The King's Assassin - J. Jones

One - Take me with you.

JADE

I tossed and turned then finally gave up trying to sleep. The bright morning sun was high in the sky now, disturbing my sleep.

Ugh, right when I thought I could finally get some shut-eye. There's no use in trying anymore.

I sat up and stretched, satisfied hearing a lot of cracks and snaps. I sighed and rubbed my eyes again. I stood up from my sleeping place in an alley behind some old pottery and packed up my bed which was torn cloth then stuffed it into my shoulder bag I stole from a woman.

Running my fingers through my dirt - matted and knotty hair, I stepped out of the alley, barefoot and smelt the sweet morning air.

Today's the day, huh? Happy 13th birthday to me then. And to you, Jasmine.

I sighed.

No one cares.

I walked through the streets in my usual brown tattered rags I called clothes then the sweet scent hit me and my stomach reacted rather angrily.

I hadn't eaten in five days and I could make it for a few more days but then I turned. That was a mistake. My gaze collided with the sight of the grand-looking bread. My stomach argued with me further and I must say it put up good points.

What am I going to do?

I used the last coin I had last week and I'm still a little sore from being beaten for stealing fruits from a vendor yesterday.

What to do. What to do. What to do. Aha!

I walked slowly into the crowd of bustling people on the streets. They bumped into me without saying sorry or even looking back.

Just because I was a street kid.

When I came out of the crowd, I patted my shoulder bag and grinned when I heard the jingling of coins in it. Ha! At least I benefit from being bumped into. I walked over to the man selling the bread and looked at them carefully. When I looked up at the man he was looking at me very closely, probably thinking I came to steal.

"How much for the cross - bun?"

He gaped at me for a moment before he quickly recovered. He rose a bushy eyebrow at me.

"Fifteen revi."

"We both know you can't cheat me. What's the real price, mister?"

He frowned.

"Five revi."

I nodded and dug around in the bag and pulled out a silver coin then handed it to him. He inspected it very closely then sighed. He wrapped up a bun and gave it to me, still looking at me closely. I smiled then walked away from the stall and went back to my alley.

I sat by the old pottery and shut my eyes for some moments, giving thanks to the gods.

"Happy birthday to us, Isis Jasmine. I hope you have a better life than I do here. I hope you and Mama are happy in the Afterlife. I just hope", I whispered.

A lone tear rolled down my cheek as I bit into the bun, trying not to recall the memory of when my mother and twin sister were brutally killed right in front of me. I wiped the tear away and bit into the bun again that is until I heard the hurried shuffling of feet coming towards the alley.

I stuffed the rest of the bun in my shoulder bag and hid behind the old pottery as the footsteps got nearer and nearer. The person who was clearly on the run from someone walked into the alley and was about to walk past where I was when two bulky men also entered the alley, both holding swords.