“Now, now, Ebony, that’s quite enough,” the old woman snapped.
The crow immediately left you alone and landed on her stooped shoulder.
“A thousand apologies, young one,” the woman creaked. “I can never bring her anywhere, these days. Are you quite alright?”
You turned to give this senile crone a piece of your mind for letting her dangerous pets roam wild, but something stopped you. Her hand had touched your shoulder, seemingly out of concern. Instantly, you felt your anger vanish, replaced by a need to be polite and gracious.
“I’m…fine, madam. Thank you for your concern,” you replied with a respectful bow.
“My, what a lovely child you are,” the old woman smiled.
A child? Hardly. You resisted the urge to inform her that you had turned sixteen last month. In this kingdom, this placed you quite comfortably within marriageable age and set you firmly as heir to your father’s shipping business. Already, you had a boat to your name and had even made a few solo journeys to the nearest ports carrying minor cargo, all in training for the day you would be inheriting your father’s ship. In the meantime, you had been courting the innkeeper’s daughter, Pearl, and would be meeting her behind the inn this afternoon. All this passed through your mind, but you simply nodded at the woman’s attempted compliment.
Suddenly, the old woman reached into a basket hanging from her arm and fished out a succulent apple. “Here, young one. Please, accept this as payment for my companion’s misbehavior.”
“Um, thank you, madam.” You took the apple from her, admiring its healthy red color. “It looks delicious!”
“Oh, it is,” the woman answered. “Why don’t you try it?”
You eyed the fruit, biting your lip. “Now? It’s tempting, but I really wouldn’t want to keep such a wonderful fruit to myself. Perhaps I can share it with-”
“No!” the old woman blurted out, startling you. With a cough, she continued with a more subdued tone. “No, that one is for you. Go on, eat it.”
Her intense stare made you feel awkward, but you obediently lifted the fruit to your lips.