Valkyria Read Online Free Page A

echoing voices were drowned every
few seconds as the roar of a steam-cart rolled passed. The long
silver hoods of the carts stretched out as long as a man, with
metal cabins to seat the passengers situated behind it. The drivers
sat in small opening between the cabin and the engine, and all
seemed to wear the same standard leather cap and protective
goggles.
    In the sky Einar could see at least one
hundred small delivery air-taxis trundling around above the houses,
leaving trails of white smoke as the steam engines dragged the
propellers into motion. The small balloons that held up the
air-taxis were at the top, sometimes three or four of them,
sometimes only one depending on the size of the
air-taxi.
    From the balloons stretched thick rope
which wrapped its way around wooden cabins that resembled a closed
fishing boat of varying sizes.
    They walked a short distance, trying to
maneuver the meat cart around the bustling citizens until they
reached a small stall with a wooden roof and a box that was covered
in various choice cuts of meat.
    “ What have you go there,
boy?” The stall owner was a wide built man at best, with a beard
that had certainly seen better days. An odour of ale escaped from
his mouth as he spoke.
    “ Three cubs and a mother,”
said Einar. “We’re after fifteen coins for the mother and six each
for the cubs.” He noticed the quizzical expression on his sister’s
face and smiled at her before winking.
    “ That’s a very hefty sum
you are asking, boy,” said the burly man. “I can give you ten for
the mother and six in total for all the cubs, not just one of
‘em.”
    Einar shook his head and lifted the
cart, taking a single stride forward whilst looking at his sister
with a hidden smile.
    “ Wait a second, boy,” said
the man, “where are you going?”
    “ To find someone who can
actually afford such good and fresh meat.”
    “ Alright boy, listen.
Twelve for mother I can do, but I will only pay six in total for
the cubs.”
    Einar smiled, glancing at his sister
who nodded at him with the same look on her face. She understood
what just happened, that was sure. The stall owner reached into a
metal box in front of him and pulled out a handful of copper coins.
There must have been at least a thousand in the box, but he counted
out eighteen from the pile in his hand before hastily replacing the
rest.
    Einar placed the bodies of the wolves
behind the stall before taking the coins from the overweight man
and return to the cart. However, as he went to lift the handle up
once again, he noticed a familiar face, the red hair and orange
dots on it standing out in the crowd of dark hair and pale
faces.
    “ Rin! What are you doing
here?”
    Rin didn’t answer, the man’s eyes
opening wide before he suddenly dashed off down an alley on the
left. Einar’s face contorted and twisted to the side as he watched
his friend disappear into the mass of people.
    “ What was that for,” asked
Alexia. Einar could only shake his head in disbelief. Why would Rin
flee the sight of him? It made no sense to the young man. He sighed
before pointing to another market stall a few strides away that was
decorated with chickens hanging from the ceiling.
    “ Let’s get the chicken and
bread and go home,” he said. “I’m sure Rin will explain himself
when he comes back from the wedding.”
    They pulled the cart to the stall,
bought themselves a whole chicken. After that they quickly went to
the bakers for the bread before leaving the lively city to head
back to the drudgery of Caim Village before the approaching storm
clouds arrived in full.
    *~*~*
    4
    RIN
    Rin ran. He ran as fast as his tired
legs could carry him, jumping from left to right in order to avoid
the market carts and girls of the night who were just making their
way to work. He ran in the hope that Einar wouldn’t follow. How
could he have let the boy see him?
    Alley after alley shot past in an
instant, from brick stone to mortar which was finally