It's a bit short, but I figured I'd err on the side of a sooner update.

Jedda

New Hope was a rottin' pit of stink and filth. I hated it even worse than the wagons with Mistress Vurda, or before, when I was staying with Mistress Anbret. I hated it even worse than when all the children in our village had to go to the new schoolhouse.

"I wanna go." I swung my feet miserably, banging my heels against the wall.

The clerk looked up, annoyed. "Has your caregiver arrived?"

I shook my head.

"You are to stay until someone comes for you." The clerk looked back at his notes.

"No one's coming." I told him. When he didn't look up or answer, I repeated myself. "No one's gonna come for me."

"Those are the rules." The clerk didn't even bother to look at me.

I banged my feet a little louder for good measure.

"That's it!" The clerk stood, heading towards me. "I've had enough of you!"

I ducked down, anticipating a blow, but instead, the clerk grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to my feet. "Owwww!" I shouted, even though it didn't hurt at all. "Lemme go! Ow!"

"What's going on here?" The lady knight appeared in the open doorway.

"She's a menace, milady, I swear she is." The clerk kept a firm hold on my shoulder. I gave up my struggle, knowing that anyone could tell that the clerk really wasn't hurting me.

"Come here." The lady knight gestured to me.

After the clerk released me, I reluctantly trudged over to the knight.

"Why did you end up in the clerk's office?" She inquired.

I took a deep breath. "Kliff and I made a bet and when I won, he didn't want to let me have the knife I was to win from him. I took it from him anyway and he trounced me up. Course, Kliff didn't have to stay long 'cause his ma came and got him. Here I've been waitin' for hours with this irrit'ble clerk and nobody ain't never gonna come for me no how."

The lady knight winced. "Nobody is going to come for you anyway."

I realized she was correcting my speech, but I was stubborn. "That's right. So when can I go?"

"Who cares for you, Miss..." She paused, waiting for me to fill in the empty space where my name would go. I'd rather keep that to myself, so next time I got into trouble, I could slip under her feelers.

"Me brother and his wife, but they've got their own brats and he's not my real, whole brother no how."

"Anyhow." The Lady Knight frowned. "What's your name?"

No way around that way. "Jedda, milady."

"Jedda, do you go to school?" She asked.

"No," I shook my head fervently. "No need for that, t'all."

"Were you assigned a duty?"

I shook my head again. "Just got here last week."

"And since last week, you've spent your time gambling and loitering about?"

I didn't know the meaning of the word loitering, but none of my guesses meant good things. I choose not to answer.

"Go to school." The Lady Knight ordered. "An education will get you far in life." She ignored my snort. "And consider yourself posted to kitchen duty."

I scowled. "Don't want no kitchen duty. I've never a want to wash more dishes any...no how."

The Lady Knight slowly breathed air out of her nose. "Is stable duty more suitable?"

I wasn't going to push my luck. "Yes, milady. I like horses."

"Report there every day after school." The Lady Knight didn't leave any room for argument. "And Jedda...I will check up on this."

"Yes," I nodded, and fled.

Emma

I woke. I lay quietly for a moment, trying to remember why I'd woken. I hadn't had a dream, I never had those anymore. I turned my head when I heard sniffling to my left.

I crawled out of my bed, silent as a little snake. I knew if I was caught out of bed I'd be made to sleep outside, but it was Maira crying and I couldn't let her be sad.

"Maira." I whispered, when I was right by her ear.

She jumped, but my hand was over her mouth. When she saw me, she relaxed.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, wiping the tears off her cheeks with the edge of her blanket.

"It's my birthday." Maira's lips began to tremble. "I miss my mama."

"Birthday wishes." I told her. "But you can't miss your mama."

"Don't you?" Maira sat up a little, resting on her elbow.

"My ma's dead." I answered. "I don't remember her."

"I'm sorry." Maira looked away.

"It's alright." I shrugged. "I don't remember her."

Maira nodded. Neither of us said anything for an awkward moment.

"I'm eleven." Maira said quietly, breaking the silence.

"Birthday wishes." I repeated, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thank you." Maira gently pushed my hand away. "Go back to bed before you're caught."

I nodded and dropped back down to the floor. I hissed a little as I slithered under the row of beds, and smiled when I heard a quiet giggle behind me.

Likely the only reason Maira remembered her birthday was because today was also Fall Equinox. Most of us had forgotten our birthdays. I wasn't even sure how old I was. As I pulled the covers up to my chin, I decided that I'd be older than Maira. Darin too, then, if I could get away with it. He'd begun to sprout up, so nobody would believe I was older than him. Alright, just Maira then.