She woke to the sound of knocking at her door. It was still dark out, far before dawn. Miri was sleeping, her soft snoring mixing with the crackling of firewood from the hearth. It must have been a maid or one of the coachmen needing something. Saya rushed to the door, hoping to keep Miri from waking up.

“Marron?”

“You’re alright?” he asked.

“Excuse me?” Saya asked.

He was alone in the corridor. She had no idea why he was there at all. He was supposed to be in the capital.

“I meant to ask, you’re here?”

“Clearly, we are,” Saya answered. “Why are you here?”

“We were passing through on our way to a house party. My manservant at the castle informed me you and your maid are headed to a village nearby.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”

“I thought you might appreciate my offer to travel together,” he said. “I heard there was a dragon seen near here today.”

“A dragon?”

“A woodcutter we came across told us of it.”

My mistake, I thought I caught everyone, Netta said.

“He only saw the dragon in the sky, from a way off. He said the beast was raining down hellfire, though.”

“Alright then. My answer is no.”

“No?”

Saya sighed. “I would like it very much for us to not travel together. If you’re done, I’d like to go back to sleep.”

She was lying. She was a light sleeper, and she would worry if the woodcutter wasn’t the only one who had seen her. She would not be falling asleep until the next day. Marron was still standing outside the door, unmoving.

“Is there anything else?”

“Nothing else,” Marron admitted. “Good night.”

She closed the door before he had a chance to keep the conversation going. There was no reason for him to come to her door so late at night. Perhaps it was because they had arrived at the inn and found the biggest room already taken. Maybe he thought he and his wealthy friends could use her as entertainment if they traveled together.

Saya pointed her finger towards the fireplace and blew a stream of fire onto the dying embers. She slowly tucked herself back into bed and looked at the ceiling. She had been right. Sleep wouldn’t come to her for hours yet.

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She had hoped for a peaceful journey, but Marron put a stop to that. Also, it was strange that they had chosen to stop at this town, in the middle of the night. Another hour beyond, there was a bigger town called Dochert, with accommodations more in line with what nobles were used to. He could have inquired about their well-being from the coachman who was resting downstairs, or even from the inn keep.

The young nobles lived to make her life hell, so she shouldn’t be surprised that he went out of his way to irk her. Anyone else would have disregarded the woodcutter’s words immediately. Dragons were rare to the point of almost being mythical, and one in the sunny southern regions was almost unheard of. Thanks to Netta, Saya didn’t even like bright sunny days. She preferred days with a bite of cold in the air, with cloudy skies and the promise of precipitation.

Three hours later, the first of the sunlight hit the tiny space between the curtain and the windowsill, and Saya sat up. She dressed quickly after waking Miri, and headed downstairs to make sure the coachman was also awake. He was already feeding the horses and readying the carriage for travel.

“Are the young nobles still at the inn?” she asked. “Do you know?”

“Which young nobles?” the coachman asked.

“There was a group that came to the inn late last night,” Saya said. “Lord Marron was one of them.”

“Lord Marron, I saw,” he said. “But he was alone with one knight. The others, I heard, are resting up in Dochert.”

“Huh.”

“I believe he’s still in his room,” the coachman said.

So he was alone in the humble inn instead of Dochert.

“When will we be ready to leave?” she asked.

“We can leave shortly. Miri’s getting ready upstairs, and we can stop for breakfast somewhere along the way. Is that alright with you?”

The coachman nodded. Saya headed upstairs to help Miri along and pack up the few things she’d taken out of the carriage. On the stairs, she came across Marron. He was fully dressed and prepared to get on the road.

If only she hadn’t told the coachman they would be leaving soon as well. She had been hoping to avoid his company.

“Good morning, my lord,” she said, offering him a brief curtsy.

“Good morning, Saya,” he said.

It was the one time she wished she was a little lord or lady. He used her name like he was comfortable with it. But the nobles always were used to using the names of those beneath them. For them, using someone’s name was not a sign of familiarity or endearment. Instead, they merely reserved their respect for those of their own social class. Other, more cultured people, called her Miss Shale, Bartholomew’s family name.

“I suppose you’re ready to leave?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered. Again, she left him behind, the conversation improperly concluded. In a few minutes they were inside the carriage and ready to leave.

The little lord definitely has a thing for you, Netta said.

I don’t care what he has, Saya said. I detest being in his presence. He believes he is entitled to my attention.

There was a knock on the carriage door, and Saya opened it.

“If you don’t mind, my knight isn’t feeling well. I was hoping he could travel the rest of the way in the carriage, and you could take his horse,” Marron said.

Saya looked at the mentioned knight. He was Marron’s personal guard, a man she often saw following the little lord and his friends on their walks around the castle. He was built like a bull, and stood off to the side as Marron made his request.

“What is he ill with?” Saya asked. She doubted the enormous man could feel pain, let alone be sick.

“An upset stomach,” Marron said, a second too quickly.

“Please, Miss Shale,” the knight added. “I would greatly appreciate it if you could lend me your place in the carriage for a few hours.”

She had thought that it was a lie, but the knight looked earnest. To be frank, he looked desperate.

“Alright,” she said. “I hope you feel better by the time we have to part ways.”

The knight lowered his head and entered the carriage, while Marron led Saya to the knight’s horse. It was a beast, like its owner, a giant dappled gray stallion. She loved him immediately.

Ask to keep the beast. It’s quite handsome, Netta suggested.

She couldn’t do such a thing, but she would enjoy the journey.