THE ROOT OF DARKNESS

JACK POV

"Jack! Pass the ball here!"

One of the other orphans shouts in my direction, over the noise of the market. The rattle and the din. The clomp of horse shoes and the cackle of chickens.

I barely hear him, since the trader with the bulging belly to my left loudly haggles over the price of his bread with a customer.

My eyes fall briefly on the round, soft rolls of bread lining the wooden stall, and I briefly wonder if I can borrow a fat loaf for Aunt back home. The thought distracts me for a second, but that's more than enough time for another kid to attempt to tackle the ragged ball from my foot.

Years of playing kickball in the rowdy kingdom market makes my reflexes sharp, and I easily move away.

"Come on, Jack! Over here!"

I kick the ball, and it barely missed a woman who promptly curses me out. I am grinning when a kid with prominent ribs and dirty skin catches the ball.

However, that grin is immediately wiped off my face when yells erupt from an alley to the right. It can only be trouble.

Knights.

Instinctively, I begin to run towards the noise, narrowly missing food stalls and expertly weaving through people. I burst out of the throng to see my best friend, Adam, in the clutches of three knights.

I hurry over to hide behind an eroded stone wall, reading the situation. His clothes are dusty, and a nervous expression covers his face. Knowing him, he is putting on a show for the knights, hoping they fall for it.

Usually, Adam can lie his way out of anything. Luck is not on his side today, it seems.

"Where is the trinket you stole, peasant!"

The first knight yells threateningly.

Adam's threadbare shirt rips under the force of his grip. The other two knights are in the middle of catching their breaths, while trying to remain dignified and knightly.

They are still winded out from chasing after Adam and yelling at the same time.

"I stole nothing of that sort!" Adam protested.

"I'm just an orphan going about my business. That woman is wrongly accusing me! I didn't steal her trinket!"

That is my cue to intervene. I scale over the wall and approach the Knights in a jog, trying to sound as frantic as possible while I announce,

"The thief just ran by! He's headed towards the castle gates!" The knights glare at me.

"What the hell are you talking about, street bastard? This vermin is the thief!"

"I saw a boy run out of this alley, trying to hide a trinket in his pockets. He was pretty fast, so I didn't get a good look at it. But it looked expensive. Thieves shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the castle."

The knights pale at my last statement, exchanging quick glances. They decide they could not risk a thief getting near royal grounds, so they quickly lose interest in Adam.

He is shoved back into the dust, while they storm past me, yelling at people to move out of the way. Once they were out of the alleyway, I glance back at Adam with a smirk.

The cunning bastard smiles back, holding up a shiny trinket. The gesture makes me chuckle with pride.

Outsmarting some self-righteous knights is a favorite pastime of mine. Especially since knights are the most cruel to orphans in the kingdom who are just victims of circumstances, trying to survive.

"Thanks for saving my ass, Jack." He says. "This looks like it's sure to earn us a couple of copper pieces at the pawn shop."

I cast a quick glance around to be sure any potential snitches are out of sight and earshot. Adam walks closer, his tall, lanky form swaying with triumph. I am several inches taller than he is, but despite the hunger that is a defining feature of all orphans, I still have a fair amount of flesh on my bones.

Aunt says I have my father's build. Adam has close to no flesh, so he appears lankier.

I take the trinket from him to inspect it, curling my lips down. It turns out to be one of the cheap ones made with fake gold.

"So much noise for a trinket that isn't even made of precious stones." I say, tossing it back to him.

"What would those damn knights have done if it was emerald? But nice find, Adam, you should trade it when the dust settles down. We don't want those knights coming back."

Adam brushed a hand through his sandy blonde hair, as we both begin to walk out of the alley.

"I have enough dust on me to build a damn castle. Let's get out of here."

I laugh, "It was worth it. I didn't get anything today, well, except for curses from a few women while playing kickball with the other kids." He dissolves into laughter as well.

"I saw some really nice looking loaves of bread earlier. I was thinking about borrowing some when you ran into trouble." I add.

Adam groans, rubbing a hand on his flat belly through his ripped shirt.

"Don't talk about food, Jack. I'm hungry enough as it is."

I smile halfheartedly at the joke, but we both know being hungry is torture for we orphans. We adapt, of course, but the sight of the prominent ribs in the younger and helpless kids, makes me feel less remorse for doing what we can to survive.

We leave the marketplace and head down the path leading outside the kingdom gates. Where our small village rests. I absently kick rocks along the path, inhaling the familiar scent of the village.

It was the most neglected village by the royal family, but the most peaceful. Well, as peaceful as a village can get under the iron fist of the royal guards and knights.

"Want to come with me to the pawn shop tomorrow? You are better at haggling with that miserly old crone. He might try to swindle my trinket away."

Adam looks at me expectantly, like he expects me to refuse when we do everything together when we can.

"Of course. I'll see you then!"

We part ways and I head down the snaky path leading to the small cottage I live in with my aunt. The house seems to be falling apart at the seams, as it is way older than aunt herself, yet I always patch up every hole before it poses a bigger problem that might cost of copper pieces we don't have.

"Aunt! I'm back!"

I call out, stepping through the door. I am greeted by a throaty cough, and a violent wheeze. I glanced sideways to see Aunt curled in her shrivelled bed, covered up to the chin by a blanket.

"Is it getting worse, Aunt? Should I get your herbs?" I say worriedly, crossing the small space to kneel beside the bed.

She shakes her head slowly, clearing her throat strongly,

"I just took my herbs, child. I will be fine once I get plenty of rest. Then I will be up and spinning lots of blankets to sell. Then we can pay our taxes. Don't worry about me, Jack."

Of course, she was only saying that for my sake. I knew her health had been getting worse recently.

Aunt is as sickly as always, but even then, she still has enough strength to spin blankets we can sell to earn more copper pieces. Recently, she has lost all of her strength and is now bound to the bed with a nasty cough.

We are behind on paying our taxes, and I have tried to spin the blankets like Aunt does it, but that only ends in waste and despair. I always end up ruining the yarn.

And it costs a lot to buy good yarn. So, I can not help with Aunt's work.

She clears her throat again, and I hurry over to get her a cool mug of spring water. She slightly sits up, and I make her take a few sips, before she lowers herself back into the bed.

"Thank you, Jack." She whispers.

I give her a small smile. I know I could do so much more for Aunt to make her far more comfortable, and even healthy again. After all, she raised me ever since my parents died when they caught the plague.

Their fate was sealed to the claws of death, and I was sent to my aunt in another village so I don't catch the disease.

She had raised me ever since. She filled the void of both mother and father, going strong till she is now too weak to work. Now, she depends on me a lot, even if she does not admit it.

A surge of determination fills me. I brush a strand of her hair away from her face, making her a promise,

"I'll find a way to pay our taxes, Aunt. Please, rest."

JACK

The sounds of banging against the wooden door is what rouses me from my slumber. I blink the sleep from my eyes, and uncurl myself from my sleeping corner.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Open up in the name of his Majesty, the king!" A male voice yells outside.

I let out a groan and stretch out my limbs, then brush the lint out of my dark hair. I cannot find the strip of cloth I always tie my shoulder-length hair back with, so I let it be and go ahead to yank the door open.

The daylight filters in through the dank wood, and I pull the door open wider. Two guards stand in front of the cottage, menacing and rigid.

"We are the royal guards. Submit your taxes, you are far behind on your payments." One of the guards says stoically.

I resist the urge to grimace at them. They always insist on introducing themselves each time they come for taxes, despite the fact that their attire definitely shows that they work for the king.

I straighten up and tell them the same words I said during their last few visits,

"If his Majesty be so kind as to give us one last chance to pay what we owe, we would be-" "Shut that trap, will you?"

One of the guards cuts in, exploding in my face and spraying me with a fresh wave of spittle combined with stale breath.

I shrink back, wiping my face with the hem of my shirt. The other guard took a step closer, looming over me intimidatingly. It would be actually intimidating if he isn't an inch shorter than me.

So what he is basically doing is, bringing his face closer to mine. Nothing scary about that. The only scary thing I see, is his sword.

"Are you playing tricks on us, kid? This is the third time in a row you have refused to pay up your taxes!"

"We have not earned enough to pay our taxes. My aunt is very ill and-"

My attempt at a calm conversation is trampled on by the guards when they shove past me and try to pry the door open.

"We have no time to listen to your bastard talk, brat! Where is your aunt? Step out here and face the royal guards! Explain yourself and stop cowering behind a lousy, flee-bitten riffraff!!"

Feeling the heat of anger surge under my skin, I shove my way to the door, standing with my back against it. I glare at them with defiance.

"She is too ill to step out! How much do we owe anyway?!"

One of them shoots back angrily, "Twelve copper pieces!"

I dig my hand into the the innermost pockets of my well worn pants, and dig out the last copper pieces I have to my name. I hold it up in my palm, announcing with a pained edge to my tone,

"This is six copper pieces. It is all we have. Take it for now and leave us in peace. I will get the rest ready for when next you come by."

The second guard holds out his hand and I shove the money in a little too harshly. It is a real pain to see my hard earned coins in his meaty palm.

They carefully count it, and glare back at me.

"This is just half of what you owe! We will be back tomorrow for the rest of it. Make sure you have it or you'll be sorry, brat!"

They spit at my feet and storm away. I burn holes in their backs with my simmering, angry stare, before moving back into the cottage.

I find aunt standing in the middle of the room, huddled in blankets. Lines of worry are etched deeply into her face.

"It's alright now, aunt. They're gone. Come sit down." I say.

I move to guide her back to her bed, and realize that she was trembling just from standing up for a short time. I swallow the ball of pain rising in my throat.

"Jack, take the donkey to the marketplace and sell it for 30 copper pieces. We can pay the royal guards what we owe and also cover next month's taxes."

She suggested quietly. I glance up at her in alarm, about to vehemently refuse when she spoke again,

"The donkey is not as useful to us as the cow, so we can sell it. I don't want those guards harassing you over some debt."

I stare at her, realizing that I had only been lucky to stop the guards from breaking into the house today. Tomorrow, they could harrass aunt instead.

I look over her weak body again. She cannot withstand a fright from two hulking guards, and she also needs more medicine for her illness. I can buy some for her if I sell the donkey for a fair price.

I decide that selling the donkey is the only option left. So I agree.

In the marketplace, the familiar smell of dust, bread and horses filter into my nostrils. I walk further into the area that had more promising customers, tugging the donkey forward with the reins in my palm.

It clops after me, and clumsily staggers into a stall of fresh apples. The trader yells profanities at me, checking his stall for damage, but I already have three juicy apples in the satchel around my hip.

With a smile, I lead the donkey further away and feed it an apple.

"Good boy." I praised. "Now, we have to get you a generous buyer."

I have to hurry and sell this donkey, and head to the pawn shop where Adam and I will sell his stolen trinket for a few copper pieces.

I devour the last two apples in seconds and raise my voice to the market, joining the cacophony of business calls and yells,

"A fat, well-fed male donkey going for only 30 copper pieces! A good bargain for your money's worth!"

"Come take a look for yourself! Healthy donkey without fleas! Only 30 copper pieces! Where else can you get such a meager price?!"

"Take this in exchange for the donkey."

A voice materializes too close to my ear. I startle and jump away, spotting the crooked, shifty man at my side, holding out a... satchel?

I stare back at him, wondering if he is one of the few lunatics that regularly escapes the loony house and starts to roam the kingdom.

"It is an excellent bargain, lad." He adds through a grin.

I finally respond in the best way I can,

"No will do, sir. I only accept copper pieces in exchange for my donkey."

The man chuckles, opening the satchel to reveal some round green seeds? I look back at his face, wondering if I should just walk to another part of the market. Preferably one where there are no crazy men with satchels.

"Oh, listen, boy. These seeds are magical. When you plant them, they create something utterly marvelous! And you will never go hungry again."

Probably seeing that I am not convinced, he digs around in his pockets and produces five copper pieces.

"These seeds are priceless, but since you also want copper pieces, I will give you these fine copper pieces in addition to my magical seeds. For your donkey."

I begin to shake my head,

"I do not-"

"-You shall have no regrets, my boy. Those seeds are worth more than your donkey!" He cut in, a bit more urgently.

He shoves the satchel and copper pieces at my chest, and I instinctively move my hands to catch it. That is my mistake.

Seizing my moment of slight distraction, he pulls the reins out of my loose grip and climbs over the donkey.

My eyes widened, as I yelled,

"Hey!"

He flicks the reins hard, and the donkey breaks into a gallop, charging down the marketplace at full speed. He rides the donkey straight towards the kingdom gates, leaving me in his dust with a satchel of pathetic seeds and five copper pieces.

I can barely believe what just happened, wondering what kind of explanation I could give to aunt for getting our last hope of getting money, swindled away.

Then all of a sudden, I overhear yells and the gallops of multiple horses. People scream and hurry out of the way just as castle guards break into sight, on horses.

"Capture the intruder!"

"He broke into the king's vault of magical items!"

"He's headed towards the kingdom gates, on a donkey!!"

The sound of a whip whistles through the air, followed by the scream of the unlucky commoner who takes the hit. The violent guard with the whip thunders,

"Get out of my way, peasant!"

Their horses charge forward, and they yell anger-packed instructions at each other. Someone exclaims,

"He stole the magical seeds! We must get back them back at all costs!" I freeze, glancing down at the satchel of dull, green seeds in my hands.

Magical seeds?

I watch the knights going in pursuit of the man on my donkey, and rapidly realizes the situation. The strange, shifty man is a thief. He broke into the King's vault of magical items and stole some seeds.

I glance down at the satchel again.

These seeds.

They are indeed magical, from the castle and even belongs to the King. If they be so precious, why did he steal them, only to give them to me in exchange for a donkey?

I tie the satchel up and place it into my rougher satchel, along with the five copper pieces.

I decide to keep them, for they have to be as priceless as the man claims if so many royal guards are in desperate pursuit. Then, I think about aunt, and the 30 copper pieces I have to deliver to her.

The guards will return tomorrow for our debt, and we have nothing else to sell. Our cow is too useful to be put for sale just yet.

Telling her such a story is sure to be disappointing and will paint me as a reckless, gullible young lad. But I have no choice. I have to repeat the man's words to her, and hope for the best.

Before then, I decide to head to the pawn shop at the more rowdy parts of the marketplace where Adam waits. The hot sun beats down against my face as I squint at the familiar lanky male figure lingering in front of the pawn shop.

I call,

"Adam!"

He immediately turns in my direction, flashing a broad smile as he hurries over to meet me. His blue eyes dance around my face, as he speaks,

"About time you showed up! My sisters have had nothing to eat today, and I plan to sell the trinket and buy some good, filling bread. Hopefully, you can get some copper pieces too."

I nod, "That sounds like a plan. But you should keep all the copper pieces, I have some with me."

As best friends, we often share the little food and earnings we get or borrow around the marketplace. However, his two sisters are very little, and he shoulders the responsibilities of feeding them.

That is why he steals more often than I do. So whenever I can, I make sure not to take a share of his earnings. Unless there's plenty to go round. Judging by the fake gold of that trinket, it wouldn't be worth much.

"Oh. You earned some copper pieces today?" He asks.

I shrug, digging into my pockets to produce the satchel and the five copper pieces. Adam stops to peer at them, with a frown.

"What's in the satchel?"

"Seeds. Magical seeds. Earlier, I was by the old stone ruins at the other side of the market, trying to sell a donkey for my aunt when a man came up to me offering me these seeds, along with the copper pieces."

Adam gives me a incredulous stare.

"A whole donkey for this?! Jack, you were swindled! Those are no magical seeds, they are probably some green beans! Your aunt definitely would not get her money's worth from that. No respectable person would ever make such an unfair bargain!" I clench my hands around the seeds.

"The man stole the seeds from the king's vault of magical items. I heard it from the castle guards myself. They were chasing after him, and he needed my donkey to escape outside the kingdom gates."

Adam lets out a sigh, placing a hand on my shoulder. He looks sympathetic as he holds my gaze.

"That man being a thief proves my point, Jack. Why would he give you something he stole from the King? Something magical and precious? It must have taken him mighty a trouble to even get into the castle with all those knights and guards around."

"So, he knew the guards would come after him, and he saw your donkey as a way to flee as fast as possible. But leaving the seeds with you would defeat his entire point of stealing them, so he gave you ordinary seeds and lied that they are magical, just to get your donkey." He pats my shoulder one last time and shrugs.

"Not only is the man a thief, but also a trickster. I wish I had been there with you. I trick people too, so I would have seen straight through his darn schemes."

Realization washes through me, as I see the fact that Adam could be right. It feels me with a downcast feeling, and I wordlessly tuck the satchel back into my pockets.

"At least I got five copper pieces."

I humorlessly joke, as we step into the musty embrace of the dim pawn shop.

Another hour passes, before I head back home to face aunt with my disappointing news. She looks a little stronger than she was yesterday, as she is out of bed, sitting on creaky chair and sipping out of large steel cup.

The warm smell of herbs boiled in spring water bathes my nostrils as I step closer. She looks up at me, hurriedly placing the cup back on a rickety, termite-eaten table.

An expectant light appears in her tired eyes as she asks,

"You took long enough, son. I reckon you must have gotten a fair price for the donkey?"

I stutter a few incoherent words, not sure how to start. The lines I rehearsed on the way back from the market seems to vanish into thin air. So I just reach into my pockets and produce the satchel, and the copper pieces.

"I got this is exchange for the donkey. The man said if we plant these seeds, we would never have to go hungry again."

Aunt stares at the five copper pieces as they clink and roll on the uneven surface of the table. The satchel is open, and her eyes peer in to stare at the meagre number of round, green seeds that lay within.

A moment of silence passes. Then she asks one question in a very quiet voice. I recognize that as a sign of her fury.

"You sold the donkey for five copper pieces, and some green beans?"

"They are not just green beans, aunt. They are-"

"-Jack!"

She cuts in, whipping her head around to stare at me. Her voice is raised, yet the effort it takes from her makes the tendons in her neck bulge against her sickly pale skin. Her eyes widen.

"This is not a fair price! I told you we only need 30 copper pieces, and nothing else. That was our last hope!"

I flounder, trying to make the situation seem less dreary,

"The man offered me five copper pieces since I insisted. He needed the donkey for his journey out of the kingdom. He was unwilling to part with these magical seeds, because he claimed that it was priceless, compared to a donkey."

Aunt sighs, looking back at the table in resignation.

"Was he a sick man? He has to be, if not, he would have gone for a horse, which is faster and more energetic."

"Yes." I answer, without thinking.

"Very well, then. Plant the seeds outside, near the bed of tomatoes. Hopefully, it grows into something we can eat."

I blink, taken by surprise by how fast Aunt accepts the situation. She actually sounds sympathetic!

She gives me a soft look, raising her hand towards me. I crouch down, so her hand strokes my long dark hair.

"Do not be cross about my scolding, child. I was taken by surprise, but now, I am glad you helped out a sick man. With these five copper pieces, we can persuade the guards for more time. After all, it is just a copper piece short."

I respond,

"Yes, aunt. I will persuade them."

I head outside with the satchel of odd green seeds, with the old gardening tools. Crouching next to the bed of tomatoes, I dig out a shallow hole in the soil. I empty the satchel into the hole, watching as the seeds roll eagerly into the earth.

Carefully, I shift some more earth into the hole, until it is covered. Straightening up to my feet, I spray water from aunt's gardening can over the little mound.

"Well, you had better be magical enough to fill our hungry stomachs." I say to the wet mound, brushing the dirt off my hands.

I spend the rest of the evening patching some more holes around the cottage walls. A section of the old cottage roof is also coming apart, so I climb up to fix it as well, with aunt reminding me to be careful from within.

The chores are done early enough, and I retire to my sleeping corner to catch an early night's sleep. Tomorrow, I plan to do as many jobs I can find around the village, and in the marketplace, to earn money for aunt and I.

As my eyelids drift close, I find myself thinking of the odd green seeds.