NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: A trip to the Black market
Things were going a bit easier than expected. She didn't expect the maid to be so easy to convince, Abrielle guessed Sarah was trying to gain her favour. She was glad the older one didn't accompany her.
Sarah was a bit nervous about what Abrielle wanted to request her to do; she was instructed by her superiors to gain Abrielle's trust as soon as possible since it turned out the princess was not comfortable in her new environment.
"What do you want me to do, Your Highness?" She asked, trying to control her nervousness, which Abrielle understood.
"It is quite simple. I was to swap clothes with you, and you should stay in this dressing room until I am back. You better not try any sneaky move or I will make your experience working with me a nightmare." Abrielle threatened then flashed a smile at Sarah.
The favour was ridiculous. "Prince Cedric will not like the idea," Sarah mentioned, hoping Abrielle would change her mind. It was already rumoured from the marks Cedric left on her neck and her bruised shoulder after their first night that Abrielle was on the receiving end of her husband's temper.
"That is if he finds out plus he will never kill me for a joke like this. Your life is the one at risk so better don't make a mistake." Abrielle's words were convincing and struck terror in the maid's heart. Her statement was a half lie; Cedric would not bat an eye at the thought of killing her if he felt like it. It was the devil she was married to.
"I will do it, Your Highness," Sarah answered not like she had much of a choice. Abrielle quickly changed into Sarah's outfit switching places. Sarah was strawberry blonde which was a bit similar to her ginger hair.
Abrielle made sure to properly tie her hair to prevent anyone from recognizing her as she left the shop because Cedric's knights were hidden all over town. In the novel, he had an elite squad of shadow knights.
No one paid any attention to the maid thinking Abrielle might have sent her off to get something. She easily blended among the commoners while looking down to prevent anyone from seeing her face.
Abrielle's plan was not to run away; that wouldn't be possible without enough preparation with the fact Cedric had eyes everywhere. Running off as the first prince's wife was way harder than as his fiancee.
Abrielle got on a commercial carriage with a single horse to save time. "Take me to black swan street." The couch man was hesitant because of the reputation of black swan street. It was the centre of black market operations in the town, and he didn't understand why such a lovely lady would want to head there.
"Are you sure about your location?" He asked again to be sure if he heard right. "Yes, black Swan Street. Is there anything wrong about that?". Abrielle repeated herself.
"Yes, that place is dangerous. I know you are not from town and I won't advise a lady like yourself to head there." He suggested, hesitant to go.
"I didn't ask for your suggestion, but if you can't take me there, I will just get another ride." Abrielle scoffed about to reach for the door. The couch man sighed at her attitude.
How can a maid be so rude? Then again, her uniform looks expensive. She was probably a maid to a top noble family. Unknown to him, it was the first prince's wife.
"Fine, I will take you there but you will be charged extra for the dangerous trip." The couch man immediately started the ride with the horse striding away.
The trip to black swan street took a while since it was a single-horse carriage, and the dark street was located deep inside the town. From her window, she could see what a ghetto settlement in this age looked like. It was disgusting, with a strong stench in the air, which Abrielle would describe as poverty.
"Stop at the sea salt tavern." She informed the couch man spotting her designation. The horse hooves strode on the stone road until it stopped when the couch man pulled the reins in front of the tavern.
"We have arrived," the couch man announced, and Abrielle alighted and stepped on a puddle of disgusting dirt water that splashed on her clothes. Her day just got ruined and it seemed like there were horse droppings in it. How could people survive here?
"How much is the cost of the ride?" She asked the couch man who looked like he wanted to disappear from these dangerous streets immediately.
"3 silver coins." He said and Abrielle's jaw dropped. "That is fucking atrocious." She exclaimed, using modern-day slang without knowing. "Pardon me." The couch man's brows furrowed, unable to understand her.
She took a deep breath realizing she just did something stupid. "I mean, aren't three Silver coins too pricey?" She said with a scowl on her face. She didn't like being cheated of her money.
The couch man got off the carriage and walked towards her. He quickly pulled out a dagger and pressed it close to her neck. "That's the price for making a dangerous journey. Either you pay or I sell your pretty self to a brothel for my money." The thin blade grazed her skin lightly, drawing out some blood.
Abrielle nervously swallowed, seeing the dead look in his eyes; there was a long scar across his right eye. He was not joking. "There is no need to point a blade at me." She blurted; turned out Cedric was not the only threat to her life.
This world was dangerous for her. "Better give me my money and don't do anything funny."
Abrielle reached into her pocket to pull out 3 coins, which she handed over, but the bastard didn't draw away the dagger. "Take away your blade," Abrielle asked him in a wary voice but a sinister smile on his lips made her shake to the core.
"You seem pretty loaded, double the payment for the trouble you gave me." Greedy bastard, Abrielle gritted her teeth but still made her payment.
The couch man accepted the extra silver coins with a wide grin then hopped on his carriage before running off. Abrielle cussed him a million times in her head, glaring in his direction until he disappeared from her sight. "Scummy bastard."
' You need to get your thoughts together, Abrielle; you still have a mission to achieve.' She tried to calm her thoughts to remind herself of her main goal. Her eyes cleared up and she drew in a deep breath but regretted that immediately because the place stinked like hell.
Abrielle walked to the tavern and then pushed the doors open. Normally, taverns are meant to be less busy at this time of the day, but not sea salt taverns.
Everyone's attention was drawn to her slender seductive figure that even a maid outfit couldn't hide. Their gaze was filled with lust they didn't bother to hide.
She got to the bar counter and called for the bartender to attend to her, but he ignored her to attend to other customers, wasting time she didn't have. Each second it got more suffocating to start the lustful gaze coming her way.
"Please, I need your attention, sir!" She called out impatiently, and the bartender, who had a pretty face too pretty for this place, clicked his tongue.
She was not fooled by his face. He was no different from any one here. "What do you want because if you are looking for gigolos you should check the brothel next door." He sneered at her. Who said she needed a man? The one she got she was working hard to get rid of him.