Free The Sartious Mage (The Rhythm of Rivalry) by B.T. Narro

tunic with gray arms and hood.
    “But I’m not an ugly farm girl.”
    That one stung a little, but I didn’t let it show. “We’re taking it.” I started toward the shopkeeper.
    “It’s too long! Did you even check that?”
    I stopped and held it in front of her. “It’s not nearly as long as your wedding dress was earlier.”
    She sighed. “You don’t know anything about dresses.”
    Too impatient to look around for anything else, I decided to get it. “We’ll take this one,” I announced.
    “A lovely choice,” the shopkeeper replied.
    “Fine, get it,” Lisanda said. “But don’t complain when I’m tripping trying to keep up with you.”
    Wisely, Lisanda decided not to change until she’d bathed. Her skin underneath the tarp was probably just as dirty as the tarp itself.
    We found an inn rather quickly, as there was one near the market, but there was still time left in the day, so I made the Princess walk another mile instead.
    She didn’t like that at all.
    After giving me an earful, she switched to complaining about being hungry and dirty, and then eventually about me taking her from the palace. But it died down when I told her we’d retire at the next inn we found—only if it had a bath, I reassured her.
    I was eager for a bath as well. Six days was too long, even for a farm boy like me.
    A few times I caught her scrunching her cheeks awkwardly as we walked. When I asked, she told me her face itched. I offered to scratch it for her, and she gave me a look like I’d just said something stupid. We didn’t talk for the rest of the way.
    The inn we found was a modest one-story. A woman was scrubbing tables while another shuffled across the floor with a broom. At the sight of Lisanda, the one with the broom stopped and squinted before cautiously coming over.
    “Do you have baths here?” I asked.
    “We do,” the woman replied. It was clear she was trying to keep her eyes off Lisanda but wanted to stare at the same time. “Would you like a room as well? We have one available.”
    “Yes, that would be—”
    “I am Lisanda Takary, daughter of King Danvell Takary!” the Princess burst out. “I demand this man beside me be arrested for kidnapping me!”
    My shock was so overwhelming I was frozen solid. How long had she planned this? Or did she just see these women and make a quick judgment call that they would believe her? Was it possible these women would believe her? I glanced at each of them. The one scrubbing tables had stopped to stare curiously. The one in front of us had a look of worry.
    “Call the guards! What are you waiting for?” Lisanda yelled.
    “Will you quiet that crazy girl?” the woman in front of me pleaded in a loud whisper. “We have sleeping guests.”
    “I’m not crazy. Help me!” Lisanda raised her voice.
    “Get her out of here.” The woman pointed to the door. “Leave, now.”
    “Come on.” Unwilling to touch her tarp, I put my hand on the back of her neck and pushed her toward the door.
    “Why don’t you believe me?” Her question was meek. She knew she’d lost. And we both knew what was next.
    The moment we were outside, she begged, “Please, don’t gag me.”
    I didn’t untie the bandana from my neck just yet, only because I was worried she would scream the moment I went for it. Part of me also knew that wearing a dirty tarp made her look crazy, but a gagged girl in a tarp would make me look suspicious. Crazy was the only thing working for me so far.
    She needed some sort of punishment, though; otherwise, she would do it again. The first thing that came to mind was a physical punishment. But I couldn’t even bring myself to consider it wholeheartedly. With my hand still on her neck, I started walking south as I wondered what else I could do.
    I let go of her when it was clear she was intent on walking beside me.
    Her stride in the tarp had always been meager, but with night settling upon us, and both of us famished, her pace was even slower than