Chapter Eight: Redemption Day

Yumi shuffled uncertainly through the village marketplace. As the sun had come out the streets had become crowded with bustling townsfolk. They took little notice of Yumi, and the Princess found the merry chatter that passed between the villagers comforting. They all seemed so content with their lives.

Yumi thought jealously of how simple things were for them. Why, the only thing they had to worry about was the latest gossip! None of these simpletons had to deal with cruel fathers and horrid betrothals. They didn't have to worry about being proper either!

"Ouch!"

"Oouf!"

Yumi rubbed her head to calm the stinging pain. Opening one eye, she took in the girl she had bumped into. She looked to be about Yumi's age with long hair that swept down her back. This girl was also rubbing her head, and Yumi suspected they would both have nasty bumps soon.

"I'm sorry," the girl apologized. "That was my fault." She stuck out a hand and helped Yumi up.

"No, it was mine," Yumi assured her. "I was thinking and wasn't looking where I was going."

"My name's Emily, what's your's?"

"Pri-" Yumi stopped herself. "Yumi." Intoducing herself as a princess probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Emily smiled; apparently she hadn't noticed Yumi's error. "Nice to meet you. I haven't seen you before, where are you from?"

Yumi sought for an answer that wouldn't giver her away or make her sound like a nutcase. "I'm just passing through," she said finally. "I travel. A lot."

Emily gave a secretive smile."Are you running from something?" Yumi's jaw dropped at the girl's insight.

"You don't have to answer that. Why don't you come have lunch at my house?" In response Yumi's stomach growled and she realized that she had left the palace without eating. Emily laughed. "It's settled then. Follow me."

Emily lead Yumi through a maze of streets and alleys. The Princess's sense of direction was very confused after just five minutes. Finally, Emily turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Yumi peered over her shoulder to see what was going on.

A group of boys about their age were circling a girl like a pack of vultures. They were calling nasty names and the girl had collasped into tears. "No, Claire," Emily whispered. She strode forward in a commanding manner and whapped one of the boys upside the head.

"Emily," Claire sobbed out in a reverant voice. Her golden hair was askew and her green dress wrinkled and covered with dust from the unpaved road.

"Beat it, you bunch of hawks," snapped Emily to the boys. "Leave her alone!" She had one of the boys, the one she had smacked before, by the collar of his shirt. He was squirming and giving the other boys pleading looks. The other turned and began to run away. Emily dropped the boy and he scampered after them like a lost puppy.

"Hey, she brought this on herself, the little harlot," one of the boys called as they fled down the street.

Yumi rushed forward and helped the girl named Claire up on her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm-Hmm," she nodded, wiping at a tear and trying to smile. Yumi turned to Emily.

"What was all that about?"

Emily sighed. "Claire and I live with a man named Jim, along with a few others. We stay with him because we have no where else to go, for whatever reason. You'll meet the others at lunch. Claire has been accused of being a harlot. She isn't, but they still tease her."

"That's awful," Yumi gasped.

"That's life," Emily responded. "C'mon, let's go home."

-----

Emily and Claire led Yumi to a little house outsode of the village. It was hidden in a little grove of trees, out of sight from the road. Out in front of the house a dark-skinned girl was laying in the grass and staring up at the now crystal blue sky. The rain clouds had dispersed and the sun shone brightly.

"Hello, Sam," Emily called. They walked up a beaten path towards her. Sam rose, brushing off dust and bits of grass from her red shirt and black skirt. She looked at Yumi suspiciously. "Thsi is Yumi," Emily explained. "We met in the village and I invited her for lunch."

"Hello," Sam said shortly.

Yumi gave the best smile she could manage. "Hello."

A small gray dog came bounding up, barking wildly at Yumi. "This is Kiwi," Sam told her, bending down to pet the dog. Yumi did the same, and Kiwi licked her face.

Emily laughed. "Well, you've passed Kiwi's test. Come on inside."

Claire opened the door for them and ushered everyone but Sam inside. The quiet girl had settled back down into the grass. Once to door was shut, Emily explained.

"Sam was accused of being a thief. Jim found her and saved her."

"Did you find a new addition to our family, Emily?" A man stepped out of another room. He was plump with untamed brown hair.

"No, just a guest, Jim," Emily assured him.

"I'm Jim." He stuck out a hand to Yumi, who shook it tentatively.

"I'm Yumi. It's nice to meet you." Just then, two more girls entered, each with an armful of wild daisies.

"Look at all the flowers we picked, Emily," one gushed. Yumi was reminded faintly of Aelita by this girl. They had the same hair, though this girl's was slightly darker. The other girl was dark-skinned like Sam with her hair done up into three balls on either side and on the top of her head.

"This is Taliya (I can't spell her name) and Sandra," Emily told Yumi. "Girls, this is Yumi, she's having lunch with us. Taliya is an orphan, and Sandra's parents abandoned her in the village when she was a baby," Emily added to Yumi.

"Hello," they chorused in unison.

"Put those flowers in a vase and let's get cooking, ladies," Emily commanded.

-----

Ulrich lifted the boy to eyes level by his shirt collar. "Well?! Have you seen her?" The boy nodded in sudden enthusiasm. It's funny how threat of pain could do that to a person.

"She was with Emily," the boy choked out. As fate would have it, he was the same unfortunate boy who had be picked up in a similar fashion by Emily earlier. "She went home with her."

"And where is this Emily's home at," Ulrich pressed, his tone suggesting he was sick of the boy beating around the bush.

"A house in a grove of trees outside the village," the boy rasped, loosing air rapidly. Ulrich set him down and the boy staggered away, clutching at his throat as he gasped for air. Ulrich stalked off in the direction of the grove of trees, which he could see over the housetops.

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this is ending there because I am tired of typing, lol. anyway, this will probably be my last update before I leava for liek two weeks, so ja'ne guys!