaving.
"You're never home!" Drew whined. "Why do you have to be gone all the bloody time?"
"Because people ask for my help." Sparrow explained. "You knew that when you married me...more than likely the only reason you did."
"Why, I'm so offended by that!" Drew protested. "Another reason that I can't be with you..you're just so suspicious all the time..so untrusting..." and with that, he set his wedding ring down on the table in the main room of their Old Town home and picked up his bag, leaving without another word.
People had come to her to comfort her in what they termed her hour of need. If she was totally honest with herself, however, she had to admit that Drew's leaving was not such a big blow. Not as big as it should have been, considering her marriage had crumbled. Of course, it wasn't the first marriage that she'd had crumble. It was hard to keep a husband happy and travel around, helping people, and of course making some money as she went. Avo knew that if there wasn't enough money coming, her husbands just whined even more than before! Five marriages. All gone. Two of them had been caught with other women when Sparrow returned home for a visit. Not that she could complain since those two marriages overlapped a bit, but only a tiny bit.
She put her home up for rent and decided to stay the night at the inn and the next day she would wander...somewhere. She had yet to decide where. She would likely just head out and simply do something where ever she happened to end up. Now that Drew had the good sense to end their silly marriage, she was free. Her real estate and business holdings were in good hands with her tenants and shopkeepers and vendors. She trusted them all as they knew what she could do to them if they cheated her or damaged a house. She wasn't likely to do much damage to them, unless of course she was in a bad mood. Then guards be damned, she would make them pay.
After wandering for a few hours, Sparrow became aware of something. The lack of children. Looking around she had just realised she had not been bothered once for an autograph or any sort of gift. That was highly unusual. Usually she was mobbed by ankle-biters as soon as she came over the bridge and into the market.
"Hmm, odd." she muttered as she headed into the inn. Shrugging, she assumed the parents in the city were keeping better track of their children and not letting them bother people as usual.
"Blades!" the barman bellowed as she walked into the room.
"Hello." she said.
"Can I interest you in some Bowerstone Brew?" the little bald man asked.
"No thank you." Sparrow laughed. That was how she ended up with husband number three, a town crier old enough to have been her father. "Some tomato juice would be good."
"Of course." he nodded as he went to retrieve the bottle.
"It seems so quiet." Sparrow commented as she took her drink and looked around. Only the town drunks were in there at the moment, none of the more...stable...members of the population were about.
"I know." the barman replied. "It's been this way all day. And no kids running in and out looking for their parents."
"I noticed no kids at all outside." Sparrow remarked before taking a long drink. "Have the parents finally decided to keep an eye on them and make them behave?"
"Oh, how lovely that would be." the barman chuckled as he moved down the bar to pour another cup of cheap wine for a rather scraggily man at the end.
"It's getting late, I'm going to be staying the night here." Sparrow said as she finished her bottle. "Two gold for the juice." she added as she placed her money on the bar.
"Thank you, Blades." the man smiled as he took the money. "Have a good night."
"You, too." she smiled back at him and headed up the stairs. It had been a long day, and she was eager for a quiet night's sleep.