"So, you would like to lodge here?" Panther asked.

"Yes, please. I will work, I'll do the chores, I can even pay rent. But this is closer to the castle, until I find my own apartments."

I spoke with Panther over breakfast, other curious muses watching the exchange. I thought I would be gone from here. I was so sure before I left for the castle, but after offering my loyalty to Rorik, this was now the best part of Unays for me to live in while being able to walk to the castle and still afford the rent.

"Well, I don't see why not. You don't eat much and Orchid has seemed better for having you here. No need for rent but if you can care for the horses, ride them brush them feed them clean the stables. That takes up the most time for us. Could you do that?" Panther asked.

The offer was definitely in my favor, and the crafty old muse knew it. "Thank you, Panther. I promise it's just until I can find rooms of my own." Preferably rooms not owned by one of the councilmen.

"You really can't go back to Addah and Abe?" Panther asked quietly.

"No," I admitted. "But I really do want somewhere near the castle. Lights district is much more central to where I need to go right now anyway."

"Alright then. You can start today. After lunch Moon and Star can show you how we care for them and where all the tools are.  Today would be their turn to do it, so it can be a last day for them and a first day for you with help." Panther said.

"Thank you," I said again. "I have an errand to run, but I should be back well before lunch."

"Be safe." Panther said, taking the breakfast dishes to the kitchen.

Wearing my inconspicuous skirts, tunic, and boots, I felt more myself than I had in days as I went out the door in high spirits. The road to the castle was crowded with nobles who had slept off their feast and were finally traveling home. Walking against the flow of people slowed me down but I made it to the gates by the tenth bell. Captain Pettypiece was at the gates, watching the crowd with sharp eyes. I want to say I saw him before he saw me, but I'm pretty sure I didn't as the moment I came into view he nodded my way.

"Is there news for your uncle?" I asked, keeping to the same story I used the first time.

"Yes, here you are." He pulled a small package from his tunic and handed it over. "Keep it safe." He looked down his crooked nose at me, not letting go of his side of the package right away. My eyes grew wide with his intensity. It was nearly a threat of 'don't disapoint the prince' and it sent a chill down my spine.

I took her small bundle and went back to Panther House. The curiosity was getting under my skin, but I wouldn't risk opening it on the streets. Finally back, I ran up to Orchid's room and landed on the bed.

The small package was mostly flat but a hard lump rose in the middle. I broke the wax seal, a bear on his heind legs and three stars around him. The royal crest of the third prince. I opened the parchment and out fell a bronze ring with an inverted design similar to the bear with three stars, but the head of the bear faced the other direction. I unfolded the parchment and looked down at the letter. It was a jumble of random letters at first until I realized he had written in the same cypher Davery did. I had to think to remember what the code word was and rolled my eyes when I remembered it was 'Ladymaid'. I got out some charcoal from downstairs where Panther does the bookkeeping and began to translate.

    Sly,

      This is a slightly varied copy of my own heraldic ring. It can get you into the palace on my business. It will also work as a seal for sending me a letter. Don't use it often or I fear you will draw the wrong kind of suspicion to yourself, but use it if you have the need. Your brother had a love for the people of the city, I believe you do too or at least you want to carry on his work. This we have in common and for whatever reason I trust you. Thank you for your honesty and your help. Wander the city, keep an eye on the properties who's rents raise. Listen to the people, especially those who feel they need to speak in hushed tones. Meet with me in one week's time in the library at the first bell after midday. Tell no one of our connection, G has ears everywhere.

    ~R

I read the letter over twice and burned it. I would hate for anyone to get a hold of it, especially since I had the translation written on it.

I was looking forward to being in Rorik's service, especially if it meant continuing Davery's vision, but I wasn't sure what exactly I would have to do. I did know my skills weren't up to snuff to be a royal spy, if in fact that is what he wanted of me. It seemed to be what he needed right now, anyway.

After I cared for the horses with Moon and Star I could go to Bricker again, perhaps Dirk too. Bricker would help my grappling skills and Dirk would teach me any number of things respectable people wouldn't know. Maybe I would even see what Grahm or Jexa had to teach me.

I could feel the obsession creeping in since watching my brother die right in front of me. I was hungry for more knowledge, more skills. I wanted any tool I could get my hands on at this point to help take down Lord Girault and be of use to Rorik. Even though he teased me and was smarter than even Davery had been, he cared for the people and was willing to play dirty to help them. Not exactly model behavior for a prince, but certainly for a third son with too much time on his hands and a mind too clever for his own good. I would put my trust in him. Davery had, after all. Other than Grethan he was usually a good judge of character, but Grethan had gotten to Davery's protective side when he helped at the fire.

I let a heavy sigh out and fought a tear attempting to start the crying all over again. No. Crying won't bring him back, but I could honor him by finishing what he started. I fingered the bronze ring, admiring the craftsmanship. He must have had one already made and ready to hand out, because there was no way this could have been made last night. He had said he was trying to gather his own loyal council. Most royals or nobles that played in the politics of the kingdom probably kept their own council, I supposed. At the moment it only seemed to be me and Captain Pettypiece that Rorik claimed as trustworthy and loyal to him. I just hoped I could live up to the helpfulness of the captain. He seemed a good soldier and an intimidating figure. And he was the one Rorik had sent to follow me to find the Dragon. I made a mental note to not underestimate his skills. For such a tall figure who normally stood out, he could tail someone unnoticed in broad daylight.

Right, focus. All I need to know about Pettypiece right now is that he can be trusted. If I was going to have any worthwhile information for Rorik I was going to have to get into the city and listen.

I went downstairs for lunch. I wanted to quickly do her chores and get out of the house. If I could care for the horses in the mornings then practice with Bricker and Dirk in the afternoon, my evenings would be free. If my evenings were free I would be in the taverns at the best time of night to hear the whispers that might help us the most. I smiled after having made my plan. The daily schedule would keep me busy, I was always best when I had something to focus on. Today I started my life as a rogue to the prince.

~~~

"Again." Dirk said. He had me tumbling various locks in a race against time. If he thought I wasn't doing them fast enough, I received a swift whack on the back of my head.

I had been doing this for over an hour and my speed was picking up quickly. Dirk agreed to meet me at a shadier tavern he used to frequent years ago. The whole room was poorly lit and there were few patrons there this early in the afternoon, but it was someplace he could teach me his tricks and no one would bat an eye. He had several padlocks of varying skill levels across the table and I was beginning to get the hang of the moderate to high level ones.

"Not too bad, I think we can stop for today." He said. I smiled up at him, Dirk was a fairly hard teacher and his praise was rare. He had found out about my night long ago finding Marak's indentured debt papers and how long it had taken me to open the simple desk lock at the time. Dirk, in his gruff way of things, told me it was a sloppy job that could have cost me my head.

"Thanks, Dirk." I sighed leaning back. My hands were cramping from holding the picks so tight.

"Same time tomorrow?" He asked.

"No, I think I need to let Bricker beat me up before I get out of practice." I said. That brought a laugh from Dirk.

"I'll be here when you need me." He patted my shoulder as he got up from the booth. I stood and stretched with a groan. My back was stiff from sitting hunched over the table for so long.

"I'll see you later then." I left through one of the many doors. 'Never go out the same door you came in if you can help it' Dirk was always saying. It was fair advice I suppose. I hadn't really done anything yet to be followed over, unless Grethan still thought I knew something about this map.

It was nearing dinnertime and I wanted to visit the popular eating houses around Hammer district tonight. Already I had found some streets in Foothills, Lake and Green that had housing problems. It was as though something had been put into motion right after the Harvest festival. People were moving in with relatives just to afford to live inside the city. Not only was there housing problems with people who were already in the city but soldiers that had just come back from the war front couldn't find places to stay. Many of the soldiers had family to return to, but as many more were single men when they joined for the war they came back with no where to go. Some had no family or lost what family they might have had in the last four years and could be found sleeping in temples or on porches of inns that would let them. This shocked me the most, I had been cooped up in Panther House for most of the time since the soldiers returned and hadn't seen it with my own eyes until my first night under Rorik.

I told the muses about the housing situation and how it was spreading. They all spent an afternoon sewing and repairing some of their old clothes. They were going to take them to the main Bliss Temple for anyone who needed them. Bliss would always care for those who needed comfort, especially if they were out in the street. The Hearth temple was the fullest, being the lord of family and homes. His priests were busy feeding and keeping dry and warm dozens of men. Of course the soldiers would help clean or repair parts of the temple for their time there but with more turning there for help each day

That wouldn't be the only problem either, while the harvest that year had been plentiful I had a difficult time for some reason finding flour. I did some of the market shopping for Panther House that morning and a shocking number of farmer stalls were out of wheat and flour. They had sold out already despite my shopping quite early in the morning. No one could say who bought it either which was the worst part. Just about every farmer I spoke to said it was just hired men to buy and carry back the flour, never saying who they worked for. To the farmers it would appear to be a bakery perhaps or winter stores for a large estate, being the first few weeks after the Harvest festival the flour was finally milled and people were filling their winter pantries, but most of the stalls sold out as soon as they opened. I was finally able to get some and I bought much more than the house needed, in case they couldn't find more before winter set in.

That night I had settled into a quiet corner of the Whistling Dog near Hammer District's market. It was a popular place to hear the chatter of this part of town. Fewer and fewer of the lowest class came to the taverns. They had sensed the trouble ahead and held tight to every coin they had. The merchants and craftsman were all I saw enter the tavern that night, and even then many of them only bought one drink and nursed it for as long as they could. I'd never seen anything like it.

The murmers there were much the same as everywhere. Rents had suddenly grown out of preportion and now even buildings the Council hadn't bought were going up a little. Not as much thankfully, but still it rose. People spoke freely now of the living expenses around the city. The ones that were the safest, in terms of their homes anyway, were the servants that quartered in their masters' homes. In the most hushed tones rumblings that Hearth wouldn't stand for so much homelessness spread and some were saying the king would be divinly punished for letting this happen. It was the first of that sort of talk that I had heard and it scared me more than even the public realization of the housing situation. I wasn't sure what would happen if they started talking about the flour too.

As it got darker outside and the room thinned out folks got more comfortable with their talk. The ale helped too. I knew from years at the Snoring Dragon that now would be when I heard the best whispers. I scooted closer to the edge of the booth when I heard the men at a nearby table start up a conversation.

"They come back next week don' they?" A gruff voice said.

"Aye, the Prince General is leading this group back. Where they're going to stay and what they're going to eat I don't know." The other man replied.

Oh gods. This is going to get worse and the nights are growing colder with the first frost approaching. I still had two days of listening around town before I met Rorik again. If the middle class districts were as disgruntled as the lowest ones what were the higher areas like?

I paid for my drink and left. I suppose I'd find out tomorrow.