A/N: This is a translation/adaptation of the Chinese series Huan Zhu Ge Ge. There were always parts of the series that I thought needed more detail, background story, or explanation, so I tried to provide some of that based on my own thoughts. The names have been changed along with the location, but the plot has remained the same. Enjoy!
Chapter I – Encounter
Mid-February. Coruth. Year 288 After Conquest.
It had been almost a whole month since Rayna had first stepped foot in Coruth, the sprawling capital of the Keahin Empire. Almost every morning, she and her young maid, Neva, scaled the hills on the outskirts of the capital to gaze upon the Forbidden City with its majestic red-bricked walls and looming doubles gates that opened once in a lifetime. Silently, with aching hearts, they absorbed every detail of the metallic green roof tiles that shone under the sun, the marble footbridges and stone gargoyles, and the spiraling palace towers that shot towards the sky.
They were so very far away – shut out by those steel gates, turned away every time by the two-score guards that patrolled around the hour. The Keahin Palace was a legendary place, a scared land. Entering was a dream that could be envisioned but never fulfilled. Rayna could only stand on her low hill, knowing in her heart that she would never be able to take a single step past those double arched gates. She couldn't even bear to think about the real reason why she had traveled so far from her home. The one person that she wanted, no, needed to see was beyond her reach.
"Milady," Neva called softly from somewhere behind her left shoulder. "The sun is about to rise."
With a sigh, Rayna turned away. She was only eighteen this year. She possessed an innocence and idealism that was ill-suited for the cruel realities of the outside world. Sheltered from a young age by an over-protective mother that wanted only the best for her daughter, she had little, if any, experience dealing with strangers and unfamiliar situations. Neva, who had grown up with Rayna, was charged with the task of caring for her mistress, but she could barely look after her sixteen-year-old self.
Rayna's knowledge of people and customs came directly from books that touted out-of-date chivalry and courtesy. Upon arrival in Coruth, she learned that anyone who wanted to enter the palace had to initiate a formal petition at the Bureau of Ceremonies. She had waited outside the bureau for days on end with Neva, hoping to gain an audience with Baron Coates, the district Master of Ceremonies, but to her utter confusion, the baron hardly ever entertained petitions. Four days out of five, he wasn't even present at the bureau.
Rayna was getting anxious. She had made a promise before her mother had passed away. She had sold their small estate on Fayling Isle, packed what little precious belongings she owned, and made the dangerous trip to Coruth with her young maid and a dagger she didn't know how to use. It was a miracle she had gotten this far without being robbed or worse. She couldn't go back home; she had nothing left. No matter what, she was going to make good on that promise.
On this particular day, word got out that Baron Coates's carriage would pass Lansing Court around noon. Rayna made the decision to stop the carriage on the streets and beg for an audience right there. It was an act of desperation, and she knew that if things went badly, she could be thrown into jail for disturbing the peace. As noon approached, she and Neva stood by a vegetable stall on the side of the road, gazing in opposite directions for a sign of the baron.
Rayna was cradling a long bundle in her arms that seemed even more valuable than her life. For her, that was closer to the truth than she would have dared to admit. There were only two things in the bundle, and those two things had once dropped a load of responsibility and heartache onto her mother's shoulders. Now, the load had shifted to her. As she watched the streets with a weary expression, she felt a tug of despair in her heart. It seemed like everyone in the world had a goal and some way of achieving it, except for her. She had never felt so helpless in her life.
The streets of Coruth were never boring. Lansing Court was the beginning of the markets that covered the entire west side of the capital. It was the best place to hear the latest gossip from the other islands as well as search for bargains. Individual stalls decorated with colorful canvases and tapestries sold every kind of product one can think of from fresh fruit to intricate pottery. People of all ages mixed here each morning, exchanging the latest news.
Rayna and Neva were too preoccupied to notice the strangers who couldn't help but glance at them as they passed. Neva was a classic Hairukan beauty with caramel-colored skin, soft chocolate almond-shaped eyes, and honey-colored hair. She attracted a lot of attention, but most people stopped blatantly and stared with open interest and bewilderment at Rayna, who despite being dressed in a simple white dress robe, was still breathtaking to behold. There were no ornaments adorning her braided hair, and her face was free of powder and paint. Yet she exuded an air of aristocratic elegance with her softly arching brows and small, delicate features.
Amidst the sea of golden skin and dark hair, Rayna's pale features and paler hair stood out unquestionably. After the Keahin Conquest, it was unavoidable that most tolerating Keahins took Hairukan consorts and produced mixed-blood children. With darker features, Hairukan coloring almost always dominated, and only Keahin nobles were able to maintain truly pure bloodlines. It was unusual to see nobles around the marketplace without being on horseback or in carriages. It was even rarer to see noble ladies that were Rayna's age wandering around without a trailing legion of guards and servants.
All of that could have been disregarded, if it wasn't for the white-blond shade of her hair. Keahin purebloods valued dark hair – the closer to black the better. Superstition still ran rampant throughout the land, and flaxen hair was the traditional sign of a witch child, one who supposedly had magical powers to heal and curse people at will. Regardless of the fact that no one had ever witnessed any proof of witches, people still gave blonds wide berth.
Rayna was well-aware of these superstitions, and she usually took care to cover her hair with a hooded cloak, but in her haste, she had completely forgotten today. Neva, who was usually extremely careful, had also forgotten in her unease. She didn't approve of her mistress's daring plan, and it showed on her small face as she glared at the staring strangers reproachfully, warning them away with a jerk of her chin. Both girls knew better than to stand in the sun. If Rayna's hair was unusual, lord helps the person that caught sight of her eyes.
The peace of the streets was suddenly broken by the sound of thundering hooves and jingling bits. From the eastern end of Lansing Court, a troop of palace guards in their black livery cut through the street, herding terrified civilians to the sides of the road with rough cracks of the whip and shouts of order. Rayna and Neva were jostled with the crowd as the craned their necks, trying to determine if it was Baron Coates who was coming through.
The brown carriage eventually came into view, preceded by another troop of the baron's personal footman with long poles that were used to herd the stragglers out of the streets. The entire procession rushed towards where Rayna and Neva were standing, and the palace guards screamed from atop their horses.
"Make way! Make way! Clear the road for Baron Coates!"
As soon as she heard the baron's name, Rayna felt her stomach flip over. Squaring her shoulders, she took a breath and turned to her maid.
"Neva," she said quietly. "I have to take this chance. I promised Mother. Wait here for me."
The words were barely out of her mouth before she was gone, shoving her way through the crowd blindly in the direction of the open street. Neva, who had been momentarily stunned, quickly recovered and tore after her mistress.
"No, milady! Wait for me! I'm coming with you!"
Rayna didn't have time to order Neva back, even though her heart clenched with fear. She wasn't afraid of getting hurt or thrown into jail, but she couldn't let her innocent maid suffer the same consequence. It was too late to turn back though; she could see the backs of the baron's footmen who had formed a barricade in front of the crowd. With a desperately-aimed lunge, she ducked under the arm of two footmen and tumbled into the streets. Neva followed closely with a cry.
The palace guards had passed already, so it was the carriage that was cut off abruptly by both of them falling to their knees. Faintly, through the red haze of pain from her knees, Rayna marveled at her lucky timing. The horses pulling the baron's carriage shied with terrified neighs before dropping to all fours, snorting as they backed up and balked at the whip of their surprised drivers.
"My lord Baron!" Rayna called out, willing her voice to remain steady. "Would my lord please listen to my request for an audience? I have something important to share with my lord. Please…"
The palace guards had reeled back by this point with furious looks on their faces. They had strict orders, and they weren't going to let a few girls compromise their mission.
"What is this?" screamed one guard as he dismounted. "Who dares to stop the baron's carriage?"
"Take her away," ordered another as he strode up and waved footmen over. "How dare she…"
"Get out of the way, witch!" another spat.
The guards were vicious in their abuse, but Rayna refused to budge. She kept her eyes on the ground and held on tight to her parcel. After a few moments, Neva looked up, her cheeks flushed with anger. Unable to hold back any longer, she screamed back at the guards.
"We went to the Bureau of Ceremonies more than a dozen times already, but your precious baron never takes his job seriously! He's never there, so how else are we supposed to beg an audience if we don't stop his carriage?"
"Shut up, chit," one of the guards roared in fury. "Our Baron Coates is welcoming his daughter-in-law into the family tomorrow. He's not fucking making an appearance at the bureau this entire month!"
Rayna's head snapped up when she heard that the baron wasn't going to be entertaining petitions for a whole month. She had waited too long. Helpless with fear and worry, she resumed her pleas.
"My lord, if I wasn't out of options, I would never be here today, kneeling in front of your carriage!" Her voice rose. "I am out of options, and that's why I dare to be so brazen! Please forgive me and grant me the opportunity to speak with you…to show you what I have in my parcel… please… please, my lord."
Even as she begged, the footmen and several guards had unceremoniously grabbed her and Neva by the arms and waist. They dragged the two girls from the carriage, towards the side of the street as Rayna and Neva struggled tooth and nail against the unyielding hands, half-sobbing, half-yelling with constricted, dust-parched throats.
"Does my lord only care about his son's marriage and not about the life and death of his people?" Rayna yelled in one last desperate attempt.
Her words seemed to strike a nerve. With a whoosh, the drapes that shielded the entrance to the carriage were pulled to the side, and Baron Coates stuck his head out. He was a formidable looking man with a red, ruddy face, thinning brown hair, and buggy eyes. He glared at the scene unfolding in front of him and pounded one meaty hand into the side of the carriage.
"Where the hell did these witches come from? How dare you stop my carriage and mouth off like that in public! Do you not want to live anymore?"
Rayna almost cried with relief at seeing the baron make an appearance, and she broke free of the guards' hold, running forward to drop to her knees again.
"My lord! Please listen to my story! I promise that you won't regret it! Please, just give me a little time… just a few minutes…"
"Who has time to hear you tell a story? Are you out of your mind?" the baron sneered, face becoming purple with rage. Snapping his head around, he screamed at the palace guards. "Quit dawdling here! Turn around; we're headed home!"
The drapes dropped with a swish, and at the crack of a whip, the horses leapt forward, pulling away before anyone could bat an eyelash. The guards quickly remounted and sped away on their own horses as the footmen formed their double line to follow the carriage at a run. A few remaining footmen shoved Rayna and Neva hard, sending them sprawling on the side of the road.
Most of the onlookers inched away, but a few elderly people helped Rayna and Neva up. One of the old men sighed.
"If you youngsters had grievances, stopping the carriage in the middle of the road wasn't a good idea. The bureau is still the way to go."
Rayna was unsteady on her feet. Her head spun and she took gasping breaths, trying to squeeze air back into her lungs. Neva had taken a softer blow, and she had recovered more quickly. Spotting the parcel that had flown out of her mistress's hands, she swooped down to scoop it up gently, brushing dirt from it gingerly before laying it back in Rayna's arms. Frowning with disgust, she couldn't help but vent hotly.
"What's wrong with Baron Coates anyway? So what if his son's marriage is tomorrow? He's not going to be at the bureau for an entire month! How else are we supposed to beg an audience?"
Blinking back tears, she hugged Rayna close and buried her face in her mistress's shoulder.
"Milady, we're almost out of money, and we have nowhere else to go. What are we going to do if things continue on like this? Let's forget about Baron Coates. There has to be another noble who's willing to help us!"
The old man who had sighed before shook his head wearily. "These nobles are all the same! Hard times these days! Hard times!"
Rayna stared straight ahead as she patted Neva's head gently and whispered soothing words in her maid's ear. She watched as the dust stirred up by the procession slowly settled, and almost unconsciously, she hugged the parcel in her arms closer. As Neva raised her head and wiped her eyes angrily, Rayna fixed her dress robe, dusted herself off, and set her jaw. The two of them walked quickly from Lansing Court until they were a good distance away from the main street.
"Don't give up, Neva," Rayna murmured. "I'm going to think of a way to see him no matter what. If he can't help us in the end, I'll think of something else."
"But…" Neva started to protest before falling quiet when she saw the flare of determination in her mistress's eyes.
"He's hosting a marriage ceremony tomorrow," Rayna said quietly. "He can't turn away well-wishers, now can he?"
Neva's eyes widened. "Milady, you can't be thinking…"
"Prepare a gift, Neva," Rayna told her firmly. "We're going to pay the Baron a visit tomorrow."
That same night, not ten blocks away from Lansing Court, a black shape flew up a wall and disappeared over the other side. Landing lightly on her feet and looking around quickly, Kerriah melted into the shadows and inched stealthily through the courtyard.
Whether it was luck or coincidence or maybe a little of both, the home she had just broken into belonged to the family that had a daughter who would be marrying Baron Coates's son the next day. Kerriah had no way of knowing this, of course. In her mind, she was merely walking around a little, taking a look here and there, seeing if there was anything worth borrowing and never returning. It was just her luck that she stumbled across this household; now if only she could find the treasure room.
At the sound of voices, she quickly vaulted over a low wall and plastered her back against the bricks. Two little lanterns bobbed closer and closer as several footmen made their rounds on patrol. They sounded more than a little drunk, and the low bawdy lyrics flowing from their mouths made Kerriah wrinkle her nose in distaste. She hated Keahin nobles like every other Hairukan in the realm, but no lady deserved that kind of reputation.
When everything was quiet again, she poked her head up over the wall and checked out her surroundings. No one else was in sight. Excellent. Turning around, she tiptoed to a window that was still bright with candlelight, in search of gossip that could sell for a pretty coin on the streets. As she neared the window, low moans and sobs drifted to her ears. Frowning with curiosity, Kerriah licked her finger and carefully poked through the papyrus screen, making a peek hole just big enough for her eye.
What she saw almost made her heart stop. Wearing elaborate robes of blue befitting the daughter of a Keahin noble, the bride was in the process of stepping onto a stool and placing her chin into a white noose. Frantically, Kerriah searched her mind. Blue… blue… which category of nobles wore blue? Good god! Her eyes widened as she saw the girl kick the stool away and drop. What was a powerful duke's daughter doing committing suicide?
Forgetting that she was an uninvited intruder, Kerriah dove through the window in a shatter of wood and papyrus, yelling at the top of her lungs.
"Help! Someone help! The bride's hanging herself!"
The day of the wedding dawned sunny and warm. In the Honeywood District, Baron Coates's household had their hands full welcoming all the friends and relatives that had been invited to attend. Mixed into the crowd were two young men who had not been invited, but with all the confusion and commotion, no one gave them a second glance.
Rayna and Neva had learned from their mistake on the streets of Lancing Court. They came to the wedding dressed as young men, a disguise they had frequently employed when they had traveled from Fayling Isle to the capital. She knew that if anyone looked closely, there was no way either of them could pass for a male with their smooth skins and delicate features, but it was the only safety precaution they could take, and no one ever bothered to look closely. Thankfully, they had managed to make it to Coruth without any unwanted attention.
Rayna sported the brown silk breeches of a young Keahin lord with a matching cream shirt, tunic, and soft leather boots. Her shocking blond hair was hidden under a stylish cap that was the latest fashion of younger sons of noblemen. She kept her eyes down and made sure not to meet any gazes directly. In such attire, she attracted nods of deference and acceptance. With her pale skin and natural aristocratic bearing, no one dared to question her entrance into the wedding for the fear of offending. Neva was dressed like a typical male servant, and she played the part brilliantly by following Rayna doggedly through the crowds.
The festivities stretched from early morning to late afternoon. Bugles and horns sounded throughout the day with traditional string instruments harmonizing in the background. People milled around the courtyard and in the great hall, socializing and gossiping. Servants rushed back and forth, carrying platters of fruit, candy, and sweetmeats for the guests as well as goblets of wine and fruit cocktails. Baron Coates was seated on the raised dais in the great hall with his son, surrounded by a thick mass of well-wishers and sycophants.
Try as she may, Rayna couldn't penetrate the crowd. She could only wait around for hours on end, constantly moving around to avoid attracting attention, especially from young noblewoman who travelled in giggling groups of giggling, eying Rayna curiously and sometimes admiringly, mistaking her for a beautiful young Keahin lord who was probably available flirting-wise. Neva eventually caught on, and even in her state of frustration and worry, she couldn't help but tease her mistress a little, eliciting a faint blush that made female admirers giggle harder.
The bride was finally carried into the courtyard by a splendid blue carriage just as the sun was getting ready to set. After all the ceremonial kneeling, bowing, and blessing were finished, the bride was raucously brought into her private chamber. Baron Coates and his son finally stepped down from the dais and resumed receiving guests in the great hall, shaking hands with the men and clapping them on the back. The baron's brown hair was combed back neatly, and his eyes disappeared into his ruddy cheeks as he beamed his appreciation and contentment.
Rayna couldn't wait any longer, so she seized the opportunity and circled around behind the baron to emerge on his left with Neva trailing closely.
"Baron Coates, milord!" Rayna tugged gently on his robe sleeve.
"And you are?" The baron gazed at her curiously but without any antagonism.
Rayna looked around quickly at the boisterous crowd and took a deep breath. She kept her eyes respectfully down and lowered her voice, "My name is Rayna de Courcelle. I have a favor to ask of my milord. Privately, please."
"Privately?" The baron frowned in confusion. "Why?"
Before Rayna could answer, the baron's son shoved her aside and led a stooping, elderly man in blue robes with a full white beard forward.
"Father! Look who's here!" he cried. "His grace, Duke Hondor!"
Baron Coates's face spread into a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He rushed forward and shook the old man's hand enthusiastically, babbling all the while, "Your grace! It's a pleasure to have you here! Such an honor! Really, you must come in and sample our-"
"Milord!" Rayna's voice lashed out like a whip.
The baron stopped midsentence and turned to stare at her with incredulity, hands still clasped around the duke's fingers.
"You don't do your job at the bureau despite your oath of office," Rayna continued harshly. "I come all the way to your home to try to beg a few minutes of your time here, but this is even more difficult. Do you not care about your people at all? Are only nobles worth your time?"
Baron Coates stood shell-shocked. He stared at the young man as if he had never seen anyone quite like him. He took in the soft smooth skin, naturally full lips, straight delicate nose, arched brows, and wide long-lashed eyes that were of an indeterminate dark luster. Suddenly, he understood, and the shock faded into weary surprise.
"Which noble house are you from young lady?" he asked with a shake of his head. "I can't believe your governess would let you come out looking like that. Go on! Go play with the other young ladies in the garden. Don't keep on following me; can't you tell I'm busy?"
Neva tugged on her mistress's tunic, but Rayna shook her off. She gritted her teeth. "Yesterday. At Lansing Court. Do you forget that quickly? I'm the one who stopped your carriage! Me, Rayna de Courcelle."
"What?" The baron's face started to redden as he finally turned his completely attention on the young woman standing in front of him. "You again! How did you get in h-"
At that moment, a sudden commotion came from outside. Sounds of glass breaking and people screaming were followed by a blur of red that came shooting into the great hall like an arrow. People gasped and started yelling as soon as they realized that the person who had just tumbled in was the newlywed bride. Her elaborate headdress was nowhere in sight, and her face wasn't the pale shade of a Keahin noblewoman but the golden brown of a Hairukan commoner!
The young girl couldn't have been more than eighteen, and on her back was a huge, bulging parcel full of hard looking objects that jutted out in every direction. The parcel itself was made of the red drapery used to cover the bride's dowry with the large golden joie symbol for felicity. Just as the baron was recovering from this shock, a whole flock of bridesmaids and servants crashed into the great hall as well, shrieking and pointing at the renegade bride.
"Stop her! She's not the Lady Delilah! Thief! Catch the thief!"
The "thief" was none other than Kerriah. At the sound of the bridesmaids' shrieks, she took a quick survey of her not-so-great situation and decided to make a break for it. Aiming herself at the middle of the crowd in an attempt to break through, she shot straight at Baron Coates, knocking him to the ground in an undignified heap. Every single guest in the great hall gasped in horror; Rayna and Neva looked on with wide-eyed amazement. They didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the mass chaos.
The scene was utterly ridiculous. The "bride" was still wearing her traditional red wedding gown, and she jumped around the room, vaulting from table to table, trying to avoid her pursuers while heading for the door. The servants rushed around, trying to catch her, but nobody could even get close. It seemed like she knew more than a little of the discipline that allowed fighters to flit through open spaces and up to great heights as if walking on air. Food and drink sprayed on the floor and onto the clothes of the guests who were frozen in shock.
With the help of more than five people, Baron Coates got to his feet unsteadily. His angry gaze followed the red figure around the room.
"What is the meaning of this?" he roared, mustache quivering wildly.
"Lady Delilah's missing!" one of the bridesmaids explained frantically, wringing her handkerchief. "She's a thief, not the real bride! We got the wrong person!"
"What?!" Baron Coates snarled, face rapidly turning purple and then white with fury. "We got the wrong girl? Where's Lady Delilah?"
"We don't know, sir!" the bridesmaid babbled, forgetting the baron's correct title in her state of terror. She jabbed a finger in the direction of Kerriah, who had just hurled a priceless painting at the crowd. "I went into milady's private chambers to see if she wanted anything, and I saw her wearing the bride's gowns, stealing everything in sight! All the valuables are in that giant parcel on her back!"
"Guards!" the baron thundered. "Get her! I want her bound and gagged now!"
A string of footmen rushed into the great hall, shoving guests aside as they locked onto their target. Kerriah was still staggering around, the parcel on her back knocking into people and furniture left and right. Tables were overturned, chairs were sent flying, and pieces of china and glass littered the floors. The remaining guests who hadn't fled were trying to shove each other towards the doors. The arrival of the footmen shoved the whole crowd back into the hall.
At the sight of the footmen in livery, Kerriah vaulted back onto the few remaining whole tables and grabbed handfuls of fruit and teacups. She pelted them with deadly accuracy, eliciting yelps of outrage and pain from the footmen that were on the receiving end of her throws.
"Don't you come near me!" she yelled in warning. "Take another step forward, and I'll really let you have it!"
Baron Coates watched with helpless rage as his footmen were beat back by the onslaught of food and expensive china. Stamping his foot like an overlarge toddler, he screamed, spittle flying everywhere.
"She must have Lady Delilah locked up somewhere! Get her! Catch her so we can find the real bride!"
With a renewed roar of effort, the footmen rushed at the red figure at once, two of them ducking to upend the table on which she stood. Arms flailing, she tumbled down with a yell, landing right in the middle of the waiting footmen. Much to everyone's surprise, she fought back in a whirl of punches and kicks, exposing basic knowledge of the fighting arts. The footmen were no match; they were sent flying with well-aimed, desperate hits, and still, Kerriah eluded capture.
Amidst the pandemonium, Rayna and Neva had retreated into a safe corner.
"Can you believe it?" Neva whispered with barely concealed glee. "That girl's taking revenge for us. Now this is what I call-"
"Karma," finished Rayna with a small smile. She was full of secret admiration for the girl in red.
Kerriah had long wanted to escape through a window by now, but every time she tried, the giant parcel on her back always got stuck in the frame. More footmen were rushing in by the minute. Realizing that the tide was turning against her, she did some quick thinking and tugged the parcel from her back. With a flourish, she pulled apart the knot and sent the valuables inside flying into the crowd. Gold, silver, and pieces of jewelry tumbled to the ground.
"Look everyone!" she cried, voice carrying above the noise. "See how much your corrupt baron has been hoarding! All of these valuables were stolen from us commoners! Come and get it! Take back what's rightfully yours! Here! Have this too!"
Another toss and more jewelry and silver pieces flew out of the rapidly shrinking parcel. Many of the servants and footmen in the baron's household had been badly treated in the past, and almost all were underpaid. More than half of the guests had private grudges against the baron as well, and at the sight of so many valuables, the thief was forgotten. The entire room stooped to grab what they could, hiding them in shirt sleeves, tucking gold bars into pockets.
Kerriah seize the chance to get the hell out of there, and she quickly flew over heads to land next to the door. Rayna and Neva exchanged quick glances before automatically shifting to step in front of the door. Giving them a faintly surprised but more than a little amused glance, Kerriah leapt up and vaulted right over them, disappearing through the door and out of sight.
"Goddamn it!" Baron Coates howled feverishly. "Go after her! Get that bitch! Catch that thief!"
The few footmen that tried to follow his orders were pushed back by those who wanted to get the hell out of there, those who were still busy picking up valuables from the floor, and those who were stumbling around in confusion. In the utterly chaotic aftermath, Rayna touched Neva's shoulder gently and nodded at the door. Both slipped out of the great hall unnoticed and walked across the empty courtyard, through the open gates, and into the street.
As they silently made their way slowly back to the hotel, both young women wore reminiscent smiles. They hadn't resolved their own problems, yet neither of them could help but feel oddly excited and joyful.
"I still can't quite believe what happened back there," Rayna mused, tapping a fan against the palm of her hand thoughtfully. "I guess anything's possible when you put your mind to it."
"Did you see that thief?" Neva asked, unable to keep the enthusiasm out of her voice. "She's pretty brave for crashing a wedding like that! Too bad she didn't have more training; otherwise, she could have made it out with that parcel. Now she has nothing to show for all her hard work!"
"It's amazing she escaped at all," Rayna said, shaking her head in wonder. "She's lucky she wasn't caught and jailed."
As they passed Lansing Court for the second time in two days, a double column of palace guards swarmed into the street from a side alley, bearing the crest of the lord magistrate on their arms. They herded civilians towards the side of the street, and anyone who was too slow to get out of the way was shoved unceremoniously.
"Get out of the way! We're after a thief, so stay out of our way!" they yelled, scattering to look behind stalls and rifle their hands through hay carts.
One of the guards spotted Rayna and Neva, and with his instincts screaming that something was wrong with the picture of a beautiful young nobleman out at this hour with only a servant that was disturbingly pretty as well. He strode up with a glower.
"Have you seen a girl wearing a red gown? Have you?" he demanded loudly. Raising his voice for everyone, he announced, "Anyone who helped the thief escape is also going to be arrested, so if you know something, speak up now!"
Rayna knew that he wasn't going to be satisfied with a no, and now that she had captured his attention, she had no choice but to play the role. Lowering her voice several octaves and snapping her fan closed with an annoyed click, she rapped him on the chest hard.
"How dare you speak to me in that tone," she snapped, wincing mentally as her voice quivered. She could never get this right. "I haven't seen your thief, so move on! Next time you mouth off to a noble, I'll report you to the magistrate!"
There, the threat of being reported should discourage him. Like she had predicted, the guard quickly mumbled apologies and bowed several times before slinking off like a kicked dog. The crowd was used to seeing arrogant nobles, so nobody paid her any mind. The most she got was a few disgusted looks from several brave stall owners, but she was too tired to stare them down.
Rayna hated pretending to be a noble, especially since she had grown up loathing them only to find out her family history. Every time she had to rely on her skin color to get them out of trouble, she felt another tiny bit of her die inside. Neva knew what was going on in her mistress's mind, and she reached out with a steadying hand.
With a sigh, Rayna backed away from the street and retreated to stand beside a vegetable stall until her heart stopped pounding. Her leg knocked against a large circular crate slightly, and a moment later, she felt something tug at her breeches. Neva, too, had noticed the movement in the crate, and both of them looked down to see a pile of beans rise up, and a small heart-shaped face poke out. Neva stifled a gasp and slammed her hand to her mouth while Rayna choked back a sound of alarm.
Kerriah stared up at the two funny-looking young men, her bright hazel eyes pleading for silence. Rayna stared at her, and for some reason, she felt her heart reaching out to the girl, who, even in the shameful state of crouching in a vegetable basket, still wore a hopeful, devil-may-care smile.
Rayna looked up and saw the guard still searching the market stalls of Lansing Court one by one, and she knew that at a moment's notice, any one of them could come by again. The vegetable crate had no lid, and the owner on the other side of the stall was already staring suspiciously. Without thinking, Rayna sat down hard, flipped open her fan leisurely and hummed to drown out the muffled sounds of protest coming from the crate. She flashed the stall owner her best charming smile, and the old man rolled his eyes without comment.
Under his breath, he muttered, "Nobles…"
For the next five to ten minutes, different guards came around and eyed Rayna and Neva before moving on. The two of them bore practiced, indifferent looks on their faces that hid the pounding of their hearts. Eventually, all of the guard left to proceed down the street, and only when the last of them disappeared around the corner did Rayna stand up slowly, stretch and bend down to pick up her dropped fan.
"They're all gone, you can come out now," she whispered into the crate.
In a shower of beans, Kerriah burst into the open, spitting out bits of grass and rubbing her head ruefully. Her eyes widened as she dusted herself off and shook her head at Rayna.
"Oh, I'm finished. That's it," she said with a mournful sigh. "God, I'm going to be so unlucky this year now that I let you sit on my head like that!"
"Hey!" Neva said in outrage. "Don't you have any manners? If we hadn't helped you, you'd probably be halfway to the magistrate's court by now!"
The girl in red eyed Neva with amusement. In an exaggerated motion, she gathered the sleeves of the gown and bowed with the palms of her hand pressed together in front of chest.
"Yes," she said solemnly. "Saving my life does warrant a little gratitude. I thank my ladies for all their help. Kerriah owes you one."
Straightening, she flashed a cheeky smile. "Better?"
Rayna looked her over curiously. Kerriah. If she wasn't mistaken, in the old Hairukan tongue, it was the name of the swallow bird. What a pretty name.
"How did you know we aren't men?" Rayna asked curiously.
"Please." Kerriah snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "I knew as soon as I saw you guys in the great hall. I smiled, but you were too busy trying not to get trampled. Take my advice, and don't use the disguise anymore. Look at you, all porcelain skinned and dainty. Only idiots would mistake you two for men."
She paused to smile proudly before continuing with a jaunty air, "Seriously though, I'm totally not lying. I'm the best at seeing through disguises. Whether it's women trying to be men or the old trying to be young or the ugly trying to be pretty or anything, really, I can tell right away. Anyway, if we get a chance some other day, I'll show you a few tricks. Until then!"
She glanced over at the vegetable stall owner, who had no doubt known she was in the crate all along, blew the old man a kiss, and received a flippant smile of acknowledgement in return. Taking off the red gown and exposing a simple, worn smock underneath, she tied the gown in an expert knot, waved cheerily and turned to go.
"Wait!" Rayna called after her, unable to suppress her curiosity. "Can I ask you something? Where did you hide the noble lady?"
Kerriah stopped and studied Rayna thoughtfully. She shrugged and said, "You can ask, but I don't necessarily have to tell."
"You stole the bride's identity, filched her valuables, destroyed the great hall and kept the wedding from going smoothly. Didn't you go a little too far?" Rayna asked with a small frown. "Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble? You could go to jail for that!"
"Me? Go to jail? You have got to be joking!" Kerriah said with disbelief, chin lifting. Her fingers flicked up in sarcastic quotes. "I'm the one who got the 'noble lady' out of this mess. I should get a hero's medal or something. Don't you know anything? The Baron Coates and his son are the most corrupt officials ever. They steal from the treasury, they treat us commoners like dogs, and the son goes through women like you go through handkerchiefs!"
Neva and Rayna exchanged glances; neither was surprised at this bit of information. Kerriah looked at them, and she suddenly sighed with realization.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
Rayna nodded, and Kerriah threw up her hands.
"That's why you guys have no idea! Listen to me, don't feel sorry for them. They're terrible people. The baron's son has been married three times already, but all of his wives died mysteriously. Lady Delilah is a powerful duke's daughter, but because her father did some bad investments and lost huge sums of money to Coates, she was forced to marry his son. She has a fiancé too, but does the baron care? Of course not!"
Neva's eyes had widened throughout the course of the tale. Never had she heard of such a terrible thing in her life!
"How do you know this?" Rayna asked, disturbed by how cold-blooded these people could be.
"Please, I know everything around here," Kerriah said with a flippant hand. Looking around for a moment, she leaned in and whispered. "I was taking a walk around the duke's home yesterday for a breath of fresh air, you know, and I saw the poor girl committing suicide with a noose. So I crashed into the room, tackled her just as her windpipe was about to close, and she tearfully told me the whole story. Of course, being me, I had to save her, so I volunteered to take her place!"
Rayna couldn't help but smile at Kerriah's way of describing breaking into someone's home as "taking a walk around for a breath of fresh air," but she was touched by the girl's kindness.
"She was committing suicide?" Neva breathed, voice squeaking a little in disbelief.
"Why would I lie to you?" Kerriah asked blankly, straightening up. "Fine, don't believe me. Now can I go?"
"So where's Lady Delilah now?" Neva pursued, completely caught up in the story.
Kerriah looked faintly annoyed, but after a moment, the fun of sharing the secret outweighed the need to leave. She looked around to make sure that no one was listening to them before leaning in once more conspiratorially.
"She escaped with her fiancé last night by carriage. She's probably safely in hiding now."
"Wow," Neva said with admiration. "They're so brave."
"Can they really get away scot-free?" Rayna asked with concern. "Once the baron starts searching and questioning people, wouldn't he find out that you guys had cooked up a plan together? Will the duke be able to get away with it?"
"Of course!" Kerriah said, grinning like a cat that had just discovered cream. "We already worked it out. As we speak, the duke and his entire family is probably storming the baron's home, asking to see if Lady Delilah is safe. Seeing as how the duke is about a hundred times more influential than the baron, when it comes down to the wire, as long as the duke maintains that his daughter was kidnapped by the baron's men, we all get off scot-free!"
"You really are something," Rayna said with wonder, smiling a little in spite of herself. "What about you? You're not afraid of getting caught?"
"Me? Get caught?" Kerriah looked slightly offended. "How can I get caught that easily? You obviously underestimate my abilities. I'm famous for disappearing into thin air, and I'm not afraid of anyone. Just let them try and catch me!"
"You say that after the guards have left…" Neva said playfully, smiling.
"Of course." Kerriah laughed.
Rayna smiled and studied the carefree girl standing in front of her. The shapeless smock hid most of her figure, but her golden brown hair shone brightly under the sun in the elaborate styled braids meant for a bride. Her almond-shaped hazel eyes were bright with mischief, and her bow-shaped mouth was made for smiling. A slightly upturned nose, a splash of freckles, and a dimple in her right cheek completed the picture. Who knew that a thief could be so endearing?
Kerriah knew Rayna was staring at her, but for the first time that she could remember, she oddly didn't mind at all. For someone who was dressed like a young noble lord, the girl sure exuded elegance and grace. She had never seen anyone so beautiful in her entire life. This must be what real Keahin ladies are like. Not bad for a noble.
They stared at each other for a moment, and Neva watched them both curiously as an unspoken bond formed without notice. After a minute, Kerriah knew she couldn't linger any longer. The guards could come back any moment.
"This will fetch a handsome price I think," Kerriah said with a wink, patting the knot of the bride's gown in her arms. "Looks like I'm going to have a full belly tonight. See ya!"
Without a backward glance, she walked off whistling a merry tune. Rayna watched her go wistfully. She had never met anyone so carefree, so sincere, and so unabashedly honest. It was refreshing, and a small part of her whispered that she would love to live in the same way.
"Milady," Neva said softly. "The sun is about to set."
"Let's go, then," Rayna replied with a sigh. "We've got a promise to keep."
A/N: I hope you liked the first chapter! Reviews would be greatly appreciated :)