"You're so stubborn, Noelle. Anyways here's what I've planned for the both of us. We would wear rags on our body, and act like poor people, then beg for some coins on the market streets. I assure you that it would work Noelle, at least even if we don't manage to receive the rest of the forty coins today, we could always come back to beg again tomorrow."
Noelle facepalm herself. 'Since when has my life come to this,' she thought inwards painfully. Hearing the awful thing she had to go through just to get a few silver coins. She shooked her head in disappointment, but nevertheless, she had no other choice than to agree with this silly big brother of hers. She was the one in need of the favor anyways.
Noelle sighed. "Okay," she concurred, hiding her displeasure away from Westley, at least it was better than stealing.
She took the rags into her possession and changed into it, wearing it above her clothes. She scattered her silky black hairs and rubbed dusts upon her smooth face and skin to make the act more convincing.
Westley on the other hand also did the same thing as Noelle. Even his own disguise outdone Noelle's own. Making the act all the more convincing. As he held a long walking stick as though he was indeed poor and old.
"Noelle remember. I'm your father who encountered an accident and my eyes got blinded in the process. While you're my daughter who takes me around all day. And also remember, you need to say we need some coins to treat my blind eyes, understood?!" Westley informed.
"Understood!"
"Wonderful! So now Noelle let's go. And hold my hand also. Let's see how much coins this stingy ass people are willing to dash out today!" He said, clenching his walking stick tightly.
Noelle nodded, and with that said. The both of them walked away from the corner they were once hidden, and out onto the streets of the local market.
With Noelle holding Westley who was now supposedly blind by the arm carefully, while Westley who was holding a walking stick dabbed it agilely against the ground, acting as though it was indeed helping him to see. While his eyes were widely opened, and seeing perfectly. But people didn't know.
They walk forward.
"Help us! Please do help us! My poor father here has been blind for many years now due to an unfortunate accident. If you could be kind enough, please gift us some coins. We would appreciate it very much!" Noelle said sweetly to the ears of everyone who were passing by.
"Help us please! We're poor, and my father here is blind! Please be kind enough to drop by and gift us some coins. May the heavens bless you greatly for it!" she prayed as they both walked by.
Looking helpless and pitiful in the eyes of the people.
As they branched at some shops to beg for money, some chased them away harshly, telling them to get out of their sight. While some people didn't even act as though they heard her in the first place.
"Go beg somewhere else and get out from my shop and let good customer come to me!" One scowled angrily, as though both Noelle and Westley were the reasons she hadn't made a dine or sold anything all day.
"Get out from my sight you stinky beggers!" Another scowled.
Causing both Noelle and Westley to move away from their sight. To some corner.
"This people are so stingy! We haven't earn a single penny yet all this while," Noelle muttered, staring down at the bowl which people were supposed to place the money, which was still very much empty, in her hands.
"See I told you didn't I? This people are very stingy. I know them more than I know the back of my hands," Westley clicked his tongue, as he muttered back to Noelle frustratedly. "But we can't give up yet, Noelle. As the elders says, consistency is the key. So we have to continue against all odds."
"Okay. Not like there are any other options anyway."
Moving out of the corner they continue their acts.
"Help! Please do help us! We just need a few coins from you that's all! Any amount is enough. We need it to pay for the treatment of my father's blind eyes. So please help—"
Noelle was interrupted by a man. His looks seemed quite different and decent, probably having interest in their matter, perhaps.
"Excuse me, Young Miss?! Can I have just a second to speak with you?"
Turning towards the decent man hastily, with high hopes filling up their eyes.
Seeing no harm in giving him just a second to speak.
"Yes? What do you want?"
The decent appearing man cleared his throat, "Young Miss. I'm really sorry to hear about your father's blind state. Actually I'm a doctor, and I can help you with your father's blind eyes without collecting a dine from you. And of course that is if you're willing to accept the offer."
Noelle sighed tiredly, not knowing what to say. And since Westley also heard this too. He leaned closer towards Noelle and whispered something to her ears, knowing that the girl was clueless about what to say.
Hearing this, Noelle then turned towards the man, she didn't want to sound too harsh simply because the man looked quite kind-hearted and decent.
"Sir, we don't need that, we already have a very trustworthy doctor of our own. All we just need from you is a few coins," Noelle stated as politely as ever.
"But I…"
Interrupting the decent looking man, was Westley, "If you're not willing to give us any coins. Then please step out of the way Sir, and don't waste our time here. We shall leave first in that case," then the duo began moving forward ignoring the decent looking man and leaving him alone on the spot.
This caused the decent looking man to doubt whether Westley was blind or not, or even if he was truly an old man or otherwise. But anyways, how does that matter to him?
Ignoring his thoughts.
"Wait up!" he said and ran up to the duo. And immediately before any of them utter a word, he dropped ten silver coins into the bowl Noelle was carrying. "I know this isn't much, but I hope this would help."
Noelle smiled happily with a slight head bow, "Thank you Sir. You're too kind," she appreciated, and the man smiled back, then they departed from eachother.
"Finally! We're starting to make real progress!" Noelle exhaled peacefully.
"I guess so. Now let's continue," Westley replied.
Not too long after their former encounter with the decent looking man, they came across another man, who seemed to be someone in his early fifties or older and also seemed wealthy.
The man walk up to them;
"I hear you say your father is blind and need some coins for the treatment fees?" the man asked as a sinister smile appeared on his disfigured lips, as he stared at Noelle. Perhaps he was able to see through the alluring mermaid's beauty even though her face was covered in dirts.
"Yes. Would you be kind enough to donate some money to us, Sir? We would really appreciate it. And may the heavens bless you greatly for it!"
"Why not," the man's smile widened. "As anyone ever told you that you're so beautiful, Young Miss. Your delicate skin doesn't deserve to suffer under this frigid weather. It doesn't even deserve to be tainted by the harsh sun. Neither does it deserves to be covered with this much dirts. Say, why don't you come with me, I'll be happy to take care of you… oh and of course your father here too?"
"Uhhhh…" Noelle trailed. Knowing exactly what the man was getting at. But she didn't want to be too harsh to him either as he seemed quite wealthy. Even perhaps more wealthy than the decent looking man. She could tell due to his attire.
Still smiling sinisterly. The man elevated his hand, aiming them towards Noelle's curvy waist maliciously.
When all of a sudden!
'THUD!' A thud sound manifested the air.
Westley made sure to sneakily hit the man's fingers with his long walking stick harshly. Leading to the man wincing in agony at his now broken fingers.
"You blind moron! How dare you hit my hand like that uh?!"
"My apologies Sir. I have no idea it was your hands that I hit with my walking stick. As you can see I'm blind. So it wasn't on purpose," Westley faked an apology. Which he didn't feel happy doing.
"And do you think that just because you're blind, that I would be kind enough to let you off so easily! Uh?!"
Interrupting them was Noelle's sweet voice, "Sir, we're deeply sorry. Please do forgive my father for he is indeed blind and can't see. More reason why you should help us out with some coins. That way we would get his eyes treated, to avoid unfortunate events like this in the future."
The man sighed. "Alright. I'm only accepting the apologies due to you, Young Miss," he stated. And from his pocket he brought out a single coin and tossed it into the bowl Noelle was holding.
"Thank you Sir," Noelle bowed slightly with a smile.
"You're welcome," the man said. And mumbled looking towards Westley, "Idiot!" Then left afterwards.
Seeing the man left.
Westley grunted angrily. "One silver coin? That's it?! He only dropped just one single coin and he's already attempting to woo you like that. Some type of stupid wealthy man he is," he hissed.
"I know you did it to protect me. But you didn't have to hit him that hard, Westley. It would've only brought us more unwanted attention if he wasn't that kind enough to forgive us," tilting her head slightly as she looked sideways at Westley with a curt frown, Noelle cautioned.
"You know what I feel Noelle? I feel I didn't hit those dirty hands of his which he was trying to lay on you, more harder than I should've done. Were you really going to allow him take advantage of you like that, over a single coin at that?"
"Of course not. And also, although he dropped a single coin, it wasn't a mere silver coin. It was a golden coin, Westley. Giving this to Lord Abraham would mean I wouldn't even need to borrow your fifty silver coins anymore," Noelle enlightened.
"Are you for real?" Westley became instantly amused as he didn't see it properly before. Knowing that a single golden coin is equivalent to a hundred silver coins. Not believing it yet, "Let me see it first."
He took it from the bowl and scanned it with his eyes.
"Oh indeed it is, turns out that old wizard isn't quite useless as I had assumed," Westley smiled.
"I told you," Noelle smiled back brightly.
"But still Noelle. Under any circumstances, don't ever let others take advantage of you like that. This world is too cruel. And you my little sister over here is just too meek. Even if he was to offer you thousands of golden coins you shouldn't let anyone disrespect you like that!"
"Okay, okay. Now let's go! It's almost evening. I'm sure Madam Danielle must've been waiting for us by now already. Since we didn't tell her where we were going earlier, we should then at least go back home early to keep her from being worried unnecessarily."
"Right. Let's go," Westley concurred and they walked back towards the bicycle which they had hidden earlier behind some stores, incase of any mischievous thief.
Reaching the bicycle, they secretly took off the rags they had worn earlier. Then afterwards they rode home.
"Noelle I think it would be better if I alone, go to Lord Abraham's house tomorrow to give him the coin. You going with me again isn't really necessary, since I assume you don't like the place. What do you think?"
"Yes sure, that would be much better," Noelle replied, and they both rode back home safely.
The next day…