By the time we cleaned the other rooms, the sun was amid the sky, beaming onto our backs from the windows. Each room was darker than the last. There was one room near Baria's that we did not touch. Qia did not say a word as we passed it but I noticed her body tensed when we had.

Qia squealed, giddy. "We get to go to the stables now that the dirty work is done." I thought that the stables would bring more dirty work.

"What is at the stables?" I asked.

"Rohell."

"Rohell?"

She nodded. "She is a mare," she explained. I raised a brow. "A horse."

In the depths of my mind, I remembered what a horse was. A noble creature with black eyes and a long snout. I remembered they were tall and muscular.

We walked out of the castle and toward the stables. The breeze was chilly yet the air felt heavy. Being outside again was relieving. I missed the sun.

It was odd to see the stony pathway once but we did not take it. Instead, we diverged to the right, walking a dirt path. In the distance was a small looming cottage. "What is that?"

She looked at where I was, pointing. "Oh that is where Jonga and Hona live."

"They don't live in the castle?"

"Baria permits servants to live in their quarters in the cellar," she explained. "Warriors such as Hona and Jonga are permitted to live in the barracks."

"How many warriors fall under Baria?"

"Just Hona and Jonga," she answered. "I never knew why but she seemed to favor them more."

I wondered why too. I stared at the cottage.

"Is that the barracks?"

"No," she stated. "Baria treats Hona and Jonga differently. She wanted the two of them closer to her so she had a cottage built."

Coming around the bend of the dirt pathway, I saw the stables. It was white like the ceilings in the castle. An overhanging awning sheltered the horses within. Stones lined a new path, inviting us in. We entered under the archway, hearing the brays of the creatures. I smiled, noticing a brown horse in front of me. Behind me, Qia situated Tiroa on a bench then joined my side.

"Aren't they majestic?" she bidded.

I nodded. "They are interesting creatures."

She made her way to the left, passing an array of horses. "Rohell," she called out.

Near the end of the stables stood a tall, black horse with a scar on her lip. She brayed, stomping her foot as Qia approached. Qia held out her hands as Rohell shot her head into her arms. Qia laughed, petting her nose.

"Isn't she beautiful?" she asked, looking between us.

I smiled, keeping my distance.

"Well come on," she encouraged. "Rohell won't hurt you."

I stepped forward, noticing she was watching me. Her black eyes never left mine as I stood beside Qia. I expected her to act out, but nothing happened.

Qia leaned over, grabbing a brush from atop a stool. She began to brush her string-like mane.

"How long have you had her?"

Qia blinked, her face shifting in sadness. "She isn't mine," she revealed. "Rohell belongs to Baria." There was an aura of sadness circling around her.

"I'm sorry."

She sighed, shoulders slumping. "I visit her as much as I am able and love her as much as I am allowed."

"If you love her that much isn't she yours then?" I posed. "I don't see Baria caring for her."

Qia stiffened.

"Sorry," I whispered. "I overstepped."

"No, no," she whispered. "You are right. Poor Rohell gets a visit from us every once and awhile. They all sit in the stables, rotting away. Some of the horses were used for battle training but with no battle to train for, there's no use for them."

"Has Baria been in battle before?" I questioned.

Qia shook her head. "Not yet," she answered. "There was a war some years before but Baria stayed secluded, building Udan."

Rohell nickered once more, nudging Qia's arm.

"I would argue she likes you."

Qia smiled. "I would too."

I sighed. "Have you ridden her?"

She laughed. "I've wanted more than anything to do that," she started. "I've always longed to travel to faraway lands and learn about the world outside of Udan. I never learned about people beyond Kaija. They are the ones we know of, but I know... I know from reading the books in the library that there is more."

"I hope one day you will," I replied. "You deserve to be free."

Qia shook her head, her shoulders falling. "After what my mother and I did, I am not sure if the queen would have the same feelings as you," she hissed. "I don't think freedom will ever come to us."

"What happened?"

"I stole," she answered with a high sigh. "My mother stabbed a man so I could."

I couldn't imagine Qia as a criminal. She was too kind, soft in the face. In the manner she spoke and in the way she cared for Rohell, she wasn't cruel. She looked over to Tiroa, stunned. I couldn't imagine Tiroa holding a dagger, aiming to harm someone. I narrowed my eyes, noticing something I could not see before. Pink scars lined her arms, melding with wrinkles.

"Did the man live?"

Qia took a moment to answer. "No."

"I am so sorry."

She sniffled. "He died on the stone pathway that leads to the castle," she clarified. "I have never seen so much blood...."

Tears overflowed from her eyes. She wiped them away. I thought of my blood on the pathway. I never imagined there to be more than mine. I wondered how much blood was spilled on those stones because of Baria.

"That's unfortunate."

"It was," she agreed. "And we paid for it."

I sighed. "If you could go back in time and fix that moment, would you?"

She shook her head. "If I possessed the power to do so, I wouldn't. Even though he died, I knew that I did the right thing in an odd way."

"Why do you say that?"

Qia smiled. "I did what I set out to do," she explained, sniffling. "I saved her."

"Who?"

"A little girl who had no one," she started. "We were her someone. I will never regret the decision to steal bread for her but she needed food. I had to feed her and help her live. I feel like if I did wish that it never happened, it would be an insult to an innocent man's death." Her head fell, the sadness around Qia grew stronger.

"But how did you become servants?"

Qia shook her head, setting the brush in its place as Rohell brayed. "We were put on trial," she explained, staring off into the distance. "Just as you were."

Qia had faced the cruelty of Baria for herself. My chest ached as I thought of the story she told.

"Come," Qia whispered. "Let us tend to the horses."

We groomed the rest of the horses, fed them, changed the water in the trough, and cleaned the stalls. It was hard and messy work that lasted for hours. By the time we finished, the sun was setting, coloring the sky pink and the air was cooling.

"Qia!" Tiroa called. "I know you would spend the rest of the week with these horses, but it is looking like the time to head inside."

Qia nodded, patted Rohell once more and walked away. 

We made our way back to the kitchen. Qia stationed herself behind a counter, taking a knife from the block. I watched, as she picked up an onion and sliced down hard. It split into two, releasing a pungent smell that was somehow sweet. She seemed like she was trying to distract herself. Most likely from the conversation earlier.

"I am going to teach you how to prepare a feast."

I blinked.

"Now it is not easy work," she began. "Not something one can learn in a night."

"I understand."

"But it is a start."

She set the knife on the counter and I reached for it. Her hand grasped my forearm. "Not yet," she hissed, snatching it back. "I need you to watch and listen before you even think about touching a blade."

I nodded.

She picked up another onion and placed it in the center of the counter. "I don't want to be responsible for you injuring yourself."

I watched and listened. Qia sliced through the vegetable, keeping her knuckles folded. Not before long, the lesson ended. Qia passed the knife off to me. I held it in my palm, staring at the silver. I recoiled, feeling familiarity when I grasped the handle. Maybe a memory was at bay.

"Got it?" Qia asked, raising a brow. "Come on, slice it like I did."

I nodded as Qia stepped aside. I took her place, pressing the knife to the onion. After a few slices, my eyes burned. I tried to wipe them with the back of my arm but it made things worse, blurring my vision. I continued to cut, feeling the vegetable with my fingers until a sharp pain surfaced. I winced, pulling my fingers back. The knife clattered to the floor. In my blurred vision was a red. The muddying of blood. My stomach boiled like stew as I coddled my hand to my chest.

"Tara!" an authoritative male voice called.

"He can't be," I argued, moving back.. "He wouldn't be."

"Tara, I know this is not the news you hoped for, but—"

"No!" I shouted, feeling my face brighten. "He is going to come home." My voice fell from the room.

"Tara..."

I breathed in, feeling as if water was filling my lungs. My forehead prespired as my breathing increased.

"Mara!" Qia called, standing over me.

I blinked, looking from Qia to Tiroa. She was standing against the counter, using it to lean down toward me.

"Are you all right?" Qia's voice echoed over again like thunder in my ears.

I nodded even though I knew something was wrong. The thoughts in my head, in my dreams were consuming me. I wasn't sure what a knife had to do with who I was but it seemed to trigger a memory inside of me.

"Let me see it," Tiroa said.

I rose, handing my hand to Tiroa. She looked at me in confusion. "There's nothing."

I jolted. "That can't be..." I argued. "I saw the red. I saw the blood."

Tiroa shook her head. "There's nothing there, dear."

I pulled my hand back, staring at it. No wound, no sign that I had even nicked myself with the knife. I shook my head, feeling my hands shake.

This is all in my head. I was losing my mind.

"Are you all right?" Qia repeated.

"I'm fine," I snapped.

"Do you need rest?" Tiroa asked. "We can handle the rest of the work for the night. It's your first day. I can understand if you are overwhelmed.

That had to be it. I was overwhelmed. That was all.

"I will," I whispered, adding. "Thank you."

I headed down the cellar, crawling instead of walking. My head was spinning. As I reached the bottom, I used the wall as guidance, finding my cot. Lying down, the dim colors of the ceiling shifted into red like I thought I saw. I wasn't sure if I was losing my mind, my sanity, or who I was now, but I feared the changes I was undergoing.

As my eyes closed, red still snuck out from under my eyelids.