The city streets are busy. Peddlers on corners and the starving homeless in the alleyways are blind from most peoples sight.
They aren't invisible to Kelric. The longer he watched mothers beg for scraps to feed their children, the further his earlier jubilation fell.
'My own kingdom needs fixing as well it seems.. but that will have to wait till after I murder every single man in power in Kalabar.'
My thoughts are muddled and I have shake my head to clear it. It's useless worrying about things I can't change right now.
The woman at the entrance of the Fristed Rose is the same one who first greeted Elias and I when we dined here yesterday.
"Honored guest Kelric, thank you for stopping by today. If you're here to eat, I have a couple free tables on the third floor that aren't reserved."
"If possible could I actually get…"
After explaining what I wanted, the woman's surprise was noticeable. She agreed however and soon I had a few dishes wrapped in cloth handed to me.
I made my way downtown a little ways back to where I saw a particularly awful looking family.
When I see them again, my heart hurts as sunken in cheeks and hopeless expressions mar their appearance.
They flinch back as I approach and sit down.
Four hungry pairs of eyes stare at me as I unwrap the bundled food.
A mother, her two daughters and son swallow saliva as the aroma fills the air.
"I only have four dishes here, so one of you has to share with me."
I rip a piece of freshly baked bread roll and toss it in my mouth. I raise an eyebrow to them when nobody joins me.
"I'm gonna eat it all if you guys don't want any."
The little boy couldn't take it anymore and rushes over, his mother tried to pull him back, but he couldn't be stopped.
"M-mister.. can I really eat that.."
I toss the bread I was eating at him.
"Of course, that's what I just said."
The older girls warily approach now and I gesture for them to sit with me.
When they do, their heads turn to their mother who was crying.
"Ma'am, foods gonna go cold if you don't hurry."
She stumbles as she makes her way over, lack of sleep and food making her body weak. I'm at her side before she falls over.
When I set her down around the food, her children can no longer hold back and dig in.
It's very strange, I've never seen someone smile and cry at the same time. I think this was the right thing to do because my heart feels fuller as I look at them.
The mother was sharing with me, but I barely ate as I made sure she got her fill.
For the first time in two years I feel a full smile turn my lips upward, not the half one that had been teasing through the past two days, but a real smile.
As I get up to leave, I panic as three bodies tackle into me. I'm frozen and don't know what to do, the children latch onto me while thanking me tearfully.
I turn to the mother for help, but her gentle smile makes me feel even more helpless.
"Thank you mister!" Is all I hear from the clingy trio.
After a few moments the moms voice sounds out a little weakly, but firm.
"Alright kids, that's enough. You're making him uncomfortable."
They unwillingly let go and I nod my thanks to the mother.
"Thank you kind sir, you have given us a big blessing today."
I shake my head and walk over to her.
"Just call me Kelric. All I did was what I should've done."
I put my hand in my pocket without thinking and grab the gold inside.
"Could you hold your hand out Miss?"
Confused, she does as I ask. She is slack jawed when she feels the weight in her hands.
"I-I can't possibly accept this! Please, take it back!"
My smile is still plastered on my face when I dodge backwards.
"No can do Miss, take that and get your family somewhere warm to sleep tonight."
After saying this, I turn and walk away from the tearful thanks.
I feel pretty good about what I just did and have a hard time controlling my face.
Walking down the streets and taking in the scenery is still a new feeling to me, but I stop when a nagging feeling enters the back of my mind.
My hand hits my forehead as I turn back around. I left the gods damn dishes behind, I promised to return them to the Frosted Rose.
A few minutes later I find the alley way where I had my meal and am instantly on high alert.
There's splatters of blood on the ground and the dishes are shattered. The family is no where in sight. I follow the tiny trail of blood deeper within the alleyway and my face turns into a mask of rage when I reach the end.
Two men with a very disgusting accent are carrying the children as the mother lays unmoving in the ground. There's a small pool of blood near her stomach where a knife is stuck into it.
"Stop strugglin' ya damn vermins."
There is no hesitation as I run forward and kick the legs out from under the man on the left.
The second dies too easy as my hand clamps around his neck and squeeze. His throat is crushed instantly.
My wrath turns back to the first man and I drag him by the leg away from the children as he screams.
I fling him into a wall and watch as he drops with a thud. I kick him in the stomach and bile spews from his mouth.
It's not enough as rage consumes me. My hands reach down towards his face and pry his mouth apart.
I grip his slimy tongue and pull, ripping it out with a squelch. He needs to feel more pain before he dies and I stomp on his groin as his wordless scream spews blood onto my pant legs.
My wrath is not satisfied but I have to quell it as I make my way back over to the kids surrounding their mothers body.
They're crying inconsolably and my heart shatters. My actions did this. I killed this woman and doomed her children.