For someone who has had bad luck for most of her life, she really shouldn't have asked that question. A year in the whorehouse had taught her that things could go horribly wrong.
The kingdom she was staying in was soon identified to be Talkita, the kingdom of gold. It had an abundance of gold mines in the natural cave-ins that surrounded the kingdom. It was the smallest kingdom on the continent and it heavily depended on gold for its income.
The whorehouse was located in the town closest to the capital of the kingdom. It was the biggest one in the area and the man who bought her was its manager. There were even rumors that the whorehouse belonged to one of the princes.
Alea didn't care much about that. She was focused on survival. Her bad luck began to show quickly and she was given the nickname Mier, meaning cursed one.
Each one of the men that slept with her had an unfortunate accident. It's either they lost a limb, a job, a family member, their marriage, children, or their life. Many who still wanted her to warm their beds were either thrill-seekers, lunatics, or suicidal.
She had nothing to do that day so she went to see Feri. As she passed the corridors, the other girls mocked her and the men joined in the jeering. She ignored all, she was used to it.
She bumped into the manager on the way and greeted him with a nod. He limped away to avoid her and spat on the floor.
"I should've just let that witch have you cursed wrench"
Alea bit her tongue to avoid talking back and watched him hobble down the corridor. He was the first to lose a limb, two actually; one arm and one leg. It gave her sick satisfaction.
She enters Feri's room to see her putting on her gown.
"Toad still comes here for you?" Alea says in the doorway. Feri looks at her and smiles.
"He loves me" Alea snorts at her response.
"He's obsessed with you. Every time he does something stupid, he comes crawling back into your bed like it's some sort of healing. You should just slit his throat while he snores"
"I wish it were that simple. He dies, we all die"
"We would prefer it though. Death is better than this"
"Don't say that Alea. You'll jinx us" Alea sighs and walks away from her embrace.
"Alea, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to....."
"It's fine Feri. I'm fine"
"Okay. I have some new potions here. I reserved some for you"
"Why? Aren't they expensive to make?"
"It's fine. I had extra"
"Why are you helping me? There are other girls here but you help me, why?"
"Because we're similar. Everybody shuns us. They shun me for being the master's bitch while they shun you for your ill luck. I've been so lonely till you were brought to me"
"Feri....oh, I didn't know"
"It's fine Alea, at least we have each other"
"Yes...."
She collects the potions from Feri and bids her goodbye. Her short talk with Feri had lit something in her, something she hadn't felt in years; kinship.
She has a customer that night and she downs Feri's potion with much more than just numbness. The burn in her throat made her feel alive before she was robbed of all sensations.
Even after all she had been through, she had hope and that was all that mattered to her.