chapter 7

           The day seemed to drag. Jaysa wanted this day to be over. She felt like she was sweating much more then she was out in the fields. She believed it was because she was confined to one spot instead of moving around as she did in the field. Jaysa wiped her brow with the back of her hand and suddenly heard a noise come from behind her. She turned around and spotted the animal that the guard had kicked before. She watched its movement and noticed it was limping.

           The man must have really hurt the animal if it's limping like that. She thought to herself. She felt bad for the animal. Jaysa lost vision on the sheep when it disappeared into one of the storage sheds. Well, at least it would be safe in there. Another thought came into her head, as her heart sank. What if it dies in there? She would feel even worse if she knew what happened to the animal and did nothing about it. She wanted to check up on the animal, but she could not move from the area she sat. While in her thoughts, she heard another guard run up to the shorter guard that just took over the post. He was the taller blonde man, which was rare in the town. He was not as muscular as the shorter guards that now stood in front of him. The blonde man whispered something in the other guard's ear which made his face grow pale. The color soon came back to his face when he turned to the peasants and spoke,

           "I'll be right back. When I get back, you all better be sitting in your seats and working. If any of you are goofing off or missing, you will be punished. Do you understand?" The guard yelled the last part.

           "Yes, sir…" The women at the table were barely heard over some of the men that answered as well. The guards stormed off. Once both men were out of hearing range, the women began to gossip around Jaysa.

           "There must be an urgent issue. If they had to take the guard's away from their post" one woman spoke to another.

           "What do you think happened?" Another asked. Jaysa tuned out the gossip that had begun. Her thoughts were on the animal from before. This was her chance. She could check up on it and be right back. The young teen slowly stood up from her spot, but before she could actually step a foot away from the table, she heard a female voice asked,

           "Where do you think you're going?" Jaysa turned to see who spoke to her. "What if the guards come back?" Jaysa looked at the girl who spoke. She sat across from her.

           "I'm sorry, I saw the animal that the guard kicked and I wanted to check on it." Jaysa looked at the young girl in front of her. She had short brown hair that was tied up into a knot, similar as to Jaysa's hair style. The brown hazel eyes were almost begging her not to go, but Jaysa had to refuse those eyes. She wanted to know if the animal would live or not. Jaysa sighed and spoke, "I really want to go check on that sheep. I know I am not supposed to go." Jaysa paused before she continued. "I'm not asking you to lie from me. Just don't tell the guards. That's all I'm asking." The girl was quiet. So Jaysa waited for a response. The young teen finally looked at Jaysa and said,     

      "Okay." Jaysa was ecstatic. Almost to the point of jumping over the table and hugging the girl, but decided against it. Jaysa smiled and dashed off to the store shed.

           Normally peasants do not go into these places unless they are told to, however Jaysa was on a mission. The young girl walked up to the large building. It looked smaller on the outside, but it was quite big on the inside. There were greenish brown crates stacked up in threes or fours. When she passed them, they would sometimes tower over her because they were so tall. Jaysa started to move some of the crates and boxes that were laid in her way to the sides. She moved slowly so she would not scare the creature anymore then it might be. Moving over some cracked brown boxes, she spotted something unexpected. There was a teenage boy who didn't look older than 15. He wore what looked like high class robes that Noble's would wear. The Noble's would only come to their part of town when they really needed to, but these robes were brighter than the ones that she had seen before. Looking over to the young boy, she saw he had blonde hair and some have even fallen in front of his face. The girl just gawked at the boy. She was more in awe, because he looked quite cute. The thought disappeared when she realized he wasn't moving.

           Is he dead? Jaysa thought to herself. No, no, no… Jaysa wasn't quite sure if she wanted to touch the boy or not. So instead Jaysa looked around for an item that she could use. Jaysa found a small thin stick not too far away. This would work. She thought. Jaysa walked over to the boy and poked him. Nothing, so she proceeded to poke him until the boy moved or made a sound, but there was still nothing. "Maybe he is dead?!" Jaysa began to poke the boy with the stick each time she uses more strength than the last.

           "Ugmmm." The sound was heard out of the boys smiled.

           He was not dead, but what is he doing here? He will get into trouble if someone found him here. Jaysa reached out to him to check on his temperature. He felt fine. Jaysa knew that she needed to wake up the boy before they are both caught. She tried calling out to him, but since she did not know his name, she instead uses hey and boy. However, she still couldn't get a response. It started to agitate the young girl. So she picked him up by his shoulders and shook him uncontrollably. He was now in a half sitting position, but his head hung down which made his chin touch his chest. The boy was not waking up. She was past annoyed; she was downright pissed. Jaysa lift her hand and smacked the boy with all her might. The boy yelled out in pain. His eyes went wide and he focus on who had hit him, which his eyes caught the fuming girl. The young boy's ocean blue eyes started to water when he realized the pain rushing to his cheek.

           "Oh please!" Jaysa spoke sarcastically. "Don't even try to start that damn drama crap with me. I'm not in the mood." She put her hands on the boy's shoulder and bore her eyes into his. "You should have woken up earlier, and then maybe you wouldn't have that mark on your face." The teenager boy's eyes turned from teary to flames of anger. The young teen jumped to his feet and glared down at Jaysa. The teen was only inches taller than Jaysa, so they stood eye to eye almost.

           "How dare you talk to me like that! You are a woman, and a filthy one at that?" He stared at the girl in front of him. Jaysa knew that she was dirty with pieces of corn and rotten fruit stuck to her dress, and she was never able to get it off. Dirt stained her face because she would wipe her face with her dirty hands. That was something she couldn't help, but it made her extremely angry to hear that snotty rich boy called her that.

           "Who the hell do you think you are calling filthy huh? I'm working my ass off to make your so called King happy, and help out your lazy ass Noble jerks. You guys are taking our credit as well for the work that we have done." Jaysa spat back.

           "You want to die?" The boy questioned. "You will die with that mouth of yours."

           "What are you going to do? Be a jerk and turned me in?" Jaysa questioned him. She had no thought in her mind that he would do just that, but the boy did not move.

           "What if I did?" The boy finally replied.

           "Then you're a dick, just like that King." The teenager squinted his eyes and his face showed a sour look.

           "I'm nothing like him!" The boy yelled. "He is his own person, I'm different." Jaysa was blown back by the comment, but still replied.

           "Then why are you speaking to me like I'm lower than you?"

           "You're a woman; of course you're lower than me." Jaysa was shocked to hear his response. Her hands turned into a fist and shook it wildly in the air at him, causing the boy loose to his balance, thinking that she was going to hit him again, and fell onto his bottom.

           "I may be a girl, but I'm a girl that can kick your fancy ass to the next town." The tone she used was dark and threatening as she glared at the teenager. She knew what the consequences of saying something like that were, but she was just so irritated over the boy, especially since he's trying to make her sound weak because she was a girl. "I bet that you're the type to think all women should have no rights. You sure do talk like it." The boy stayed mute. Jaysa took in a deep breath before speaking again. "Well sorry, but I don't believe in any of that bullshit. No matter what sex you are, I believe that everyone is equal and should be treated as such. With that fact, you should know that I hate the King. I bet he has major issues with women and that is why he had taken away our freedom. He's afraid of the voices of women."

           "You must not be scared of death, if you speak like that." Jaysa just glared at him and then spoke again,

           "Do you take me to be a stupid girl?" She questioned. "I'm not someone who would say something like this, knowing I would get into trouble."     

      "What about me?" The boy asked. Jaysa had her hands on her hips.