To Be Us

Chapter 5

I hadn't moved from my place against a tree, far away from the cliff edge. The girl I found was next to me on a bed of leaves - at least then when she woke up there was only an incredibly small chance she'd fall of the edge.

Looking at her closer, using the light from the almost-full moon, I could see her shoulder-length orange hair was knotted and filled with leaves, twigs and dirt. It made even me cringe at the untidiness of it. Her shirt was the same style as the stable-boy's that I borrowed earlier and small tears could be seen all over it. The same goes with her shorts. Yes, shorts! How lucky she was to be able to wear boy's clothes. I was still in the torn dress Niah had forced me into.

She was tanned - with my arm next to hers it looked as though my skin had been painted white - most likely from being outside with the other children of the town. I was getting more and more jealous of this stranger the longer I looked at her.

I sat back against my tree, looking up at the stars. I was getting hungry now. What I should have done ages ago was go back to Mikala, if not to Orona House than to one of the cottages in the town. Maybe to the bakery. Wait...

My train of thought was interrupted when the girl rolled over towards me.

"Hey. Uh. Hello?" I say, trying to be 'proper', but then afterwards realising that there's really no need. "Hi." I finish, mentally criticizing every word that I said aloud in the last minute.

The girl opens her eyes slowly and blinks a few times, adjusting to the darkness surrounding the two of us. "Whatamdoinghereandwhoyou? She mumbles. Sitting up quickly, here beautiful ocean-green eyes becoming panicked.

"It's okay. Yeah. You're okay." How can I be so unable to talk to people?! Oh, I don't know, maybe I've been trapped in a mansion with no one my own age to talk to for fifteen years. That'd be it. "I'm Bailee." I say.

"I'm - Wait. Bailee? As in Bailee Orona? Daughter of Lord Orona? That Bailee? She says quickly, eyes widening in admiration, then narrowing in hate. "You're not like him, are you? Not going to force my family to pay double taxes just because we earn a silver coin more?"

That's why people hated us. That made a lot of sense. "No. Yes, I'm Bailee Orona. Or, well, I was. His Lordship -" I said the last two words with as much distaste as I could summon, - Not hard, honestly - "Disowned me. I yelled at him in front of the bakers. 'Dishonoured our name' or something." I finish, shaking my head, angry at everyone again.

"Well. Oh. I'm sorry. You'll miss all the pretty dresses and parties, I guess. Won't you?" She says. Feeling sorry for me, I realise. It must look like fun from a villager's point of view.

"No. I won't miss it one bit. I have my horse, and that's all I need." Ali shakes her head at this, as if she knows I'm talking about her.

"I never really introduced myself before, Lady Bailee." She says, bowing her head.

"That's not my title anymore. You don't need to bow either. I'm lower than a common townsperson now." I interrupt.

"Okay then, Bailee. Third attempt at introducing myself, here I go." She says, the hint of a smile on her lips. I see dimples forming on her cheeks, and her eyes glittered in the moonlight.

"My name is Leanna Nyx."

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