In the 800 AD

Adela Gascoigne was a simple owner of an apothecary of a small town, she was of an average height with sunkissed, freckled skin and uncontrollable fiery red hair paired with forest green eyes. Her husband was a man named John Smith who was the local hunter. He was tall and rather rugged looking. The tan skin of his face was accompanied by a bushy brown beard and rather unkempt hair. Adela can't claim to be in love with her husband but he wasn't a bad man, it was more a case of convenience, but she lived happily with him in the cramped village. However, her marital status allowed her more freedom as an apothecary.

The village was standard, small and crowded with the number of people living together, but that's what made it work, everybody knew everybody, whether through trade or gossip, generally working together to make life a little easier. However, it was near impossible to escape the prying eyes that lurked around every corner. This also led to the accusations against the two youngest villagers. Alec and Jane. Some would say they were witches or demons others would say they had psychic powers, luck seemed to befall those who were nice to the twins while bad luck would haunt those who were not.

Adela Gascoigne

The local whispers of the churchmen and old crones were inescapable. As I opened the shutters to the apothecary I could see old Mrs Galey and Mrs Chester in their usual chairs outside the bakery gossiping to each other as they did every morning. They often spoke utter nonsense to each other as they churned butter for the bakery, their ageing eyes unabashedly staring at the twins across the pathway, not caring if anyone knew what they were talking about.

Alec and Jane Lowthe were the constant talk of the town, paranoid old churchmen often speaking hushed words of the devil or the local mothers scolding their aloof behaviour. But as strange as the twins were I called them my children, much to the disagreement of my husband John, who would rather stay in the good graces of the church. Unfortunately their mother Agnes was also led to believe the lies of the town and condemned her own children for the sake of her reputation. But fortunately for me, she had no qualms about me essentially raising her children, all she ever had to do was give them a roof at night.

It always filled me with such anger, seeing the way these people would treat innocent children. It was no lie that they would blame the bad luck we experienced on them, always looking for something else to blame instead of themselves. My inner morning monologue was swiftly interrupted by a pair of youthful voices calling my name.

"Adela, how are you this morning" Alec and Jane spoke in unison, small smiles gracing their faces.

"I am doing well, and yourselves?" I asked always happy to see them.

"We too are well, would you like any help?" They offered, not being welcomed anywhere else in the village.

"Well, I've got some orders to pack before they are collected today, if you wanted to help?" I know for a fact that Mr Smith was going to be arriving soon and there were far too many orders for me to complete by myself, as winter was approaching the townsfolk often seemed out more remedies for the cold. It was unfortunate losing both the Abells to the harsh winter, but that's just how life went.

It wasn't long before the townsfolk came and collected their remedies, with the help of Alec and Jane everything seemed to run smoothly. It was unfortunate how segregated the townspeople made them. Alec should have been out helping the other boys his age with work but no one would take him due to their own superstitions, and seeing as they were both around twelve to thirteen years old Jane was due to be married soon yet her mother could find not a single suitor. But they happily helped me each day and that was enough for the village to not cast them out completely.

Looking at them now they looked content in the presence of each other sorting through the various herbs and plants kept within the shop. I was middle-aged now, being around twenty years old and I can't help but worry about what will become of the twins when I am gone. I know they will always have each other, but it's everyone else I'm worried about. Before I could contemplate any longer we were interrupted by Mable's pink flushed face knocking at the door, clearly out of breath as she must have rushed here. Mable was a charming girl from the butcher's family, with chubby cheeks and long golden hair. She held her mother's prescription note in hand but I already knew what the young girl needed.

"Oh, Adela! have you heard the rumours?" Mable gushed with a wistful look on her face leaning on the door frame with an exaggerated motion.

"No? what is it this time? Blood-thirsty beasts in the woods?" I joked preparing the poultice for her mother. Though those rumours had been around so long they became a superstition. Don't go alone into the forest at night, you'll never come back! they warn.

"Oh of course not silly" She smiled now entering the shop before dropping her voice to a whisper "I am on about the handsome man that came through the village last night, some type of nomad, apparently he was spying on someone, maybe he'll come back again" She sounded excited at the idea, Mable was a sweet girl, and one of the only few who would treat the twins like people. But like many young girls her age sought out fairytales and adventure. She wanted to get out of here and fall in love with her prince charming and live a more lavish life.

I couldn't blame the girl, this town wasn't much in terms of adventure or excitement, and as much as her head was in the clouds her heart was in the right place at least. "Why would anyone want to come here?" Jane asked in poorly hidden disgust turning to face Mable with her brows furrowed and lip upturned.

"Who knows young one, but maybe it will bring us some much-needed excitement!"

Thank you for reading~