Page 37 of This Is Love (The Light to My Darkness 3)

"Nonsense, the color matches your golden hair." He smiled again.

She looked back down at the fabric. Maybe she could use it to patch the tear. A few designs sewn into the dress might be just what it needed. She ran her fingers across the smooth silk. The way it caught the sun truly was gorgeous. How could Prince Rixin's gaze not fall on her in something so lovely? But would it be enough fabric to cover the tear? She had planned to sew a whole new dress, so she hadn't measured it. And this wasn't nearly enough fabric for an entire dress. Oriana thought about the plain dresses that most of the women wore in the castle. Having a design would help her stand out. Or would it look foolish since no one else was wearing such a thing?

"Two gold is a good deal," said the merchant. "Usually I'd charge twice that, but I have a soft spot for women with blue eyes."

She thought of the three gold drachmas sitting in her coin purse. It was meant for a whole spool of fabric, not just a swatch.

"Get back here!" a deep voice boomed from a nearby merchant stand.

Oriana turned her head just in time to see a dirty little squirrel, with what appeared to be a vine of grapes in his mouth, scurrying toward her. It dashed across the fabric merchant's table like a miniature sandstorm. One second it was crawling up a spool, then the next it was jumping onto a pile of fabric. The fabric teetered and fell onto the dusty ground. The merchant grabbed for the rodent, but he ended up with only a fistful of air. Oriana screamed and stepped back, tossing the swatch back onto the table. And then, just as quickly as it had come, the squirrel leapt onto a carpet on the side of the booth and disappeared onto the makeshift roof over the next vendor's table.

"Your pet just ruined everything!" yelled the fabric merchant, waving a dagger in the air.

"My pet? I've never seen that creature before in my life." Oriana looked around at the mess. Pieces of fabric were strewn in the dirt. Tiny brown footprints dotted the cloth left off the table. And the carpet now featured little tears where the squirrel's claws had dug into it on its way up to the roof. Oriana started to walk away, but the vendor grabbed her wrist.

"You have to pay for that," he snarled.

"Let go of me." She tried to pull her arm away, but the merchant tightened his grip.

"Two hundred gold for the lot of it."

"But it wasn't my fault."

"That animal of yours ruined everything. This is my livelihood!" He yanked her back toward the table.

Fear gripped her heart. Three gold was all she had. Why had she ventured out alone? "I only have three."

"That one swatch alone was worth twice that."

"I don't have the money, but I can get it. If you just let me go to the castle..."

"The castle?" he practically screamed. "You're not going anywhere until I get what I'm due." He pushed her against the table. "If I can't have it in gold, I'll take it in flesh."

She knew the punishment for stealing. But she hadn't stolen anything. Why was everyone just watching this? Why was no one standing up for her? She knew in her heart that Arwin wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was fair and just. But her belief waned as the vendor gripped the dagger tighter in his hand.

A whistling sound pierced the air. She turned to see who had produced the shrill noise. Was it a guard coming to stop this madness?

Before she could locate the source of the whistle, the fabric merchant started screaming behind her. But this time it wasn't directed at her. She turned back to see the squirrel had returned, dangling by its mouth from the merchant's ear.

A strong hand slipped into Oriana's. "Hurry, this way," said the stranger's deep voice. Before she could even turn to look at the man, he had already pulled her into the crowd away from the fabric merchant.

"I'm not going anywhere with a complete stranger," she hissed. And certainly not a strange man! It wouldn't be proper. She pulled her hand away.

He turned to face her. He had a smile and dimples worthy of any royalty. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He backed away from her, slowly disappearing into the masses of patrons.

Of course I'm not trying to get myself killed! Especially for a crime she didn't commit. Arwin must have sent this man to save her. She took a step toward him. He winked and took off in the opposite direction, as if he'd known she'd follow him all along.

The nerve of him. But she didn't have time to overthink her decision. She needed to get away from the fabric merchant. She quickened her pace as she caught up to the only man offering her any help.

"This way." The stranger grabbed her hand again as the two of them ducked beneath a weathered canopy. He may have had the face of a prince, but she knew he was not one. His hands were rough and calloused from years of labor. And his clothes were torn and dirty. She shook away the thought, not knowing why she was analyzing him when she should be focused solely on escaping.

"Stop them!" yelled the fabric merchant from somewhere far behind them.

The stranger pulled Oriana down a side street, away from the market. He kicked open a door and she followed him in just as the merchant tore around the corner.

"That way!" yelled the merchant. He had amassed an angry mob.

Oriana struggled to keep pace as the stranger dashed up a flight of stairs two at a time. They burst through another door onto the roof of the building. He dropped her hand and jumped across a gap to another roof.

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