The carriage shook violently as it dipped into a deep rut in the road.
The motion shoved Bea sideways and then quickly back the other way.
She grabbed the side of the door to keep from knocking further into the side wall.
Savonnuh sat silently, staring blindly out the window.
Bea doubted that she saw the things her eyes touched.
Shed been like a mobile dead person while theyd packed.
Almost immediately, the Masters had placed her beside Savonnuh.
Telling her, You are now her maid.
You will follow her and wait on her and guard her.
When you reach the Castle of the Prince, you MUST write and update us on anything suspicious.
So Bea had spent most of the last week watching as the servants packed Savonnuhs things and when it was time to depart, she watched as the girl mindlessly moved from her room to the carriage.
Bea would have felt blessed by the silence and lack of jobs required of her, but she couldnt help but feel dread on the wind.
Another jostle sent Savonnuh flying forward onto the carriage floor.
She just sat there, unmoving and looking at nothing.
Bea knelt and pulled her back into her seat.
Its going to be okay Savonnuh.
Ill stay with you.
Who knows, maybe your mother was right.
Maybe you will come to enjoy your position at the Princes castle.
Silence met Bea.
Instead of talking further, she too looked out the window.
She didnt move back to her original seat, as she felt like Savonnuh could use the warmth.
It was blisteringly cold outside and hardly any better inside the carriage.
The black and white trees passed by, covered in layers of snow.
Even though the sun was shining brightly, the landscape felt dead.
Snow piled high outside and the sounds of nature seemed to halt at their starting place.
No birds chirped.
No animals scurried across the ground.
Just more snow-covered trees and desolation.
A banging on the side of the carriage had both girls jumping.

Savonnuhs parents had sent two guards with them.
Theyd been riding alongside the carriage.
Shed all but forgotten about them.
It was muffled but she heard the guard say, Were stopping.
Prepare yourselves.
Stopping? Are we there? Bea mumbled to herself.
Theyd been riding for almost a week.
Theyd stopped only twice to sleep beside the road.
The guards had made bread bowls for the girls.
However, once they reached the snow-covered land, they didnt stop at all, just drove through the night.
Bea expected Savonnuh to say something, anything.
It couldnt have been comfortable for her to sleep in the carriage, but shed stayed silent.
Bea didnt mind it so much.
Honestly, it was more luxurious than anything shed had before.
It was definitely finer than the mud and hay of the pig stalls.
Slowly the carriage pulled up to a two-story building.
The roof hung low, and the snow had piled so high that the ground snow met the roof snow, hiding the large building in white.
One of the guards opened the door and held out a hand.
Savonnuh didnt move.
Bea let a sigh of frustration leave her lungs.
He was holding the door open, and the gusting wind slammed freezing air into the small compartment, but Savonnuh still wasnt moving.
So, she stood and once again pulled Savonnuh with her.
She didnt grab the guards hand.
She knew better than that.
Shed tried to act like a maid, somewhat on the guards level but they still treated her like a slave.
Mean and brutal.
Instead, she stepped down from the carriage and held Savonnuhs hand while she guided her into the Inn.
The atmosphere inside was raucous.
Almost too loud for her ears.
Especially after being in the quiet for so long.

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Spotting a table in the back, near the fire, she made her way towards it.
Settling as best she could behind the dark table.
Absently, she noticed the guards walk up to the counter and speak with the man behind it.
A bag was exchanged, and Bea assumed it was gold for the rooms.
Finally, they made their way over to the table and sat on the other side.
Well stay the night here.
The locals think theres going to be a hard storm tonight and fuck if Im riding my horse in that.
He was looking at Savonnuh expectingly, but she said nothing.
Okay.
Quietly, Bea said.
That was all Bea felt comfortable saying.
Being honest with herself, it was hard to even say that.
The last thing she wanted was a black eye to sleep with for the night.
With that thought, she wondered which chair shed be sleeping in, so her eyes roamed the room.
There were a few knobby ones and a few that were wobbly or missing a back.
She was in the middle of choosing when Savonnuh finally said something.
I want a bath.
Her voice broke a little from inactivity.
Both guards and Bea stared dumbly at the girl for what seemed like a full minute before Bea jumped up.
Her Master gave her a duty.
Finally! She could be of help.
Of course, Master! Right away! Without much thought, Bea ran over to the counter and informed the man that a bath was needed for her Masters room.
After he spoke to a girl who was sitting with him behind the counter, he turned to Bea and explained which rooms they were to be staying in.
It wasnt a large Inn from the outside, but it felt huge from the inside.
Bea and Savonnuh walked up the stairs and turned several corners before finding a long hallway.
Savonnuhs room was the last one on the right.
They stopped right in front of it and Savonnuh grabbed Beas hands while looking into her eyes.
Bea always thought Savonnuhs grey-green eyes were beautiful.
So much more beautiful than her ugly brown ones.
Beas hair was a straight brown, like twigs in a birds nest.

Nothing compared to Savonnuhs golden locks.
Even Savonnuhs skin was creamy and soft, with hardly any marks from the sun.
While Beas skin was tanned from hard work outside and marred by scars from the lashings or hard labor.
Youve been very kind to me these last few weeks.
Thank you.
I think Ive pouted long enough, dont you? She paused and looked harder into Beas eyes before nodding lightly and smiling.
A sense of unease swam through Bea like a tidal wave.
Savonnuh didnt notice, she just kept talking.
Im gonna take a bath.
Wash all this sadness away.
Its going to be a release of sadness, okay? So, I want to be alone until morning.
A release of sadness? The sentence repeated itself inside Beas mind.
Why did it sound so desolate? And why did she feel like Savonnuh was saying more than just goodnight.
She tried to argue with her.
Afterall, it was her place to be by her Master, always.
It was the job given to her.
But Savonnuh hushed her before she could utter a single word.
I know what you mean to say.
Ive watched you; you know.
Savonnuh reached up and tucked a stray bundle of hair behind Beas ear.
I know youre not a spy for Rebecca.
Ive always known.
But I need this, okay? Let me be reborn from this sadness.
Ill be right as rain by tomorrow, I promise.
What could Bea do? She wasnt allowed to say no to her Masters.
Okay Master.
The words left her lips like a whisper.
Savonnuh smiled beautifully and then turned the key to her room and went in.
Leaving Bea in the hallway, feeling lost and alone with impending doom inside her.
The sentence from before repeated,a release of sadness.