Daughter of Ice and Fire

Four

It was three days before they found her. Lihleih had been living in a constant state of fear since she left the fair. She had briefly considered dropping the coin off before fleeing but had arrived home to find Tibhig sick again. Hiding the pouch under her mattress, she had hurried to her friend's house instead.

"You need to bind me, Setara. And then we need to darken my hair."

Setara looked up from her needlework, taking in Lihleih's disheveled appearance. "Why? What did you do?"

"The bindings slipped."

Setara tossed the small fabric on the table with a mild curse. "I told you to stay away, Lihleih. I told you it was too much of a risk."

Dropping into a chair, Lihleih slumped and drew a ragged breath. "If the match hadn't taken so long, everything would have been fine. But it took most of the morning and by the time we were finished, I was late. The bindings were soaked from my sweat and as soon as I started running, they slipped."

"And everyone saw," Setara groaned.

"Yes. And now the King's guards are going to be after me."

"Then why did you come back? This will be the first place they look."

"No, it won't. I gave a fake name. And they're going to be looking for a girl."

"Who was dressed as a boy. That's the first thing they'll start asking. If anyone has seen a boy who looks like a girl. One who can shoot better than anyone around."

"Which is why you're going to bind me tight and dye my hair. After you cut it."

Appalled, Setara looked at her in shock "I'm not cutting that glorious mane of yours."

Lihleih fingered a lock of her hair. Somewhere between silver and white, it rippled and shimmered like molten metal. After her striking eyes, it was her most identifiable feature.

"I have to. Dulling it and pulling it back in a ponytail won't work this time. I have to make it short. Really short. And make it darker. Black if possible."

Setara looked at her with dismay. "Why don't you leave, Lihleih? With your skill, you could travel to the different fairs, earning enough to survive."

"You don't think word of this will get around? That the other Gypshen caravans will be on the lookout?"

"Maybe you can convince them to hide you?"

She scoffed. "Gypshens can't be trusted. And unless I can make them believe hiding me is more valuable than turning me in, they won't think twice about delivering me to the King. For a hefty reward, of course."

"Then flee. Go far away. Maybe the Birfait Mountains. Or across the sea to The Rippling Isles."

"I'd never survive the winter in the mountains. The people there are notoriously unfriendly. And the Isles are impossible. I'd never make it off the dock." Lihleih forced her voice to remain flat, not wanting her friend to sense the lie.

"So you're just going to sit and wait for them to come?"

"If they don't recognize me, they won't stay."

"You can't stay a boy forever."

"Why not?"

Setara stared. "How would you live? You could never marry, never even live with someone. You'd have to hide yourself during your time. And you could never have children."

"Who says I want children? Bunch of dirty little brats always underfoot." Her look had darkened and she stared into space.

Setara was stunned. Her friend had never given any indication of wanting to remain childless. Setara couldn't think of anything more desirable than having a huge brood of children running around. Unwilling to upset her friend, she bit her lip and changed the subject.