Eventually, the Lady Saddy set up camp for the night. She hitched her horse to a thick tree, feed, and brushed it. In watching Saddy brush her horse, Gabs was forcefully reminded of the origins of her lady. Only a trained servant would handle a horse with such efficiency and care.

Instead of setting up a tent, Saddy swung herself on a thick low-hanging branch and climbed a little way up. Finding a strong cross between branches, she pulled a course tan blanket over herself. Out of her pocket, rations were produced and nibbled on while staring thoughtfully at the sunset.

Gabs watched her for a little while and wondered if she should climb a tree to rest for the night. Saddy did so. Surely, she should too. But, Gabs sternly reminded herself, she wasn’t supposed to be here. She wasn’t supposed to have seen her lady climb a tree like a possum.

Gabs suddenly felt like an intruder. If Saddy saw her, she wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms. Her presence wouldn’t render a smile on the lady’s face. Rather, Gabs thought, Saddy would scowl or, even worse, she wouldn’t warrant a response at all. She would be nothing more than air to be rushed past and ignored. It would be just like what happened in the hallway.

“If I’m worth nothing, why am I here?” Gabs muttered under her breathe. “What’s the point?”

Although her mind knew the answer, her heart answered. Aldren.
Aldren had asked her, specifically, to be his wife’s handmaiden. Aldren smiled when he asked her to be Saddy’s companion and confidant. She had gladly promised to do so.

For her love of him, she was nothing now and less to his wife.

But, for love and a promise, she was here, setting up a small tent, and taking care of her horse.