the thoughts she had spread out into dreams

there was never any sure thing
she knew that

but she hoped still that her
dedication would pay off somehow
that if she followed this path as she had done before
it would all meet there in that city
and she would become queen

her pace was almost slow
a little cautious
she was still healing

her feet knew the pains of such travel
as did her heart
and her very cells were wary of such a trip again

but none of that talk

this was for the crown

no manner of bloody flesh torn from wild thorns
could stop her now

no

nothing could stop her now

she walked on in broad contemplation