I pulled back into the trees, breathing hard.
They overtook the farmer and ripped the blanket from the back of his wagon before he could even stop his horse. With a few words exchanged that I couldn’t make out, they took off down the road toward town.
After that, I walked even slower, unsure what to do now. If they were searching for me ahead, I didn’t want to deliver myself right to them. The trees began to thin and the city walls came into view.
The city was enormous. It started abruptly, with houses made of pale limestone and roofs that shone burnt-orange in the sun, stretching out before me as far as I could see. I’d come quite a bit further than I’d intended; at least half a dozen cities past Piruz. I’d never seen Aziz from on foot before, but I recognized it immediately from the way the city stretched out into the water like a claw. My stomach growled and my feet ached. Still, I didn’t enter.
Approaching the outskirts, I stopped at the solid wall that surrounded the city. There were only three entrances. Even now, in the heat of the day, there was a line to pass through the largest gate before me—too many people. Better to avoid being seen. To the left, the road led to a tall building with stables; the streets of Aziz weren’t wide enough for horses. Were the guards there, or had they entered the city on foot? I could only assume they were still looking for me, since they’d never returned down the road.
On a gamble, I circled the city until I came to the gate by the sea. Only then did I allow myself to enter Aziz.
This entrance was smaller, probably meant for the city’s inhabitants rather than trade. I followed the cobblestone streets inward, trying to ignore the trapped feeling from the narrow streets and the sensation of being pressed between the pale buildings which grew darker and more sinister in the shade.
On the far side, the castle of Aziz rose above the rooftops, well-protected by the intricate roads, the thick wall, and the sea. I’d stayed there before. On the outside, it was modest. Designed to hide the wealth of this city, though anyone who looked closely could see that the people were clearly taken care of.
Details I’d never noticed from my previous visits struck me now that I was on foot. Lanterns hung from doorways, open windows held clothing strung out to dry. Here and there, a person would pop into sight, before turning down another street. As I descended deeper into the city’s valley, the bustle of the marketplace came into sight. I walked faster.
The smells of fine food and spices made an easy trail to follow. At the edge of the market, the narrow streets opened into an enormous bazaar, filled with people and stalls selling all kinds of wares.
Carpets were laid out to claim spaces, lined with baskets full of different food and cloth. Even more carpets hung on display, along with jewelry, scarves, and a million other items for sale. Awnings were put up at random to provide shade from the heat of the sun, which was making its way back down toward the horizon.
I fished out the smallest jewel, though it was likely still too much, approaching a vendor selling sausages with a butter-cheese on flatbread that made my mouth water.
Setting my bag on the ground, I waited my turn to bargain. I’d never done this before. As I stood there, a blind woman sat begging only a few feet away, holding out her bowl to a passing stranger, but he only scoffed and continued on.
Moved, I stepped out of line without thinking. Placing my hand gently over hers, I set the tiny jewel in her bowl. She frowned at the sound, picking it up and testing the feel of it. As her eyes grew round and awed at the edges of the jewel, I slipped back into the crowd, smiling at the way her face lit up. Her hopeful thoughts of the ‘nice stranger’ reached me as she made her way out of the square.
Turning back to the vendor, I moved to pick up my bag.
It was gone.
For a moment, I could only stare at where it had been, trembling. “Where is my bag?” I demanded of the people in line. “Who took it?”
They only scowled at me.
“You!” I pointed to the man who stood where I had been, “Did you take it?” He shook his head, trying to ignore me, but I stepped closer to him, grabbing his arm, “Did you see who took it? Which direction did they go?”
He shook me off, angry now. “How dare you? Where is your husband or father to stop this inappropriate behavior!”
I backed away, glaring at him. Only his thoughts of calling the city guards halted my retort.
Instead, I scanned the area, searching for someone leaving, possibly in a hurry, carrying my bag. There! I pushed through the crowds, running after the brown bag in the distance, but as I got closer, I knew it wasn’t mine. Swiveling, my eyes skimmed over the nearby people, but there were just too many. It was a lost cause.
How could I have lost everything in one moment?
I stood there at the edge of the bazaar, breathing hard, searching for the thief without success. The little food I had left, my spare clothes, my jewels, and my crown. All gone.
I sprinted back to where the blind woman had sat, shoving past people in my haste... but she was gone as well.
“Excuse me,” I called to a passerby. He ignored me, striding on. Blinking, it took me a moment to remember: to them I wasn’t a princess. “Excuse me, please,” I spoke more firmly to a passing older woman. She slowed, but just barely. “Have you seen anyone with a brown bag?” I hurried to keep up with her as she strode down the street, but she didn’t answer. “Please,” I gritted my teeth and begged, “Someone stole my bag—it has all my belongings in it—have you seen any sign of someone running, maybe, or—”
“No. Go bother someone else.”
The ill treatment was jarring. When I stopped, she moved on without a backward glance.
Standing in the dust of the marketplace, I stepped aside to let a group of people pass, then further back as the crowds jostled me, until I stood against a wall in the shade.
My stomach growled as the smell of the sausages wafted toward me, emphasizing the enormity of what I’d lost. How could I have been so stupid?
