The merchants new life

by Jade Copperfield

Chapter 6 leaving Riverside

It has been a few days since The Incident happened and I haven't bothered to eat in those days. Every time I close my eyes I see that man and his eyes borrowing into my own. But my dad keeps on telling me that it will be okay, but how can it be okay when I have blood on my claws at the age I am. I wont forgive myself until I know what type of person he was but I wont figure that out unless I go back there at the border.

I need to sleep, so tired...

---

I simply opened my eyes and looked at the wood ceiling. It was smooth but didn't look like it had a glossy sheen, I turned my head toward the window and saw there was dawn light coming through it.

"Rise and shine you have a day to talk to a possible drinker and to get to the next town... wait did I get a map"? I sat up and looked around the room for anything resembling parchment, not finding it in site I got up and looked through my pack and there wasn't any either.

"Crap I need to really stop thinking I have stuff that I don't". I closed my pack and got my coat and shirt that were thrown on the floor in a pile. I put them on along with my gun and knife.

I grabbed my pack, hat and key and left the room making sure it looked like it was when I entered. It looked exactly the same except for a few strands of hair and scratch marks on the bed frame. I closed the door and went down stairs and saw the old man from yesterday talking with the Day boy. I walked toward them and put the key down on the desk.

They looked at me and I said" Well here's the key I'm going now it has been a nice stay". I began to walk away before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw the old man.

He said" It was nice having you and don't forget about me, you here". I looked at his outstretched hand and I shook it.

"It was nice talking to someone now one question where can I get a map"? He handed me almost instantly a rolled up piece of parchment. I hesitantly grabbed it and opened to see roads and towns.

Before I could respond he said" Here I saw you around town and figured you might need this after all you don't seem to know your surroundings". He laughed a little and hit me on the back. I gave a nervous smile and told him.

"Thank you". I never had people look out for me for a long time it was very odd but I'm going to have to get used to this. I waved good bye and began my journey to look for Sarah's home. After I walked a couple feet down the street it donned on me that I have no clue where she lives.

"Oh great".

---

I was sitting outside the Haberdashery waiting for Sarah to get here. I waited for wait I can figure an hour before I noticed a familiar shape walking toward me. It was Ruby walking here in the same clothes as yesterday. She walked toward me with a curious expression.

Ruby asked" Why are you here so early"? I look at her from my sitting position which was at head height for her.

I asked" Have you seen Sarah this morning"? She gave a confused expression.

"Why do you have to see her"?

"I want to talk to her about last night and can I ask you something"?

"Um.. sure what do you want to know". She was hesitant to answer.

I asked Ruby" Has Sarah been drinking a lot more lately"? She pondered the question but didn't give me a straight answer.

"She drinks every so often but it isn't common for her to...Wait what is this about"? Well she finally caught on.

"I want to make sure she doesn't get into the situation I was in and still in and isn't she suppose to be here". I stared at her having my eyes stare into hers. she shuddered but gave me an answer.

Ruby said" I went to her home this morning but she wouldn't come out and no one would answer".

"Doesn't she have parents after all she isn't that old". She gave me a quick answer.

"Her parents are out of town and can you please stop staring your making me shiver". I stopped staring at her and stood up from the side of the street.

"Can you show me were she lives"? She backed away after noticing I stood up.

"Ok but if anything happens I'm pining it on you". She emphasized by pointing a hand at me. We began our walk there in silence and I preferred that, it let me think about what I was going to say and do. Ruby stopped in front of a simple looking two story house painted blue.

"This is where she lives and I'm staying right here to make sure you don't do anything that is un-called for". I shrugged not caring about her being there until I felt something sharp land on my back. I jumped slightly and turned to see her with an angry expression.

Ruby said" There is more of that if you hurt her". I rubbed my back and knocked on the door. There wasn't an answer. I tried a couple times but nothing happened, no noise, no nothing. Eventually I got tired of this and looked around the building and noticed a window at ground level. I looked around in case anybody would notice except for Ruby since she was inspecting my every move. When I saw no one I pulled out my knife.

Ruby asked" What are you do-". I interrupted her by thrusting my knife under the window and pushed it down causing the window to make a loud "CLINK" and it to open. Ruby stared at me as I opened it and I saw it lead into a hallway. I crawled through the window while ignoring Ruby's yells.

"What in the name of Gaia are you doing, do you want to get arrested". I look at her before I got my self fully inside the building and once I was fully in I let everything go.

I said" You stop shouting or I WILL have the guards on my ass and second I'm doing this for Sarah not for my whatever you think I'm breaking into a building for". She shut her mouth but her face still showed she was pissed and I figured I was going to get an earful at some point. I began walking away toward I set of stairs in the hall that was near a kitchen and dining room. I started slowly walking up the stairs, when I was half way I decided to start calling out.

"Sarah are you okay"! I didn't hear a response, which just made me more worried. When I hit the second floor I noticed a bottle in the hallway. I picked up the bottle and sniffed it a little.

"Yep figured it would be more of I don't know what it is but it's alcoholic and that is what currently matters". I noticed there was another down the hall I walked toward it and noticed another that was in front of a door. I walked toward the cracked door and I decided to look through the crack. I saw Sarah sitting at a desk, drinking with her head down. I then heard her sobbing.

With little care I opened the door the rest of the way. It creaked but I didn't care I walked into the room with Sarah in it but she didn't turn around.

I decided to speak" Sarah". She whipped her head around at lightning speed and she stared at me with tears in her eyes. Her face was beet red and her eyes looked almost like red orbs that thankfully didn't glow. She looked terrified at first but after she saw me she hit her wall and slid down it and sat there with her arms around her legs.

"Why are you here"? Her voice was quiet but I could still hear it fine. I picked up one of the bottles and held it out.

"Because of this". She just looked at me like an idiot.

"Well mainly why you shouldn't be drinking like you are now".

Sarah said" What does it mean to you, you drink too I don't know why but you do".

I said" If I tell you why will you lay off the drink". She just looked at me not giving an answer.

"Fine I'll tell you anyway". I sat down in front of her.

I Began my explanation" In my occupation you tend to travel a lot and I do all my traveling alone with no one except for the occasional passer by, that is one reason because I'm lonely and the second is because I'm lonely along with somethings I'd rather forget".

Sarah said" Why did you say lonely twice".

I sighed but explained" I gave up years ago about finding a partner and if you want to know yes I've never dated or married anyone in my life that is the partner I'm talking about".

She looked at me in disbelief but she asked" Why are you even telling me this". I put a claw on her head and gently pat it.

"Because you are currently in your room crying and drinking yourself into depression". She looked down and didn't look up.

Sarah said" I knew him most of my life we were friends for awhile, but eventually we decided to start dating and now it came to this". She started tearing up and I noticed she was holding the ring from a couple days ago.

"I'm sorry but it isn't good to stay in here you should talk to someone like Ruby and me but right now it's got to be Ruby". She looked up at me.

She asked" Why must it be Ruby"? She looked confused but I didn't blame her.

"I'm leaving town today and I won't be back for a while and besides I'm terrible at talking about loss". I kept my voice low and spoke with little emotion. I began to leave until she said.

"Why are you leaving and how did you get in here"? I looked back at her.

"Like I told you I'm terrible at talking about loss and besides all I want you to do is to lay off the alcohol and to not drink because of this". I turned back to leave while I added" He wouldn't want you to live like this".

Sarah put her head down as I left, but she didn't continue to cry, she instead thought about what to do next, at least I hope she was.

---

I was at the north road at the edge of town looking at my map to decide where to go from here.

"I could go straight to St. Curtis it is central but I don't want to make repeated stops, so I could go to this town called Weyville and head toward Port Dorade and go in a semi circle and if possible find a path through those mountains near St. Curtis".I decided to go with Weyville.

I went to the right of the north entrance and began the long walk to Weyville.

"lets just hope it cools down a little bit I've had enough of summer for one year".

Author's Note:

Welcome to the Chapter that he leaves Riverside. and to answer some questions yes that scene was way to short and not that great you should have taken longer on that. well I'm going on a trip that is going to last along time and I won't have as much time to write during it due to it being a trip.

"not like you write during the day you only do it once the sun settled".

"I heard that you vampire".

"i'm not a vampire I'm just someone that you think is a vampire and besides don't you have more terrifying monsters in your head than me".

"Don't bring him up".

"Which him the angry one or the angry one in a full suit of armor".

"don't forget the quiet but terrifying character that is kind of based on Doom guy".

"yeah is anything you think about original".

"well confirmed he will not get with Sarah at all so one trope gone".

"is it the first person he sees becomes romantic partner trope".

"of course".

well might as well let you guys go and i don't know play more games, talk to friends, hate people, studying and stuff that normal people do. now I will try and beat Splinter cell the original before the trip.

warning about game cut scenes may end up flickering to the point of seizure inducing.