Every Little Memory

Entry #28: Eggplant

Mynervus is the kind of city that elders tell tall tales of and mothers use to frighten their children. The young ones are told that monsters would come and devour them should they venture inside at nightfall. That’s only partly true, according to what I’ve heard. There’s cutpurses, assassins, thugs, all kinds of baddies that would enjoy killing you and making off with your hard earned coin and valuables. Real life monsters.

I don’t see what the big fuss is, though. We have those in Tayri too, just not as violent. As long as you stay in after dark and watch yourself, you’ll live, right? After hearing those stories about bandits, I was not scared of Mynervus. However, I’m with the majority of the people who stay away from it because it used to be a demon city. When Fen fell into the hands of the humans, Mynervus got caught inside the border when it was drawn. All the demons had to move out…or go into hiding.

Rumor has it many demons live underneath the city, and cause large strains of murders on a regular basis. There has been no definitive proof, but it is likely. With all this violence, one would think Mynervus would be a ghost town, as no one wants to live there. But it is prosperous due to the nearby mines that are rich in ore.

I’ve never actually seen the city until today, when I entered this memory. I can’t decide which is bigger, Dragon’s Maw or Mynervus? There is no palace or fortress in this city, just large towering buildings. They are made of some sort of obsidian colored stone. They all have jagged iron fences around the base and sturdy gates that I assume are locked at all times. There are no cobblestones or pavement, just the dusty grey ground that winds through the city as some misshapen road.

Kain and Kaiya walk along the road at a brisk pace. Both of their faces are shrouded by the hoods of their traveling cloaks, probably to avoid attracting attention. If they’re spotted and recognized as demons, they’ll be attacked on sight. Kaiya is hugging her cloak close to her body to block out the cold. She’s hunched over a bit, as if scrunching her body will generate warmth. It’s cold, despite the sun shining brightly on the city. Kaiya follows Kain like a lost puppy, unsure of where to go.

On the other hand, Kain seems rather sure of himself. He weaves through people and paces through the streets as if he knows where he’s going. He has to slow down and look back occasionally to make sure Kaiya isn’t falling behind. Every time he does, she looks up at him without a word.

They make their way to the small market district, where merchants are selling supplies and food. Kaiya eyes one of the food stalls for the longest time before tugging on Kain’s cloak and saying, “Can we get some food? I’m kinda hungry.”

“Yes, but be quick. We can’t linger here; someone will notice us,” he says as he digs into his bag and drops several gold coins in her hands.

I see a smile flash across her face for a brief moment. “Ha ha, thanks Kain! I’ll be right back!” As she turns around, a child comes running down the street. I can tell that he is living in poverty, by his tattered clothes and slim build. It looks as though he is malnourished. He stumbles on his skinny feet, looking over his shoulder every few minutes. A ripe eggplant is cradled in his hands, most likely stolen, for there is a merchant following him. The man doesn’t have to run to pursue the boy, for he crashes right into Kaiya’s legs, effectively stopping him. The eggplant rolls just an inch past her feet.

Upon the impact, she growls and bares her fangs at the boy. The child’s eyes widen and he tries to scramble back, but barely manages to pull himself up. Spirits, please don’t let her hurt him! He can’t be more than seven or eight. To my relief, when Kaiya realizes it’s just a child, her face softens as she stares at him.

The merchant reaches the boy, fuming. I think smoke would be coming out of his ears, if that were possible. “You dirty orphans! Stop stealing my produce!”

Kaiya stiffens at the sound of the word orphan. That’s right; she’s an orphan now too. Although, if one is an adult with deceased parents, does that qualify as being an orphan?

Without a word, she reaches down, picks up the eggplant, and hands it to the boy. She does so without any thought, as if she believes the boys deserves it more. The merchant frowns even more. “Hey, miss! You better be able to pay for that!”

Instead of handing him a coin for the vegetable, she allows him to see her vicious amber eyes and sharp fangs. A low growl rumbles in her throat, giving her a truly demonic appearance. Kain puts a hand on her shoulder and says, “Kaiya, not here.”

Kaiya shrugs his hand off, looking as if she’s ready to lash out at the merchant. It’s as though she’s trying to protect the little boy. Due to this reaction from her, instead of panicking and alerting the guards, the merchant starts shaking and stammers, “O-o-on s-s-second thought…y-you can k-keep it.” He then walks off at a fast pace, as if he is struggling to keep himself from running and causing a ruckus.

Her face softens again, and she continues to hold out the vegetable to the boy. “Here, it’s yours,” she says. I’ve never heard her voice sound so sweet and kind…almost like her mother’s….

The boy just stares at her, trembling with fear. He’s afraid. No doubt that he thinks Kaiya is a monster, like in the stories mothers tell their children.

“Go on, take it. I won’t bite.” No response. A sigh escapes her mouth, but she isn’t about ready to give up.

“I know you need it. When your mom’s gone, it gets harder to take care of yourself. I know, ‘cause I’m an orphan like you. And we orphans gotta help each other, yeah? So take it.”

The boy nervously reaches out and touches his fingers against the skin of the eggplant. He gives Kaiya one hesitant look, as if he is still unsure if he can trust her. Kaiya nods, assuring him that it’s alright for him to grab it. The child wraps his small fingers around it and lifts it off of her palm.

“See? I won’t hurt you, promise.” She ruffles his shaggy hair with one hand, making the boy giggle.

“T-thanks miss!” He says shyly as a smile forms on his tiny face.

“Sure, just be careful next time,” she replies, then whispers in his ear, “You gotta distract ‘em first, then snatch the goods. They’ll never know what hit ‘em.”

I think I see a slight smile on Kain’s face, but it’s hard to tell through the shadows of his cloak. Kaiya’s moment of kindness surely was a surprise. It just goes to show that they aren’t demons, as we’ve taken to calling them.

“Kaiya, food, remember?” he says. He doesn’t sound impatient, but rather anxious. He has good reason to want to hurry; that little scene could blow their cover.

“Yeah, yeah. Alright then, you better get going before someone gives ya trouble,” she says in response. The boy nods and starts to dart off into an alleyway. Before he disappears completely, he turns and waves to Kaiya. Though her face is shadowed by her hood, I see her old grin start to work its way on her face. The old Kaiya’s coming back, in bits and pieces. She waves back at him and watches him vanish into the shadows.

“Alrighty then, let’s get some food! I’m starving!” she exclaims in a lighthearted tone as she swivels around on her heels to face Kain.

He chuckles and gestures for her to lead the way. I laugh as Kaiya pushes people aside at the nearest meat vendor, eager for a satisfying meal.

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A/N: Here's theme #28, "eggplant".  I've never had eggplant, nor have I heard anyone ever say, "Hey, I want some eggplants!" I know, I'm weird...O.o

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