Page 17 of If The Crown Fits
We will?I couldn’t remember the last time I’d left the camp. The buildings surrounding us felt tall and intimidating, unlike the trees of the forest.
Uncle Arthur nodded in response, letting out a small grunt. He walked into the tavern, leaving me and Ray outside. I looked around at the strangers passing by, not entirely comfortable with the prospect of waiting out here in the street.
“I don’t understand,” I said to Ray. “Why did he bring us along if he’s not taking us with him?”
“Because I’d asked him to,” Ray responded, almost cheerfully.
“What?” I looked up at him with slight surprise. Three years older than me, he was growing up to be quite tall.
“I asked your uncle to bring us along so that we could see what the town was like,” Ray said.
“But why?”
“Because, little Lara—” he turned my shoulders so that I faced the street full of people — “while the forest provides us with many of the things we need to survive, the towns are full of people ready to be robbed.”
My eyes widened. “What are you going to do?”
“You’ll see,” he said smugly.
Ray, with his scruffy hair and dirt-stained clothes, stood out in the sea of people. I called after him in panic, not wanting to be left alone, but he sent a reassuring smile over his shoulder.
Ray walked to the top of the street, turned around and walked back nonchalantly. When he returned, I looked at him with confusion.
“What was that for?”
“Did you see that man I bumped into?”
I nodded.
“Well, his pockets were quite full.” Ray pulled out a small leather bag and opened it for me. Inside I could see the shimmer of gold coins. I gasped.
“Ray, that’s quite a bit of money.”
“Exactly.”
“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get caught?”
“You know I can run pretty fast.” He looked over the crowded street. “Do you see that stand filled with bread outside the bakery?”
“Yes.” The freshly baked breads did look pretty good. I could almost imagine they were still warm, and the thought of having a slice of bread practically made my stomach rumble.
“Take one of the loaves lying near the edge of the table.”
“But you just got all that money. We can buy it.”
“That’s not the point. It’s your turn.”
“My turn? I don’t know how to steal that.”
“It will be fine. I’ll distract the baker and you just casually grab the bread as you’re walking by.”
“But why do you want me to do it?”
“Because, Lara,” Ray replied, “this world is full of people who have much more than they deserve. And if you’re going to make it, you need to learn to fend for yourself. Someday, it might save your life.”
I wasn’t entirely convinced but I also didn’t want to feel like I was disappointing Ray.
“Okay, you distract him.” I sighed.
