“Blending In”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Wydren tugged at the stiff fabric of his new tunic, rolling and shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to free himself from its confines.

“Stop it,” Kanter hissed, his arm darting out to stop Wyrdren from fidgeting. “We need to blend in, not look like we’ve got mites in our clothes.”

“How do these nobles do it?” Wyrdren asked through gritted teeth. “I can barely move, and don’t even get me started on breathing.”

“At least you don’t have to worry about standing up straight.”

“I can stand up straight by myself, thank you very much.”

The shadows flickered over them as another carriage passed in the street in front of them. They waited until the clip-clop of the hooves faded into the distance before daring to peer out.

“We need a carriage,” Wyrdren whispered.

Kanter rolled his eyes. “Honestly, do you have no faith in me?”

“I’m still trying to decide.”

Kanter beckoned to Wyrdren and led him out of the alleyway. They walked a short distance down the street before reaching an ornate carriage complete with a brilliant white horse.

Wyrdren’s mouth almost fell open. “How in Chrystahl’s name did you manage this?” he murmured.

“Oh, I have my methods.”

As Wyrdren walked toward the carriage, a girl poked her head out to peer through the window. Wyrdren jumped, a hand clutched to his chest.

“Are Akkran soldiers not taught to expect the unexpected?” Kanter chuckled, catching up to Wyrdren.

Wyrdren nearly retorted, “Are Ylnetian soldiers not taught manners?” but he managed to hold his tongue.

“You must be Coltrich Wyrdren,” the girl said, her voice soft. “Kanter has told me much about you.”

“Oh, has he?” Wyrdren muttered, shooting a hard glare at Kanter. “And who are you?”

“My name is Lady Iza Trelling,” the girl said with a smile. “But you can call me Kat.”

Final Comments: I had a lot of fun with this section! You can probably tell that I really enjoy mixing characters from all my stories together…

Overall Rating: 😄