I hope someone out there enjoys reading this because the world needs more SinbadxOC fics!

Update 2/11/2019: So, my writing has improved drastically over the months I've been working on this fic and I feel like I should let new readers have a heads up that I'm trying to go back and fix older chapters when I have time, but currently there's a massive drop in quality around chapter 10. If you enjoy the story up to that point but find the rest too dull to slog though, you can follow Courage on Wattpad (pen name: CuddleFluffy) or AO3 (pen name: CuddleFluffy). I'm not updating those until I fix the chapters, so when I post a new chapter it should have quality on par or better than the first few chapters of this fic. Thank you for reading!

Updat2 2/24/2019: The cover art is drawn by Ava-001 and colored in by me! I owe her a huge thanks!

So, without further ado:

Prologue

Thalia's hurried footsteps echoed across Napolia's dark, empty streets, which had been vacated by all but the most inebriated of Reim's citizens for the night. She was not alone, however— she was prey, and the hunters were fast on her tail. Though she had managed to evade them for the moment, they were certain to catch up with her. Her pursuers were highly trained guards, and she was a twelve year old girl who spent more time with her nose in a book than doing anything that could be considered physical activity. Her body was already tiring, her sides aching with every gasping inhale and her legs burning. There was no foreseeable scenario in which she could outrun them, which left her with only one option: she would have to outsmart them.

She stopped to scan her surroundings. Barren fruit and vegetable stands lined the walls of white and red buildings. In front of the buildings sat a stack of barrels that would be large enough to hide her small stature, she noted, ducking behind the fortuitous caskets just as the clatter of armored men's footsteps approached.

She covered her mouth, trying to mask her wheezing breaths as they paused uncomfortably close to her hiding place to discuss their search.

"Which way did she go?"

Her entire body tensed as a breeze kicked up, rustling her silken peplos. Had they heard her?

"She can't have gone far. She's just a girl."

Apparently not. She allowed herself to relax just a little.

"You three check the left. We'll look for her near the market."

As their metallic footsteps clamored off in different directions, she breathed a sigh of relief. Now there was time to think clearly.

The young girl took yet another sweeping survey of her surroundings, becoming increasingly unsettled. She had never been to Napolia without her father and several bodyguards, especially not at night. During the day, with bustling streets, buildings gleaming in the sunlight, and plenty of protection, the city seemed like an entirely different world. Now, the buildings felt looming instead of grand, the streets felt desolate instead of lively, and she felt vulnerable.

Rumors of how dangerous the city could be at night flooded her memories, raising the hairs on her neck. There was a reason she'd run into so few witnesses tonight. Tales of murders and robberies were no rarity. Bodies were recovered on nearly a daily basis. From the small kingdom of Attica, where she had grown up, those rumors had seemed nothing more than salacious gossip whispered by the idle nobles and rapacious traders, but now she believed them.

Up until this moment, she had felt like she'd been playing a game of hide and seek. When she had first stowed away on the ship that would carry her away from Attica, there had been a sense of adventure. Even when she recognized her father's men tailing her, she had felt a thrill escaping them. Now, that excitement was transforming into dread.

Thalia began to panic, backing out clumsily into the street. Perhaps she had been too hasty in her decision to run away from home. Perhaps she could turn back now. The guards couldn't have gone far. She just needed to go find them—

Suddenly, she bumped into something warm and solid.

"Huh?" a male voice grunted.

Is this one of the guards? Why isn't he wearing armor?

The young girl's thoughts were interrupted by a large hand wrapping itself around her wrist and jerking her around. Her eyes met with a broad, tunicked chest, following it up to where a menacing grin was unfurling upon a gruff, entirely unfamiliar face. Thalia unsuccessfully attempted to jerk her hand away from him. He merely tightened his painful grip. Her breath began to hitch as the reality of her situation washed over her.

This man did not work for her father.

This man did not have good intentions.

She opened her mouth to scream. The guards she was avoiding moments ago would be her saving grace, if only she could alert them. The man was faster than she, though, and had already pulled her against him, muffling her cries with his hand. She fought and gnashed, kicking obstinately, but no matter how hard she resisted, she couldn't shake him off. He was too strong and she was too small. The girl whimpered pathetically. No one had ever dared to treat her like this before, not without her father ordering it.

The stranger didn't say a word as he started walking, and she had no choice but to stagger along with him through the commercial district. Thalia began to dare to hope for her rescue. They were close to the market, where half the guards had said they would be looking for her. If they just turned left here—

They turned right. Thalia flew into another rage, squirming and releasing muffled curses. Her small fists flew in every direction, trying to land a decent hit on her kidnapper. Through all of it, he remained silent, save for a single amused chuckle.

They eventually reached the docks— where her adventure in Napolia had begun. She could even see the merchant ship she had stowed away on, her country's flag waving proudly above it. Things weren't supposed to turn out like this. Things had been going so well, but now…

They boarded an unfamiliar ship, where finally the silence was broken.

"Picked up one more on the way!" Her captor shouted to a gang of men aboard the ship. They were of all shapes and sizes, but none of them looked like people she would like to get to know. Her captor continued, "This one's dressed funny, but she's got a good face. Never seen one like it." He leaned down, beard and breath scratching her ear, and lowered his voice. "Where you from, little girl?" He finally removed his hand from her mouth.

Thalia tried her best to channel the regal and imposing posture of her parents and announced, "I am Thalia, princess of Attica and daughter of King Hypatos and Queen Kayra. Unhand me at once or I will-"

The man laughed, kicking her in the back of her knees and sending her sprawling on the worn, wooden planks. She was unsure if it was her hands or her pride that stung more.

"Lookie here, boys! This one fancies she's a princess!" Her captor squatted down and pulled her head by the tight plaits of her hair, bringing her gaze to his. He practically spat, his rancid breath invading her nose. "Attica? Even better. Atticans sell for a top price. No matter who you are where you came from, this here is Reim. Foreigners don't have no rights. That means I get to claim you as property." He slammed her head back down to emphasize his point. "get it?"

"Careful, Brutus." Another man, just as big, approached them. "If you damage the merchandise, we won't get the full pay."

He reached out his hand to Thalia with a smile that, in other circumstances, might have been mistaken for kindness. She twisted her head away from him in refusal. She would not cooperate with these barbarians.

Someone pulled her to her feet by her braids, making her yelp. It was the one called Brutus. She kicked at him again as he shoved her down the hatch and into the hold. It was dark, the air heavy with must. She gagged at the smell. Never in her life had she been exposed to such filth. Brutus shoved her onto the floor and walked to the back of the room to illuminate a lantern. To her horror, the dim light revealed three other children tied up and dressed in rags. Two of them looked terrified, while the third wore a strangely relieved expression when she met Thalia's eyes. Something sharp pressed against against the nape of her neck.

"Undress."

Pivoting her head around, she took in the glint of a sword in the dim light.

"Excuse me?" She clutched her shawl more tightly around her shoulders, as if that would protect her.

With his free hand, Brutus thrust a rough woolen tunic at her. "Undress and put that on."

She still didn't move, half expecting him to leave the room. The point of the sword dug in deeper.

"Don't make me repeat myself again."

Thalia obeyed, tears stinging her eyes as she removed her coin purse and jewelry and her bright, fine linens and silks one by one. The entire time, she felt this terrifying man's eyes boring into her exposed flesh. She quickly put on the cheap tunic, grateful for its protection, however scratchy. Brutus then tied her wrists and ankles together with rope and blew out the lantern, leaving her and the other children to sit in the dark.

She wasn't sure how long they were left there. They did not receive meals, and only a small amount of water was allotted to them at a time. Occasionally, she attempted to initiate conversations with the other children, who were fairly open about their circumstances.

The youngest child was named Cassius. He was not sure how old he was, but the way he struggled to pronounce certain letters told her he was still fairly young. From what she could ascertain, he had been living on the streets since his parents died. He'd gotten by mostly with assistance from former friends of his parents.

Six year old Dulcia had been orphaned when her parents caught the plague a few months ago. She had been surviving, if you could call it that, by rummaging in garbage for leftover food. That certainly explained the way she smelled.

The last child was called Dinarzade. She was the oldest of the children, aside from Thalia. Dinarzade seemed overly optimistic for her situation, and Thalia could not help but look down on her for it. Her parents had actually sold her to these men, yet she had the audacity to believe that "things would work out" and "maybe someone will save us." Still, her words tended a small flame that still burned in Thalia's chest. Maybe that kind of audacity is just what she needed to get through this.

She closed her eyes, stifling tears of her own. She was a princess, but she had been treated so roughly by these men. That Brutus man had called her property? Slaves were property. Did that mean she was going to become a slave? Righteous indignation flared within her. They could not treat her this way. When her father heard of this, he would not stand by idly!

But she couldn't get word to him from this ship. This whole adventure had been a mistake. She'd tried to escape her responsibilities, and now she was suffering the consequences. She recalled the day she had decided to run away.

It had been an unremarkable day so far, routine in every way. Thalia's morning had started with her daily lessons, followed by lunch and more lessons. She had studied well today, so she had been permitted some free time, which she had spent reading a tome about her country's economic history. Then, she had come to the balneae for her evening bath.

Thalia sank deeper into the tub, allowing her sister's smooth singing drifting in from the other room to carry her into a realm of relaxation.

Kayra was really only Thalia's half sister. They shared the same mother, but Kayra's father had passed away long before Thalia was born. Kayra and their mother, Simay, both hailed from Parthevia. She envied their loose, aubergine curls and the thick lashes that rimmed their honey eyes.

Thalia played with her own hair, the dark brown color of wet dirt. She took more after her father, who was a prime example of an Attican citizen. Straight noses, earthy tones, and almond eyes were all hallmarks of the inhabitants of the island kingdom. These features themselves were not less attractive than her mother and sister's Parthevian ones, but Thalia felt she had gotten stuck with an odd mix of Parthevian and Attican traits that seemed poorly cobbled together, like a broken sculpture hastily repaired with the wrong pieces.

In some ways, it felt as though her looks were a metaphor for her own birth and the circumstances surrounding it. As the only princess eligible for the throne, Thalia had quite the thorough education on the history of Attican Empire and its devastating fall at the hands of Reim and Parthevia. Attica had only been allowed to keep its current holdings because of skillful political maneuvers by the previous king. Keeping two warring empires at bay was no small feat, but her grandfather Aegaeon had done just that through a marriage treaty between her mother and father. Thalia didn't know much about her mother's life before her marriage to her father, but Kayra had once uncharacteristically waxed nostalgic about the days in Parthevia, when their mother's smile was genuine and she didn't reek of alcohol.

Thalia opened her eyes and stared longingly at a fresco of a mother affectionately embracing her child. She had grown up seeing that wall-painting, believing if she just tried hard enough, one day her mother would hold her like that as well. It had been nothing but a child's dream.

Her eyes drifted to another wall adorned with a loving couple gazing adoringly into each other's eyes. No such couples existed in this palace.

After acquiring his heir, her father had checked out of the marriage entirely. He'd kept many women on the side over the years and almost never visited their mother. When her parents did run into each other in the palace, the shouting could be heard from outside the walls. Though her grandfather had eschewed a war, it seemed even the most peaceful solution had not been without casualties.

The singing stopped, and Thalia snapped back to reality. Her sister usually practiced for an hour in the evenings, which meant Thalia had been in the bath even longer. Her pruny fingers confirmed her observation, and Thalia stepped out of the bath onto the cold, marble floor, accepting a towel from the on duty slave.

The slave was about the same age as she, twelve years old, and had been working for the family for a few months now. This particular servant was so skilled at drifting into the background that Thalia occasionally forgot she was not alone. She had tried to make conversation with the slave girl before, but found her company less than stimulating. As such, Thalia now reserved her energies for her equals, though there were no free persons her age at the palace. Even Kayra was her senior by six years.

Thalia held her arms up for the young slave, who nimbly pinned the sleeves on her peplos. Black markings on the girl's palm caught Thalia's attention.

"What is that?" Thalia asked commandingly.

The slave girl bowed her head in shame.

"I don't dare lie to you, Princess. I've been trying to learn to read. These are letters for me to practice remembering throughout the day. I know a lowly slave such as myself is not supposed to covet knowledge..."

Thalia raised her chin, sending the slave girl cowering.

"That's an admirable pursuit," Thalia assured her. "Learn as much as you can. You'll be better able to serve me."

The girl's eyes widened and she stood a little taller.

"Princess! Thank you for your blessing!"

Thalia nodded, folding her hands in front of her and walking toward the door. This slave… maybe she wasn't quite on Thalia's level, but if she had a hunger for learning, maybe someday she would be good company. The princess stopped and turned to face her servant once again.

"By the way, I don't believe I've ever asked your name."

Apprehension flashed across the girl's face, but she schooled it into a serenely submissive smile.

"Sappho."

"Thank you, Sappho." She reached out and patted her head like a little sister, but quickly withdrew her hand when she noticed Sappho's fragile shoulders tense with discomfort. "For everything you do."

Sappho escorted Thalia through the halls of the palace. Their destination had been Thalia's room in the women's quarters, where Sappho would prepare her for dinner. However, as she wandered past the throne room, she noticed something odd. She could hear both her mother and father's voices, and neither of them were yelling. She strode past the guards and around the corner, then stopped, motioning for Sappho to be silent.

Thalia's parents often told her that those who knew what was spoken behind closed doors in the palace could insulate themselves from most power struggles. She regularly made it her business to find out everything she could through loyal maids and her own reconnaissance. As she stood hunched over with her ear pressed against the wall of the throne room, she knew she would be in trouble if she were caught eavesdropping, but when she had realized her parents were in the same room and not fighting, she knew something gravely serious must be happening.

From the other side of the partition, she heard a lilting voice introduce itself as an oracle.

"I read the rukh," the voice's owner elaborated, "and they tell me the future. I have seen grave danger for your kingdom."

Thalia almost laughed. How did someone who spoke such superstitious nonsense manage to get an audience with her parents? Her mother did not show as much restraint and snorted loudly.

"Who let a charlatan like you in here?" Her words were less slurred than usual. "Guards!"

"Silence, you damnable woman!" Hypatos shouted, "Do not meddle in the affairs of my country." He then directed his words to the oracle "Our kingdom has long depended on the old ways for survival. Please continue."

Even from the other side of the wall, Thalia could hear smugness oozing from the stranger's mouth. "Yes, your majesty. With the death of the patriarch, her highness's family no longer holds the political sway it once did over the Parthevian noble family. The treaty will be broken, and Parthevia will slaughter your entire kingdom."

A heavy silence was broken by her mother's terse response, "Any person with their wits about them could tell as much. Is that the best your future vision can do? Tell us what we already know? Hypatos, just send her away. Why entertain such an obvious fraud?"

Thalia tensed, expecting another outburst from her father. Instead, the "oracle" spoke again.

"I did not come to tell you what already is. I came to tell you how you can save your country."

Her father's voice cracked. "How?"

"You must align yourself with Reim. A marriage between your heir and the prince of Reim will please the rukh and provide protection to your family."

Thalia had met Nerva Julius Caluades once before. She had found his personality so thoroughly repulsive that she'd prayed she would never have to so much as be in the same room with him again.

Simay came to her defense. "Hypatos and his ancestors have done everything they can to keep this proud nation independent, and you dare come in here and suggest we surrender to Reim?"

She had a point. Simay had been a noble, but she was never going to inherit the throne. Her family had enough political power to force the government to ensure her safety without her having the ability to claim the land as her own. If the heir of the Kingdom of Attica married the heir of Reim, it would be as good as surrendering Attica over to Reim on a silver plate.

The defeated tone in her father's voice told her that however much he wanted to remain independent, he had been backed into a corner. "Call for the Royal Messenger. Send a message to Reim's Emperor offering my daughter Thalia's hand in marriage. Do it quickly."

"But Sire, shouldn't you consult with the priestess of Asena first?" a voice unknown to Thalia asked.

Yes, consult with the priestess. Maybe Thalia could bribe her into convincing him the marriage was a terrible idea.

"Can't you see the goddess has abandoned us?" her father shouted. "This is all because of my cursed daughter! Asena still hasn't forgiven her for her unnatural—"

Simay cut him off. "You superstitious fool and your damned religion. The only thing unnatural in this palace is your idiocy."

Multiple parts of that conversation made Thalia cringe, but the word 'unnatural' unearthed a sick feeling in her gut. Every time her father called her that, in dredged up echoes of memories she'd spent two years forgetting. She wasn't the same girl now, and his precious goddess didn't exist. Thalia could not be blamed for her relative's demise, but old age certainly could. Her grandfather had been approaching eighty.

"Forget the priestess," Hypatos barked. "Just do as I said. Go send the message."

No…

Thalia's blood ran frigid. She refused to marry Nerva Julius Calaudes. He was so much older than her, so pompous. Would they end up like her mother and father? Would she turn to drink while he kept whores on the side?

More importantly, how could she allow her father to hand over Attica so easily? She could not let that happen. Her father and mother had failed to protect both her and her country. She had to take her life and the future of Attica into her own hands. She would run away, only to return when her parents had come up with another solution. There had to be one. She just needed to buy herself time.

Weeks passed, and the marriage plans were finalized. So were her plans to escape. With the reluctant help of Sappho, she stole onto a merchant ship set for Reim, where she would offer her services as a tutor to some noble family. She would have to learn to support herself, but that was alright. For the first time in her life, she was truly free.

"Stand up!" Brutus's voice bellowed in her ear. She yelped as a rough hand dragged her to her feet by her hair. Half-delusional from thirst and hunger, she tried to open her eyes, but the bright light was painful. She hadn't seen the sun in what must have been days, judging by her parched lips and lightheadedness.

Her time spent in the darkness had been a nightmare. Her hands and ankles chafed from the rough rope, and her body ached to be able to stretch.

Apart from initial introductions, the children had not talked much. In the beginning, the younger ones would scream and cry, but they quickly learned that doing so would only earn them a beating. Instead, soft sobbing and sniffles, along with Dinarzade's occasional quiet singing and muffled murmurs of the men standing guard outside, were the only sounds that graced Thalia's ears. She had drifted in and out of consciousness, unable to stay awake for lack of stimulation. When Brutus had rudely awoken her, she'd been retreating in the sanctuary of her dreams.

Now, sunlight flooded in through the open door, invading every corner of the room. Thalia would have tried to shield her eyes with her hands, but the ties around her wrist had rendered that option effectively useless.

From the sound of it, the other children were receiving the same treatment. She desperately tried to see what was going on through squinting eyes, but all she could make out were shadows and light. A kick in the back of her leg combined with a shove and another command from Brutus, this time to "get moving", sent her limping in an unknown direction.

Her ankles were no longer bound, she realized. He must have cut her restraints while she was asleep. She could run for it, she thought, if only her legs would straighten— but they were stiff from such a long period of immobility. She shouted at Brutus indignantly as he once again pushed her forward sending her stumbling blindly for a while. Finally, a swift kick in the back of the knees sent her kneeling. The miserable cries and sniffles of the other children soon followed her, and they quickly joined her on the ground.

"Hello, children. It's nice to meet you. You can call me Lady Maader," a feminine voice purred from in front of her. Thalia's vision was returning to her, and she lifted her head to see the speaker. A beautiful raven haired woman was smiling down at them kindly. Thalia was relieved to see what seemed to be a friendly face.

Then Lady Maader's eyes un-crinkled and fixed on Thalia, whose heart skipped a beat. This woman's eyes were black like a demon's. She approached Thalia and took her chin between thumb and forefinger, tilting her head for better inspection.

"My, you are quite the pretty one. My men told me as much, but I just had to see for myself. They also tell me you're from Attica? Atticans have many talents. What is yours, young lady?"

Thalia briefly considered lying before deciding the truth was a safer route. "I'm educated in reading, maths, politics, history, and the physical sciences. I can speak and read in Torran. I am also trained in the arts of singing, dance, and the lyre."

The woman's eyes narrowed and she looked up at Brutus. "Where did you say you picked this one up again? She's much more well educated than the kind you usually bring in, even for an Attican."

"We picked her up off the streets of Napolia. She tried to claim she was a princess," he guffawed, smacking Thalia on the back as though she were his buddy, in on the joke. She did not laugh.

Lady Maader also seemed unamused. She forcefully recoiled from Thalia, the blood draining from her face. Thalia felt a glimmer of hope. This woman believed her. This woman would return her to her parents.

"You fools!" the woman cried. "Do you realize what you've done? This girl could be the destruction of the entire company if she's found!" She paced back and forth, equal parts rage and terror written on her face. When Lady Maader spoke again, her voice was thin. "No matter. It's too late, now. If we let her go, she will report us. It will be an international incident. The company cannot afford such a scandal."

Tears welled in Thalia's eyes. How could this woman not return her? It was the right thing to do. If morals would not move this woman to compassion, perhaps a bribe would convince her to send Thalia home.

"I won't report you," the princess pleaded. "Please return me to my parents. They'll surely reward you. Riches, influence, whatever you want will be yours!"

The woman turned once again to face Thalia and smiled kindly. "There, now, dear. We both know your parents can't afford to give away what little is left of your country's fortune. Welcome to your new home. What is your name?"

"I am Princess Thalia Alexandris of Attica." She tried to sound authoritative, defiant, but the words that left her parched mouth fell flat.

The lady smiled once more, only this time it sent chills down Thalia's spine. "Wrong. Your new name is Echo. We can't have anyone discovering who you really are, can we?" She turned to the men. "Take her to the punishment room. Don't let her out until she's learned her new name."

"Punishment?! I am an Alexandris!"

She stomped on Brutus's foot as he grabbed her once again.

"Unhand me, you insolent—!" His hand covered her mouth and her muffled protests quickly died down. She was beginning to understand that fighting someone several times her size was a futile pursuit.

Brutus dragged her into a large, grandiose building, through magnificent corridors where they passed children her age and younger, who stopped their chores to watch her pass, unmoved by her tear-stained face. One of the children obediently opened a large wooden door without Brutus having to communicate anything. The hallways behind this door appeared more like a dungeon. Instead of smooth marble, the wall consisted of concrete slabs. Torches lit the path to another smaller wooden door. He shoved her into that room, a square, slightly flooded chamber lit by a grate in the ceiling, and, after cutting her wrist ties, locked her in there alone.

Her rags soaking wet, she lifted herself off the ground and, screaming, pounded against the door until splinters from the wooden door lodged their way into the pads of her fists. At last, voice hoarse from shouting, she backed away from the door. Her efforts were useless. No one was coming.

Over the coming hours, she entertained herself by watching the drops of blood seeping from her splinters mingle with the cold water around her feet. She liked how it diffused into nothingness, like her current suffering was so minute, maybe it would become just a drop in the ocean of her life.

She needed to escape. She needed to tell her parents where she was somehow.

When Lady Maader came for her, the stars shone brightly in the night sky through the vent. Thalia was shivering violently, huddled against the rough wall. The sun had been in the west when she was brought in here. How long had it been? Three hours? Five?

"What is your name?" the woman asked.

"Tha—" Thalia stopped, remembering she'd been given a different name. "Echo. My name is Echo."

The woman leaned over Thalia, cooing, "That's a good girl. You poor dear. Look what Brutus did to you. Come, let's get you somewhere you can warm up."

Thalia distinctly remembered that her presence here had been at Lady Maader's command, but let the woman escort her to a room with a lit hearth without question. Lady Maader gestured for her to sit down in a large chair.

"Tea?" the woman asked, smiling and holding up a mug. Thalia gratefully accepted the warm beverage, savoring the heat as it warmed her throat

"You don't ever have to go back there again once you become one of my children," the matron told her gently. Thalia frowned, not understanding the woman's words.

"Don't I already belong to you?"

The woman's smile remained in place, but her eyes took on a manic quality that chilled Thalia to her core.

"You're not my child yet, but you will be."

Thalia's first year as a slave had been tumultuous. At first, she had resented Lady Maader. The woman had tortured Thalia so badly, especially the time she'd tried to escape. She had given a sealed letter containing her identity to a sailor, begging him to take it to Attica. Without even opening it, he'd taken it to Lady Maader, who had been furious. She had ordered Thalia to undergo water curing.

"Water curing." The name of this torture method didn't sound unpleasant at all, but Thalia had quickly learned not to underestimate her mistress's cruelty. Water had been forced down Thalia's throat until she vomited. How could someone who caused pain like that be forgiven?

However, Thalia's relationship with Lady Maader quickly became much more complex. After ordering severe punishments for Thalia, Lady Maader would comfort her with praise and warm embraces. The broken princess began to crave her Lady's affection, going to no small effort to earn approval. During Thalia's childhood, her own mother had rarely shown her any form of tenderness. Thalia lapped up this new form of attention eagerly, forgetting any desire to escape.

Thanks to her dedication to Lady Maader, Thalia quickly moved up the ranks as a slave. When Thalia had put on a performance of traditional Attican dance, Lady Maader had been so pleased that she had decided to have Thalia train some of the older girls. They would eventually perform in the colosseum in front of thousands of people, and Thalia was thrilled at the prospect. That was to be in the future, however. Currently, she served snacks and hot tea to important clientele as they waited for a meeting with her Lady.

As she rushed past an older gentleman, tray of tea in hand, she lightly chided him for the lewd comment he'd tossed in her direction. Incidents like this were becoming more and more common as she got older. She hated it, but Lady Maader said it was normal, and that she should do her best not to make her displeasure known to the customers.

Responding to the clients was a precarious endeavor. If her refusal to acknowledge the remarks offended the patron, she would be punished. If she indulged the comments, she would be seen as immoral, and it would reflect badly on both her reputation and her Lady. She had learned the safest route was to playfully rebuke the comments. So far, it had diffused every situation, but some of the clients were becoming more persistent. She feared for her own safety.

She finally caught sight of the women she had been serving. They were a pair of noblewomen who looked to be Parthevians on vacation. Thalia generally did not find these types particularly useful to eavesdrop on. They tended to talk about fashion and scandals, nothing of interest to her. Today, however, their topic piqued her interest.

The woman in a blue dress sighed in frustration. "I almost couldn't afford this vacation. My son's tutor costs our family a fortune. My husband insists on him because he's Attican. You know, it's fashionable to have your children tutored by an Attican nowadays, but I still feel like we're being robbed blind."

The other woman, clad in yellow, responded. "Speaking of Attica, have you heard?

Thalia stopped approaching them and slipped behind a pillar instead. She wanted to listen to the rest of the conversation. It was unusual to hear Parthevians talk about her tiny island country, to say the least.

"Heard what?" The woman in blue sounded thoroughly disinterested.

"They've finally been conquered. Another fine victory for the Parthevian Empire." The speaker let out a satisfied laugh. "General Barbarossa led the attack, but I hear the real hero was our dear Princess Serendine. She earned the nickname 'Venomous Spider Princess' thanks to her contribution in eliminating the royal family. "

Thalia's body went numb. Attica had been conquered?

Serendine… she knew that name. On her frequent visits to Parthevia with her mother and sister, Thalia had often played with her. Growing up together, Thalia had been her shadow. Wherever the Parthevian princess went, Thalia was close behind, watching as her fellow princess handled swords and horses, things Thalia was never allowed to touch. If she tried, one of her retainers would quickly swoop in and scold her, reminding her that only men and barbarian women did such things. But, sometimes, when no one was looking, Serendine would sneak off with her and teach her tidbits about the world beyond the constraints of being an Attican princess.

Thalia's grip on the tray she was holding loosened. As the princesses had grown older, Thalia had lost interest in the forbidden world of men and barbarians, but never interest in Serendine, her closest friend. Thalia had thought the world of her fellow princess. How could Serendine… Had she heard incorrectly?

Metal clattered onto the ground and hot liquid licked at her ankles. The two women stood up and peered around the pillar.

"Oh, dear. It's one of those slave children."

"Doesn't she look Attican? Poor thing must have overheard us..."

"Wretched girl, were you eavesdropping?"

Thalia ignored them and ran as fast as her feet could carry her all the way to Lady Maader's office. She banged on the door until Kil answered.

The short girl looked perturbed. "Are you daft? What do you want? You're disturbing Lady Maader!"

Thalia shoved Kil out of the way, ignoring her snide comments. Lady Maader was sitting at her desk, filling out paperwork.

Thalia took a deep breath, then, in a shaking voice asked, "Is it true?"

Lady Maader's face melted into a confusingly smug expression. Couldn't she see her child was falling apart? Why did Thalia's master look as though this fact gave her pleasure?

"Is what true, my dear girl?"

"Attica… is it… has it been…?" Thalia's whole body shook violently so that she struggled to stay standing.

Her benefactor leaned forward, clearly amused. "If you're asking about whether or not Attica is still a country, the answer is no. Parthevia invaded and took over."

"What about my family? Are they…?" She choked on the dryness of her own mouth.

"My dear, I'm your family now. It's unfortunate about the royal family, but it would be too troublesome for Parthevia to keep them alive, don't you think?"

What was Lady Maader saying? Her family's lives were "too troublesome"? Maybe they hadn't shown her affection the way Lady Maader had, but they were her flesh and blood. She was inextricably bound to them. Lady Maader had taken care of Thalia this last year. How could she just mock Thalia's loss like this?

Thalia stiffened, comprehension flooding her body. She'd grown complacent in this place and lost her focus on what was important: her duty to her country and her family. Her faith in Lady Maader had been misplaced. This woman did not care for her. She did not show an ounce of sympathy for Thalia's grief. Her birth family had been slaughtered at the hands of a childhood friend, and her home country had been subjugated. All of it had been her fault. If she had just married Nerva Julius Calaudes as her father had requested, if she had been an obedient daughter, none of this would have happened. It was her fault.

A wave of nausea overcame Thalia. She collapsed to the floor as her stomach evacuated its contents all over Lady Maader's priceless carpet.

Good, she thought, taking in the mess she had made. I hope it's ruined.

"Oh my…" Lady Maader said with mock pity. "Kil, will you get her out of here? And treat those burns on her feet, will you? No one wants to buy a slave with scars..."