y's

ng the herbs t

and grateful for

you ver

y been two hours, and Liam had w

et, hoping Beta Thomas would offer a goo

, I reached m

th people coming and going, each le

here must be

of herbs and cautio

man looked up

re you here for a consult

et my basket down besid

o discuss trading some

icked from the forest near my vil

erested, we co

"Oh," walked over, and carefully

erry, white grass

ly willing t

d confi

d the money a

ould you pa

d 20 coins, no

do you

esponded with

moment and nodd

to the capital wasn'

s to get Liam a

rapped the money in my pocket, bid far

ame noisy and chaotic, with

ding before me

rabbing a girl's arm, while she

ld, with her head bowed, hands clasped, and tear-f

way into the crowd an

, what's hap

on the commotion

ng handmaidens for the emperor, a

o the soldiers are scourin

she got cau

chance she'll es

ond

alace is a dream for many; why

ime in the capital, right? No wonder you h

ty; even the slightest displeasure cou

on chimed in

palace pays well, but you n

jealous, scheming consorts?

f person is

ented, with a commanding presenc

ver 300,000 troops and crushed 450,000 T

a rare red mole right in t

the mark of a bri

enter of the forehe

aster who mercilessly killed someone I

se crept int

, I turned to

l city really wasn

wrenching cries of the girl and h

ng I understood all too well. I took a deep breath, clenched my

helpless, tears brimming in her eye

streaked with gray, thin and tremb

g? You're with child, why

rds, everyone

eyes in surprise but quickly caught

ve me, m

re careful

soldiers, bowed, and slipped a few sil

s is my wife. She's ca

r have offended you, as

, felt the pouch I had given h

s woman was married? Do you know t

sed more silve

mirked with

time, I'll haul your entire famil

you ver

eft, everyone breat

tears in their eyes as

with them for a while,

d them some silver to h

le, a loud voice sudden

ere!" I turned a

on stared at me intently, then

definite

seiz

her soldiers stepped forward, twisted my arms behind

ed in fru

resting me?"But they wouldn't

mpletely at their mercy, shouti

black cloth to keep me fro

raced thro

iforms, they looked

arrested me out of no

ter, they threw me in

from my head, I squinted as