I begin my morning searching the edge of the forest for my needed herbs. Flowers perticularly, but I'm low on quite a few items. Moving slowly due to the heavy satchel, I make my way back to the town. Passing the bakery, I stopped, sniffing the sweet scented air. Ariving at my abode, a small clay and brick house filled with plants and a lone counter in the first room. The wooden sign hanging above the door sways in the wind, " Bluebell's Brair: Apothecary". Stepping in, I organized the herbs and such into the little draws lining the walls. Sighing, I stared at the early sunlight streaming through the windows. "Business should be starting soon." I muttered to my self, before turning the closed sign over to open.

I slip through the shadowy backroads of the small town, my hood pulled over my face. The early morning sun doesn't reach the deep canyons between buildings, and puddles of filth are located here and there along the crumbling roads. I'm headed from the abandoned house I've been staying in to the Apothecary's to pick up a certain ingredient. The Apothecary in this small town might not have what I'm looking for, and I might have to pick it up at one of the larger towns later in my journey, but it's worth checking. The sooner I can get my ingredients, the sooner I can prepare a certain special concoction that I'll be needing.

A few minutes later, I've made it to a nicer part of town. The Apothecary is on the very fringes of this little town, bordering a wide meadow, with only a packed dirt rode and a few other buildings around. The owner is inside, just opening shop. There's one other person inside, a little boy, staring in awe at all the dried plants and berries. I step inside, and the bell above the door jingles. Adjusting my hood over my face, I wait until the shopkeeper is done helping the child.

It's raining as usual, but I leave the hood of my cloak down. Who cares if a few raindrops fall on my head? I'll survive. Eventually some lovelorn prince will be turning up on the doorstep of my shapeshifting home just outside the town, but I'm not in the mood for business. Maybe I'll go into town and see what there is to see. The apothecary shop should be opening soon. It might already be open.

I walk through the field that's the only thing separating the town and I, greeting a few animals who come across my path. My grandmother taught me how, years ago. "Well, glad to see you're up and around, Es," chirps a sassy squirrel from a lone sapling. "I know you'll end up unable to even walk out of that trap-like thing you live in, though."

I ignore him and keep walking. Some people - and animals - just aren't worth the trouble.

The narrow streets of the town are mildly busy, and the "Bluebell's Brair" apothecary has probably barely opened. Already filling up, of course. Maybe I should open one of those myself, but I don't want to create competition for anyone. The door jingles as I enter, and I notice a little boy and a more shady personage lurking around the corners of the shop. I hope there isn't going to be trouble. Let's see what the other two people want, and then maybe the shopkeeper and I can chat a bit.

I duck under a willow tree, letting the weeping leaves obscure my figure. I inch my hood forward more, tucking in a loose curl, drawing my cloak tighter. Back at a castle. How wonderful. But I did need more food, and perhaps a better cloak. My money was plentiful, for obvious reasons. 

I had, at first, despised my freedom. But now, I loved and even embraced it. Even though I had traveled far, came from far, I could only hope nobody would find me out. 

I start to step forward, and then pause. A lady passes by the branches, looking towards the shop. An Apothecary. A shadowy figure and child are near the doorway. Maybe I ought to stop by there, to better prepare myself for any future wounds. But a bakery was just across from that, and I decide to go visit that first. I part the branches and step back into the slowly growing crowd. 

I wonder if it is a coincidence that there are two similarities to the revival of the Tavern Castle, or if The Assasin and Runaway Princess are the same CBers in that castle, or if both of those chatacters ate typically found in castles?

Nya says <wheeu> 

The door opens, I look up, scanning for my new customer. Looking around, and spotting not a soul I looked back down at the order scroll in my hands. In the corner of my eye, I see a head peep up to look at me. Standing up, I look over the polished wood counter. "Hello there" I said softly to the little boy standing with his basket. Ah, he's the Shoemaker's son I thought, smiling at him. He tell's me the few herbs and plants he needs. Whistling a little song, the ferret sized creature comes scurrying out of the back, the bell around it's cherry blossom horns jingling lightly. It's inky black eyes staring at me and the boy. I cluck my tounge and tilt my head at the northern-most  wall. The little boy looks timidly at the creature. Coming from behind the counter, I kneel down "Worry not, this is my Inori. He is friendly, come here with your family late at night and his snow white fur turns an inky black." Whistling again, the Inori patters over with a small drawstring baw between his teeth. Nodding at him, he jumps to my shoulder, dropping the bag in to my open hands.

I hand the boy the bag, giving another smile. The boy thanks me and moves on with his day. Inbetween two of my indoor tree's stands a figure. Their hood is pulled down over their face. I am here to serve, anyone, or anything. I needn't fret over who this soul may be. They don't seem to be looking at anything. Perhaps they're thinking.

I pocket the money the boy handed me, sitting back in my chair behind the counter. The door opens again, "Ah! Es! It's good to see you" I say, rushing to greet my friend. 

I peek outside my shop, wondering when the crowd will stop, so I can go to the Sorceress for a needed spell. Suddenly, a young woman enters my shop. I go over to her. She looks nervous, and I ask if she's OK. She avoids my question. "Who are you?" I say to her trying ro be nice. She picks her words carefuly. "A...runaway," She says, glancing at me in slight distress. "Oh, well, never mind that. What do you want?" I gesture to all the baked goods.

The shopkeeper finishes attending the little boy; apparently, he wanted some herbs and plants. I relax in the soft shadows around the door of the shop, just as I always do here. There's nowhere quite like it in the world, surely.

Then the shopkeeper looks up and sees me. "Ah! Es! It's good to see you," a familiar voice says, and I find myself in an embrace. I hug back, smiling. "Likewise," I say, standing back to look around the place again. "Honestly, you may be the only person who can call me Es instead of Esmeralda. Person, of course," I add, remembering the saucy squirrel on the way here.

I glance towards the corner, where the sinister stranger is still lurking. "Who's that?" I ask the shopkeeper quietly. "Something tells me he may need more than just a purchase."

I go into the bakery and the baker smiles at me, then falters slightly. My nervousness of being noticed must be showing. The baker asks if I'm alright, but I ignore that question. In my castle, my hair was always drawn back, so having it in it's normal, shoulder length curls will make my face look different. I didn't wear any make up- I didn't need it! I wore so much as a princess (parents orders and servants doings) I could've dontated a day's worth to a circus and there would still be enough left for the next week.

"Who are you?" The baker continues to try and be polite. 

My mind scrambles. "A... runaway." I say, then inwardly cringe. "But my name is Yvonne," I lie.

"Oh, well, never mind that. What do you want?" I gesture to all the baked goods.  

My eyes dance over the breads and treats. 

"I'd like three- no, four loafs of sourdough," I decide. "And a cinnamon roll. Please."

"Of course," the baker collects these things, and sets them on the counter. "Three silvers, please." 

I reaching into my cloak's pockets, and draw out a the correct amount, setting the pieces on the counter. I collect my bread and slip them into my satchel. I take the roll to eat on my way through town.

"Do you know where the best place to get fresh produce is?" I ask, planning on going where ever that is after popping in the apothecary.

My cloak is soaking wet, sticking to my servant's dress. I wobble to the entrance of my mews, the water jug I am carrying weighing me down every step. As I look up from the ground, I almost drop my jug. Two guards atop horses and a messenger stand at the broken doorway, I have a feeling that they've been waiting for a while. I clear my throat. "Excuse me, what might you be doing here?" I say bluntly, I am not used to taking to more higher class individuals, mostly because I rarely venture to the castle I supposedly serve. "We have important news for the royal falconer, where might he be?" The messenger, peering into my broken down mews. "She is in front of you. I am the royal falconer." I glare at them as I speak, even though this isn't the first time, ever since I took over from my adoptive father after the accident, the royal family hasn't liked me that well. Probably because I am young and female, there is no such thing as a royal falconer who's a girl. Well, that is, the royal family doesn't like anyone that much. "It's the Princess. She has gone missing. We think Her Highness went though the woods, for there would be no witnesses" The message slowly speaks, as if he thinks I can't understand English. "And rumors have it, you know the woods better then anyone else." He continues, looking directly at me. "Well yes, I fly my hawks though it daily." I say, my voice quieter. Are they saying what I think? "The royal family wants you to come with the guards to find the Princess, they will pay you handsomely." The messager narrows his eyes, speaking with gritted teeth. I look around at my broken down mews and the state of my clothes. I can't turn this offer down. I really need the money. "Yes, I will help you, only if I can take Fog, my goshawk." I gesture towards the mews. "Then it's settled, we shall head out now, the sooner we will find the Princess" The message claps his hands.