Brought To The Palace

When the early morning sun rose against the hazy blue sky, Valda was out of prison.

After accomplishing her reasons for being here, it was time to head back home before those loan sharks returned. Her uncle informed her yesterday about the loan sharks deadline, which was today, and if she doesn't help subdue the mess her uncle has brought upon her head, she couldn't imagine what those loan sharks might do to her home.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being here was one of those measures.

Shaking off the misfortunes surrounding her life, Valda took a walk through the prairie peak, feeling the crispy wind caress her face and hair as she descended down to Scarborough town, nestled amidst the rolling hills.

The blacksmith's anvil rang out, echoing through the quiet streets, while the local market displayed an array of goods from the surrounding farm. Valda was used to this daily morning activity in Scarborough town, and her home wasn't far from here.

"Hey V!" A familiar spirited voice called out. Valda turned her head in the opposite shop to see a familiar, charming young man wave her way.

"Come, have a taste of my latest creation! The prairie puff!" he beckoned her over.

Valda's friend, Nelson, leaned against the wooden counter in his shop, a warm smile on his face the instant he noticed Valda passing by.

Valda approached the charming shop, its wooden sign creaking gently in the breeze. She greeted Nelson with a friendly smile, admiring the delicious treat he had used to lure her into his shop this early morning.

The aroma of freshly baked goods filled the rustic air, and it ranged from honey biscuits to maple-glazed nuts.

"I'll take a prairie puff." She said, sliding onto a stool, "but can you do me a favor and save them for me instead? I have urgent matters to settle at home, but I'll be back to get it."

"Your family getting in your head again?" Nelson inquired as he took out a golden-brown pastry from the display.

"Lucky guess." Valda feigned surprise before rolling her eyes, and it made Nelson chuckle once more.

Nelson has been a good friend of hers since her teen days, and he had been the ray of light in her darkness. His father owned this quaint shop, which was known for its delectable confections and homemade treats. Whenever she came here to buy some pastries, Nelson treated her nicely, but his family disapproved of their friendship, because they feared she might influence him with her 'negative character.'

"Where are you coming from, though?" Nelson leaned forward on the counter, pouring her a refreshing strawberry drink. "I was at the shop early today, I didn't see you pass by."

"That's because I slept at the patrol prison last night." replied Valda, and Nelson paused in the milkshake he was making for her.

"The patrol – you were wandering past midnight curfew again?"

"It was the safest time I could run an important business." she explained vaguely.

"Are you getting yourself into trouble because of those people? You know you don't have to keep doing this for them, right?" Nelson advised the young woman who avoided his gaze. He wasn't accusing her, he was merely worried about how long she can pull this off without getting into serious trouble with the law committees.

She was his good friend, he was the only one who knew what she had been through, the things she had to do in order to keep her wits and maintain her sanity. He knew the reason why she chose this path, but he wanted to believe that it was the wrong path, cause she deserved nothing but the best.

"I understand what you mean." Valda pursed her lips and rose from her stool after finishing the sweet strawberry milkshake he kind-heartedly made for her.

"I'll explain everything when I settle matters at home. For now, safeguard my prairie puff with your life till I return."

"I'll safeguard the best one."

"You're the best, Nel." And she hurried home.

Valda was practically comforted by the homely feeling of Nelson's shop that she forgot she had major problems to handle. Making it back home, Valda stopped at the gates entrance when she took sight of the loan shark's leader standing at her doorstep, her plump-looking uncle pleading with the short average-looking man who enjoyed being regarded high at the present moment.

"TAKE EVERYTHING OUT!!" He yelled mercilessly, but Valda wasn't having it, not today at least.

"Hold on!" Her voice stopped the incoming chaos, and she brought out the pouch of money from where she hid it in her cloak. The loan sharks, who were starting to bring out the furniture from her home, paused when she handed the pouch to their boss.

"I have your money with me." She said, and the leader of the loan shark requested one of his boys to retrieve the pouch from her. At this point, Valda's aunt and her twenty-year-old daughter had stepped out of the house.

The loan shark counted the money, and it was complete.

"Can I have the house properties now? I have paid you in full, so you won't bother us, neither will you seize the documents containing our house records." Valda stated to the loan shark who showed no reaction at first, but after a minute of gazing intently into her unwavering eyes, he gestured at his men to hand the papers to her.

"You got lucky." He hissed in contempt.

He shot a harsh glare at her uncle before taking his leave. Valda could only smile at the end, because she was fortunate enough to have made it on time to give the loan sharks their money before they could take her father's house away. However, the documents were snatched from Valda's grip by her uncle's wife, and she didn't look happy about something Valda knew wasn't her fault.

"You stupid girl! What took you so long to come back with the money, huh?!"

"Even prostitutes have to wait till the next day before leaving office," Valda answered sarcastically, offended by her Aunt's ungratefulness. "Right now, you have me to be thankful for, because I always settle for your mess and uncharacteristic behavior despite how you treat me."

"You don't talk to my mother in that manner," Annabelle stepped out of the corner where she had been hiding to run her mouth. "If it wasn't because of my family, you'd have no roof over your forsaken head, and so what if you paid, you owe us this much for taking you in."

"Enough now!" Valda's uncle finally broke the argument, unable to tolerate more of the incoming mishaps.

"It has been solved, please, I want no further quarrel in my household, everyone go inside and carry on with your matters."

"I'm going back into town." was all Valda said before she turned to leave. She was too tired to stay in this house, not when her Aunt and that malicious daughter of hers will surely come for her.

She returned to Nelson's store, and the two of them went on a leisurely walk with Valda digging into the prairie puffs. It was a good thing she saved a couple of change for herself, and Nelson was nice enough to give her this amazing puff for free.

He treats her so well.

"CATCH THAT THIEF!!" Valda and Nelson could hear a nearby food vendor shout in rage, and he was chasing after a malnourished-looking boy who took to his heels with the stolen bread.

"YOU HOMELESS RAT!! When I get my hands on you! THIEF!!"

The little boy ran past Valda who made no attempt to stop him, but when the man followed, she set her foot forward, orchestrating his fall till he crashed into a pile of dustbin. She choked a laugh, and Nelson quickly grabbed her wrist, taking her away from there before the man noticed they were responsible for his fall.

"Valda..!" Nelson gave her that reprimanding look the minute they were safe, but that made her defend herself.

"Look at the man's bulging stomach for a second, that child on the other hand has barely eaten. Losing a single piece of bread won't make his shop collapse, would it?"

"I understand your reasons, but you've got to stop meddling." He patted the crumbs on her hair, "now tell me, what are your plans starting from today?"

"Plans?" Valda enunciated with a light chuckle, "I have no talent, nothing I do ever goes right for me. Becoming a governess would have been great if I knew how to read and write. The only thing I'm good at is gambling my life away."

She looked at Nelson with a pained smile, "I'm starting to become more like my uncle, aren't I?"

"Nah, don't push yourself," he cheered her up, "you still have a long way ahead of you, but no more gambling, it will get difficult once you become addicted to it."

"Yeah yeah, you've told me the story more than once." She rolled her eyes, and Nelson shook his head with a platonic smile.

When evening approached, Valda was in her room getting prepared to go to bed when she was suddenly summoned downstairs. Outside her home stood the royal guards, and her breath hitched at the sight of them, because from their mode of dressing, it was obvious they came directly from the palace.

"Are you Valda Griggs?" Asked the guard outside, and when she nodded, two guards unexpectedly grabbed her arm and chained them behind her back.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Valda Griggs, you are charged for being a member at the gambling business in the patrol prison. His Highness orders for the attention of everyone involved to be brought to his palace."

"What?!" Valda's face paled.

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