The Escape Artist

Cyder pressed his back against the palace wall, listening for footsteps. The morning sun painted Chang'an's rooftops golden, but he had eyes only for the bustling market below. Silk banners fluttered between wooden stalls where merchants called out their wares.

"Perfect," he whispered, spotting a gap between the guards.

He slipped through the servant's gate, his heart racing with excitement. The palace felt like a cage sometimes, all lessons and ceremonies. But out here? Freedom waited.

The market's sounds hit him like music. Vendors shouted prices for jade combs and spiced tea. A blacksmith's hammer rang against metal. Children darted between the stalls, laughing.

Cyder pulled his hood up and stepped into the crowd. Nobody would recognize the prince here, dressed in his simplest clothes. He was just another boy exploring the greatest city in the world.

A fruit seller's cart caught his attention, piled high with pomegranates and pears. But something else made him stop completely.

A girl stood near the silk merchant's stall, and she was beautiful.

The Silk Merchant's Eyes

Cyder stepped closer to the silk stall, pretending to examine a blue scarf. The girl had long black hair that caught the sunlight, and she wore a simple green dress. When she turned, their eyes met.

"Oh!" she gasped, dropping the silk ribbon she'd been holding.

Cyder rushed forward to pick it up. "Here," he said, offering the ribbon with his best smile.

"Thank you." Her cheeks turned pink. "I'm Naya."

"I'm... Cy," he said quickly, not wanting to reveal his real name.

A sparrow landed on the merchant's cart nearby, chirping loudly. The silk merchant, a smart woman with short gray hair, looked up from arranging her wares.

"You two seem young to be shopping alone," she said, studying them carefully.

Naya's face grew redder. "I was just looking."

The merchant's sharp eyes lingered on Cyder's clothes. Even his simplest outfit was finer than most people wore. "Those are expensive boots for a market boy," she muttered.

Cyder's heart pounded. He grabbed Naya's hand. "Want to see the tea stalls?"

Before she could answer, he pulled her away into the crowd.