The Market Thief

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-one

Alfred runs to catch up to Harlow. “I need a room on the first floor.”

“As you wish,” Harlow answers with a slight bow.

There is no please or thank you when commanding a servant and they don’t seem to expect it. If I’m ever in the position to tell someone what to do, I will try to say please and thank you.

Alfred pulls me out of my thoughts. “Theo, go with Harlow and get the rooms ready. I’ll go and get Hulda.”

Hulda is not going to be happy that Alfred let it slip that she was with. I glance over at Harlow but he doesn’t even notice what Alfred has said, he keeps walking down the hallway.

I stop walking and turn to Alfred. “How will you know what room I am in?”

“There are only a couple of guest rooms. Keep the door open and I’ll know which one you are in. “He heads down the hallway the way we just came.

I turn back to Harlow but I can’t find him. I run down the hallway a little ways and come to a branch. Harlow has gone down to the right. I run and catch up to him. This hallway looks like the one we just came down but as I looked at the pictures on the wall I notice that they have different color backgrounds.

Harlow stops at a plain wood door and opens it, he steps aside as I walk into the room and then he turns and leaves. Not a word of good-bye nothing.

There are no windows here either just the globes. Thankfully the gloves in the room are a softer light then the ones in the great room and shouldn’t be too hard on the eyes when waking up. The room has a table with two chairs and over by the fireplace there is a small couch with a couple of chairs. There are three doors leading out of the room.

I open the first door; it leads into a huge bedroom. The curtains and bed covering is a forest green. I shut the door and open the next one. This is small room with only a narrow bed and one chair. This room is done in the dark pink of the setting sun. This is my room; I drop my bag on the bed and leave. I open the last door; it is the indoor toilet. I shut the door quickly, this might be the wizards’ hall but I’m not going to take the chances that the toilet doesn’t stink but that is the reason they are usually outside to get away from the smell.

I hear Hulda’s hoofs clipty clopping on the floor. Neither Hulda nor Alfred is speaking but I would bet that is because Hulda doesn’t want anyone to recognize her voice.

“Alfred waits until they are in the room and the door is shut “Good news, Hulda, they are going to fix the spell.”

“You didn’t tell them about me did you?” Demands Hulda.

“No need, they were so excited about the spell that they didn’t ask me what happened, they almost forgot what they had contact me about in the first place.” Alfred brags.

“What was the reason they contacted you or is that secret wizard business?” Hulda bays as she walks around the room looking it over.

“No it’s not secret business,” Alfred rolls his eyes. “I haven’t filled out the paperwork for an apprentice is all.”

Hulda stops and looks at him. “I thought you did that three weeks ago.”

Alfred throws up his hands. “Are you kidding, she’s a girl. What magical ability could she really have? I told them that my apprentice was still being tested for magical ability.”

Hulda taps her front hoof. “But she passed the test.”

Alfred crosses his arms. “That doesn’t mean she knows anything about magic.”

I can’t keep quiet any longer; I push the hood down on my robe. “How am I suppose to learn anything about magic if you won’t teach me.”

“Don’t interrupt adults speaking unless spoken to.” Hulda bays.

I’m so mad I don’t think I could spit out another word even if I wanted to. I stomp to my room and slam the door as hard as I can. I open the door and slam it again for good measure.

“He is never going to teach me magic!” I fume, as I get ready for bed. The next thing I know someone is banging on my door.

“Theo, it’s time to get up, we have our first assignment.” Alfred says through the closed door.

I dress as fast as I can, this time I put on the blue outfit and pack the green one. I put on the gray robe but don’t pull up the hood. I run a comb through my hair and head out the door. Hulda and Alfred are waiting for me.

“Grab a bread roll and some cheese and let’s get going.” Hulda orders me. “The sooner we get going the sooner I get to be myself again.”

I put a few rolls and some cheese into my bag along with some apples. I also grab a roll and cheese and begin to eat as we head out the door.