The Piper

Prologue- The piper…

Everyone had always thought of him as a shifty character. Indeed he did in fact look, well, bad. Of course the day he had mysteriously vanished seemed to prove this, leaving only his tattered red and yellow scarf as an assurance that he really had been there in the first place. Why did he leave? Many pretend they don’t know, but deep down we all remember. It seems that he fell out with the council, who had no time for street urchins like him and his friends. During his early teenage years he’d protested outright against the council, blowing things up had always been a favourite of his. But like always they eventually banished him from the city of Hamelin and in seething rage he left, many of his friends following. In a strange act of final rebellion however, he tied his scarf to the city’s flagpole and even today it flies with our flag, the knitted wool in tatters. His old wooden pipe whistles eerily to anyone who’ll listen as it clings to the wind. To the council’s horror this wouldn’t be the last we heard of the mysterious pied piper.

Your probably wondering who I am, and why I’m the only one willing to remise the early life of the Pied Piper, limited as it of course. My name is Isabelle Luxembourg, I live in a city called Hamelin, the middle district to be precise. Hamelin is one of the more classed towns in our Kingdom, it’s split into three districts, the inner, the middle and the outer reaches. This is because the city herself is circle shaped and the highest district is the inner, here is where the noblemen, politicians and council members live, the high classed. Outside of the inner wall is the middle district, where doctors and shopkeepers live, my father for example is a glove maker and we therefore live in the middle district. This life may seem ordinary and fairly peaceful, which it is really but the outer reaches is the poorest section of Hamelin and life is anything but fair there. The outer reaches is full of dodgy inns, brothels and those who have undesirable jobs, the dye makers live here because the dyes stink something awful. Even the wealthy leather merchants are pushed out because while the leather is being treated, it too smells like rotten eggs on a summer’s day. The only decent thing in the outer reaches is the market yard, but then again it smells too so it wouldn’t do to have it near any decent citizens.

I suppose I could begin with the dusty summers day where I first became acquainted with our mysterious Piper. The very first slave auction of the year had begun and I being the troublesome brat I was, stole away to watch. I’d always been forbidden to go, but this year my curiosity had got the better of me. I was only 16 at the time and had always been short for my age. This made sneaking into the auction a little difficult, since most who were pushing and shoving their way through the gates where at least two heads taller than me. It didn’t take long for me to end up on my backside, all I could see was dust and feet until eventually I began to wonder if I’d ever get up. Ignorant watchers and buyers tramped on me in their hurry to get a ring side spot. While I was playing out how I was going to explain my many injuries to my mum I was pulled to my feet in a sudden jolt.

“This way luv’,” the crowing voice’s hand trailed me by my sleeve through the masses of people, until I came to a juddering stop in front the parade ring.

Grinning I turned to give my thanks and found a fairly tall, filthy street runner.

“Bet you thought you were a right goner?” he laughed, blue eyes twinkling.

“Wasn’t sure how I was gonna explain the injuries,” I weakly explained.

“What you doin watchin the slave parade anyway?” The skin around those twinkling eyes wrinkled a bit as he frowned.

“Well, I was specifically told not to come wasn’t I?” Grinning devilishly I turned back to the ring.

“Thought you looked like a trickster, no doubt your ma’ll be looking for you?” He shook his head smiling.

“Nah, don’t think she’ll mind too much, it’s Dad you have to watch out for, ooh look it’s starting!” Clutching the fence I looked over to the door where the slaves were appearing.

“Shameful this you know, taking people as slaves,” jolted from excitement I looked at him, his previously cheerful face was now twisted in disgust.

“Most of them deserve it, not paying tax, stealing and not to mention war prisoners,” I shuddered at the thought of all those defeated soldiers, imagine letting them near your house!

I was snapped from my thoughts again by his small chuckle, ”You have yet to learn little one, think of it, if you were taken from your country as a slave how would you not feel?”

I was confused by this stage, “but they are barbaric, they don’t even understand the fact that they are slaves! Besides no one will ever conquer our Kingdom!”

I turned to face him, his blue eyes looked at me with a pitying gaze, “How our council even manages to brainwash pretty girls is worrying. Our Kingdom is anything but invincible.”

I only stared at him, he was strange being this talkative about things no one should talk about on the streets of Hamelin.

Turning back to the ring I found that most of the lower class slaves had already been sold. They were cheaper and so were sold at an almost alarming rate, however emerging from the door were the more expensive types.

As a tall red headed and dusty skinned boy approached our side of the ring I caught the urchin beside me nodding to him. Shocked I looked at him but my rescuers face was blank. How did he know a slave? Suddenly as the red head passed by I heard him mutter, “Tuesday.” The slave nodded again before receiving a crack with the whip to move him on. This rescuer of mine was turning out strange indeed.

I stood and watched most of the sales, the buyers ranged from exotic foreigners from allied countries to councilmen and nobles of our own country. However as the evening was growing duskier, my new friend turned to me, “I think it’s best you go now, follow me and I’ll get you through the crowds.”

Trying my best to keep up as he slithered his way out I suddenly realised why he was in such a hurry to leave, according to the announcer the concubines where next up. Laughing to myself I wondered if he thought I didn’t know what they did, no pun intended of course. I knew he thought me naive, but I just shook my head and stumbled out onto a dark alleyway.

“I didn’t intend to watch the concubines myself,” he said with wide eyes as if suddenly realising something.

“Knowing the notoriety of the concubine sales I didn’t think so,” I raised my eyebrows in amusement.

“Good,” he nodded gulping slightly, “so you can get home from here?”

“Yes, thanks,” I turned to leave.

“Wait! I don’t believe it, but I’ve stood beside you for nearly an hour and a half and I don’t even know who you are,” he stood in the middle of the alleyway looking bashful, a shepherd’s hat clutched between his fingers.

Laughing I replied, “Isabelle.”

“Ahh nice, I am the piper.” He bowed with a flourish suddenly forgetting his embarrassment.

Blinking, “The piper?”

“Yes, the piper, everyone calls me the piper. Have a fascination with my pipe you see,” rummaging around in his pocket for a moment he produced a smallish, wooden whistle.

“Oh, well I’m deeply sorry to say but most people just call me Isabella, I’d better be going my mother is probably worrying by now,” smiling at him again I left. I walked out of the alley into the fading light and grinned as I heard a faint whistle of music.

This was the first time I met the mysterious piper but it certainly wasn’t the last. Tuesday turned out to be a fateful day indeed.

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Well this is the prologue, obviously. It's almost cheesy but I like to think it picks up a bit, review please! I don't mind if you say you hate it, at least say why. lol I have a few chapters written, I'll put them up soon.