CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

25. Jaessa's City

Jaessa strolled carefree through King's Parade. It wasn't an area that she liked to be in as she often felt like an imposter being in such an affluent area. Jaessa had been there twice before - once as a girl and recently as a woman. As usual, the square was populated by proud men and arrogant women. The men were mostly dressed in bright colours and garments made from linen with some, presumably from the north, opting to wear great fur cloaks despite the rising temperature. The women were covered with expensive pink, purple and blue silks that  Jaessa could only dream of wearing one day. Despite living in the home of a noblewoman she had rarely ever worn something so expensive as Lord Hoff had never paid significant attention to the clothing worn in the castle unless a guest was visiting and that was hardly ever.

Turning her attention away from the square full of the upper-class, Jaessa looked left toward the high-rising white walls of the Hanfort. They're so much bigger than Greenthorn's walls. She often wondered whether one day, Rian would invite her in to meet with the King. A King she had never seen or heard but one whose negative influence on the capital was evident all around. When I get in there, I'll show you how to do things properly. For a brief moment, she wondered if the King was actually to blame for the current events or whether it was the fault of his Council. The thought was quickly dispelled upon remembering how only yesterday, the Lord of Legislation had given a speech at the Chamber of Law detailing how the King had decided to rebuke all of the proposals in favour of his own methods. I'm even willing to bet that even Thom would make a better King than you.

From her position, Jaessa could just about make out the peak of the grey keep. Internally, she was a little jealous of Rian but had never dared to say it to his face. She knew that the view from all of the towers would be magnificent and that past all of the farms that lie to the north and west of the city, one might even be able to see Silverbridge tucked between its two hills. Jaessa knew that it would be an age before she got to experience a view like that. Focus. She scanned the square for the boy but he was nowhere to be found. She was quite sure that it was about the right time for the Prince's little helper to direct her to their meeting place.  Despite this, Jaessa decided to wait on one of the Mahogany benches in the square just in case she happened to be wrong given that sleep was becoming less familiar to her. As well-dressed and mannered people, presumably lords and ladies from across the land walked by, Jaessa could smell all sorts of different fragrances from honeysuckle to lilies. And then she smelt it. It was a strange and very unpleasant mix of rotting flesh, urine, and roses. That has to be the boy. With a smell so distinct, she had no trouble hunting down the child. It helped that people also began to depart from the square. 

"Sorry m' lady," said the Boy, embarrassed.

"You reek," whispered Jaessa, in both amusement and compassion. "Let's get away from this place. If you stay here and stink up the whole district, I'm sure we'll have trouble with those pleasant men." She gestured discreetly at the stern-faced guards that couldn't have been much older than her. One was standing in front of the portcullis and the other two were standing on either side of the arch.

The Boy nodded nervously and beckoned for Jaessa to follow him. As he led her through streets that she'd never walked on before, Jaessa racked her brain for answers about the matter of the Boy's stench. His clothes, although a little creased, were both clean and looked costly enough to not be the source of the smell. When he pointed at the steps beyond a bridge, that was when she noticed his filthy hands.

"Where have you been?" she asked in horror.

"Helping at the tannery, m' lady," said the boy. He took out a small piece of parchment that he had hidden somewhere on his body. He offered it to her. "From the Prince," he said.