The Labyrinth Heiress

Chapter 1

Rowan~

Silence.

Or at least that's what I am trying to achieve if it weren't for the scuff of my boots padding across the filthy dirt road. I carefully weave through the masses of busybodies, ensuring not to provoke anyone I may encounter. The city market is never overwhelmingly busy, but today was special. Today, our beloved queen was paying a visit to her ever-so-dutiful citizens. And I despise her with every ounce of my beating heart. Her casual strolling through the rickety market stands, grimly smiling at the rotten produce, stopping here and there to briefly acknowledge her darling citizens inflames my evident hatred for her. The putrid stench filling the air, vendors swarming any foreign merchant or tourist passing through, the low shadows and alleyways hiding away secrets and mysteries no one would dare to pursue. The colorful arrays of cloth and tapestries hang from most market stands, creating a lively atmosphere, and masking the found horrors behind the scenes: my home, the slums of Solaria.

My blood boils at the thought of any Solarian putting an ounce of thought or effort into a woman who has done nothing but make them suffer for her inability to rule a kingdom. Making them pay unreasonably high taxes so she can afford her private luxuries. Incarcerating, killing, and berating her citizens for having a different sentiment concerning her political tactics and ideologies. The list is eternal. However, as much as I might despise the fact that her presence is apparent through the multitude of market stands lined up against the deteriorated homes and buildings, there is one useful quality I plan to use to my advantage. That is the hordes of lords, high nobles, and wealthy folk coming into town today, specifically the city market.

I continue to weave through ever-flowing crowds of people when I finally spot my target. A boy around my age, constantly patting the right pocket of his dark brown, pristine coat, looking out of place with every other Solarian. His build is towering over most, running his fingers through his curly dirty blonde hair, as if something had agitated him. I don't recall ever seeing him in this part of town. And with his piercing dark green eyes, I would've. They're the type of eyes that are forever tattooed in your memory, causing you to lie awake at night, unable to rest easily. However, with the arrival of the queen, I am not surprised by his presence. Nothing more, nothing less. Probably the son of some rich merchant. My shoulders brush against the traffic flow, while I pull a bag of small stones out of the right pocket of my ragged pants and clutch it tight to my side.

I make my way over to where he is inspecting a surprisingly not-rotten mango, with a slight frown touching his features. I purposely stumble into his chest attempting to reach the pocket of his coat where a hefty bag of solaras may reside. As my body leans into his, my fingers graze the inside of his pocket, and he quickly goes to hold my shoulders, his fingers brushing away my auburn hair. Suddenly, I am aware of the feeling of his hands on me. His rough hands are covered in calluses holding onto my bare arms. His breathing becomes more shallow as seconds pass.

Those aren't the hands of a wealthy merchant.

"Whoa, miss! You never know who you could run into," he added breathlessly.

A juxtaposition of feelings arose in me as his eyes met mine, his piercing green against my bleak bright blue, rushing a sense of familiarity over me. His eyes are a jungle impossible to escape, swallowing me whole in a single glance. A lush green forest, without a knowing of end or beginning. For a moment, it's as if the world has stopped spinning, his gaze pinning me in place. I blink at him, losing my focus, forgetting why I have stumbled into him in the first place. His eyes continue to roam my features. My long auburn hair cascading down my shoulders onto a tight-fitted, top hugging my curves, paired with a worn-in dark pair of pants and leather boots.