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Chapter Eight: The Blacksmith Shop

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I felt my bed shake and I rolled onto my side. I pulled on my covers tighter, but my bed still shook. I growled under my breath, for I still desired to sleep. Whoever was keeping me from sleeping would pay.

"Stop jumping on my bed!" I yelled, sitting up, but my bed was still shaking.

"Come on, Astrid!" Roland said, jumping on the end of my bed. "We get to go to Dad's shop today!" Sleep immediately left me and my eyes widened with excitement.

"Really?" Roland nodded, still jumping on my bed. Another voice then entered my room.

"All right you two, time to get ready for the day." Maggie scurried over to my windows and drew the curtains, blinding me with the morning sunlight. She opened the windows as well, and the room turned cool and refreshing. She turned to Roland who still happily jumped on my bed. "Now, young Mister Turner," she said. "Time for you to get ready. Go back to your own room now. Miss Astrid has to dress." She shooed Roland out of my room as if she shooed away a dog, giving me my first laugh of the day.

I got out of my bed and Maggie led me to the dressing area. She slipped on my undergarments after tugging off my nightgown and afterwards put on a stiff yellow dress, as uncomfortable and fluffy as my other ones. I slipped on some brown, polished shoes and Maggie began to do my hair. She sat me down in front of a mirror and tried to fix up my curly hair. I winced every time she pulled my hair back, and I wondered if I would go bald by the time she was through.

At last, she finished. Part of my hair was put up and curled and the rest of my locks remained curled and free from any hairpin. "There, you look positively beautiful, Miss Astrid."

"Thank you, Maggie," I mumbled. I did not enjoy getting my hair done, or having to wear tight dresses with frilly necklines, even after having to wear them for months now.

I was set downstairs to eat breakfast, and Mum, Dad and Roland were already there. I took my seat and the meal began as usual, except I had to eat as if Missus Whitman was watching me, so as not to ruin my dress. Both Roland and Dad were dressed almost exactly the same. Both wore brown pants, white stockings, a brown vest over a white shirt (except Roland's vest was gray), and over that, a brown coat. Mother wore a beautiful gold dress, much more fluffy than mine, and if it wasn't for me, the Turner family would be picture perfect.

"Are we really going to the blacksmith shop?" I asked, more likely at the wrong time, for all eyes set on me once I made my outburst.

"Yes. Roland was ordered specifically to tell you," Mum said, smiling.

"Oh. All right. That's good then." We returned to our normal, quiet state and remained that way until the meal was over. A servant arrived to tell us that the carriage was ready, and we were off.

We all walked out of the house and one by one, entered the carriage. I stared at the type of transportation for a while, for I had never ridden in one, but a servant helped me in before I could finish inspecting it. I took a seat next to Roland on one side of the carriage, and Mum and Dad sat opposite of us. The interior of the carriage was dreary and dark, so I stuck my head out of a window. My hair was thrown back from the wind and I looked out into the many streets. People were up and about. Some were cleaning up their houses, others just fooling around. I wished for that freedom. I felt a hand tug my foot from behind, for I kneeled on my seat as I looked out. Frowning, I turned back, to find Roland motioning for me to stop.

"But why?" I asked.

"It's not proper," he replied.

"Oh." I sat back in my seat and we stopped in front of a building, or rather, a large fortress of some kind. Mother kissed Daddy quickly then a footman helped her out of the carriage.

"Where is she going?" I asked.

"To be with her father. She is a lady of great importance and she must attend to things," Daddy replied.

"Like what?"

"You can ask her when she comes home this afternoon."

"Are we going to the shop now?"

"Yes." My smiled grew and I was bouncing with suspense.

Father made the driver stop in the middle of the street, and all three of us walked out. Roland and I followed him as we walked down the street and at last we reached the shop. It was a dark, dim place, humid as well, but it was still enchanting in a way. Father told us to stay right where we were, which was beside a load of hay. He started a fire in the furnace, and the room grew even warmer. Smoke rose up to the ceiling, and I began to see what Daddy saw every morning.

Will took of his coat and put on an apron and took out some tools. I was restless as I stood, and my feet kept on shifting about. I couldn't stay still. Suddenly, Daddy's head shot up, as if he had just remembered something and walked off to a separate room in the shop. He came out, a short, dirty old man behind him.

"Astrid, Roland, come forward," Daddy said. We did, and he introduced us to the short, dirty man. He was Mister Brown, the supposedly real blacksmith of the shop. Daddy murmured some words to the man and then hurriedly left the shop, leaving Roland and me alone with the dirty, old man.

"Where did my dad run off to?" asked Roland.

"Oh, he forgot something. He'll be back soon," replied Mister Brown. Roland and I watched silently as he sat himself in a chair in the corner and started to drink something from a clear bottle. We didn't watch for long, at most fifteen minutes because the man was soon asleep, snoring away.

I grinned and nudged Roland with my elbow. "Here's our chance," I said.

"What are you talking about? We have to wait until Dad comes back."

"No, we don't. That old man who is supposed to watch us is dead asleep."

"No, he's not. He can probably hear us."

"Oh really?" I walked cautiously towards the old man, practically walking on the tips of my toes. I tapped him gently in the shoulder, he didn't stir. I cleared my throat loud enough for everyone to hear. He didn't move.

"See?" I said, quite loudly, trying to prove my point. "He's dead asleep! He won't wake up! Now, come on!" I ran off and looked around the shop to see what I could do. I spotted something to my left and I laughed. "Look! It's a... a... some type of animal!" Roland laughed at me, and I grew annoyed. "What's so funny?"

"That's a donkey, Astrid! How can you not know what a donkey is?"

"Shush! You are beginning to sound like Matthew." Roland shut his mouth and together we neared the donkey. I managed to pet its muzzle and I laughed. "It's nice, but why is there one in here?" It was only then when I saw a little dark, hairless mark of the donkey's leg. "What's this?" Roland squinted at it and came up with a conclusion.

"Someone probably burned him. Maybe with a tool or something. I'm not very sure." I wrinkled my brows.

"What kind of mean person would do that?"

"I don't know," Roland replied, scratching his head.

"Oh, well. Come on. Let's do something else." We left the donkey alone and set our attention back on the swords and other tools hanging around the shop. We stopped particularly at one incredible piece of work, and Roland and I stared at it in wonder.

"I can't believe my dad made this!" Roland exclaimed, smiling. A grin came upon my face and my hand slid down the blade to its golden hilt. "I wonder who it could be for." I didn't reply and I enclosed my fingers around the handle. "Astrid? What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just want to try it out meself."

"No! Don't touch it!"

"Why not?" My grip on the sword only tightened.

"You can't lift it up. Swords are heavy. Dad told me."

"I think I can carry it with two hands."

"No!" I was about to lift it up just as Roland reached out to stop me, and I whacked him in the face with the blade. He staggered to the ground while I stood still in my shock looking at the blade, and then down at him. His face was in his hands and I wasn't sure if he was crying.

"Roland?" I asked. I dropped the sword carelessly on the table and knelt down beside him. "I'm so--"

"Look what you did!" he screamed. "I'm bleeding!" I almost laughed at him.

"Roland, I can't even see your face 'cause of your bloody hands. Move 'em!" I pried his hands away from his face, and this time, I really did laugh. "All you have is a little cut by your nose! Stop acting like this! You are reminding me of Matthew!" Roland groaned and got up on his feet. He dusted himself off and once again held his head up high.

"Never been better," he said.

"Good. Now, come on. I'm still bored." I stood up and looked around the shop. I couldn't find anything to do. The swords were too valuable to play with, and the shop wasn't made to fit the needs of a child. Then I looked up and I grinned from ear to ear. "Look, there is a little hole in the ceiling," I said, pointing my chubby little finger up. I pointed at an opening that let in most of the light in the shop.

"Yes, there is. What about it?"

"I wanna go on the roof." I went off as soon as I said that, but Roland's mind seemed to be a little slow.

"What!" he yelled, about a minute later.

"I'm gonna climb up there!" I replied as I climbed up the cubes of hay in the corner. "Once I'm high enough, I'm gonna grab hold on one of the wooden beams and climb my way up there."

"No! Dad is coming back any minute! Don't--"

"Oh, bollocks, Roland." I yelled as I jumped from the pile of hay to a wooden beam. "You are not the one climbing. So don't worry about it!" I pulled myself up the beam and once I reached a horizontal one that I could stand on, which wasn't far away, I would continue my journey up.

"Astrid! Please! Get down now!"

"No," I sang. I balanced myself on the horizontal beam before me and I walked slowly and steadily across it, my arms lifted at my sides for balance. I made the mistake of looking down, and I realized that I was higher up than I thought. Roland seemed like a toy doll from my level.

"Get down! Dad will be here any minute!" Roland yelled. Stupidly, I took another step.

"No... I... I can't." I was too unsteady because of my fear and I tripped on my dress.

"Astrid!" Roland screamed. I fell off the side of the beam, but grabbed hold of it before completely falling. I hung by my arms. "See! I told you! Now get down!"

"You cad!" I yelled, trying to pull myself back up. "How am I gonna get down? I'm hanging by a thread here!"

"I told you not to go up there! And now look what you've gotten into!"

"It's not my fault!" I growled and made plans in my mind to get back at Roland, but I was still too occupied by the chance that I might fall and get injured. Or worse, die.

Somehow, I managed to crawl back up on the beam, and I clung to it like a baby, resting my head and belly on the ruff wood. I saw Roland from below sigh and plop himself down on the hay, his arms crossed over his chest. Every once in a while his head would look up at me and he would frown. I replied with any curse I learned from Jack. Lengthy hours passed, or so it seemed as I remained still high up on the rafter. It even came to a point where I wanted to sleep, just like Mister Brown who continued to snore away in the corner. I was half awake when a soft creak entered my ears.

"Roland!" it called. "Astrid! Where are you two?" I lifted my head and looked below me and Will stood by the hay pile.

"Hullo, Daddy!" I yelled from above. Amazed, Dad looked up at me and his face was expressionless.

"Astrid? What are you doing up there!" He scurried over so that he was right below me.

"I... dunno," I replied. Roland left the soft hay and walked over to his father.

"She wanted to go on the roof," Roland said, pointing to the opening I said I'd climb out of.

"Astrid, get down now," Daddy insisted. I smiled feebly at the two of them.

"I... can't. I'm scared." Roland sighed and shook his head.

"That's why I told you not to go up there!" he said.

"Sorry. I was bored. Mister Brown fell asleep."

"I can see that," said Will. "Come on. I'll get you down." Will told Roland to step aside and he went through the same path I did to get to where I was at the moment. He reached my beam with ease and motioned for me to come a little closer. I looked below me again, and I couldn't make myself leave my spot. "Come on, Astrid. Don't look down."

"It's a little late for that. I already did." Dad bit his lip and reached out farther to me.

"It's all right, Astrid. I'll make sure you won't fall. I'm here. Don't be frightened." I looked at him with uncertainty, but slowly I began to inch my way towards his arm. At last, he got hold of me and carried me back down quickly. Very quickly in fact. I enjoyed the way down because of the speed. He set me back down on the ground, beside Roland. "I'm glad you're safe. Just don't do that ever again."

"I won't. But the way down was fun. Can we do it again?" I replied. Daddy laughed and picked me up.

"You are truly a pira--" He cut himself off. "You are truly a wonderful girl, Astrid." He looked down at Roland. "And you, Roland, have got to take care of Miss Astrid."

"I tried to tell her--"

"If she ever tries to do something crazy again... you either stop her..." Will grinned. "Or go with her."

"Whatever you say, Daddy."

"Be ready, Roland," I interrupted. " 'cause I'm gonna be just as crazy as Jack!"