I shook my head, the words Faylorn had said slowly sinking in. That wasn't possible, I simply knew that it couldn't be so. I pulled myself up, standing shakily.

"Well... Then that means I have to join even more! I have to tell them that my father doesn't need to die that he can just be put in a cell-" I stopped mid-sentence again, looking at Faylorn, my mind seeped with the information and unsure of what to do with it. I ran over the words again and again. They want to kill him. I couldn't stop thinking about it, how could I convince these people who had only known him as a cruel tyrant that he was still my father and I couldn't betray him in that way.

"Ya should stay out a that stuff, Orla. I don't know much 'bout it but Annette tried ta get me ta join before and so she told me a bit. I may not be happy with tha king, but that doesn't mean I think we get tha right ta kill him either." He put a hand on my shoulder and began to walk back the way we came. I followed, mostly because I knew that I wouldn't be able to find my way back alone. We walked together in silence, Faylorn seeming to understand that I needed time to think about what he had said. When we got back to his house, he nudged me into my cot and I could hear him telling Mirin not to worry about me. I rolled over, facing away from the family that had helped me so much in my two stressful days here.

It seemed that everything was moving so quickly, my mind racing alongside it. From escaping the palace and meeting Cedric to finding out a plot to kill Papa and being invited to join it, I wasn't sure who was good and who was bad anymore. I was quickly discovering what they had meant in the books I had read about there being no black and white in some situations. I had to find a way to stop Cedric from killing my father and at the same time, find a way to tell my father that he was being far too harsh on the people of the town. I pulled my coarse blanket around me tightly and dreamt of death.

I awoke, no more settled in my convictions than I had been the night before. I sat up, looking around. It seemed I woke before anyone else had. I searched their house for some form of paper and writing implement, but was unable to find any. I sat back on the bed, waiting for Faylorn to arise so that I may ask him for something to use. I planned on writing a letter to my father, first and foremost.

After that I would... Well, I wasn't really sure what I would do after that, but every plan must have a beginning.

Faylorn's mother rose first, stirring the embers and adding wood to the fireplace. I approched her cautiously, having only hardly talked to her before.

"What is it, dear? Just spit it out before I get old waitin' for you to say it," she chuckled at her own joke and turned to me. I was mildly shocked for her to have noticed me, but moved on, none the less.

"I was looking for a way to write a letter. Do you have anything I may use?" The woman furrowed her brow, turning back to the fire.

"We don't have anythin' like that. None a us know how ta read or write. It wouldn't do us no good." I furrowed my own brow at her response.

"Did you all not receive an education? Maybe not a full one, needing to work and all, but surely you received one as children," I countered before suddenly hearing Faylorn's voice behind me.

"Not here, Orla. We never were taught anything our Ma here couldn't teach us," He went to help his mother stoke the fire and start a breakfast. "If ya want somethin' to write with, go down ta the inn. They should have some paper and at least a quill for keepin' ledgers," He turned to me, eyes trying to pass a significant message, but not one that I could understand. I nodded to him, confusion evident on my face. He sighed and turned back to his mother.

"Ma, could you go get the girls up? I'll start breakfast," His mother looked up at him, seemingly unsure, before turning to go get the girls, giving me a confused glance. When she couldn't see us anymore, Faylorn quickly strode to my side. "Please don't let my family know where you're from. If they knew, they would be a bit less... Understandin' than I was," he turned back to the fire just as the rest of his family came back, the girls rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.

I left before they did, heading to the inn to try and find a way to write a letter. With instructions that Faylorn had given me, it wasn't hard to find the inn. I slipped in after a large man, trying to keep my presence limited. I was hit with the smell of... I wasn't really quite sure. It seemed like a large group of people had never bathed once in their lives. Even Faylorn and his family bathed, so I knew there wasn't a lack of proper hygiene in the town. I tried to force the small out of my mind, focusing on finding the counter. It wasn't too hard, there was a small woman standing behind it, yelling at the large man I had followed in. I slinked over, still trying to keep as much attention from myself as possible. Walking in town felt safe, I could always run, regardless of what Cedric said about my running abilities. Trapped inside the inn, without even someone I knew and no way to fight. I approached the counter as the large man left, moving to the counter.

"Excuse me, do you have paper and a quill that I may use to write a letter?" I asked, keeping my eyes down. I heard a scoff, causing me to look up.

"'Paper and quill'? What do you think we are, messengers? I can give you something but you're going to have to pay for it," I frowned at her shrill response. I had no coin, I hadn't thought to take any. I looked to her, at a loss.

"I have no coin. Can I not get the paper some other way?" The woman raised an eyebrow, giving me a mildly incredulous look.

"Look, girl. I don't know who you are, but you don't seem to be aware of how things work here. Coin is useless. I need to you to work for me. Do a day's work and I'll give you paper and let you use my quill," She replied, leaning ever so much closer to me, "You better learn quick, girl. This town is not for someone who knows nothing of the real world," I nodded, glad for a way to get the paper, but her warning lodging itself in my mind. I wondered how much my father knew, how much he had sanctioned, and how much he was directly controlling. I also wondered if writing him of the little I had seen in the few days here would do any good.

I was set to cleaning the rooms. They rank of unwashed bodies and other foul things. I was told not to bother washing the blankets, just to hang them out the window and beat them a bit to knock out anything solid. Apparently, they only really washed the blankets after ten patrons had slept on them, however long that took. Considering the treatment of the man I had seen trying to get in the town and being rejected, I assumed that not many people came through.

After losing one blanket too a two story window and a bit of poor handling, I quickly learned how to shake out the blankets and beat them a bit before bringing them inside. There were three other girls working with me, though they worked their daily and not just for a one time moment, as I was. We didn't talk, or rather, they didn't talk to me. I noticed them talking amongst themselves multiple times, but when I came to them, they quickly dispersed. I didn't worry too much about it, I was only here for the day, shaking out blankets was not what I would do with myself, should I decide to stay here and work.

The sun was high in the sky when it was covered with clouds and the rain began. I expected the people to clear the streets, but they didn't, rather they continued to work. Our work, however was halted for a moment until we were told to just shake them over the banisters, that we would have to sweep the floors later.

I did as I was told, the day moving slower now that I didn't have the sun to keep track of time. It was labor intensive work and my body was not used to doing such things. By the end of the day, my arms and shoulders were very sore and I could hardly move them. My legs weren't so bad, even though I had been carrying things, since I was used to wearing heavy gowns in winter in the castle. My back was mildly sore, but not as badly as my arms. I struggled to catch my breath as I reached the end of the stairs, grabbing a broom to sweep the floors, not covered with a number of things. The other girls were already starting, thus I didn't have much to do.

Finally, the woman who ran the inn summoned me over to her.

"Here's your paper and all that. Write your letter here, I don't want to deal with having to chase you down to find my quill," I nodded quickly, taking the quill and sitting down in front of the paper. I began to write.

My Dearest Papa,

It is I, your young daughter Mona. I have been living in the town for three days now. I wasn't sure what you know of the conditions here, so I wish to outline them for you, so that you may understand how horrendously these people have lived.

I continued my letter, describing the atrocities that I had witnessed within my limited time here, even mentioning the revolution that I knew of, though I left out their assassination plans. I knew it wasn't much, but I hoped that it would show my father what was happening in the town. I finished the letter with my signature, a very loopy thing that was fairly distinct. I hoped that my family would recognize it to be my own and not that of an imposter. I set the quill down and waved to the woman as I left, showing her that I was finished and that I wouldn't be stealing her quill.

The next part of my plan was a little more difficult. I wasn't quite sure of how to go about getting the letter to the palace. I had thought of asking someone else to do it as a favor, but I didn't want them to get in trouble for it. Finally, I realized I would just have to do it myself.

I approached the nearest knight, keeping my hood up, hiding my face in the shadows. I folded the paper a few times, keeping the message relatively private. I walked closer until I was directly in front of him. I was watching his boots and saw him bending, as though to look under my hood.

I quickly shoved my letter in his metal covered hand and took off, my feet carrying me as fast as they could. I knew I wouldn't be able to outrun a well trained guard, especially after he alerted the others. I heard him call out after me, but I didn't stop. I started taking turns, hoping to lose the guards by confusing them, but a few others joined the chase and I realized running blindly would only result in trapping me. Just as I was beginning to accept that I would get caught, someone grabbed my hand, pulling me faster forward and a head of long blonde hair billowed out in front of me. I quickly recognized Annette from the pub and she lead me very quickly to a hiding place where she proceeded to tuck me away, standing in front of me to completely hide me. The guards kept running, passing us quickly. I heard her sigh before she turned back to me, reaching a hand out to help me back up.

"Well, that was close. I recognized you as Cedric's princess right off," she grabbed my face, turning it this way and that. "I guess I could see the resemblance... " she continued, muttering. I allowed her to do so and let the words process.

"How do you know who I am? How did Cedric recognize me?" The second question had been weighing on my mind for a while, though I had yet to have an opportunity to express it. Annette sighed.

"I don't really think that you deserve to know, seeing as you won't even help us," I sighed in response. "But I guess I should tell you anyway. About me and Cedric," I smiled, slightly, glad that she would be willing to do such a thing for me, considering I was unwilling. She waved her hand, beginning to walk away. "Follow me."  

*****

A/N: I'm so sorry it's late! Please comment, vote, and let me know if you like it!