Gremyne Sunsets

Meegans house was small. Very small and dark. One window looked out on the street. Zende shuddered as she entered. The candles burning inside gave the room an almost religious atmosphere. She wouldn't be surprised if there had been a priest mumbling prayers, but there wasn't.
"No priest?" she asked.
Zonders face looked hurt as he said: "illegitimate child."
"Oh." Zende said. 
"My mother was very religious before Dreen had her. After that she just lost faith, but the habits stayed."
Zonder sat down on the bed and held his mothers hand. Zende approached the two and looked down as she saw what was left of the once beautiful woman. Her face looked like there were no bones underneath it for support. Her cheeks were hollows and her eyes were dark, with dark circles around them. Her skin was sweaty even though the house was cold.
"Zonder?" 
"Yes mother?"
"Who have you brought. I can hear her talking."
"Just a friend. Rest mother, you shouldn't tire yourself."
Zende came closer and finally sat down beside Zonder. In this moment Meegan was her mother too. She wept like a true daughter and didn't consider why this feelings were in her. She had never seen the woman, nor did she know anything about her beside the small facts Zonder had told her. But somewhere, somehow that just didn't matter. 
Suddenly the hand she held grew weak and later limp. Zende let go and lay her hand on Zonders shoulder. She could read the grieve from his face as she hugged him.
"Come." she said, "I'll help you."
Zende knew she had changed in that one moment. She wasn't the sweet innocent girl raised in a castle without knowing the world. She was still far from the opposite, but she had taken the first step. She had grown up.
Zonder looked her in the eyes, his eyes a bit blurred by tears, but nonetheless hard and knowing. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes."

"A man is approaching!" The sentinel yelled.
"What is his business?" Dreen asked.
"He has Zende."
Dreen got up faster than could be expected from a man his age. He took three big steps to the door of the tavern and looked down the road. And indeed, a man was approaching and he held Zende by her arm, dragging her a bit behind him.
"Ahoy!" Zonder yelled.
"What's your business?"
"I have what is yours." 
"Then enter this tavern and deal with me."
Zonder recognised the old words of trade and smiled at Zende reassuring. He had traded before. Though never had the stake been life and death. He averted his eyes to the ground as was expected in the presence of a Lord.
Dreen gestured impatient and entered the tavern again. The room was filled with smoke and rather damp. Looking through the windows was impossible. Zonder knew the bar, but more importantly he knew the owner. The owner was a long thin bold man that never got out. He had told Zonder many stories. When Dreen was turned away from him Zonder winked at the barkeeper/owner and was relieved to see the barkeeper, who for some reason liked to be called Winny, nodded.
Dreen took place at a table and played with his hands. He looked up at Zonder and said: "What were you thinking of getting for her?"
Zonder nearly gagged at that much indifference. This man was indeed cold. For a moment Zonder pondered the possibility he was still alive by his grace. Immediately he rejected that thought. If lady Merka hadn't ordered him dead, the lord would have done so himself. Zonder forced a smile on his face as he said:
"Bargains are done in private with the object of the trade within view." he said. 
"True."
Dreen waved his companions outside and the barkeeper conveniently left through the side door. Zonder knew he'd be watching through the peephole installed in the other room and felt safe. He approached the lord, Zende still beside him and grabbed his dagger.
The lord saw the dagger and looked at Zonder with contempt in his eyes. Zonder felt like a fly in his eyes. Worth nothing and capable of nothing. His hand froze and his entire being was thrown into the servant role he had been taught all his life.
"Pitiful." Dreen said and reached for Zende.
"No!" she said.
Zende had waited like Zonder had told her. But now she couldn't do it anymore. Her fathers looks and words didn't have any effect on her. She had seen the worst of him for years and frankly, she just didn't give a damn anymore. She wanted it to end.
Her father was still sitting, not fearing any danger a mere girl might present. Without a sound she grabbed the dagger out of Zonders hand and trusted it into Lord Dreens heart.
The barkeeper entered and dragged them both out.
"Are you crazy?!" he asked Zonder.
"You nodded, I thought you knew what I was doing!"
"Getting some good money for your mother...That was what I was thinking!"
"Meegan's dead." Zonder said and went passed Winny to the door leading out.
"You'll never see us again."

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All images copyrighted to me except for the dividers. I got those from Dreslough.com