Perenenda had left the castle many times but always with a band of guards and maids. It was difficult making her way out of the castle without someone seeing her, but not as difficult in trying to get a direct carriage to the Plump Plum, a tavern in the Bazaar District. She had to take several carriages, hopping on and off, until she was so far from the castle that she was no longer recognized. 

The Bazaar District was as noisy at night as any party her father had ever thrown in the castle, though here it was much more vulgar, dirty, and in many ways refreshing. She had never experienced the city of Salvasing on her own, and she was excited and frightened at the same time. The Plump Plum was a three gable roofed building with an upper wall of wood and stone foundations. Light emanated from every closed window on both floors, and was as busy as any of the street corners as she had seen on the way there. 

Perenenda pulled the wool hood over her head as she slipped between the raucous crowd and entered the tavern. There was a maid at the bar with a loose top and a tight apron filling mugs from one of the many casks stacked on top of each other. All the tables were full, and where there were not enough seats, some stood around with their mugs. A couple of men loitered at the staircase and the far end of the room, watching the women of the tavern. Laughter and sometimes arguments drowned out all else. 

There were no guards here, and she wasn’t sure if it was a relief or worrisome. She decided it was a relief and relaxed her shoulders. It did seem odd to meet in such a place but Natida said that the busiest places were where the least notice would be drawn.  She packed light as Natida suggested.  She even bought one of the servants' quilted sack cloths from them, as she had no traveling cases of her own. 

She had left her father a note, telling him that she would represent Neredun in the world's affair if he could not.  She even cited events of world history of the First and Second Conquests where Neredun did nothing while the rest of the world fought, resulting in Neredun herself being conquered.  If there were to be a Third Conquest, the daughter and heir of the Burul clan would not allow the proud peoples of the south to be enslaved again.  The note was written well, focusing on patriotism and loyalty to the ancient Treeline.  Of course she left out all the reasons involving love and a deep longing in her heart for her new husband.

She had fallen in love with Sarengerel fifteen years ago when they were both ten and her mother brought her for summer lessons by the Lady Namsuren, her father’s cousin. The Lady had the wisdom of the world about her and had much to teach Perenenda about history, geography, and culture. She learned with several other children, including the Lady’s own son Sarengerel. He was taller than most the other boys, but quiet and kept to himself. The Lady always had the boy sit beside Perenenda, and they often studied together. 

“What do you want to be when you are of age?” she asked him once. 

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” the quiet boy answered. “It’s already been chosen for me.”

“But you don’t know which god you’re aligned to yet.”

“I won’t be aligned to any of them.”

“Everyone is aligned to a god,” she said. 

“You can’t be aligned to anything you don’t believe in,” he told her. 

She remembered being in shock to hear someone speak that way about the gods, but at least there were no adults nearby to hear it. She was fascinated by this quiet boy who was so sure of his own future. He was the son of the wisest woman she had ever known, so of course she believed in everything he said. 

The memories of their childhood brought a greater longing in her heart, and the feeling confirmed within her that she was doing the right thing by following Natida’s advice. 

She had rehearsed what she would say when she met the gathering of hired men.  There would be a dozen of them for now, and when they left the city Natida promised that Kerati would hire another ten.  She scanned the building and looked for the narrow red door in the back by the kitchen.  When she found it she walked too eagerly and bumped into a girl holding a drink in each hand.  She apologized but hoped the girl did not recognize her.  The girl snapped at her and continued on.  Perenenda approached the door and placed her hand on the doorknob and stood still.  She thought of her beloved Sarengerel and the thought gave her courage to open the door.

She entered into a candle lit room empty but for one man, dressed in a tan loose spun tunic and a turban wrapped around his head drinking hot tea from a wooden cup.  He had a thin mustache. 

Perenenda looked around the room.  "Where is my company of men?" she asked.  "Who are you?  Are you Kerati?"

"Company?  There is no company my lady," the man said, setting his cup down.  "And no, I am not Kerati.  My name is Big Tim."

"Where is Kerati and Natida?" 

"Around the outskirts of the city," Big Tim said. “They live in the Hovels, which we doubt you’ve ever visited. Let me first say, my lady, believe that I mean you no harm. However you should know there is a plot against you, to kidnap you and deliver you to those who would ransom you back to your father."

Perenenda held her sack cloth closely.  "You know who I am then. How do you know of this plot?"

"Because I was hired to kidnap and deliver you."

"You are foolish, it never would have worked," she said. “You would have to drag me screaming through a tavern full of people loyal to the crown. One scream and you would be done for.”

“Don’t worry, your grace, I will be doing no such thing.” Big Tim took a sip from his cup. “The plan was to have you come freely.  The plan was that there would be a dozen men here, that you supposedly hired, with me being one of them. We would have escorted you to the rendezvous point, where Kerati would make his move."

"Kerati...he is Natida's cousin.  She would not betray me."

"Your handmaiden works for Kerati," he explained.  "In the slum ward of Western Salvasing he holds control over the poor and unfortunate. I don’t know if they are cousins or not. Maybe they are. I know Kerati employs many devious people, including your handmaiden Natida.”

Perenenda sat down on a chair against the wall. Her eyes stung and started to water.  "I should have known it was a foolish notion.  I've even written my father a good bye letter.  It ended before it even began.  Some hero I am."

"I don't know about any of that. I was hired as part of that dozen," he explained. "I signed up for good, honest work.  I didn't know it was a ruse. When I found out the twelve of us were only hired to escort you to be ransomed, I would have no part of it.  So I dispatched the others and they won't be bothering you tonight."

"What do you mean, dispatched?"

"Oh I took care of them,” Big Tim said. “Gave them a good scolding, a twist of the ear, and I told them to be on their way.  There would be no ransoming tonight.”

“A twist of the ear, you say. Then why are you here? You must want something from me.” Perenenda clasped at her collar. 

“I was hoping you’d come,” Big Tim explained. “The only reason I stuck around was to wait for you, then give you two options.  You see I was actually hired to escort you to Kienne, or so I thought.  I took a wage for it.  You can simply choose to turn around and return home, and I can return my wage.”

Big Tim laid six square coins on the table. “Or I can keep my wage and escort you to Kienne myself. What should I do with this coin?”

“Six silverpieces to betray the crown,” Perenenda said, picking up one of the coins. 

“Or six to honor it.”

“You have an accent,” Perenenda noted. “You're not from here, are you?”

"No my lady, I'm a foreigner to these parts, just trying to earn a living.”

"Kerati has the rest of my coin, silver and gold," Perenenda said. “Gemstones too. If he is as much a villain as you say, I’m afraid I have aided him to promote his villainous purposes."

"I suppose that could be true, yes," Big Tim said, stroking his thin mustache. “But your grace was deceived, by an effective deceiver nonetheless. His ill purpose is not your fault.”

“Except I have made things worse,” Perenenda said. “I wish to undo this. Is Kerati still expecting you to deliver me?"

"Well yes, but twelve of us delivering you."

"You gave eleven men a good scolding, you say.  Could you accompany me to Kerati and get my coin back?"

"There are a lot of vagrants and similar sort out in the Hovels, and it isn’t safe for your grace. But yes I think I could accompany you," Big Tim said.  "Do you have a plan on how to get your coin back?"

"If I don't, will you still accompany me?" She asked in return.  "I am still the princess of these parts.  That should be part of any plan. I can’t go home like this.”

"There's one more thing to this deal I didn't mention," he said.  "The wage is six silverpieces to a man.  I'll be needing six more because there are two of us."

"Who's the other?"

"My boy, Little Tim.  He's around the back watching over our wagon."

"Help me get my coin back," Perenenda said, "and I'll decide then if I still want to go to Kienne."

They left the room and exited the tavern, which seemed to be busier than when she entered. There were dancers on a platform and the patrons cheered for almost every move. A drunkard fell in front of Perenenda and she shrieked but no one heard her through the noise.  She followed Big Tim through the crowd and out of the tavern.  They walked through an alley where a boy sat on a simple covered wagon with two brown horses.  The boy was writing in a journal. 

"My lady, Little Tim, Little Tim, my lady," Big Tim said as he helped Perenenda onto the wagon. 

Little Tim removed his cap and bowed, revealing a small topknot.  "My lady, it is a pleasure to meet you."  He took her hand and wasn't sure what to do with it, so he kissed a knuckle on her finger. 

"Tim, we're going to take the lady to the rendezvous point in the slums.  We're going to have a little chat with Kerati about getting my lady's coin back."

"Are you sure, sir?" the boy asked. 

"No, I'm not sure," Big Tim said, grabbing Little Tim around the neck and playfully rubbing his knuckles on the boy's head. “The lady is sure, that's all that matters.”

Perenenda thought of Sarengerel as she often did when she needed to be sure of herself. Then she thought of her father and his words to him about letting him die and finding another heir.

“I am sure of it,” she said. “And that’s all that matters.”