03 Runaways

Allie had managed to find a farmer who was willing to let them ride on the back of his cart, free of charge. They'd passed many guards and not a single one of them seemed to be on the look out for two or even one runaway princess.

Surely things will be okay once we arrive in the south, won't they? Allie thought. They can't just throw us back. Allie's eyes drifted from the ever changing road to young Anna who had fallen asleep, her head resting upon a canvas flour sack. Her cheek, red from being hit was now turning into a purple bruise. NO one coming after them, or even Beijing curious of them wes a sure sign that they didn't in fact, consider Anna a part of their family. Everyday the farmer would stop at night to sleep, or go buy food from a local pub. During his time away from the cart he asked the girls to guard it, make sure no one steals anything; in return he'd buy them a small amount of food. This was a fair deal. No one ever really came near the cart, so the girls never had much to do aside from waiting.

One night, about a week after they'd started traveling with the farmer, a man in torn clothes came nearer.

"You pretty little ladies wouldn't mind moving aside for a bit so-sat I can grab mee-self a bite to eat ya?" said the man walking closer and closer.

Allie quickly leaned over to Anna asking her to go and fetch the farmer. Anna hopped off the cart and hurried inside the pub. With Anna gone Allie stood up putting herself in between the farmers cart and the man.

Besides his torn, dirty clothes, his hair was a scruffy mess and he'd barely fat to his bones. Allie could come to a simple conclusion; he is homeless. Unbeknown to the homeless man who was slowly walking closer and closer, the farmer was carrying nothing but flour and potatoes. But then again, to a homeless man, potatoes must sound like a decent meal.

The man was creeping closer and closer, he was close enough now that his arms could probably reach Allie. Allie straightened her back and with all the courage she could muster up, she said in a loud voice,

"Go away please. There's nothing in this cart for you." she locked eyes with him, but there was nothing in his eyes but greed.

"That ain't true, i'm sure there is a little something there to feed me."

"HEY!" just in time, as the man was about to grab Allie, Anna and the Farmer appeared from out of the pub. "I don't get nothing for ya. Get!" yelled the farmer, he clasped the hilt of a small knife which he carried on his hip.

The acknowledgement of a knife was more than enough to make the homeless man back away and return to the alleyways. The farmer patted Anna's head and reached for his coinsack.

"Here" and he dropped a gold coin into Anna's hand. "Our next stop is a lively southern village, just off the river, be sure to buy yourselves something nice."

Anna was awestruck, naturally, nobosys ever been nice to her before, or no adult at least. She hugged the coin tight in her hand.

"What are you going to buy with it?" asked Allie.

"I don't know, don't you want anything?" Anna asked back.

"No, I just want you to be happy, so you go and buy anything you want."

Allie watchedd Anna as she dozed off to sleep, then quietly took out the old parchment map she'd taken from the Western-main-castle. She traced the road they were currently on, her finger stopped at a semi large village right near the river bridge. "Lesslatah." was the name of the village, that's where they were most likely going. With that in mind she folded the map and placed it back into her bed. Allie leaned up against a bag of flower and fell asleep.

---

A sudden jerk of the cart woke both the girls up. Allie rubbed her eyes and tried to open them against the bright light of day.

"In Lesslatah I think." said Allie.

"And you are correct!" said the farmer, from round the front of the cart.

"Lesslatah, where's that?" asked Anna, squinting in the sun as she looked around.

Allie hopped off the cart and brushed her dress off of hay and dirt. "It's a Southern village by the river. We're in the south now."

"We're in the Lesslatah markets, I'm-a-gonna set up shop here for a day or two. You girls feel free to look around." said the farmer. He gently lifted Anna down from the cart and patted her head. "Why don't you go find something pretty to spend that coin on eh?"

Allie put out her hand and Anna grabbed it. "Let's go then."

The girls walked between the people bustling throughout the market square. It was hot, the sun was right, hard to tell where anything was. Allie led them up to the squares center near a fountain. Anna's attention seemed to be caught on something at one of the stalls.

"Do you see something you like?" asked Allie. She followed Anna's gaze to a small stall selling colourful scarves. "Why don't you go look, I'm just gonna check something real quick."

Anna hesitantly walked off without Allie, "I'll be right there!" said Allie. She watched Little Anna walk off into the crowd towards the stall. Allie had really wanted to just make sure that she knew where they came from. Wouldn't want to get lost now would we. Allie thought. She stood up in the fountain curb scanning people's heads in search of the farmer and his cart.

Before she could find it trumpets were sounded off. The bustling people of the square were all set in a tizzy. Allie nearly lost her footing and fell into the fountain. What's going on? She thought. "Make way! Make way!" she heard a posh-voiced man shouting. Then, as the crowd parted ways Allie saw a figure, one who's almost glowing come her way. As the figure came closer Allie began to recognize them. It was the Queen!

Queen Matata?! No, it can't be. Why would she come here? Why is she coming closer to me? Thoughts of such filled Allie's head, until she found the Queen Standing only a few paces in front of her.