Chapter 4

An hour later, Rose joined the women from the brothel for a walk throughout the market. She stayed at the back with the man Graham tasked to guard her. After the stunt she pulled last night, there would not be a second where she would be alone whenever she stepped out of the brothel. 

Rose looked over her shoulder and to no surprise, he was right behind her. He wouldn't make the mistake the previous guard did as it would cost him his life. Rose didn't like when someone was harmed because of her but she still wanted to get away. 

"Do not think about it."

"I am only looking at what is being sold," Rose replied, going toward a crate with apples. 

Henry, Rose's current guard, did not trust her answer. He had caught her looking around for a way out many times. She was not going to cost him this job and his life. "I will drag you back if you try to run."

"Must you always give me this same lecture each time we leave the brothel?" Rose questioned, putting the apple down after the stall owner gave her a bad look. 

"Now you must pay for it. Who will want the apple after the likes of you touched it? Don't touch anything else," the stall owner told Rose.

Rose always found it odd how she was judged but not the men who visited the brothel. Why weren't they just as bad? Rose could point out a few she had seen the many times she rushed back to her room when the night was upon the brothel. 

Rose took a coin from the purse she carried around and placed it on one side of the crate before taking back up the apple. The apple would be the perfect treat to eat tonight.

Rose then moved to join the other women. Like always, she tried to avoid the stares from all around. Many didn't like the work the women in the brothel did and others looked to harass them. It wasn't like any of the women in the brothel had signed up for this life so why should they be judged?

"There are many foreigners," Rose noted, watching as men with strange uniforms roamed the market. What had pushed the king to make a truce? What was life like beyond this town? 

"A bunch of bastards," Henry said, disgusted by the sight. The king was a coward for wanting a truce and letting the foreigners come onto their land. "You are not to get close."

"As if I would want to get close. The men in this town are already trouble," Rose muttered. This town didn't need foreign men added to it. 

She tugged on the cloak she wore to cover her face more. The only reason it was known that she was one of the women from the brothel was because of her guard. The other women had walked ahead to look at dresses from shop owners who would take their money and flirt with the foreigners. 

Rose frowned as she imagined that would eventually be her life if she did not succeed in running away. Trying to seduce as many men as she could to repay Graham. 

"They are coming! The king's men are here!"

Rose looked around as the people beside her started to mention the king's soldiers. 

Henry grabbed her hand as the crowd became larger. "You will not outsmart me. Stay close."

Rose tried to forcibly remove his hand from her arm. He knew that she didn't like to be touched. "Let go of me," she said, failing to move his hand by herself. Her heart ached as she thought of how Graham tried to punish her, teasing her as he showed her what awaited her in the future.

Henry continued to hold onto her until the crowd settled down as the soldiers walked and passed by on horses. He had heard the stories of how she could slip away if given the slightest opening and would not take the chance. "Stop fighting me."

If not for her being Graham's little plaything, he would have hit her long ago. Henry let go of Rose to end her whining. It was foolish how she acted this way when he was far from being like Graham. 

Rose touched where Henry had grabbed her. Her skin felt warm there because of the touch. She backed away from Henry. For a moment, she saw Graham instead of Henry standing before her. "Do not touch me," she spoke softly. 

Henry didn't care to pity her. He was only doing his job and her job was to be touched. "Get what you need so we can return to the brothel. We need to catch up with other women."

If not for the fact she would be stuck in the brothel for the next few days until it came time for the women to walk the streets again, Rose would return to the brothel now. She had to enjoy this little freedom now. 

Rose distracted herself by looking at the king's men going by. At how the people around her called out to the men with excitement. Just for a moment, she would love to enjoy being so carefree. 

"Let's go- Mathias?" Rose whispered, her eyes widening when one of the men on the horse passed by her.

The soldier reminded Rose of one of her friends who promised to return for her. 

Rose walked in the direction the soldiers were going to get a better look at the man. She jumped to look over the crowd between her and where the soldiers walked.

Henry was close behind Rose, confused as to why she was suddenly showing interest in the soldiers. It was common for the soldiers to pass through the town and Rose rarely showed interest in men. 

The more Rose looked at the soldier, the more she kept seeing a familiar face. The friend she remembered was a boy when they separated but she could not forget his distinct features. If this was Mathias then it should mean that her other friend Alexander might be near. 

Rose walked faster, trying to find an opening in the crowd to get closer to see if it was truly him. "Mathias!" Rose yelled, wanting to see if he would look around if he heard the name. "Mathias!" She yelled, louder than the first time.

Rose smiled as the excitement of her friend's return grew. "Mathias!"

Henry grabbed her arm. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Mathias!"

The last attempt before Henry covered her mouth seemed to work as the soldier looked her way. Rose was certain that he spotted her amongst the crowd as their eyes met. The soldier looked confused at first so Rose did something risky. 

Rose bit Henry's hand and removed the cloak so her face would be revealed. "Mathias!" She called, watching as the man she spotted could not believe his eyes. 

Rose tried to run to get closer to her old friend. The memory of the last time she saw him came rushing back.