aide

e walls, and heavy, hurried footstep

rates beside the shed. I curled up, covered my mouth and nose

knights passed in f

boots splashing through the standing water, and then

s completely faded did

d for so long, my legs were so

t and dragged my exhausted bod

already tu

ached under the straw bed and

dflowers I had picked behin

owsill facing south, toward Solaris, clasped

peace,

I will wash your gra

n cheers and noise rose from th

the wooden door, and

maids had gathered in

wn, silver ornaments jingling in her hair as she moved. Four sturdy

y P

take the blame for stealing Lord Arthur Bender's rin

, fake smile and

wooden chests filled with bright ri

the Regent's favor, I can'

chin so everyone could see t

so many things, and I brought s

excited. They crowded for

nst the broken doorframe, watchin

wept across the crowd and finally land

iately gained a

carefully stepped around the mud in her s

his my dearest

with her silk sleeve, h

days. How did you ge

painted face w

you, I'm st

nger crossed

e maids and raised he

n. That's why she's ended up like this. If she were

out from the fr

silk scarf, her neck st

flattery. "Miss Ruby is the Regent's darling now! How could

n, rolling their eyes at me so they

y enjoyed t

lked back to the open chests,

t hairpins, bracelets, an

o thank her after

pin and immediately stuck it into he

ts left at the bottom of the chest

stopped in

radually f

t Ruby would leave for the person who had once take

rnished bracelet an

it, she suddenly sna

er slammed the che

me, I alm

voice so no on

eone who lives by scrubbing night soil--how could

erupted i

while Ruby stood in the center, b

r head and tu

doorframe and let o