As soon as breakfast was done, Anna was at my side.
Tugging at my sleeve.
“You’re on herb duty today. Come with me.”
Shopping duty.
Soup weeds.
Onion grass.
Roots.
Not the kind of hit list I was used to.
But orders were orders.
We wove through the market.
First patrol.
Boots hard on stone.
Eyes front.
Too tense.
By the well—another group of soldiers.
Helmets off.
Laughing.
Better.
Merchants shouted at anyone who slowed.
Women with coin on their belts.
Worth watching.
Boys with baskets.
Stolen novel; please report.
Just runners.
Nothing there.
Most passed us by without a glance.
Two scrap girls weren’t worth notice.
Anna brushed my sleeve.
Keeping me close.
We moved through the market.
Picking up what we needed.
When it was done—
and the soldiers had passed—
Anna leaned close.
“You ever think what it’s like out there?” she whispered.
I smirked.
“Outside? Probably just another way to end up in a ditch sooner.”
She frowned.
“You don’t know that.”
Back at the yard—
Anna plopped onto the steps.
Dumped her basket.
“Sit,” she ordered.
Patting the space beside her.
I arched a brow.
“Since when do I take orders?”
“Since now.”
She pulled a strip of rag.
Edges fraying.
“Hold still.”
Before I could protest—
she tuged my hair.
Clumsy braids.
I scowled.
“You’re wasting your time.”
“Fight and I’ll redo it tighter.”
“Tighter?—argk!”
“Hold still.”
She tied the rag into a knot.
“See? Lost princess.”
“If I’m a princess, somebody lost a kingdom.
Try ‘misplaced street rat.’”
I glanced at the puddle.
Damn it.
She’s right!
We sat there a while.
I was starting to think about the priest.
The air smelled of herbs and soap.
Kids shouted in the distance.
I shouldn’t let my guard down around him.
Anna leaned her head against mine.
“You don’t always have to fight, you know.”
I looked at her. Confused.
Did she read my mind?
“What do you know?
You haven’t been outside the wall either.”
