Aunty said she was taking me somewhere and I naively followed without asking any questions just like how I'll take on heavy tasks without uttering a word.
It was just another day, maybe sunny and refreshing but all that got nothing to do with me as I sat on my rotten straw mat. I watched the sun rise, casting brilliant golden glow across the sky but none of that was registered into my sight. All I thought of was how to get new manial jobs that could earn me a dozen silver coins without breaking me. I had gotten to limit but whenever I thought of the warm smile Aunty will always give me anytime I turned up with my meagre coins, I thought I was the happiest and so I'd try to please her.
The barely hanging door was pushed open as Aunty stepped in I got up an walked to her. She gently patted my hair and look around the empty room.
"Rosa!" She said. I lifted my head and met her eyes, a big smile planted on my face.
"I'll take you somewhere in a couple of minutes get changed and meet me outside." I nodded and waited for her to leave the room. I quickly changed out of my dirty wear and put on something modest.
Our home was not big with only three rooms. We bath outside and cook outside. I had a room to myself. Aunty and uncle share one and the kids shared one. We were eight in the house so you can imagine how packed we'd be. In a few minutes I was standing in front of a luxurious carriage. My whole life has been spent on the streets but even so, this was my first time seeing a carriage this luxurious.
"Sit, Rosa!" Aunty said. I looked at her again and made sure I confirmed it before pulling the carriage door open. The inside was elegantly design and I wondered where we were going.
The coachman lead the carriage forward when aunty was seated. I was still finding it hard to believe that the I was sitting in a beautiful carriage. Next time I meet with my friends on the streets I'd share this interesting news with them.
They'd probably say, "Stop dreaming Lord Rosa." I always told them I would a wealthy man and people will call me 'Lord'. That's how the name came about.
We travelled through a dense forest but my mind was preoccupied with convincing my friends that I sat in a luxury carriage.
The chirping of the birds in the densed forest brought me back from my thoughts. The temperature in the forest hard drop by a considerable lot. It was not difficult to know that we had entered the forest to the West of Axia, the human kingdom. Merchants say there is an immortal market beyond the forest and the immortal land.
"Where are we going Aunty?" I asked. She didn't say anything. She looked at my face and smiled.
"We are going to visit a friend of mine. Be good okay?" I noddedy head but that didn't sit well with me. How came Aunty has a friend so faraway from home? I felt a kind of danger but I disregarded it with the excuse that Aunty was my mom's only sister. She has cared for me since my parents met with a tragic end. If she had wanted to do something to me, she would have done it long ago. I kept my cool while focusing ahead.
We appeared at the other side of the forest and the noise of people shouting the wares got me astonished. There truly was Aland beyond the forest. I lifted the curtain to look outside the window but Aunty shouted at me and I withdrew with and uncomfortable feeling on my chest.
I just wanted to watch outside what's wrong with that?
We drove throught the Immortal market and the noise gradually faded. When I opened my eyes, everything was quiet around me. I looked at where Aunty sat and my heart fell into my stomach. The seat was empty. When I touch it, it was cold. My already sinking heart did a flip flop. I realized something was wrong.
"Coachman, please stop let me relief myself." I shouted at the coachman seated in front of the carriage.
" We are almost at our destination. Slaves don't have a say so shut up." He said in an irritated tone.
"Sir, you are mistaken I'm not a slave. I was going to visit my Aunt..."
" Then guess where your so called Aunty is." He cut me off. Tears pricked my eyes as his words registered in my mind. How could she? How could sell me into slavery? Was I not doing enough? She probably loved me so why? A lot of questions run in my mind but until we meet again, I certainly won't get any answers. Stared blankly ahead. Maybe the Immortal land won't be that bad.