Lillie Hunt

Chapter 2

After locking the rusty lock wooden fence that separated the road from the orphanage yard, we walked onto the cobblestone pavement. The street was bustling and full of people. Both of us grasped onto the basket handle to keep from being separated. Off on the sidewalks, there was no room to walk due to all the trash that had accumulated. Vendors gathered in the sparse areas that were clean, calling, "Flowers!" or "Chocolates!" or even "Rat Exterminators!" For a far traveler, it would be quite the scene, but I was used to it.

A familiar handsome man stopped Brenna. Brenna's expression lit up at the sight of him. She dipped her head respectfully. "Ellis. How do you do?"

His dark eyes were bright and flirtatious; his arms knotted with muscles. "I picked some flowers from the Qhaim Meadow. Would you like it?"

Brenna giggled in delight, gazing at the flowers. "Why thank you, Ellis. You're so very kind.

Ellis smiled. "Only for a sweet maiden like you."

I felt a flash of irritation at their shameless flirting. I loved Brenna, but she was such a sucker for Ellis. She had had a crush on him for several years, and the charming but otherwise stupid boy had finally noticed and began returning her affections last year.

"How would you like to come with Lillie and I?" Brenna piped, her fingers fiddling with her braid, which was coming loose. "We're going to—"

I cut in between the pair, pushing Brenna back. "We're going somewhere. Right now. Not with you." Brenna glanced at me, raising a sharp eyebrow. I ignored her. "This beauty doesn't need a beast, thanks."

I snatched the bouquet of flowers— lilacs, in fact— and yanked them out of Ellis's hands. The poor boy only stared at me, startled.  And like so, we moved on.

Brenna waved over her shoulder as we walked off. Reaching over, she took the flowers from me.  "Isn't he so pretty?" she swooned, taking a whiff of the lilacs. "And he has perfect taste, too!" 

"Yeah, sure." I groaned. "He's pretty— pretty ugly." Brenna snorted with disapproval, but I knew that she knew that I was joking. 

The buildings passed. Almost all of them were brick, with stores on the first floor, and the shopkeepers living on the second and third floor above. They were nice stores, selling garments, tools, and other services. but unfortunately, no food. The bakery was at the Marketplace, at the center of the city, nestled close to the Qhaim Wall, which was the third and final layer of castle walls and protection.

The entire realm of the kingdom was shaped like concentric circles, outlined by three walls: Belfhy, Kannia, and Qhaim. The outermost wall, constructed of sturdy stone, was called Belfhy Wall. It was only about five feet tall, but that was short enough to stop any large group of invaders on horses to get through. The farmer's fields were between Belfhy and Kannia, the second wall, which was not as thick as Belfhy, but was thrice as tall. The final was Qhaim Wall, which was twice as tall as Kannia and six times as tall as Belfhy. Between Kannia and Qhaim was where the artisans, merchants, and shopkeepers lived. Within Qhaim wall was the castle of the King and Queen.

A wagon mowed through the crowd, and all the pedestrians, including Brenna and I, scattered out of the way. I tripped on a loose cobblestone, and Brenna burst into a peal of laughter. Despite trying my best not to, I ended up laughing with her.

Ten minutes passed of walking, with me having to push the beautiful and gullible Brenna away from many young men who flirted and offered gifts. I, being a good friend, took all the gifts and kept them for myself. Oh. how annoying it was, to be neglected and pushed aside, as the ugly friend.

It had only been about ten minutes, but soon I was limping. The flats that I wore cut into my ankles. They were far too small When she had put them on, they were only for walking as far as the yard, where the grassy area was. The shoes were beautiful, but like all beautiful things, deadly. I grunted in pain with each step. I regretted sleeping, for it had brought on this trek, but would've never admitted it. Additionally, I regretted wearing these horrid shoes.