A dangerous and filthy lie is prevalent throughout the land of Ralium. Nobles and Kings would have their subject believe that the kingdom resting in a time of peace. They say there is no war. No attacks. That there is no death, yet within this suppo...
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Absorbing the heat into her skin, Aria slumped into the water. The dirt drifted off her as the water splashed around from her movement. Her tanned skin finally began to show through the cakey layer of mud, and her auburn hair was no longer clumped together. She slumped her head at the rim of the wooden tub, as a small smile crept at the corners of her lips. Even though it was a public bathhouse, she was glad no one was in sight. After all, who would even think to be there this late.
The room was covered with steam. It relaxed her nerves and muscles, although she had to be cautious about the wound on her hand and neck. She took a bucket from the side and sent water splashing down her hair. It was a luxury she never really had the chance to have. Where she came from, baths weren't very common.
Stepping out of the tub, she dried herself with a nearby cloth. Slowly, she wrapped bandages over her wounds, using the mirror to help her see behind her. A stinging pain always made itself present whenever she would accidentally rub her arm against the wound. Her nose crinkled as the smell of iron overpowered the faint floral scent.
"So much for the bath."
Turning around, she lifted the green shirt from the chair. Without question, she slid into it which was clearly too large for her as it fell past her stomach. She tucked some of the ends of the shirt into her pants and pulled on some leather boots.
Moving her leg around, she glanced at the ash colored boots, her eyes narrowing in the process. This is definitely...different, she thought to herself. Her eyes drifted towards her other boots. A thick layer of dirt covered their faded color, and the heel was hanging onto dear life with the other end and a hole at the top where a rat had chewed through it.
"It's better than picking off of a corpse," she said to herself.
Leaving the room, she stepped on her tiptoes as she made her way to the entrance. There wasn't a chance they would have left her alone, especially when they're so skeptical of her. The sounds of the voices outside the door was enough to give it away.
Pressing her back into the pillar, she tugged the door slightly open, peeping on the two female guards who stood watch. She clicked her tongue slightly, then returned back to where her bath original was. She began to pace back and forth. The sounds of her heels echoed through the walls, and she stopped before a fogged mirror. Wiping her arm against it, she cleared away the fog to glare at herself.
Pulling her hair around her shoulder, she felt it tangled around her bony fingers, as a wet mess drip down her shoulder. Her fingers combed out three sections of her hair, which she started to loop with one another until it resulted in a side-braid.
She walked out of the bathhouse, only to be stopped by the two women, one of which held her hand up. Aria rolled her eyes while her arms crossed her chest.
"We've been asked to escort you to the meeting site," one woman said, as her hand tightened around her spear. Aria quickly glanced her up and down.
