Ch.2.2: Trouble in Mills Yard

She made her way to the general store first, keeping sight of Reggie out of the corner of her eye. He was visiting the blacksmith on the corner. As she ordered and paid for three large satchels of flour she hid her concern that the price had gone up once more and instead listened to the conversation around her.

Two women who had just purchased some small things from the general store, stood to the side of the building. Apparently spring planting had not gone well this year. Something seemed to be wrong with the seed they were sold, and only the seed they had saved themselves was sprouting. The women complained that the merchants sent from the Brendwald dukedom had no issue scamming the folk of Mills Yard, though they didn't name Brendwald specifically.

Lianna frowned as the women moved on down the street. It was true that Duke Brendwald directed merchants through their county, and since they were backed by the duke, there was little the people of this county could do against them if they sold faulty products. And with seeds, they could blame it on how the farmers had planted it and get out of any responsibility. There were sure to be other products like that as well.

She watched the hired hand from the general store load the bags of flour into their cart and wondered if the flour itself had been adulterated. The health of her family and her county's people were at stake if so. Extending flour with plaster and other fillers would only serve to weaken the citizens, and if the price was also going up regardless, things were now worse than she had feared. And there was no alternative either. All the merchants traveled through the duke's land first and were likely endorsed by him.

Lianna had a hard time controlling the surge of anger that rose up in her. But that anger had nowhere to go. It settled into a tight lump in her stomach.

She thanked the hired hand at the general store, and then began to move down the street until she came to the pub. It was a low building built onto the side of the only inn in town. At the entrance, she stopped long enough to catch Reggie's eye and signaled discretely with her hand that she was going inside. At his nod, she turned and entered the pub.

She blinked to let her eyes adjust to the sudden low light. Her movements were followed by quick glances and a few open stares. She ignored them and made her way to the back counter. Karlin, the owner of the pub and the inn, was behind the counter, organizing the bowls of stew and drinks that would be taken out to the few patrons at the tables.

Karlin spotted her and waved. While most people in town didn't know who she was, Karlin was one of the few who did. He owned the inn and the pub while often acting as the town's mayor when someone in an official capacity was needed. His curly, mostly-gray hair was oiled on his head in thick but short ringlets. He was a bit shorter than most men, about a hand-width shorter than Reggie, but he was stocky and muscular, with only a bit of a belly that came from age and ale.

Karlin wiped his hands on his stained, canvas apron. "What can I do for you, miss?"

Lianna leaned slightly on the counter. "I'll have a small bowl of the stew and a halved ale."

"Sure thing, miss." He signaled to his wife who was heading back into the kitchen. When she approached, he repeated Lianna's order to her. With a quick, business smile and a nod, his wife went into the kitchen to get the food.

"How have things been? Any visitors passing through?" Lianna asked Karlin. She wanted to see if things had changed since the last time someone from her household had come into town. And ideally, if there were travelers, she might glean some information about the surrounding areas–possibly even the capital.

"About the same, miss. Though, this year seems to be a bit worse than the last, at least in terms of the goods merchants are bringing through. My business is surviving, but I can't say the same for the rest." Karlin's brows drew together, his whole expression radiating concern, but also resignation. There wasn't much that could be done. He smiled sadly and shrugged. "But I know how much the count has given us, even of his own resources, so there's no reason for you to feel upset by it, miss. We'll all just do the best we can."

Lianna's worry must have shown on her face. She quickly smoothed her expression and returned Karlin's smile. "I see. Yes, we'll do the best we can."

"Oh, and as for travelers, there are a few." He lowered his voice and pointed with his chin to a table where two men were sitting. Their clothing was quite nice, but they wore sour expressions on their faces. "Seems they are coming from the Rithan Duchy. I heard them say they were turned away at the border. But you're better off not mixing with them. I heard they have decided to make their way to the Brendwald Duchy since they are sore at Duke Rithan now." Though most believed Brendwald to be a benevolent if difficult man, Karlin and many people in their county knew him to be otherwise.

Karlin's wife brought the food and Karlin himself poured Lianna an ale cut halfway with water. She thanked Karlin for the info and began eating. Her eyes strayed to the two travelers once again. The men were angry at Duke Rithan, though if they were barred from entering the duchy, there had to be a good reason. Perhaps they were known in Rithan for something nefarious. But regardless, it seems their grudge had turned them into men seeking to get into Brendwald's good graces.

*Are the two dukes in opposition to each other? Are they enemies?* She tried to remember, but there was only the vague feeling that she knew something of Duke Rithan, something from her visions, but what that was, she had forgotten. In truth, most of her visions were now blurry or forgotten. She had only seen them briefly when she was ten years old after all. And the only ones that stuck with her were the ones that often filled her nightmares, mainly the ones of being sent off to Brendwald.

While she couldn't do anything about her lack of memory on the part of the visions, she could do something to find out more from the travelers.