At night, when the tavern was emptying from customers, the workers were reaching their homes, husbands were reuniting with their wives and children, I came back to my small house in the forest.
Just when the many eyes were now looking somewhere else for safety, I was sneaking out from that safety to look for adventures and some blue power stones.
Yes, I wished to return home, to my simple, cozy and beautiful house meant for my easy-going life. I wanted to see the magical view of the gardens full of flowers, the light of the moon reflected on the lake, even the soft murmur of the trees at night, and the little, a bit annoying, birds in the morning.
I was dying to rest on my own bed and even more to feel the homey sensation of my dark basement. My secret but vast basement which had the privilege to hide my amazing machines and otherworldly inventions… sigh… I miss my babies.
However, before I could return to that, I must pass a difficult task, an old woman with many tricks.
"Don't you dare go out, Jane," Madame Tate told me before she closed the door of the room. "Just sleep tonight, darling, nothing bad will happen to them."
I did believe Madame Tate, even more, I believed in her words so much that I was not planning to go look for the little squirrel and the old innkeeper. My adventure was going in a different direction, involving a mine and some blue mist stones.
So, my first step was to create a distraction, two pillows in the bed with a drawing of my face, ah, my masterpiece. If she were to look at my clone in the bed she won't even recognize that I was not there. How clever I am.
Then, well, I know the old Madame was worried and will ask the guards to stop me from going anywhere. She will even dare to make the old Ben set some traps to catch me before I even touch the handle of the entrance doors.
"Auch!"
Yes, damn traps everywhere, from outside my window to every corner of the hallway. How on earth did he put these things so fast?
However, who am I? Of course, I was the best magician of my era, and so the best escapist of my time too. How can some simple traps detain me? Maybe they will catch a shoe, a part of my dress, and some strands of my hair, but anyway, I will get out, unharmed? no. Successful¨? yes.
Then as if destiny wanted to give me more trouble, any form of transport on the town was simply not available, not a horse, nor mule nor cart. So my feet were my best friends this time and the only way to take me to the road.
I so wanted to drink a magic potion to make me walk faster to my house, but my next mission will require me to be frugal with my magic and not waste potions carelessly, for some time.
"Dammit!" my legs hurt when I arrived at the entrance of the forest and after turning three times a rock and a tree and a small gate, I reached the door of my little house. My adorable little house, with wooden white walls, small flowers by the windows connecting to the garden, and the chimney that shared the warmth to all rooms in the house.
How much I missed this little house, if not for that little squirrel that was as menacing as a little tiger cub, I would be here in my precious isolation. However, I won't even know about the blue mist, my blue mist. Well done, fate.
Sigh… anyway, I craved to come back here earlier. Most of all, because of my dark, creepy, and spacious basement where all my inventions were waiting to see the world. Unfortunately, that will have to wait, as right now, my body and soul were scheming a mission with my brain.
Maybe the rope will be my best friend this time. I will take it with me, no nails, no screws, not even the hammer will come with me. But the rope, a long strong rope, then my makeup and disguise, some fine arrows, and a bow. A dagger and some knives too.
I made the list in my head while counting and thinking about how I will fit all those things in one small bag. Then the rest of the journey, well, I can figure it out later. Maybe Blackie, the horse of Marcus will come with me if I bribed him enough. He liked carrots, right?
"Where are you going, Jane?"
My mind was still creating the perfect strategy when my nose bumped into a hard metal thing used to fry. I should have seen it coming. Why on earth the lights in the living room were lit? Why would someone wait for my return?
However, someone unexpected was really waiting for me, a person and a thing, Jena and the frying pan. Her eyes could only be described with one word, mischievous and evil. Their purpose was clearly stated in their aura. My butt.
"We… we can talk it over," I said when the woman that not long ago was prostrated in a bed, tried to catch me, however, before she could even reach an inch of my mighty bottom, I happen to disappear with a little puff of smoke… Sorry, my dear Jena, but we had wasted a lot of minutes when now, time is my most precious treasure.
"Jane! Where do you think you are going?!
I closed the door to the basement with a lock and started the preparations.
"Corn Town!" I said as I was already taking a small bag with me, only the most essential necessities will accompany me. Golden coins, my potions, and explosions, hehe… and my other weapons. Of course, also my big black cape too.
I heard her sigh. "They will be fine, Jane, you don't need to go there. Open the door."
Oh my, I should feel guilty again, but I don't. There is no time to dwell in guilty thoughts but more like on how I am going to get there.
Blackie is the best option.
I opened the door and my dear Jena looked at me with worried eyes. Hopefully, she doesn't stop me.
"I need to go, Jena," my eyes reflected my worry, or so I made her think, she will believe me, right? "I need to make sure they are alright, I promise I won't do anything dangerous."
She looked at me with those magnificent wide eyes that always manage to scare me. Deep brown eyes that can see more than anyone can imagine. The many tricks those eyes had revealed, even the advanced ones, really, this girl's eyes made me cry so many times. At least she can fake amazement sometimes.
However, I can't let go of this opportunity to go and seek my desired blue mist, my power. It seems that it followed me to this world. It had to and I had to look for it.
"Are you sure?" she narrowed her eyes again.
I nodded and didn't say a word as it will be my doom if she finds my words not that convincing. Then with a sigh and a palm in her forehead, she nodded too. I guess she didn't have a choice.
"Alright," she hugged me like an older sister. I felt so warm and gentle, it kind of surprise me, "get back safe, Jane, okay? Don't do anything dangerous and don't try to cheat or steal that much, and if you do, don't get caught. Also, bring back that little squirrel, okay?"
I nodded, as I was certain that she will notice my lying voice again.
"I will get back safe with that squirrel," I said, the other requests may not be possible. I will steal and cheat and I don't know if I will get caught, but at least I will escape as always.
"Sigh…" Jena looked at me again.
I know she knows.