We approached the gate, and arrived just as the guards began to swarm around it. Their stern expressions and angry voices frightened me, and a part of my soul long-since still quivered in anticipation of true freedom. I firmly grasped Virna’s hand in mine, marching toward the gate as a protective mother should. Virna trailed after me like a distracted child. Perfect.

“You, there! Stay where you are!” A guard yapped at me, he couldn’t be any older than I, but I stopped where I stood. “Where are you going?” I thought back to conversations in the palace, towns nearby in this direction. I answered with the name of a nearby village, one that was big enough to suit my anonymity. He turned to another guard and muttered something.

“We were asked to search all women traveling alone. Empty your saddle, and your bags!” He roughly pulled the donkey from me, and Virna began to cry. She did appear quite young, only ten or so, and was good at acting like a child.

“Leave my daughter alone.” I murmured, my tone rough.