A carriage thunders over the bridge, drowning out the distant sound of morning birdsong, loud hoof-beats cutting through the crisp, dawn air. Young Joell slowly unfolds herself, cramped from sleeping on the cold ground, and wonders where it might be going so early in the morning. Looking around, she can see familiar acquaintances and newer friends.
Dressed in a thin, torn top and ragged three-quarter pants, the grimy female scales silently up into one of the tallest trees, hidden strength enabling her to climb higher.
From this raised vantage, she can see the city. She has dreamt of going there so many times, and watched the travellers using its gates. The gates rise tall, reaching darkly towards the lightening sky. Since her sixth birthday, she has watched the sun appear between the spires on the gates, given thanks for the new day; and always from these same branches. Today is her eleventh year, and she is restless; it is time that the mystery of the city was explored.
Taking only a few coins, some food and a stolen dagger, she travels the roads she has seen. On the way, many travellers pass, and ignore her. Each time she sees others, she observes and learns from them, how their clothing and equipment varies and classifies them. She is befriended by another, Astina, the daughter of a merchant, and travels with Astina's caravan.
After several days of travel, they finally arrive at the city. The majestic gates open, and she slips into the crowd that chokes the main street to do some exploring. After wandering aimlessly in unfamiliar streets, she hears the sound of music and cheering. Curious, she squirms her way to the front of the throng of people, and watches with wide eyes as a royal procession makes its way down the road. When she returns to spend the night with Astina's caravan, she is surprised to be bombarded with questions from Astina, who was also at the parade.
"Did you see the parade today? Didn't the queen look magnificent! Don't you want to be like her? Did you see the way her crown and jewellery sparkled in the sun?" Joell nods and shakes her head accordingly, watching Astina's eyes glint as her companion recalls the day's events.
"I'm going to be one of the queen's handmaidens," Astina decides after several days of gawking. Joell merely nods. She has been seeking her own - the neglected and poor of the city - and has been appalled at how they are treated. "Father has given me permission to do so. Will you help me?"
Joell nods again, thinking her own thoughts about the darker side of the city that had been hidden by distances.
The next day, Joell follows Astina to the palace, and stays behind her when they are presented to the queen. She looks at Astina, asks her a few questions, and then assigns her to be the Princess's handmaiden.
The princess is a spoilt, 10-year-old child, prone to temper tantrums and is the only child of the king and queen.
As time passes, Astina grows more and more jealous of the princess, but she is an apt actress and hides this. Slowly, Astina changes, from being an open, kindhearted girl to a secretive, ambitious person. She did little things each day, to try and copy the princess's lifestyle; arranged her hair in similar ways to the princess, started talking somewhat like her, copied some of her gestures. Astina even went as far as to try and wear clothing like the princess.
Joell, roaming the city rooftops each day, watched Astina fawn over the princess and become obsessed with trying to imitate the royal lifestyle. One day, Astina approached Joell and asked her,
"Would you do me a small favour?"
"Sure," Joell replied.
"Help me look for the princess's emerald necklace. She wants to wear it to dinner tonight, but I can't find it."
Joell followed Astina into the royal chambers and helped her look for the necklace, but neither found it. Finally, they gave up, and Astina told the princess that they hadn't found the necklace. At this, the princess threw herself into a tantrum, screaming and yelling accusations of irresponsibility and deception at Astina. Astina tried to calm her down, but only succeeded in attracting the attention of the queen as well. Suddenly, Astina was being accused of stealing from the royal family. Although she had not committed any misdeed, she panicked and blamed Joell, telling the royal family about how she had asked Joell to help her find the necklace. "That's when she stole it," Astina asserted several times.
Joell was arrested the next day, and although she pleaded with the truth, royalty did not believe the words of the orphan, and she suffered a flogging before being thrown out beyond the city walls. Much more wiser about the world, Joell travelled back to where she had come from, and wouldn't have anything more to do with Astina.
For a while, Astina felt guilty about abusing the power that she now realised she possessed, but soon, she began stealing - small things, and resold them to the people for a higher price. Through this dishonest practice, she made much profit.
One day, the princess sneaked out of the palace and went down to the marketplace disguised as a peasant, and saw some of her own rings for sale - and Astina collecting the money that a customer paid for one of them. Astina herself was flamboyantly dressed, her clothing bought with her ill-gotten profits.
Consequently, Astina was also banished from that city; but unlike Joell, she had no one to return to or take care of her. Neither did she have the favourable characteristics that she had owned when she and Joell first met; she had changed too much, and had become mean and selfish during her pursuit for wealth, so none who dwelled in the wilds would extend their hospitality to her. She died in the wild lands.