The Rugged Edge

Grey Dragons - Chapter 5: Without Assurance

Present

July 25, 791

.. .. ..

"Go on, Ma," I said. "I'll finish here."

"Thanks, Quinnie," said my ma. She smiled widely and hugged me as she turned to go back home.

It felt good, to give my ma a break from her diligent work. Yes, she always worked; making quilts and knitting hoods and scarves, and she enjoyed it, but today was the day she came to sell at the market and it always took the whole day.

Besides, I hadn't talked to most of the people in Runa for years. I was only five when we moved into the forest, and I'd lived in Rokenfort ever since Ise became queen. She had described times when Rokenfort was dreary and lonely, but now, it felt like home to me.

"Good morning, Eudora," I said to the old woman that used to be the florist before her house was burnt and her husband was killed.

"Good morning! I don't think I've met you before," she said, her ancient memory failing.

"Yes, you have," I said gently. "I was here yesterday, with Ma, and I saw you then. And I knew you when I was small."

Eudora tilted her head, and the thin wisps of white hair that protruded from her headscarf bent in the soft breeze.

"I'm Quinnie," I prompted.

Eudora's eyes widened with glee as she recognized me. "Quinnie! How good to see you."

I smiled and introduced Ma's knit goods and my seeds to sell.

"This one's only two copper coins," I said as I held up a thin shawl for spring chills.

"Quinnie? Is that you?"

I turned to see a glowing face staring at me with a look of surprise, and I tilted my head, trying to remember the time when I was five; trying to remember her, the face and the girl.

She had dark blond hair and brown eyes, and I noticed thick eyebrows as she neared the table.

I realized I remembered her face, but not her name.

"I am Quinnie," I said. "Only... I'm afraid I don't remember you. It's a miracle that you should!"

"I'm Esme," she said. "And my memories are vague, but I do remember you. We used to play together; go to the festivities together. And I've heard about you since then, and I remembered your name."

"Oh!" I said. Now I did remember. "You've heard about me?"

"Oh, yes," said Esme. "You're a friend of the queen's. You went on her tour, and I saw you then. But wherever did you go, all those years ago?"

I smiled sadly. "No where worth going to again." I turned back to Eudora, who still stood on her wobbly old legs, listening to the conversation. I held up the dark blue scarf again. "Would you like this? I think it would match your eyes."

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course," said Eudora, her eyes wide and her smile undaunting. She handed me a couple of copper coins. I took them and she began to hobble away.

I turned back to Esme. "After our house was burnt, we joined a rebellion in the forest."

Esme's eyes widened. "Did you fight? Did you fight the night Collum was imprisoned?"

I laughed at how directly she asked this. "No, I didn't fight. I went to the village to get others to fight, but I didn't."

"Oh." Esme almost looked disappointed.