One thing I figured out from our meeting with Mama Ruth was that the 'Ruth' in her name stood for 'ruthless'.

"Come massage my feet," Mama Ruth beckoned to Reynard as soon as she had settled down in her armchair. "After all, nobody comes by calling for ol' Mama anymore. I had to go all that way to see who was hollering in my house."

Reynard made a face at her which I'm sure she didn't see but I got a case of giggles when I noticed him do so. He sighed and smiled at me and went to sit next to Mama Ruth's ottoman on which she had been resting her legs. He began to press against her soles and Mama Ruth sat back with pleasure. Then she noticed me.

"Y'all didn't answer when I asked who you were," she said suddenly, eyeing me with suspicion like I was a sudden pimple on her face, deciding if it was best to pop it or let it be. "Lass, what's your name?"

I tightened the cloth around my face and replied firmly, "My name's Ashli Rivers, ma'am."

Mama Ruth scoffed.

"It's the first time someone's called me that. 'Ma'am', huh?" She shook her head, "I hate that. Call me Mama or Mama Ruth, like everyone does. Except for that bastard, Cliff or something. He better address me as Your Majesty or I'm gonna have his bones for broth."

She shook he fist into the air before. I laughed, though very softly. Mama Ruth really was something else.

"So," Mama Ruth said, turning to Reynard by her feet who was still pressing her soles, "what makes you come so far out here? Surely, you aren't here to just meet me and massage my feet, are you?"

Reynard was clearly hesitating. "Mama, did you hear the news?" he asked after a while, risking a glance at me.

Mama Ruth leaned forward, thirsty for the tea. "What news? There's been news in this boring ol' city?"

Reynard shook his head. "I was joking," he chuckled, glancing at me again. I flashed him an alarmed expression which said that he was walking on thin ice, but he ignored me and went back to talking.

"Mama, what do you make of the Imperial Crown Princess?" he asked softly, picking up a round object from under his leg which appeared to be an ornament of some sort. There were small, tinkling things all over the patterned carpet on the floor. It was very clear that this woman rarely cleaned.

Mama Ruth coughed hoarsely before answering. "I don't have a think against the poor soul," she said nonchalantly, but I could see the sadness behind her old grey eyes. "Honestly, it ain't her fault she was born a girl and it most certainly wasn't her fault that the girl just happened to be the daughter of an Emperor. And our Emperor, no less."

"So you're against the whole prophecy thing?" I asked quietly.

She smashed her tiny fist on the arm-rest, rage masked behind her wise eyes. "You bet I do. It's all a façade for power anyways. The old priestess- whoever she was- well she absolutely had to make herself a legend or something in her dying moments. If I could, I'd personally go back and kill her before she spat the crap out myself. The princess never did nothing wrong."

I nodded along with her every word. Reynard was looking up at her with pursed lips.

"So..." he began, thinking over his words. "So if I tell you that we could save the princess together, would you help?"

I coughed loudly. Reynard didn't even flinch. Mama Ruth looked at the ceiling with a wistful expression.

"I don't know," she croaked after a long, long while. "Sometimes I think I would, but sometimes I find myself wondering 'what would I gain from all'a that?' But I'm an old lady...a little bit of adventurous conduct would do no one no harm." She chuckled hoarsely at the end. "I'd do it for the thrill."

Reynard burst out laughing. It seemed that he was at ease discussing the subject but as for me, I was dying of anxiety. I clamped and unclamped my free hand nervously, my eyes darting from Reynard to Mama. What if Mama Ruth realizes where he was getting at and when she connects the pieces, she reports us?

I opened my mouth to speak up when suddenly, Mama Ruth jumped off her arm chair and hobbled to the far side of the room. She came back clutching a little fur ball in her arms and sat back down.

"Rainy boy, meet Whisker," she coo'ed. "He's my pet rat and a very good boy, too."

My eyes widened as the fur ball in her arms began twitching and turning, and soon, a nose appeared from it's side followed closely by a pair of black beady eyes on each side. It was a rat alright, and very big, too.

I gulped as I edged towards the door in case the rat decided to start scurrying on the floor. I glanced at where Mama Ruth had picked Whisker up from and there, in the very corner, was a small velvet cushion in front of which was a little bowl for water and another for something that looked like meat.

Reynard didn't seem disgusted at all.

"You never mentioned anything about a pet before," he said as he let his hands fall into his lap. It seemed like he was tired of massaging her.

"Oh, but I've had him for a while now," Mama said as she stroked the grey fur of her beloved pet. "You'd have known if you cared asking."

Reynard guffawed but didn't ask further. Instead he looked at me and winked, probably because I looked so horrified.

"Mama," he asked suddenly, "have you still got the spare rooms?"

Mama Ruth looked up from her rat. "Why? Did your momma kick you to the curb? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised."

"No..." Reynard said, annoyed. "Could you let Ashli stay for a few days? Just a temporary adjustment, of course. Her mother's at the health center and she's afraid of being alone."

Mama scoffed as she rolled her eyes. For a second, I was afraid that Reynard wasn't gonna manage it for me.

"Who's Ashli? This lass?" She pointed at me. "The one who hasn't spoken at all? Say, lassie whateveryournamewas, don't you have no papa?"

I shook my head. I could have said 'no' but my mouth refused to speak.

"Hmm..." Mama leaned back, patting Whisker on the back who had apparently gone asleep. "For free?" She looked at Reynard by her feet and adjusted her specs.

Reynard shrugged. "I'd say so. She can help clean up and stuff in exchange. This place is a dump."

He received a swift kick by Mama for saying that. I flinched.

"Fine," she said as she stared into space. "Sven's been asking me for a lending hand anyways. Lone boy's got to do it all alone."

Reynard was about to ask, "Who's Sven?" again, when there was a loud rapping at the front door. Even though we were in another room altogether, we all still jumped at that.

"Damn whoever's set on ruining my day," Mama cursed as she frowned. Reynard started getting up to check when Mama stopped him mid-way. "Don't bother. Sven will get it." Reynard plopped back down.

We all focused on what was happening outside as we heard muffled voices. Two of them.

"What's taking so long?" Reynard muttered under his breath. He looked at me and I knew at once what he was thinking, because I had been thinking the same thing: What if the Guards were here?

I gulped and backed into the corner so that when the door opened, I wouldn't be in direct line of sight. Reynard, meanwhile, fidgeted with his hands and nervously kept his eyes on the door.

For a long while, there was no commotion. Then someone opened the door and I held my breath.

"Ah, Sven," Mama Ruth beamed at whoever was peeking in. "Who was at the door?"

"A palace guard," said a husky voice. "They were spreading the news about the lost princess."

"Palace guard?" Mama asked, as she leaned in. "Lost princess? How strange... How very, very strange. You can go now, I'll call you in later."

I released my breath when the door finally closed. Now that I could see Reynard, I saw that he was sweating and had refused to meet Mama Ruth's eyes.

"Tots." Mama Ruth said quietly but there was an intimidating factor to her tone. "What's all this about?"

Quickly, Reynard butt in. "Nothing to worry about, Mama," he uttered. "They're saying that the princess is probably still hiding at the palace. The ceremony must've given her a fright."

"She's been lost since the ceremony?" Mama exclaimed. "That's been, what, 3 days? 4 days? Why would she hide for so long without food and water? What, has she found companions in the shrubbery? People can be so foolish. She probably ran away."

"Mama-"

"And I'd welcome her with full arms if she decided to show up here," Mama muttered. "Hell, I'd even disguise her as my own daughter. Poor soul, scared stiff to have to succumb to running away. I wonder how she must've found out about the wretched prophecy..."

Reynard coughed. And coughed again, this time, staring straight at me.

"Mama, are you true to your word?" he asked seriously as he turned to her.

Mama didn't even hesitate. "You bet I am!"

"Then Mama," he said as he gestured to me, oblivious of my horrified expression, "will you be willing to keep Her Highness at your inn for a few days?"

I choked. Mama choked. Whisker woke up from his sleep and jumped off her lap and ran free on the carpet blindly. I screamed and Reynard jumped to his feet. For a moment, there was total chaos as Mama ran around the room to catch her rat and I jumped on top of her ottoman, screaming and squealing at Reynard to help.

Sven came to check up on us and the rat scurried out the door and into the darkness beyond. Then, all was calm.

"Is it gone…?" I whispered, glancing around the room.

Mama told Sven to go get Whisker for her and sat down on her armchair, fanning herself with her hand.

"Oh dear, lass, you've a blessed set of lungs right there..." she muttered bitterly. Then she looked at me as if studying me and then lowered her head. "...Your Highness."

I gasped, not knowing what to do. Should I deny it? Should I laugh it off? Or rather... should I curtsy back and welcome what comes to me later on?

After a long while of contemplating, I decided 'ehhh, whatever. Let's go with the 3rd'.