"Take care of things for me, Rat, Fion!" the boy shouted. He had an average face and wore rag-like clothing. He had hazel-brown eyes and black shoulder length hair that dangled as he ran. "I'll be gone for a little while,"
"Hey, wait! You haven't started cleaning the cupboard yet!" The thug named Rat replied, with a girl named Fion panicking beside him. "Martha will get mad if she finds out you ran off again! Alec!"
"Just make up an excuse for me! Bye!"
Not wanting to hear anything anymore, the boy ran out of the tavern and dashed quickly to the streets. The thug and the girl tried to run after him but as they opened the door out the boy turned to a corner and went out of their vision.
The boy named Alec on the other hand, just continued running excitedly. Today, the Third tavern, the best snackbar in town, was having selling their ever-so-famous beet tarts in a buy 1 take 1 promo! This was a once in a lifetime- no, its not that much of a big deal- a once in every moon opportunity! With the thought of that fresh sweet taste of the tart roasted just right in an enclosed oven, Alec couldn't help but salivate like a dog in heat.
He turned to an alley, which was a shortcut only a few people knew. It was a narrow place, but it was a convenient path that allowed Alec to be able to arrive to the tavern earlier than most people.
"Alec!"
Once Alec heard this voice, he shivered. He quickly dashed to an opening in the corner of the alley and hid himself.
"Bloody hell." The lad cursed as he carefully looked behind him. "What on earth have I gotten myself into this time,"
Just as he was about to glance behind him again, he heard the footsteps coming toward the direction of the corner where he had been hiding. The footsteps were heavy and loud, making it seem like it had been a big and heavy person that had been approaching.
"Don't tell me-"
Before he could finish his sentence, a slab of wood was suddenly smacked on the surface of the wall just inches above his head. The impact made the wall shake, perhaps almost breaking the slab as well. The boy gulped and broke into cold sweat as he saw the face of his pursuer.
"And where are you planning to go, huh?"
"Hahaha… what's new, Martha?"
The big woman was wearing an annoyed and serious expression. She was not the king of big that can be dubbed as 'fat', rather, she was the kind who was tall and muscular, resulting to her overall intimidating appearance.
"I heard from Rat that you're off to somewhere," she said, still holding the slab tightly against the surface she had smacked it on previously. "Mind telling me?"
"Oh- uhm, I was just going to-"
"Shh. Shut up," Martha replied as she raised a finger in her lips. "I don't need any of your petty excuses. You just wanted to sneak out and go to the Third tavern, don't you?"
"That's-"
Once again, the woman raised her finger to cover her lips, implying that the boy must say no more. She knew that this little pest would only retort her until he get's through the conversation, so she stopped him before he could say anything else. On the other hand, the boy knew what she meant and sighed.
"I want you to go back to you work, fast. Do you understand?"
"Yes." the lad gloomily replied.
"Very well. I'll come back before lunch. Once I come back, be sure that you're already done. Now go back."
The lad didn't reply to this. If a conversation of retorts were a battle between swordsmen, he didn't even have a chance to draw his weapon. That damned Rat- if only that hell of a dishwasher didn't spill the beans, he would've been able to enjoy himself in the tavern. Now that Martha caught up to him, he had to go back and clean the First tavern, which of course he didn't want to do. He once again let a sigh of frustration and walked past the big woman, facing the direction that he had previously come from.
"Geez, what a pain for a child," The woman took a last glance at the boy, and went on to the other direction of the alley.
'My tarts- my dear tarts… sob,'
When Alec arrived at the place, he went straight back to the broom cupboard and took a mop. The First tavern was scarce in customers today, considering the fact that everybody else was probably heading to the Third tavern. A man and woman wearing aprons peeked outside of the kitchen. One was a tall muscular man, much like Martha, but less intimidating, and one was a petite woman with rosy skin.
Rat had a wavy untrimmed mustache and had a red bandana wrapped around his head. He gave off a gentle and a slightly feminine vibe due to his handsome calm face. Fion, on the other hand, was the type of person who was quiet and quick to freak out. Her shy personality was reflected in her sleek way of dressing. Upon seeing Alec's sulked face, Rat and Fion didn't if they'd laugh or cry.
"I told you." Rat said with Fion chuckling behind him.
"Whatever, Rat."
Alec's reply was one he'd always say when he acknowledges his mistakes. Hearing that, They were satisfied and went back to doing the dishes and cooking.
Remembering the tarts again, Alec sighed (again). He didn't even want to work here in the first place, he was just forced to do so. He wasn't like the nobles or the children of wizards, who were born with their parents standing at the top of society.
This was because his parents were debtors. Not just ordinary debtors though- they were debt virtuosos, the buddhas of debtors. They owed a lot of money to almost every known lender in town, one being Martha. Martha was the younger sister of Alec's father. She owned a tavern, so Alec's father often abused the fact that they were siblings to ask money from her.
Alec's mother had died first due to a sickness, so his father had to handle the all the unpaid debt himself. One day, he became sick and just before he died, he sold of everything they owned and gained enough money to pay most of the debt they had. The money they owed Martha though, was not paid yet. Alec's father thought that she was the 'least priority' and again used the fact that they were siblings to excuse himself. He stayed a wholesome father even moments before he died. What a dad Alec had.
And so, to pay the money his parents owed Martha, Alec needed to stay and work to earn all the money that's left to be paid. Martha, on the other hand, decided to take in Alec as she felt responsible of taking care of her nephew.
Alec thought about all the possibilities if only that his parents weren't wholesome debtors. Perhaps he would be free and can roam the town anytime he wants and eat all the tarts he wishes to eat.
"One day, I'll surely get out of here!" Alec thought in his mind. "I'll earn so much money, perhaps tens of thousands of gold coins, and I'll eat ALL the beet tarts in town!"
Sweep, sweep, sweep. Alec suddenly became energized.
The goal is to be rich!