City of Contrasts

Had she not been so short on time she would have ordered the coachman to take the long way around, but the sun was already low in the sky, and under no circumstances was she going to miss the party over at Junia’s place. All her friends would be there, or rather, all who mattered.

The carriage slowed down as they crossed the Sharp Stream, continuing at a gentle pace past the wooden buildings of East Yndaros. The coachman had been wise enough to choose the northernmost entrance, as far away as possible from the filth of the refugees. Still, she leaned back and kept the curtain closed. The swaying cloth offered a few glimpses of the locals, including a bunch of children lined up along the houses, their hands stretched out. With her grandmother’s instructions still ringing in her ears, she sighed and threw them a dozen coins, hoping they would not kill each other over her charity.

When the horses turned onto the Boulevard, after passing through Old Kadizar and the Harbor District, she finally pulled the curtain back and leaned forward. They had to make a few stops on their way to the Temple District. The wedding preparations were well underway: cobblestones were being scrubbed, facades repaired and polished, and Duchess Esmerelda’s banner was mounted on some of the buildings. Tomorrow she too would make herself presentable for the ceremony, but that was then. First she would have a magical night in the company of good friends, heightened by the dark intoxication of Krusean Berries, singing their thanks to the highest powers of the Eternal Night.