“Well, for the most part,” she clarified, though a little wearily. “I firmly believe that Princess Estelle perished in the fires twenty years ago. It was a miracle that you and I had survived, and we weren’t even the invaders' targets. It’s likely that the princess’s remains were never found because they burned up in the castle. When I found you, you were in the dead center of a barley field, at least a half mile out from the castle. There’s no chance the princess could have been relocated to such a distance and then left abandoned. It just doesn’t make sense.”
An invisible weight lifted off my shoulders as my mother’s logic unfolded before me.She’s right; it didn’t make sense.I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. For the last few hours, I had been terrified I was some secret missing princess, but it just wasn’t possible. Although neither of us could explain how I ended up abandoned in a barley field as an infant, it made even less sense that a princess would be placed in the same precarious situation. At least that was one fact I could relieve my mind with.
“Then why are you still worried?” I implored. “If you’re convinced that I’m not the princess, then why worry at all? It’s not as if I have some sort of obligation to fulfill to Sybettal or anything.” I dipped my spoon into the potato slurry and took my first bite, my stomach finally settled enough to enjoy the meal. It was a bland dish, but the warmth comforted my tense body.
“There’s still a bit of a problem.” She bit her lip. “This rebellion is searching for a young lady who is twenty years old, who has unusual hair. Despite the fact that I’m certain you’re not royalty, I fear they’ll come looking for you anyway. A few folks in the village know that I’m your adopted mother, and that I used to work in the castle. What if we’re not the only ones to draw the conclusion that it’s a rather blatant coincidence?” Her hands latched around her bowl, gripping it tightly as she looked to me with a deep fear staining her softly wrinkled face. “What if Ashbourne learns about the rebellion? Would they start searching, too?”
My blood froze for a moment, every fiber of my being paused to intake the true terror that had gripped my mother. She wasn’t worried that the Ashbourne military would catch me by accident; she was worried they would catch me on purpose. The small bite of potato I had taken turned to ash in my mouth. The comfort sapped away with my mother’s broken courage.
Would they really come after me? Just because I’m twenty years old with wild hair?
However, the more I considered the probability of it happening, the more my fear eased. Ashbourne had never taken interest in our citizens before, so why would they start now? Sure, they were using our people to build up their military, but other than that, they likely viewed us as mere dust on their shoes. They had been the ones to start the fires twenty years ago, so they would’ve known that they were impossible to escape. And even if they bothered to listen to the rumors of the rebellion, they’ll likely wave it off with a laugh. I was in no more danger now than I was any other day.
I gave Mother a reassuring smile, placing my hand atop her quaking fingers. “No one is going to come for me, Mother.” I said with a squeeze of her fingers. “Ashbourne already turns a blind eye to us, so why would this be any different? If it makes you feel better, I can limit my robberies to once a week, but I truly don’t think I’m in any danger.” I lessened my tension on her hands, and I noticed her shaking had ceased.
“You’re right.” She took in a deep breath. “I think I’m just getting worked up because of how bizarre it all is. I mean, honestly, what are the odds that all of these clues would line up with you? It’s as if the realms are determined to give me a heart attack.” She pressed a hand to her chest with a touch of a dramatic flourish.
“You’re not the only one who almost swooned.” I laughed. “You should have seen my face when Mr. Clemmens told me about the princess’s hair. I must have looked as if I’d seen a ghost.” Mother giggled alongside me, taking her first bite of soup as she did so.
Relief filled me as I watched her smile continue to grow. She had told me the story of how she rescued me multiple times over my life—with all the treasures she’d collected from the castle, she could have easily crossed the border into the wealthier kingdoms and lived comfortably. Yet, she dropped everything to rescue a nameless infant. It pained me to see how much I could scare her. She deserved a better life than one spent worrying over me.
Once we polished off the rest of the potatoes, I offered to collect some water to help scrub the dishes. It had already gotten dark, so Mother was a little reluctant to let me go alone. I proposed that I take my dagger with me, and she instantly felt more comfortable letting me leave.
Before I was old enough to steal, Mother and I made a living by looting abandoned estates and businesses up in the capitol. Most of the highly valued items had been pillaged during the siege, but over time, even the smallest items became high-dollar products in our shrinking economy. A single spoon could sell for enough money to feed a person for a week, and a knife could easily feed a whole family. One day, when we were digging through the decomposed ashes of a blacksmith, I dug out a small dagger. I was only ten at the time, but instantly felt drawn to the beautiful tool. Mother had been so proud of me for discovering such an expensive treasure, but instead of handing it over, I begged her to let me keep it.
She tried to explain that I was far too young to own a weapon, and she even told me we could buy ingredients for a pie if I let her sell it. Unfortunately for her, not even the promise of sweets could convince me to separate with my newfound prize. When I was older, I asked her why she didn’t simply sell the dagger anyway—I was only a child after all, and likely would have moved on from the incident quickly enough—and she had told me it was the first time I showed a passion for something. I didn’t know what a dagger was or how to wield it, but from the day I first saw it, I knew I wanted to learn. She didn’t want to hinder my curiosity, so instead, she made me learn how to utilize it.
She made a deal with me. If I wanted to keep the dagger, I had to devote time each day into learning how to properly use it. The first day I neglected to practice, she would take it to the market. That was nearly ten years ago, and I had yet to pass a day where I hadn’t at least practiced twirling it in my fingers. The weapon felt more like an extension of me nowadays, and despite threatening to sell it when I was younger, I knew Mother always felt more at ease when I had it with me.
The sun had fully disappeared under the horizon when I reached the well. Our cabin was only a short walk from the well, so I could still see the fire glowing out the windows from where I stood. As I hoisted the freshly filled bucket by the rope, I felt a few hairs stand up on the back of my neck. An eerie feeling crept over me, and I paused. Once the sound of sloshing water quieted, I was able to listen more intently. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary, but I couldn’t shake the lingering feeling that something was amiss. I resumed my movements, but with more haste. I didn’t feel the need to stick around and discover what was giving me these chills. As soon as the bucket heaved into my grasp, I took off back toward the house at a quickened pace. About halfway back, I slowed to a stop and listened once more.
Nothing.
I let out an uneasy breathe. My nerves must be on high-alert after everything that happened today. When I returned to the cabin, I continued to help Mother clean up after supper. I didn’t tell her about the eerie feeling that had swept over me, mostly because I knew she would worry again if I told her.
“And... done!” I said proudly, holding up the last clean bowl. “I think I’m going to call it a night. It’s been a bit of a wild day, and I think my mind could use the rest.” A yawn crept over me, emphasizing my point.
Mother yawned, too. “I think you’ve got the right idea.” She looked over to the single mattress, then back out the doors again. “Are you sure you want to sleep in the hammock tonight? I know it’s been hot lately, but I can squeeze against the wall if you want to share the mattress?”
I smiled. “Thank you, Mother, but I’ll be fine. I’ll keep my dagger on me tonight, just in case, but I think we’d both benefit from a good night’s rest. We can share the bed in the rainy season, but we both know that we’d likely melt if we shared it any other time.”
“I suppose so,” she said with a weak smile. “Just be cautious, sweetheart. If anything feels even the slightest bit off, promise me you’ll come inside.” Her dark eyes fastened onto mine, locking me into her promise.
I nodded. “Of course, Mother.” I gave her a casual giggle, trying to ignore the memory of the eerie feeling by the well. “I’ll see you first thing in the morning. Goodnight!”
Her gaze followed me as I trailed out the door. Once I was back outside, the cool night air soothed me.There’s nothing to worry about. I was just getting worked up over nothing.I repeated the reassuring thought in my mind, pressing down the fear until it was no longer present. As I finished numbing my emotions, I crept into my hammock, allowing the fabric to cradle my tiny frame. In truth, it was only a repurposed blanket tied in between two walnut trees. The slender trunks bowed under my weight when I settled into the bed, but I didn’t fear they would break. I’d been sleeping between these trees for half my life, and never once have they let me fall.
The brisk night air tickled my face as I stretched, looking up into the stars. It was a clear night. The moon was nothing more than a dainty sliver in the black abyss of twinkling stars. On the nights I couldn’t sleep, I would often count the stars to settle my mind. My thoughts were especially tangled tonight, so I began counting every light I could find. As I reached fifty, my eyelids started to grow heavy, the gentle swaying of the hammock lulling me into a state of peace. Once I permitted my eyes to drift shut, my mind instantly succumbed to sleep.
The image of a dazzling golden crown floated into my dreams. I stared at the beautiful ornament for a long moment, wondering where it had come from. For a second, I considered reaching out to touch it, but I snaked my hand back as I recognized the weight it carried.
This isn’t mine…
I turned away from the glittering symbol of royalty, but everywhere I looked, it was there. My feet were frozen where they stood, unable to run away from the jewels before me. I tried to close my eyes, but the glistening gold only shone brighter, piercing through my blinded eyes. When I refocused on the crown, I noticed that a reflection could be visible in the polished metal. My curiosity urged me to look at the face reflecting in it, simply to imagine what it would be like if the crown was mine, but a bigger part of me refused. I crouched and began beating on the invisible floor beneath me. There was no place to run, so maybe I could break out another way. As my hands smashed into the floor, a crack appeared, spanning the voided black that ran infinitely under my feet. With another strong hit, the floor shattered and I fell.
I was falling.
I awoke with a gasp and instantly realized that the falling sensation I felt was real. In a flash, I noticed the hammock was no longer secured to the walnut tree in front of me, and the knot that supported me from behind was absent as well. In the same rapid moment, I braced myself for the impact with the ground, but it never came.