The receptionist opens the door to a room to take my picture. I gulp. cold sweat, palms sticky.
"Do you have a restroom? Nearby?" I awkwardly chuckle.
She says it is around the corner, and to meet her back in the room. I leave, quickly pacing to the restroom. I lock the door, and take off my hood.
"This is a mess," I sigh in defeat, placing my hands on the sink.
"Wait a second…" I pause staring at my hair.
I run my fingers along my scalp. I quickly untie the braids— Gasp.
My scarlet hair is more predominant than yesterday. The roots have grown, I run my fingers along the strands. The scarlet's grown down to the nape of my neck. I close my eyes, then exhale. Calm. Focused.
I unsheathe the dagger and raise it carefully to my neck. Just as I hesitate, a knock at the door.
"It's me, are you alright in there?" It's the receptionist.
"Ye— yeah, just fixing myself up before my grand picture!" I yell.
"Alright…well, you know where to find me," she leaves.
A bold decision to cut my hair. Tears stream down silently, mourning, as I cut away the only part that tied me as Duke Alaire's daughter. I fix what is left. Short, choppy, a rough pixie-cut. I look like a boy.
I splash water on my face, then slick my hair back. I look in the mirror, a new me.
"Even if she was just a dream. She was strong," I mumble to myself, staring at the red hue.
I take off my robe, and wrap all evidence of black hair.
I open the door and stride, eyes narrow, and a resolve that can't be blown away. Eyes follow me from all directions.
Too late to turn back now…
The receptionist blinks, surprised. A faint blush can be seen across her face.
"Please, have a seat," she gestures.
I sit down, posture upright, jaw set, gaze steady.
She casts a spell, a sudden flash.
I wince,
I'm seeing colors, I rub my eyes.
"It's ready," she hands me my identification card.
I can't see properly.
"Thanks," I wave my hand,
and walk out of the room disoriented.
Bumping into chairs, plant pottery, and a column. I stumble out into the sun, eyes still adjusting.
"How much power did she use in that flash?"
I finally reach Orphnaeus. I pull my hood back up, and climb onto his back.
"I forgot," a sudden realization.
I dismount, and walk over to a couple standing near by the guild door. I inquire the name of the cheapest potion shop.
"You must be new," the couple laughs.
"Huh?" I question.
"Well, no one really goes to that shop. It's run down, shady and even has bad rumors surrounding it," the lady whispers next to my ear.
Amazing! Wow! Crushed shop. Just what I need in my life. Sanity? Who needs that?
The man gets close to my other ear and whispers,
"It's been cursed. Anyone who goes into that doesn't come out sane."
I take a step back and stare at them with empty eyes. They become intimated by my stare.
"Well if you insist, the name is Potion Raven," she says, pulling her partner signaling him to leave.
I scratch my head as I walk away.
Well it's not like I have any other choice.
"I'm about to run out of money," I sigh.
I walk back to Orphnaeus and write the shop name in the book. We stroll to the shop, and as they mentioned, it looks abandoned.
"Don't go in there young lady," a homeless man shouts from a corner in an alleyway.
Windows broken, the shop sign creaking in the wind. It looks dark inside, barely anything on the shelves. There is no shop keeper in sight. I dismount from Orphnaeus.
I place a hand on my dagger and cautiously nudge the door open. A hinge falls off the door and the door slams to the ground.
" This– this is not my fault", I step further into the shop.
Standing in the center of the shop, I scan around. Broken bottles on floor, ripped curtains, dusty shelves. It looks like it has been abandoned for quite some time. Just as I step forward to take a closer look at the remaining bottle, a creak, from my left side.
"Don't move, thief!" a man says sternly, voice raspy, mellow, but stern.
I relax my posture, and raise my hands,
"I'm not a thief", I turn and look at him.
He is standing at a halfway point on a staircase.
"Then what are you doing so close to the shelves? You think you people can just come in here and take whatever you want? This is not your personal inventory," he scolds holding a cane.
His hair is long, grey with a bluish hue. He doesn't look over twenty five. He blushes watching me look at him intently. He quickly lowers his cane and turns around.
"Pervert! You are not only a thief but also a pervert!," he says, acting flustered.
I don't have time for this charade, I sigh, annoyed.
"Look here mister, I'm in the store because I want to buy something. I'm not a thief or a pervert," I say sternly.
I explain to him that no one would dare look at this place, even the homeless man warned.
"If that was the case, why would I willingly enter, when it clearly looks abandoned," I brush my finger across the dusty furniture, walking towards him. I stand at the end of the staircase.
I ask him to turn around— we are standing face to face.
"I'll be frank. I'm running low on money, so I came here to buy whatever I can afford. Then I'll be on my way," I say, walking back to the main counter.
He stares at me blankly, like I was speaking something foreign.
"Well…are you going to let me purchase something? Or should I leave?" I ask him.
He almost misses a step walking down to the counter. He walks behind the counter,
"Welcome customer. What would you like to purchase?"
I look at him dead in his eyes, emotionless, I dislike being disrespected.
No manners to say sorry…
"Give me health potions and mana potions," I hand him a small pouch, "whatever this pouch can buy."
I can see the hairs on his hand rise.
Goosebumps?
I tilt my head looking at him, then I notice something. He's scared.
Of what? Me?
He hands over a bag of few vials, I take it without speaking another word, and turn around to leave. The room is silent enough to hear a pin drop.
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
I freeze, and glance over my shoulder.
He seems embarrassed, looking down at his counter. He slowly looks up to see me staring at him. He straightens his posture and steps aside. He bows and deeply apologizes for his behavior.
Is this normal for people in this town?
I sigh, rubbing my temples and turn around.
"It's fine. I mean, at least you apologized," I tell him, and walk towards the broken entryway.
Before I step out, I pause, without turning around I tell him,
"It's best you leave this town," I then step out to Orphnaeus.
I mount, and write in my book,
"Next stop, Shadow Grove."
With no time to waste, we head towards the exit to the next town.