Straw was outside playing with Dory while Apple was playing with the two guards. They were playing tag with him, which he was enjoying, but the guards were not having it. They had no choice but to obey whatever the king said. Straw just sat down in the garden, staring at Berryanna's office window, hoping she would show herself as usual.
She hugged her knees, waiting. The curtains did not move.
Apple ran past the guards again. One of them tried to grab him and missed. Apple laughed loudly. The other guard bent forward, hands on his knees, breathing hard. Apple clapped his hands once and ran again.
Dory chased nothing in particular, jumping at air, rolling on the grass, then sprinting back to Straw before running off again.
Straw did not laugh. Her eyes stayed on the window.
"Lady Fayrouza, I am stepping out for a meeting," Berryanna said.
Straw's head snapped up..She stood too quickly, brushing grass from her dress.
