Red

The spilled vegetables weren't the only things that we knocked down during our struggle. My chairs, some flowers that I received by common admires, and some of my herbs that I picked this morning are spread all over the ground. I absorb the scene and give a dramatic sigh, over many reasons these two can never understand.

I have many important jobs to maintain in the village and one of them is creating herbs. My mother had this job and it was passed on to me, since I had all her recipes to make them. It wasn’t something I was very fond of doing because you have to get the right ingredients and the right amount, plus you have to take your time with what you're doing or everything will be ruined. I’m not at all patient, I’m the complete opposite, my mother was the patient one.

That isn’t the only thing I had on my mind though, I needed to get Allen away from Bill so he can tell me what he had to say. Bill didn’t like this “certain job” I did with Allen. It was very dangerous, one false move and I’ll be dead in an instance. Some do it for a living, daily or weekly, which is very stupid because they end up getting themselves killed.

We do this job once in a while around once or twice a month, that’s why it’s so important we get it before others do. As I start walking towards the herbs to clean them up an idea pops in my head making me stop in my tracks. It has to work! Time is being wasted and we can’t have that. Just as if the universe is asking for this plan to succeed Allen says, “What’s the matter, Red?” secretly I smile away from him. It’s time to be an actress for a bit.

I turn around furiously and yell, “You! You are the matter, with your clumsy self!” He instantly becomes awed in shock as he takes a step back. It’s working, I have to keep going. “Why do you have to be so stupid and get into fights with drunk men, get yourself injured and as I try to help you, you destroy my house!!” He gives me astonishing look with a well amount of confusion in it too, he still doesn’t get it. I gradually move my eyes towards the doors that leads out back to the garden, then back to him. He looks quickly and by the look on his face tells me the light bulb finally clicks. Now it’s time for both our acting skills.

“Me? Maybe you should take a look in the mirror sometimes! Oh, pity me because I have so many jobs to do!”

“You selfish pig!”

“Idiot!”

“Dumbass!”

“Bit-” A force suddenly plunges into Allen's stomach cutting off his previous sentence and making him tumble to the ground. The force came from Bill's abnormally large fist. One thing I can tell you is that Bill is not a fighter, instead he’s a heavy guy with some built only in his arms and also has a brown beard and is utterly bald. He’s the type of guy you wouldn’t picture acting like this.

He drags Allen by his arms making a smooth slick sound across the floor. He leads him to the back and with all his might throws him out of the house making him land in a puddle of mud, face first, at the end of my footsteps.

“Now make yourself useful and re-pick the herbs she needs, while you're at it lose some weight so I can throw you farther out, you scum!” He slams the door making an echo sound across the quiet living room.

He swiftly turns to me with a hateful face which slowly turns to a soft smile. He comes towards me and embraces me with his thick arms. “I’m sorry I did that to him. Will you help him? I have to go back to the Inn to get ready for a special arrival, in a week.” I nod looking like I understand, but inside I’m confused. Who’s coming? Why is it so important?

Without another word he leaves. I go to the fireplace, picking up a chair that has been knocked over on my way there. I start a fire and place a small cauldron with water in it to make some soup. Once I know it will be fine for a bit I collect two baskets near the back door. I step out greeted by the warm sun, rising in the east.

I breath in the fresh smell of bread baking by John in the distance. He is our town baker the finest in the land, at least that’s my opinion. I have a large amount of land making me farthest from the heart of our village. My common herbs I have to grow are in acres above land, but the exotic ones are underground because of warm air. Thankfully, everything I need is above ground. I walk into the tall corn stalks leaving a single basket on the ground for Allen, once he is done doing what ever he is doing.

I hear groaning from the mud pile as I quickly blend into the tall corn stalks before he could see me. When Allen and I were little we use to play in these fields, playing hide and go seek. It was wonderful playing it in July as everything is so bright and full of color. We rarely do anything like that anymore since we became older and have responsibilities to withhold.
The corn stalks leaves rustles as I brush past them. They make a gentle touch to my face like hundreds of fingers trying to get a feel for my pale face. I walk an acre to the fruits as I come upon many tall trees which they stood way before my mother's mother was time. The tallest of them all were the apple trees, they are very sweet and splendid around this time of the year making it even better to pick.

John would love these for his apple pies, he is one of my many customers. The most common actually. He carries a household of 5 kids with a wife and a maid, so he constantly has to come to me for food, medicines, or teaching his young ones how to hunt. He is a good guy to everyone in our village. He also knew my mother too and was there to comfort me when...I hear a slight rustle behind me, I turn to see Allen cover in mud from top to bottom.

"Today just isn't your day, is it?" I say with a sinister smile and a hand on my hip. He laughs wryly.

"Very funny." he replies sarcastically as he comes over to help me pick apples. We stay quiet for a decent amount of time before actually saying anything. I'm itching to know what our job is now, is it to catch criminals? Or steal?

"I guess you're wondering what our job is, yeah?" Allen knows me so well he knows that knowledge that I don't withstand aggravates me. I need to know everything!

"Stop your fools play and tell me what our assignment is!" He smile turns dreary.
Cautiously he says, "Tell me something first." I stop picking in mid air, I turn my body against the tree giving him my full attention to what he has to say next. "How did you know about me getting into a fight with the drunk men?" Shit, I slipped and he knows it, he can see it in my eyes. There is no escape, no lying can get me out of this one, but against all instincts I still try.

" I was out buying clothing for myself when I just happen to pass by. That's all." This time he stops picking and gives me his attention.

"You did it again didn't you?" he asks me. I just stare at his hair as the sun hits it. Allen punches the tree suddenly making its leaves fall around us like early snow. His fist stays where it punched the tree, slowly I see the bark turn red as blood slides down from Allens fingers. I gradually pull his hand away from the tree and place his bloody hand to my lips. I then place my cheek against it as I whisper, "I'm sorry, but it's what I have to do." I can feel his fist clenched under my cheek.

"I hate it what he makes you do! Don't you do enough already!" He yanks his hand from my grasp making the apples from my basket fall to the ground. His face turns sad as I fall to my knees to pick them up. He sets his basket down and starts helping me. At least he doesn’t know the other thing I did last night.
~~~
After we were done picking the apples up from the damp earth we went into the field of wheat. We had the taste of the delicious apples and then was welcomed into the wheats arms. They are unlike humans but when I’m alone this is all I have. But then feeling Allen’s chest rise and fall as he breathes, his arms wrapped around me as I lay on top of him felt good.

I close my eyes taking in every moment of this, it's been a long time since I've had a peaceful, quiet time with him. The sound of his voice jerks me out of my slumber, "I guess I should tell you our assignment then?" That pops my head up from his chest facing him closely and securely. He heaves out a sigh then places a smile on his face, "It's different from the other you know."

"How different?" I asked teasingly.

"We have to guard someone, someone very important."

"And who might this very important person be?"

"I'm not sure" This was unusual for us not to have the facts right away. We don’t take dangerous and vague assignments like these but it’s been months since our last one and we really need it.

"What do you mean you don't know?" I ask with a hint of outrage in my voice.

"They gave me our job, and all they said was that they will arrive within the week. But they did say something else."

"What did they say?"

" They say the person that we’re guarding, knows you."

"Who would know me, outside of this village!?"

"I don't know I guess we're going to have to find out later." My neck gives out and lets my head fall back onto his chest in disappointment."Well, until then.." I feel his hands come to my stomach as his fingers brush against me making me giggle. "Stop!" I cry out between laughter.

"Never!" I keep giggling and laughing at his touch. I push away from him onto my feet. I give us some space then I say, "Catch me if you can!"

"You’re so on!" I hear from behind me as I dissolve into the wheat fields towards my house. I hear him gaining on me, with a quick burst of energy I make through the fruit untouched. The corn stalks come into view see a path that I can make a clean shot with. I rush into it, hearing Allen shouting in the back to me, but I don't listen.

Instead I take in the soft soil under my feet every step I take, and the wind pulling my hair back against my hair. I break free from the corn and see my house a couple of yards away, as I'm halfway there, I hear Allen emerge from the corn also.

I make it to the door trying to open it but its stuck then a force pushes me against it making me fall along with it. My door is safely attached to the wall, but as I turn around facing up I see that I'm trapped underneath Allen's body. "Got you." He says softly as his face comes closer to mine. I close my eyes ready to embrace his lips when I hear an erupted coughing.

It was neither from Allen or I, we give each other a weird look as we both turn our heads towards the noise. My head tilts backwards as my eyes see three upside down dark figures, one stood out the most. He seems like the captain of this group of soldiers, as I can tell of the embroil from their swords and uniform. The two at each side of the captain had their regular battle armor, but the captain had a simple t shirt with black pants and a long leather jacket.

I push Allen off of me, to get him to snap out of his stare. I get to my feet and swiftly pull out my hand ready to shake his as I approach him. "Good afternoon. How may I help you on this fine day?" The Captain is the one to speak as he meets his hand with mine shaking it.

"We've come here looking for Allen Woodwalker and Red Celsius?"

"It's Ceases and you have come to the right place." I point my hand to the now standing Allen,

"This is Allen Woodwalker and I'm Red Ceases. Are you the ones that hired us for protection?"

"Yes actually we have, but you see it's not the matter of us being guard but someone else."

He turns his back to us along with his soldiers as Allen comes to my side. I whisper to him angrily, "I thought you said they wouldn't be here for another week?!"

"I said within the week, Red" he replies in a calm whisper, "But I have to admit this is unexpected." As I take a closer look at the Captain he is no older than Allen with raven black hair and a sinister smile that gives me the chills, the soldiers are as old as Bill. This is very strange, why is a young man like him ordering older men?

Instinct tells me this is about to get very interesting very fast. He swiftly turned facing me, "Now presenting her majesty-" A loud thud comes from outside as a man yell, "Please, your majesty it was a mistake!"

Another thud is sounded against the door, a second goes by until the door falls from its hinges to the ground making a cloud of dust hiding this "majesty." I childish laugh comes from the dust, as a graceful and familiar voice is heard, "Long time no see, Red"

No, it can't be but as my mind wants to wish it my eyes tell me plain and clear it's her. How could I not mistaken her crisp brown hair and emerald green eyes, as the cloud of dust disperses I can see this version of her is all grown up and no child is left in her, "Sinai"