Chapter 2
"Soley, be careful!" Diana called at the young child.
Note: Soley - butter cup flower or sun island.
The young child had long curly dark purple hair. Her golden eyes sparkling as she climbed a tree. "I'm fine, mom!" Soley called. "I'm showing mother how well I can climb."
Diana sighed. "Your mother is very proud of how well you're growing, but please, I worry."
Soley sighed as she swung her legs from her tree branch perch as she thought. She looked at Diana's pleading navy eyes. Her light lavender hair was pulled back into a messy bun. "Okay." She sighed as she climbed down, Diana reaching up to steady her. "Mom, are we going to town?" She pouted as she looked at the wheel barrel of vegetables.
Diana patted Soley's back. "Yes. We need to sell the excess food and buy some eggs, milk, and other things."
Soley pouted. "I don't like how the people there whisper about you."
Diana sighed as she placed the young child in the cart. "I know. I don't like it much either but so long as life is peaceful and we're alive and well. I can endure anything they say about me."
Soley nodded.
"If they say anything about you or your mother, tell me and I'll pull a magic prank on them." Diana grinned. Soley laughed at that.
The market was busy and very noisy. Apparently a big noble from a city came to visit. Everyone wanted to impress the new rich people.
Diana walked to her usual customers who bought vegetables from her. The sells went easily as Soley dangled her legs off the side of the cart. Soley felt a Shiver down her spine. She carefully glanced around. She noticed a soldier walking around. His eyes focused on her mom's cart. Soley shrunk under the cart. "What did he want with Mom's cart?" There was no law that she knew of that prevented mom from selling vegetables. Soley frowned as she noticed the man circle around to watch them several times.
"Mom," Soley called as Diana gave some carrots to a baker for some bread.
"What is it Soley?" Diana cave to to check the girl for injuries. Soley silently reached out her hands to be held, giving her golden puppy eyes. Diana gave a soft laugh as she picked up the girl. She softly pat Soley's back. "You're do cute." She assured.
Soley buried get face into Diana's shoulder. "There's a weirdo circling." She whispered.
Diana's grip got tighter. "Don't worry, we're almost done here. Then we'll go home and I'll make you a warm dinner." Soley nodded as she hugged Diana.
"Just one more store." Diana thought to herself as she made her way to the butcher. It was her least favorite stop since a worker there struggled to take no for an answer. Hopefully Bob would be there to push the sleazy Steve away.
The butcher's was noisy as Diana balanced a basket of veggies and Soley.
"Well if it isn't the nomadic gardener," Steve seemed to laugh at Diana with a smirk.
Diana sighed, trying to keep her face neutral. "Hello Steve. I brought vegetables for Bob. Is he in?"
"He is, but are you sure I can't help you?" Steve grinned.
Diana felt her anger rise. "I appreciate your offer, but Bob is the one paying me, so I want to make sure he is happy with the vegetables."
"You know if a loose woman like you would agree to my offer, you wouldn't have to go around selling vegetables and who knows what else." Steve gave her a lustful look.
"No thank you," Diana clenched her teeth. She moved her hand to cover Soley. The cold didn't need to hear such things.
"Oh come on," Steve reached out for her.
Soley began to growl and glare at him as Diana stepped back from him.
He paused and glared at Soley. "You have some nerve!" He yelled, "After I offer to take in dirty things like you!" He raised his hand to strike them.
Diana got into a stance to protect Soley. Her brain whirring as she cast a protection spell on Soley.
A cloaked knight appeared out of no where firmly grabbing Steve's arm. He tested it back to hold Steve down. "Don't you have shame trying to hit a woman and child?" The knight lectured. He twisted the arm for emphasis, "Now apologize to both." He ordered.
"I… I'm… I'm sorry." Steve started with tears in his eyes.
The knight nodded as he dropped Steve's arm. "Now git." He growled in Steve's eat. Steve got up and bolted as the knight adjusted himself. He coughed into a balled up hand. "Sorry for the disturbance everyone. Please go about your day." He said in a very friendly manner. People slowly moved about their day.
He turned to face Diana. "My apologies for butting in like that Miss." He gave a soft bow.
Soley gripped Diana tighter. "That's the weirdo." She whispered to Diana.
Diana nodded as she held Soley closer. "Thank you for your help sir." Diana answered politely.
Bob walked up to them. "So sorry about Steve, Diana." The large heavy set man looked apologetic. "I told him to leave you be."
Diana sighed. "This gentleman was kind enough to help us." She gestured to the knight. "I have the vegetables you wanted."
Bob nodded, "Let me pay you extra for the trouble."
Diana smiled. "That's very generous of you. Thank you Bob." She tapped Soley on the shoulder.
"Thank you Mr Bob!" Soley gave a bright smile.
"You're very welcome, Soley." Bob smiled as he took the crate of veggies. He walked back to get Diana's payment.
"So…." Diana elongated the word, "went have you been circling our cart?" She asked the knight.
"Oh." He paused. "That does make me look like a weirdo." He removed the hood in his cloak. He had curly dark purple hair just like Soley. His eyes a warm brown color. "Your daughter looks just like my sister. So I thought my sister shrunk in size or had a kid since I haven't seen her in so long. My apologies if I have made either of you uncomfortable."
Soley scooted closer to him from the safety of the cart. "Do you have a picture of your sister? If so, can I see?" Soley asked curiously. "Please?" She added.
He smiled, "Sure." He pulled a locker from under his shirt. He opened the locket to show to the young girl. "She was a very lovely young woman."
Soley gasped as she tugged Diana's arm. "Mom, she looks just like mother!" She squealed.
Diana leaned forward to look at the small portrait. Her eyes widened. "She really does look like your mother, Soley."
The knight tilted his head, "Pardon me, but aren't you her mother?"
Bob returned with a crate with milk and meat cuts.
"Thank you Bob," Diana smiled. Bob nodded before he turned to look at Soley. He paused as he saw the knight's face. He gave an incredulous look to the knight before going back to his shop.
Meanwhile.
"Diana is my mom. But I also have a mother. So I have two moms." Soley explained to the knight.
"Oh!" He nodded. "My sister was named Julia. If your mother's name is the same, she might be my sister. May I ask, how she is?" The knight looked very hopeful. Like he greatly missed his sister but was afraid to approach her.
Soley felt sorry for the man. She looked at Diana, who was now walking back with a crate from Bob the butcher.
"Bob gave us some extra milk and meat." Diana showed the items to Soley.
Soley smiled as she nodded. She pointed at the knight. "Mom, can you tell Mr. Knight about mother. He thinks she might be his sister."
Diana nodded. "Would you mind walking with us as we talk?"
"Not at all." He saluted.
Diana nodded. "I find Soley with her mother when Soley was a few hours old. Her mother was too far gone. I gave her a burial and raised Soley as my own."
"Oh…" the knight deflated. "I'm sorry to ask about something so painful."
"I feel worse for Mr. Knight, " Soley stated as she swung her legs off the cart.
"Soley's mother had some jewelry," Diana stated. "Can you describe any of it to me?"
The knight nodded as he thought. "My sister and I didn't talk next when I was sent to the front lines. She ran away after a fight with our parents. Even if they are the same, I don't recall much of her jewelry. I have her a metal bracelet with a red green inlayed into it. On the metal clasp plate I engraved…"
"Julia?" Diana interrupted. She clearly remembered the bracelet. It was rather simple compared to the rest of her overly fancy jewelry.
"Yes!" He bounced like an excited puppy. "I had her name engraved in it!' The wind seemed to leave sails as a realization hit him. "She's gone." He muttered.
Soley gave him a sympathetic look. Then a thought dawned to the young child's mind. "Mom, does that make Mr. Knight my uncle?"
Diana gave a solemn nod. "It does."
Soley formed fists of excitement. "Can I get to know Uncle, mom?"
Diana looked the knight up and down. "I don't see anything about him being a bad person." She smiled at her daughter. "So if you want to, you can."
"Yay!" Soley pumped her first. "Hi Uncle, I'm Soley. What's your name?"
He chuckled at that. "Hi Soley, I'm Bedrich Driscoll Von Autumn. It is an honor to meet my niece. It is also an honor to meet your mom." He did a soft bow.
"Likewise. I'm Diana." Diana gave a small bow. "Von Autumn sounds familiar." Diana stated after a moment. "You much be a great knight to have your name known all the way out here. My apologies that I can't recall your accomplishments."
Bedrich sucked in his cheek in embarrassment. "That is fine. The fact that you have heard my name is a blessing."
Diana found the nervous embarrassment kind of cute. She smiled at Soley. "Soley, what do you think about inviting your Uncle Bedrich over for lunch sometime?"
Soley bounced in joy. "That would be great! Uncle bring flowers for mother! We can tell her about how you've been doing."
Bedrich smiled at that. "I would be honored."
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