It was so boring. More than boring it was like, ugh, frustrating. How many times could Leandra count the leaves on the tree that grew in her room? How many times could she stare at the walls, the winking crystals. Ugh! Leandra put a hand on her stomach and patted it lightly. It was still relatively flat, barely anything there, but it was kinda cool to think that there was something in there. A little boy - eventually. Leandra sighed and sat up on her bed. She had to get rid of the boredom.
Peeking out her door, the coast clear, Leandra slipped down the stairwell and opened the heavy front door. She thought of going to Skive and asking him to fly her somewhere, but that would alert her mother that she was out of her room. If she went to Askari's house, they'd certainly tell on her - she couldn't appear and disappear like Askari could. So, Leandra shrugged and decided to go to town - Westbridge - simply because... she'd never been and she was bored.
It was a bit of a walk, but Leandra made decent time. Whenever a traveler passed her, she kept her gaze averted just in case they might have known she was her mother's daughter. She reached the gates and her mouth fell open. It was like... huge! The buildings, the soldiers, the people, even the smell - like food and body odor and - Leandra's eyes fell on the bench in Market Square. Who the hell was that?
Leandra crept closer, looking at the woman who barely wore clothes. She looked wild somehow, all those markings and piercings and tattoos... and she looked sad. Then Leandra heard a word tumble from the woman's lips that sent a shock of electricity through her body. "Thasmudyan."
