strike a match.

Aerissia was half an hour's walk from the manor.

Out here, in the idyllic countryside, the threat of Apostles and the Deep seemed impossibly far away. The sunshine and brisk winter's air helped Damian to straighten out his thoughts, and by the time he arrived in Aerissia, he was calmer and more focused.

The main city of the Duchy was perhaps half the size of Rosweiss, and far less developed than the royal capital. Most buildings had only one or two floors, and were made of old-fashioned white or red brick. Only the newest buildings were made of steel and glass, and those were likely reserved for government services or the duke's personal usage. 

Several boulevards cut through the city, wide enough to accommodate dozens of people walking abreast. A central tram line trundled down the center, with just enough space for the rare automobile to cruise past.