To the west of the harbor lay a flat piece of barren land, where, in late spring, summer, and early autumn, large markets often took place. People from all around the Ducal Lands would gather here to sell their cattle, dogs, and horses. Some would even travel from other territories for the event. The animal markets, together with their glass-blowing artisans were the highlights of Yalda. But right now, there were no sheep or horses, or cows there. During the last winter, a small dilapidated town had appeared on the muddy, wet field. The houses, if they could be called that, were made out of everything a soul could find lying around – pieces of wood, old planks, torn sails, branches, pieces of fabric, spanned over some sticks, mud, straw, old barrels. There were no roads, only small slippery footpaths between the run-down dwellings. The stench of rotten fish and seaweed from the harbor was mixed with the unpleasant odor of garbage and cramped bodies. The settlement was unusually quiet, even though it was the middle of the day. There was almost no living soul in sight, and even the few people present hastily ran away at the sight of the newcomers.

Lorelei and her companions followed the young boy, whose name turned out to be Kai, to a small shack near the water. It looked a bit better, compared to the rest, as if its owner had previous experience in either building or camping out. There was even a small boat near the house, but it was so rotten that it could barely stay afloat.

Kai ran forward, his squishing steps loud in the eerie silence. His young voice rang over the gentle splashing of the nearby water.

“Grandfather, grandfather, I am back! I brought guests.”

“May the mountain wolfs eat me! What guests?” a cranky reply came from inside the hut. “We don’t have even a crumb of bread and you are dragging me even more mouths to feed!”

The flap on the entrance lifted and an old binshi man came out. His clothes hung around his body and his long hair fell in sticky tufts around his haggard face. The man stopped in front of the entrance and measured up the newcomers. He spat on the ground and clicked his tongue.

“Now what do we have here? By the looks of it, a rich young master, a little mistress playing with our sacred customs, and a toothless wolf-cub. So, what do you want from an old beggar and his pups, your lordships? If you are looking for fun and entertainment, you have chosen poorly.”

“Know your place, kudash!” Rish bared her teeth at him and at that moment she truly looked like a wild animal. “You have no idea who you are talking to. Watch your mouth.”

“And what are you going to do to me?” The old man spat again, his spittle landing pretty close to their feet this time. “Are you going to not only insult but also beat your elders, youngling? Go on, your ancestors are watching. Or are you going to kill me even? There is not much life left in these old bones anyway. Heh, I should turn into a wraith and haunt you and your kin! And as for my pups, they would be better off this world than slowly dying of hunger. Just scram, stop gloating at people’s misery.”

“No, grandfather, you are wrong!” Kai jumped in just in time to prevent a brawl. “They are here to help Anuk. Please, calm down. Look, I even got us bread.”

The old man froze, looking at the big loaf in the boy’s hands. All of a sudden, his face darkened and he gave Kai a mighty slap, almost making him drop his precious cargo.

“Stupid child, where did you get the coins for that? Did you steal it? If so, go away. There is no place for thieves under my roof.”

“Quell your anger, honorable elder.” Lorelei who was watching from the side finally spoke up. “This bread was a gift from me. Kai didn’t steal it.”

“Oh, everything is fine then.” The man’s face was full of contempt. “Such generosity. By the Morning Star, you are even peskier than those black leeches you call nuns that have been crawling around lately! So, am I supposed to grovel in your feet and thank you, mistress? Well, it was your people who drove us to this state in the first place, so my ancestors will punish me if I were to do that. Or maybe you are here to preach and try to convert me to your gods like those accursed nuns!?”

“I don’t know what hardships you’ve been through, elder.” Lorelei remained calm and polite. “Please, believe me when I say that I desire no thanks from you. Gifting this bread was… just a lady’s whim, unworthy of attention. And I am here now also on a whim, for your grandson’s plea has touched my heart. There is nothing more to read into it.”

“Grandfather, please, let her in. The lady said she can help Anuk. Please!”

Kai came closer and tugged at his grandfather’s clothes. The old binshi frowned, glaring daggers at Lorelei and her company. She, however, didn’t even flinch. This was no way near the terrifying looks Noah could throw when he was angry. The two stared at each other for a while. Then the old man cursed in a low voice and went back inside. Counting this as receiving this grudging permission, Lorelei followed him.

The inside of the hut was narrow, yet, everything considered, surprisingly clean. There was only enough place for Lorelei and Jessup, so Rish decided wisely to stay outside. In the cramped poorly lit space, Lorelei could discern a small bundle lying near one of the walls. Kai rushed there immediately, pulling the bundle gently away. Curled in the shabby blanket was a little girl with a pale face and huge eyes. Around her tiny mouth, there were some black smears and dried black crumbs. Seeing her, Lorelei’s throat tightened and a suspicion started to bud. Kai’s desperate cry only confirmed it.

“Anuk, no! You’ve been eating dirt again!”

“Sorry, brother.” Her answer was so low and weak that it was almost inaudible. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. “I was hungry. My tummy is hurting so much.”

The boy hugged his little sister and cradled her for a bit, whispering gently to her.

“Everything is fine. Big brother is here. I’ve brought you a huge loaf of fresh bread. And I also met a fairy. She said she will cure your tummy.”

“Really!?” The girl stopped crying and her eyes became even bigger from amazement. At that moment they looked like two precious sapphires.

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“Really, little one,” said Lorelei and leaned closer. “Will you let me touch your tummy for a moment?”

The girl nodded with a trusting expression. Lorelei’s fingers gently touched her belly. It was slightly protruding and hard. She carefully pressed here and there until Anuk flinched and gave out a small yelp.

“Kai, how long has she been eating dirt?” The young woman’s face was serious.

“I first saw her a week ago,” he answered and his voice was full of fear. “We... we had nothing to eat and she... Will she die? Lady fairy, can you help her? Please, save Anuk. I’ll do anything for you!”

“Do not worry, she won’t die,” Lorelei said confidently to him and stroke the little girl’s cheek to calm her down. “Everything will be fine. It hasn’t been that long. We just need to purge her tummy and she’ll get better. Jessup.”

“Yes, my lady,” the squire readily answered.

“I want you to run to the harbor. Find a pharmacy or a spice merchant and bring me some sena-leaves. I also need some licorice root. Do you remember, the black things I gave you on the ship?”

“Yes, I remember, my lady. But… I can’t leave you alone. Master ordered me to protect you…”

“I have Rish with me so it will be fine.” Lorelei was unyielding before Jessup’s puppy-pleading look.

“But my, lady…”

“Do you want to imply that lady Rish is too weak to protect me from an old man and a malnourished child?” She tilted her head. “Besides, this little girl needs your help. A knight is supposed to help the needy. Especially if it is a young damsel.”

“Alright, my lady. You win.” Jessup’s head hung in capitulation. His mistress was just as bad as the master!

“Good.” Lorelei gave him her money pouch. “Bring also a few dried prunes, if you can find any.”

Jessup nodded and immediately ran away under the premise that the faster he went, the faster he would be back again. The moment he left, Rish’s head popped inside.

“I can’t let you sit here on your own, my lady, or the lord will have my neck.”

"What, you think I'll put a curse on your mistress or something?" grumbled the old man.

Without an answer, the young woman entered and sat down, ignoring the glares the other binshi was giving her. For a while everyone was silent. Then Anuk’s little voice broke the tension.

“Are you really a fairy, pretty lady?”

Her innocent question made the grown-ups chuckle and Kai blush beet red.

“Well, I don’t think I am. I do not have wings, do I?”

“But you have a moon on your forehead.” The girl sounded very serious. “So, you must be friends with lady Morning Star, right? Mother used to say that all the friends of the Morning Star are fairies. So, you are a fairy.”

“That…” Lorelei was confused by the child’s logic. What do you say to that?

“My lady is not a fairy,” Rish suddenly said, drawing everyone’s attention. “She is more than that. She is shimshi!”

“Such blasphemy!” the old man huffed. Somehow his attitude was getting even edgier than a few moments ago.

“It is true. The lady personally saved the life of my turgan and many others.”

“Oh, really? She saved a turgan?! And what clan might you be from, little insolent cub?”

“I am Rish, daughter of Torangar, and my turgan is Gerashgor of Wolf Mountain.”

The old man snorted.

“I see, you are from the life-bonded traitors. Tell me, how does it feel to wag your tail for an arrogant limerian master, youngling? Sacrificing your soul for an outsider?”

“How dare you insult my lord?!”

The woman was about to jump, but Lorelei tugged her down by the belt and shook her head slightly. The old man, unfortunately, didn’t stop there.

“How do I dare? Listen, pup, all limerians are the same. They only take and take away. How do you think we ended up here? These two I found five weeks ago – hungry, tired, shackle marks still visible on their wrists and feet. They were forced to work in a lord’s mine! Who do you think made slaves out of them? It was the dirty limerians! They are all just a heartless, greedy, arrogant bunch…”

“Stop it, grandfather!” Kai’s scream interrupted him.

The boy was standing trembling in the middle of the hut, his eyes glassy and his fists tightly clenched.

"You’re right.” His voice was shaky. “The dirty Limerians put us in shackles. But… this lady is Limerian, and she said she’ll save Anuk. Our… our mama was also a dirty Limerian but… she loved Anuk and me, and father more than anything; she was good and liked to laugh, and her hugs were so warm... I… I miss her so much! Mama was killed because she gave birth to us… to ‘filth’. Father’s people, the Binshi, killed her. They beat up father until he couldn’t move and threw us three into a cart. But we slipped out of the shackles. We… left father behind and ran… ran away, just like the dirty, ungrateful filth we are! Mama died because of us mixed-breeds. Father is in that hell because of us mixed-breeds. Our blood is tainted. I just wonder… which half."

After his last words, the boy stood there breathing heavily. His body was swaying like a leaf in the wind. From inside the blanket, Anuk’s sobs could be heard. The old man hung his head ashamed and even Rish looked away. Without a word, Lorelei stood up and pressed the boy to her chest. As if a dam had broken. Tears started flowing out unstoppably. His cries were even more heart-wrenching than at the time when the guard’s whip was hitting him.

“You did great, Kai. You did nothing wrong. You saved Anuk and managed to come here. Your parents will be so very proud of you,” she whispered in his ear, while he pressed himself deeper into her embrace.

Little by little the boy calmed down. He sat on the dirt floor and held his sister’s hand in silence.

“Where was the duke when all this happened?” The old man’s voice came again, but this time there was only sorrow and desperation in it. “He had promised that we too are going to be his people. Then why didn’t he help us, when we were starving? Why didn’t he protect us, when we were hunted like animals? He was fighting far in the South against some people that haven’t done anything to Norden.”

“When the emperor summons him, he has no other choice but to obey,” Lorelei answered solemnly. “Believe me, elder, the duke would never tolerate such a thing, if he was here and knew what’s going on. Now that he is back, I am sure he will do everything to help.”

“You are so young and naïve, child,” sighed the old man and rubbed his face. There was no longer malice in his speech. “He is up there in his shining castle. Why would he bother with small people like us? At most he will only drive us away for trespassing in his territory. We are just a burden.”

“He is not such a man, elder! He cares deeply for his people.”

“Dear child, I will believe this, if I ever see the duke coming to this dirty god-forsaken place. But he won’t. A nobleman is a nobleman, a peasant is a peasant. “

“But I came here, elder.” Lorelei’s eyes were shining.

Before the old binshi could answer, Jessup’s scream came from outside.

“My lady, come out quickly!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lorelei jumped out, followed closely by Rish. Right in front of the run-down shack stood a group of people. Jessup was there, head sunken between his shoulders like a tortoise. There were two unknown men with him, their capes adorned with a very familiar silver crest. Beside them, the towering Duncan gave a slight greeting bow. But Lorelei’s eyes were fixed only on the person at the very front – short hair swaying in the light breeze and his brow grimly furrowed. His low voice made her skin tinge.

“Good day, wife. This is the last place I was expecting to see you.”

Dear Gods, he was so angry!