Chapter 3

            Birds chirped and the sun rose over the hill waking Addie up from a troubling night’s rest. It was difficult sleeping when she knew her people were risking their very lives to honor her parents. “That was it,” she thought. “Another year has come and gone, and Zora still has the crown.” She then whispered softly, “I have failed you once again, I’m sorry.”  Promising she wouldn’t put herself in a state of depression, Addie arose from her bed and put on a blue skirt over her old stockings. Before slipping on the worn pair of shoes she laced up a green bodice and tied a red ribbon around her wrist.

            Naturally, Addie opened her bedroom door and walked down the log stairs to the kitchen where she found Kristine rinsing a bucket of apples with the water pump attached to the dish bucket. Kristine turned briefly and looked at Addie, “Sleep any better this year? I know you tend to struggle the night of the feast.”

            Addie took an apple off the counter and rubbed it on her sleeve, “I actually fell asleep this time.” She took a small bite out of the red fruit and leaned against the cupboard.

            “At least you’re making progress,” Kristine enthused. “By the way Addie,”

            “Yes?”

            “That apple hasn’t been washed yet,” she laughed.

            Addie looked down at the apple she was eating, shrugged, rubbed it on her sleeve once more and took another bite. “What’s the plan for today?”

            “There are quite a few ripe crops ready to be picked, that will take the majority of our time. It is difficult to say how much time we will have left after, so I have not planned beyond that.” Kristine finished the last of the apples and dried her hands on her apron. “Shall we?”

 Addie tossed her apple core into the fireplace and tied her apron around her waist. Beside the front door there was a basket which Addie brought with her outside to the field. Kristine had already begun her work with the tomatoes; she was often on top of things long before Addie was even ready to begin. She walked over to an apple tree and set her basket down on the grass underneath it. Carefully she picked each apple and placed it into the basket moving from tree to tree until she couldn’t fill her basket anymore. Each time her basket it became full she would bring the apples to the cart on the side of the tree-cottage and dump them in a crate.

            As the sun rose higher in the sky the temperature rose and made the work seem like it took much longer. By this time Addie had taken the red ribbon from around her wrist and used it to tie her curly hair up and off her neck. Small curls fell out and framed her face as she picked crops, taking them from basket to crate. Kristine loaded the last of the crops into the wagon and walked over to Addie. “I need to take these into town, maybe we can still sell some of them before the day is over.”

            “I’m coming with you,” Addie stated. After putting on her cloak she called to Kristine, “I’ll go get Artemis.” She made her way to the back of the cottage to their small stable for their only animal, Artemis. Artemis was a brown horse with white socks on each leg and a white nose. “Hey there girl,” she smiled with a sweet tone. “How are you doing? You ready to go into town?” The horse whinnied and Addie smiled and nodded with the horse, “Yes, yes you are,” she smiled and laughed. She unhooked the rope hanging on the wood paneling and carefully tied it around Artemis’s muzzle. Being sure to take her the opposite way and not through the fields, Addie brought the horse to the front of the cart and hooked her up.

            “That’s a good girl,” Addie complimented her and held an apple out in her hand. Artemis ate it thankfully out of her palm. “Shall we?” Addie said, this time to Kristine.

            “Yes we shall,” Kristine smiled. Grabbing the sides of the cart Addie pulled herself up and took a seat next to her. Kristine took hold of the reins and made a whipping motion causing Artemis to trot forward.

            As the ride progressed Addie kept her hand on the crops, trying her best to keep them from falling out along the rough road. “Are you okay?” Kristine asked, attempting to break the silence.

            “I’m fine,” Addie replied.

            “Are you sure? You don’t seem fine,” she pressed.

            “Yes, I’m sure. Why don’t you believe me?”

            “You just seem a little more upset than usual. I understand it’s the day after, well you know, but still.”

            “You can call it by its name, you know?” she said softly.

            “That’s okay, I don’t need to,” Kristine continued. “I’m just worried about you. You haven’t been talking much lately, it seems like you never smile anymore. Especially after this year’s, you know, you seem more down than normal.”

            “Kristine, I can handle it. Just call it by its name, please,” Addie pleaded.

            “After the Commemoration of the Fallen, something seems off.”

            Addie took a deep breath at hearing that name then nodded, “I know, and I’m sorry. I just have thought about it more this year than normal.”

            “What about it Addie?”

            “I think it was mostly that boy in town.” Kristine only nodded; Addie could see she wanted her to continue. “I was restricted from helping. The townspeople, they wouldn’t let me get involved, they wouldn’t let me, the Princess, be seen. They didn’t want to risk it. I guess that’s the moment I realized what Queen Zora’s rule has actually done. That’s when it hit me, I need to stop this.”

            “Addie-“

            “No Kristine, I need to. It is my responsibility. I can’t just keep sitting around, year after year letting people get killed, and maimed. I have to do something, I have to.”

            “I understand your concern,” Kristine mumbled. “Now is not the right time though Addie.”

            “Will there ever be a right time though? I can’t keep waiting for a right time that will never come,”

            “It will come, and now is not it.”

            “How do you know Kristine? You have been so amazing and wonderful, taking me in and keeping me safe, but I have to leave, I have to find a way to put an end to Queen Zora’s reign.”

            “Addie-“ Kristine started.

            “Kristine,” Addie pleaded.

            She sighed and looked back at her best friend, “Well I suppose if you’re going to go after Queen Zora you’re going to have to have a plan,” she gave Addie a sly smile.

            “I suppose we will,” she smiled back glad Kristine was on her side.

            “And do you know what the first step of the plan is?”

            “No,” Addie admitted.

            “It’s going into to town and selling some of these crops before nightfall,” she teased.

            “Right,” she confirmed with a laugh.

            Their conversation ended as they rode into town and stopped at a small empty stand. Kristine hopped down from the cart and began unloading a few of the crops onto the stand. There were often empty tables in that part of town, it was the market and everyone was free to sell their product as long as there was a stand open. There was another girl, about the same age as Kristine and Addie, her hair in tight platinum blonde curls. “Good afternoon Red,” the girl greeted.

            “Good afternoon Charlotte,” Kristine replied.

            “You didn’t bring Addie with you today?” she asked, a little disappointed, but still friendly.

            “Yes she did,” Addie popped her head out from behind the cart and carried a crate of apples to the front. “How are you Charlotte?”

            “I’m good,” she laughed. “I’m afraid I didn’t see you back there, how are you?”

            “I’m doing well,” Addie lied.

            “I’m glad to hear that,” Charlotte smiled. She walked over behind her where a large pot sat over a fire. Carefully, she picked up a spoon and stirred what was inside.

            “How are the porridge sales?” Kristine asked politely.

            Charlotte laughed, “They’re fine, thank you. Sold quite a bit last night for, well you know.”

            Addie and Kristine both nodded, “Maybe I’ll buy some from you before we head home,’ Kristine suggested.

            “Oh Red,” Charlotte chuckled. “You know my porridge is always free when it comes to you and Addie.” Kristine smiled and continued to unload the crops. Addie fed Artemis a carrot for being such a good girl on the ride to town.

            An old woman wandered over to the stand and put a few apples, carrots, and tomatoes in a basket. “How much?” she asked.

            “4 pence,” Kristine smiled.

            The old woman held out her shaking hand showing only two, “I’m afraid this is all I have.” She began to pick up an apple to put back, but Kristine stopped her.

            “4 pence for everyone accept you. You get the ‘living in a shoe’ price, which is 1.”

            The old woman laughed, “I’ve always liked you girls.”

            She gave them the money she owed and Charlotte added, “Also included in the ‘living in a shoe’ price is a complementary bowl of my homemade porridge,” she smiled, holding out a wooden bowl and spoon. The old woman took it gratefully and smiled, “Thank you girls so much.”

            “No problem,” Kristine said.

            “Say ‘hello’ to the children for me,” Addie added.

            “Will do,” the old woman nodded and walked away into the crowd.

            Addie and Kristine continued to do business beside Charlotte until most of the food was gone. They had decided to shut down for the day, they had made enough to last them several days. As they were loading their things up into the cart two rather large guards walked up. “How may I help you?” Kristine asked politely. Addie noticed them approach the stand and she made sure to stay hidden and out of sight behind the cart.

            “You can begin by telling me what you’re doing here,” the taller one asked through his bushy beard.

            “What I’m doing here? I’m selling some of my crop from my land,” she explained.           

            The shorter, clean shaven one looked intimidatingly at Kristine, “Are you aware that is now against the law?”

            “I’m afraid I was not. As far as I know I am allowed to sell what I please as long as there is a stand available.”

            “Not selling things,” the tall one explained.

            “Stealing from the Queen’s garden and selling the merchandise for a profit,” the shorter one finished.

            “Stealing?” Kristine asked. “I didn’t steal anything,” she argued.

            “There is no way these tomatoes were grown by a peasant,” the tall one accused.

            The shorter one looked at Kristine harsher, “This cart,” he began pointing, but not turning his head away from her. “This cart is also property of the Queen.”

            “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” she confessed.

            “Sir,” Charlotte interrupted. “If I may, Red here would never steal anything from anyone, let alone the Queen. Consider me a witness, she is innocent.”

            “Did anybody ask you Goldilocks?” the shorter one spat.

            “Do not call me ‘Goldilocks!’” she exclaimed in anger.

            “Then I suggest you stay out of it,” he glared.

            “She’s right though, I didn’t steal anything,” Kristine explained.

            The taller guard pulled his sword quickly and held it to her throat, “How dare you lie to a member of the Royal Guard.”

            The sudden gesture caused Artemis to whinny and take off slightly away from the stand, just enough to reveal Addie hiding behind the cart.

            “Who are you?” the taller guard interrogated.

            “I-I-I,” she stuttered.

            The taller guard stomped over to her and pulled off the hood of her cloak revealing the face that had been posted all around Grimmland. “Adelaide Grimm,” he sneered.

            “Run Addie!” Kristine shouted.

            “You knew about her?! Have you been hiding from the Queen? You were lying. You did steal something from Queen Zora. You just stole something of much more value.” The shorter guard said sternly. He took Kristine roughly in his hands and began to take her away towards a caged carriage.

            “Kristine!” Addie shouted.

            “Addie, don’t worry about me! Get out of here! Go somewhere safe!” she yelled back. She quickly changed who she was addressing her words to as she struggled, “Let go of me! Let go of me!”

            Kristine’s shouts distracted the taller guard that had revealed her identity in the first place and she made a run for Artemis. Before the guard had realized Addie’s disappearance, she had already unhitched the horse from the cart and began riding off into the forest. She may not have been sure about where she was going to end up, but one thing was for certain. Never in her whole life had she wanted to defeat Queen Zora more than she did at that moment.

Author's Note

I haven't edited it yet so try to ignore the grammar mistakes. What do you think of the dialogue? Is the story moving to fast? Is it interesting? What should I change about the story?