The cracked mirror reflected back Zara's image and she frowned deeply. While the ruby necklace looked stunning around her neck she couldn't believe the state she was in. Her hair was a tangled disaster, sticking up and dirty. She even found a stray leaf from the forest in it. Just great, she thought to herself. She didn't remember Yuli looking this distressed after their night in the woods.

What troubled her most though was not the hair or even the dirt smeared in splotches on her face but the filthy ripped dress she wore. The top of it was in decent shape besides the dirt evident on the lacey outer layers. It was the bottom of the dress that was in the worst shape. The lace was torn and hanging in shreds over the satin material underneath. The satin was stained and crumpled. Zara didn't think the thing could be salvaged, it was completely ruined. She sighed, reaching behind herself to undo the pretty buttons that closed the dress up her back. As she worked she noticed that two of the buttons were also missing. Perfect, just what she needed, she thought bitterly.

She peeled the dress off and washed her body and hair thoroughly in the sink. When she was done she felt a thousand times better. She combed through her hair, tearing at it to untangle every last knot and then went to her bedroom to put on something more practical. She chose a cotton long sleeved shirt and tight fitting woolen breechers that tied at about mid-calf. It was more common for women to wear skirts or dresses but in working towns nobody really batted an eye at seeing a woman in pants either. There were plenty of women who had to find work to support themselves and the practicality of pants just made more sense. Zara hadn't even owned any dresses or skirts since she was a young girl.

She grimaced as she counted out what money she had remaining, knowing it would be going to pay for the rented dress upon returning it. It couldn't be helped and she gathering up the dress and shoved the money into a small over-the-shoulder bag before heading out. She locked the door behind her as she left, making a plan to go to drop the dress off first and then to make her way to Luis's bar. Just as she turned to head down the stairs, though, she spotted just the person she had thought about going to see looking up at her.

When he spotted her, he didn't smile and gave her a hard look. Zara made her way down the stairs and stood on the last step to face him. Even standing on the step he was still taller than her. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as she looked up at him.

"Luis, look," she said, "I'm so, so sorry about last night. I just couldn't stay cooped in there like that. I know you meant well but... I'm sorry."

Luis didn't say anything as his eyes searched her face for a minute, taking in her wet hair. He finally sighed in relief.

"It's ok Zara," he said, reaching out to hand her the forgotten cloak he brought with him. "I was just worried those thugs would have waited for you to leave to get revenge. I'm happy to see you're alright."

He offered her a small smile as she took the cloak from him. She managed a small smile but couldn't offer more than that. Her mind immediately went to what had actually happened when she had left the bar. Luis had no idea how right he had been about her needing to stay put and wait for him. Even though it ended up working out, there very easily could have been a much worse outcome. She didn't think she'd ever be able to tell Luis the truth of what really happened after she left.

"Were you headed out?" He asked, looking down at the black dress she carried.

"Yes," she said, also looking down at the ruined garment. "I only borrowed this dress for the funeral but I'm afraid I ruined it. I guess I'm not meant to wear fine clothes."

She tried to make the last part a joke but Luis saw right through her.

"I came to check on you and bring your cloak," he said while reaching into his back pocket. "But I also brought you money for the shift you worked for me last night."

Zara's eyes widened in shock and she shook her head.

"No, Luis, keep it," she said, trying to step around him. "I caused more trouble for you last night than my help was worth."

He put his arm out to block her and managed to finish pulling the coins out of his pocket.

"Absolutely not, Zar," he said, leveling a stern look at her. "The help was needed, it was extremely busy. Besides, I know you must need the money. You worked so hard to take care of your mom in the end, I know there must not have been money coming in. With the price of medical care and food alone... Please just take it."

Zara sighed and nodded, knowing he wouldn't let this go. Besides it wasn't like she didn't need it. She was worried she wouldn't be able to pay the full price of the dress and still have enough for some food for dinner. He dropped two silver coins into her outstretched hand and she was astonished.

"Luis," she said in a gasp. "That is way too much for one night of work. I can't accept this."

He shrugged, pulling his hand away before she could try to place the coins back in it. His gaze was still stern as he watched her face.

"Take it as my apology," he muttered. "For not keeping a closer eye on you last night and also because... I can't have you work in the bar anymore. I'm sorry. I know you will need work but last night was proof my fears were justified. You're... very young and very beautiful Zara. The men coming in, well... they frequently drink way too much and get rowdy. I know I won't always be able to keep a close watch on you. Your mother would have skinned me if she knew what happened to you last night."

Zara was watching him as he spoke but said nothing. She already knew he would tell her all of this when saw him again. The incident would be the last of her working for him, at least for a while. He needed time to process what had happened and stop feeling guilty about it. It wasn't his fault but she knew he would feel terrible regardless. She would look for work elsewhere, it was that simple.

"Look, Luis," she said with a smile as she reached out and put a hand on his arm. "I understand. It isn't your fault that something happened so don't feel guilty. I can see that I need to find other work. I plan to start looking first thing tomorrow morning, as a matter of fact."

He looked relieved she wouldn't put up a fight. She had always done so in the past so she assumed he must have been expecting to argue about it. He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking concerned at her once again.

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"Are you going to be ok on your own?" He asked, brow creased in worry. "If you want you can stay upstairs and I will room with my father. That way you won't have to be alone. I know this must be a hard change for you."

She smiled bigger at him now, trying to reassure him.

"No, I think I will stay here," she said. "I will be ok. Do you happen to know of anyone who is looking for help, though?"

Luis rattled off a handful of "good people" he knew who could always use a helping hand. She repeated their names and where they worked back to him, making sure they were all clear in her memory before she bid him farewell. She had insisted again that he take the coins back and give her a bronze piece instead, like he usually did but he said he was needed back at the bar and made a hasty exit. The unearned coins felt like they were burning a hole in her pocket as she walked slowly to the garment shop.

_______

By the time she made her way back to her apartment, it was already late into the afternoon. In just an hour it would be dark. She carried a paper bag filled with a few items for a quick dinner. Some bread, cheese and apples. It would last her for a few meals since it were just her now. She saw her apartment stairs come into view and stopped dead in her tracks.

She could see from the street that her door was wide open and the bucket of the little glass vials was knocked over. The bottles lay strewn down the steps. As she got closer she could see that most of them were broken and scattered fragments of herbs and various items were everywhere. She looked up at that wide open door, swaying lightly in the wind. She was positive that she had stopped to lock it before she left.

Cautiously and as quietly as she could, she made her way up the steps. She avoided crunching on the broken glass as she went and when finally at the top, peered around the doorframe into the dark apartment. She could see clearly all through the small main living area and no one was there. She listened hard, barely daring to breathe to see if she could hear anyone in the bedrooms. She waited for two or three minutes without hearing anything before she decided to make her way inside. She gently set the bag of groceries on the table and crept toward her bedroom. She had left the front door open so she wouldn't alert anyone she was there and also so she could try to make a quicker exit if she did discover someone. As she tiptoed through the room she noticed the small, dead potted plant she had observed earlier was now tipped off the windowsill and dirt was all over the floor. Someone or something had definitely been in here.

She pressed her back against the wall next to her bedroom door and peered around the corner with one eye. She was surprised to find her room was completely torn apart but from what she could see, no one was inside. Before she could allow herself to assess the damage she still had to check her mother's room. She snuck across the hall and peered inside the same way she had done to her own. Same thing, room completely torn apart but no one inside. Once satisfied, she ran to shut and lock the front door. To her dismay she noticed the handle and lock were completely broken off.

She knew she couldn't stay here. Obviously someone had come looking for something but who? She didn't know anyone with a grudge against her beside those men who assaulted her in the bar. That wouldn't be motive enough for them to trash her apartment though, would it? She didn't think so but she had no better guesses than them. How would they have found out where she lived?

A random thief seemed unlikely. Why would someone try to steal from a tiny apartment in this part of town? This is where the lower working class lived. There weren't lavish quarters around these streets. Most of the people here were struggling to get by. She didn't believe it could be that.

She lit a lantern using some matches she just bought at the market. It was getting closer to sunset and quickly growing darker inside. She was astonished when she took a closer look at the ransacked bedrooms. Her bed and her mothers bed were completed torn apart. The woolen insides of the thin mattresses were strewn about the floor, little fluffy pieces covering all visible surfaces. She examined the remains and it appeared something sharp had slashed through them. Knives or swords? She was more alarmed then. Whoever had done this was well armed to do this much damage in the short time she was gone. She doubted it could have been one person. That made goosebumps stand up on her arms.

From what she could tell it looked like they had been searching for something. But what could they have possible been looking for? She didn't own anything of value and neither did her mother. They had sold everything in their search for her sister long ago. All the money that was made was put into their rent and Zara's meager education. She quickly sifted through her room to gather up some clothes. Most of them were tattered and torn as well. Her chest of drawers had been emptied, the drawers smashed and the splinters spread across the room. She shoved one full change of clothes similar to what she had on now, into her small bag.

She sifted through the remains of her mothers room in much the same way she had to do her own. It was in the same state, mostly fluffy pieces of wool and splitters of wood covering every surface. There were some clothes but nothing Zara wished to salvage. As she was about to leave she noticed her mother's pillow, slashed nearly in two by the door. The stuffing had mostly been pulled out but something small and black caught her eye. She went over and pulled out a tiny book, bound with a black leather cover. A journal? She didn't know her mother kept a journal.

She turned it over in her hands but the outside had no words or markings. She flipped through the pages, finding lots of her mother's handwriting inside. She opened it to a random page and read the date. She frowned as she realized it was dated about twenty years earlier. She quickly scanned through the page and an icy chill ran down her spine. Her mother was talking about her day at the time and it seemed as though it was when she had been with her father. The passage didn't make much sense to Zara but it had mentions of locations she never heard of and seemed to be referring to some traveling her mother did with her father.

She flipped to the front of the book and her breath caught in her throat when she read the message there.

Zara - if you're reading this, that means something must have happened to me or you're old enough where I thought it time you know the truth. I'm sure you will have many questions when you finish this and the answers will come in time.

Love, mom.

Zara read the words over and over again. Her mother expected her to find this someday, tucked away inside her pillow. She wondered if her room hadn't been slashed apart, how long it would have taken her to find it, if ever. She also wondered why the people searching hadn't disturbed it. They must have noticed something sticking out of the pillow just as she had. They must not have cared about some tiny book, she reasoned.

She was overwhelmed. She stuck the book into her bag to read at a later time and ran to the bathroom to grab her prized comb. When it wasn't in it's usual spot she realized it must have been taken. She felt her heart clench at the thought. It was probably the most valuable thing she owned but even that wouldn't be worth more than a few bronze pieces or maybe a silver piece from the right buyer. Not exactly worth tearing an apartment apart for. To her it was worth much more than that. Suddenly she was overwhelmed with emotions again. Why was this happening to her? She never wanted any trouble from anyone.

For one moment she was completely frozen in place, emotions reeling and the next she was moving. She had to get away from here. There was nowhere to go, really. To Luis? She thought of his already cramped living quarters and knew it couldn't work for long. Besides, what if whoever had come here went there next? Luis could surely handle it but at what cost? Would they damage his business? What if his elderly father were hurt when she or Luis weren't around? No, she decided. There was only one option, really. It didn't matter what she had thought she wanted this morning. What she thought she had to do. It seemed that was all being ripped away, like she had no choice. But did she? Or did she really want this all along? She didn't know the answer as she hurried through the quickly darkening streets, trying to beat the waining light as she made her way to the edge of town.