Page 23 of To Fight and To Fold

“Of course, madam,” he said, and passed her one in a bag. She paid the elf properly and he nodded his head. “Great Dragon’s blessings to you!”

“And to you,” she finished, and turned to leave, letting him help the orc peering at his cart.

Aaryn made her way out of the market and lifted the lid of her basket. “Okay,” she mumbled to herself, “Cheese, fruit, pastries. That’s all we were in charge of, wasn’t it? Why didn’t you make a list?”

She was so caught up in her musings, Aaryn wasn’t aware of her surroundings. She paid for her ignorance, because one moment she was peering into her basket, and the next she was staring down at her empty arm as a man snatched it from her person.

“Hey!” she shouted, and caught the attention of a nearby knight.

Without pause, the knight took off, limber and swift as they chased after the man. Aaryn winced. “Oh, that’s alright!” she called out, but the knight continued on. As they disappeared from sight, Aaryn propped her hands on her hips and… waited. The few people milling nearby had already returned to whatever occupied them.

The knight returned shortly, but empty-handed and out of breath.

“Apologies, miss, he got away,” she said. Her dark hair fell about her face, and two short horns glimmering with a pale purple rose from the crown of her head. Her breath puffed from her full lips, her armor clinking a bit with every inhale. “Would you like to file a report?”

It's her.

Aaryn shook herself out of her stare. “Oh, uh—no, that’s not necessary. I’m sure he needed it more than I.”

The guard seemed taken aback at that, but then took in her dress, which consisted of fabrics that only could’ve come from the castle. Then she spied the jeweled wristlet that all Tethered were asked to wear out of the castle.

“Tethered! Forgive me,” she said, and bowed her head as was custom.

Aaryn dismissed it. “Oh, please, none of that,” she said, waving a hand. “Thank you for at least attempting to retrieve the basket.”

“Of course,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t bring it back for you.”

Aaryn smiled. “It’s fine, really. The Tethered will do without their pastries for one afternoon.”

Then again, she could do another lap around the market and replace the goods, and even purchase a new basket from the weaver down at the end. She certainly had the means, since the Tethered were paid well for their work.

The ritual was referred to as the lottery for a reason.

“Are you telling me I’ve not let only one Tethered down, but the whole lot?” the knight exclaimed. “Great skies, this is the end for me!” She brushed her forehead with the back of her hand and gazed in the direction the thief had gone, as if she could bring him back through sheer force of will. “Forgive me, Tethered.”

Something fluttered through Aaryn as her voice dipped with the apology. “I promise it'll be alright. They’ll never know.”

“When you return empty-handed, I’m sure they will.”

“Well, then I won’t return empty-handed,” Aaryn said, and made like she was going to re-enter the market. “I’ll get to visit my favorite baker twice today.”

The knight’s gray eyes widened, and as she turned with Aaryn, the sun caught them, and they glimmered like dew in the mornings. "Well, at least—I mean, if you’d like, I can accompany you. Help you carry your things and make sure no one else takes off with your goods.”

The tips of her ears turned a deeper color the longer she spoke, and Aaryn had to bite her cheek to keep from beaming. The knight wanted to walk with her! The same knight Aaryn had spied around the castle about a month ago, but certainly never collected the bravery to speak to.

“I’d—I'd love the company,” Aaryn told her, and couldn't go a second longer without knowing her name.

Their steps fell in sync as they walked back toward the opposite end of the market. “Thea,” she answered. “Thea of the Fourth Guard.”

Ah, that’s it.

The guards that stayed nearest the king were First Guard, the dragons Second, the gates Third, and so on, rising in number to correspond with the distance from the castle. That would explain why she hadn’t seen this particular guard many times.

“I’m Aaryn. Nice to meet you.” Aaryn held out her hand, expecting a shake. Instead Thea paused, and took her hand like a—oh my skies, was she⁠—

Thea bowed her head and placed a soft kiss on the back of Aaryn’s hand.

“A pleasure.”