Few years later
Agatha's POV
The blood never stopped and this time, it rose until I wassure that it was going to drown me. Then that was when I woke up and realizedit was just one of my numerous nightmares.
It was night, and the moon was in the sky. I didn't noticehow bright it was because I was sleeping on a table under a merchant stall. Iwas already tired of sleeping in stables with the horses.
Once or twice, I had missed their strong hooves and waslucky to get away alive.
I lay back and pulled my blanket over me. But the cold sweaton my body made me pull it away. I was already used to the bad smell anyway.
Ten years already and my life was worse than I remembered.
I was no more that little girl with the pet name, moonbeam.I had grown taller and more lean. Tough life had hardened me that one couldeven mistake me for a young man.
Well, I didn't really care about how I looked. It was whatbrewed inside of me that even kept me going.
I forced myself to sleep and tried to forget about the bloodthat never seemed to stop.
***
I woke up the next morning before the merchants arrived andtook my things with me. I never carried much because I didn't have plenty. Justmy weapon, and a sack that hid most of my clothes.
The place where I was, some village market, was on theoutskirts of Silver Pack. No one knew me there, so I felt it was a good placeto get some food.
I went to the river and washed my blanket. Kept it out todry and waited. By the time it was parched, I folded it and went back into thevillage.
I went to one of the merchants that sold fruits. "Howmuch for an apple?" I asked him.
"A coin," he said and looked at me.
"It is more cheaper here than where I came from,"I said, just to get his attention.
"And where is that ?" he asked, and I could seethe greed in his eyes.
"In Crystal Pack," I told him.
"Then maybe I should sell for you at a higherprice," he said.
"You don't even know the price. I brought theinformation to you, so selling it cheap is the least you can do for me."
He seemed to agree with me on that. "All right."
I pointed. "How much are your bananas?"
He turned to look at them and I snatched two apples and hidthem under my coat. No one saw me because no one shouted.
"A coin for a bunch," he said.
"Really?"
"Still cheap?" he complained.
I didn't have any money. I just wanted to steal mybreakfast. It was how I survived.
"Yes. I'll be right back."
I left and took another road. Sometimes I hunted for meat,other times I stole because I was too weak to kill game.
I passed people without them noticing me, or who I reallywas. It was freedom for me but I was never really free. Not until I had myrevenge. The fire still burned inside of me.
I took my apples to a place where the Silver Pack warriorsusually came out to train, and watched them. Had been doing so for some monthsand I knew I was almost as good as they were.
But that wasn't the only reason why I watched them. The menliked to talk, and usually passed information at the top of their voices. Itmade me understand what was really happening inside the castle grounds.
"Swords!" their leader shouted.
I touched mine and bit into my apple. Watched them sweat itout. When they were finally done, they washed their upper bodies with water.
"Finally, our benign Alpha Logan has chosen to rewardus, men. Heard about the Alpha trials?"
"No."
"Well, there are going to be contenders. And the lastman standing will become Alpha."
"Is that right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Why is Alpha Logan giving the position out?"someone asked.
"You don't need to ask, Marcell. He is without child.And I really don't care because now I have a chance to become Alpha."
"Over my dead body, Pete!" the leader flared.
"We'll see about that on the battlegrounds!"
By the time they all dispersed, I had already made up mymind that I was going or get in one way or the other.
It was the opportunity that I had been waiting my wholemiserable life for. If I could only get myself to look exactly like a man, thenI could compete as well.
The only thing I had to do was to change my name. I pickedone without even thinking. Not that I had any connection to it.
Bernard.
I picked up my things and waited for night to fall. It wasimperative that I get into Silver Pack that night. And it was a good thing thatI had been where I was when I heard about the Alpha Trials.
What a name for a contest.
If there was anything I had learned from being a thief andliving from hand to mouth each day, then it was that nothing was as good as itseemed.
There was already a favored warrior that was going to takeover from Alpha Logan, I knew that. But it would not stop me from puttingwhoever it was down just to get to Alpha Logan and Sandra.
Night finally fell again, and it was time for me to returnhome. I packed up and followed a road I still remembered as a child.
I used to run all over the place then, and I stillremembered the loopholes that took me out of the castle. My only prayer wasthat, after ten years, it would still be there.
But if it wasn't then I would just have to walkin through the front door as Bernard,the boy warrior