Willow was nervous as she followed Elise out the door. Walking the lows held a certain fear for her. Willow wanted to cower from every glance she received and couldn't help but imagine all the terrible things that could happen to her on these streets. Yet with Elise around her safety felt like an indisputable fact. Elise was not the type to back down. She moved with incredible confidence despite her limp. It was as if the streets belonged to her.

The city around them was as vibrant as ever. Stalls and street merchants peddled their wares, occasionally you could see one getting shaken down by the guardsmen. Willow watched as a collection of twelve men with signs marched down the street. The signs bore slogans supporting one of the claimants to the throne. They looked like inhabitants of the lows but-

"Something doesn't feel right about those people," Willow quietly commented. "They don't seem interested in what they're doing,"

Elise followed her gaze. "Yep. Their signs are all too similar. They were probably handed to them. Their shoes are too good and too clean. That's often the mark of a soldier. They dressed them up as poor folk but missed the shoes. Then there's the complete lack of interest as you noted. They're probably being paid to wave those signs around,"

Elise waited for them to pass before continuing down the street.

"Why?" Willow asked as they walked. "What good does sending people with a few signs into the lows do?"

"Well, the lows are notorious for being full of dissatisfied people. I think the goal was to convince the people who don't like the status quo to join in. It would make it look like their paymaster had organic support among the people. But they are so damn insincere in their efforts it falls flat and everyone can see they are bought goons,"

Willow stayed behind Elise as they walked. She didn't want to get in the way. So she stayed back a step as they talked. Elise looked over at her, measuring the distance between them with a touch of sad disappointment in her eye. But still, the conversation flowed casually.

"But why does having support with the people matter? The lords and merchants are the ones who have the power aren't they?"

"The 'powerful' tell us again and again that we're weak, powerless and without influence. Funny how they then turn around and try to convince the people around them that people like us are on their side," Elise gave Willow a meaningful glance. "Almost like none of those things are true,"

Willow wasn't powerful and she wasn't influential. In most cases, she'd prefer to be completely unseen. To vanish. She was most comfortable when she was being ignored yet part of her still craved validation. To be acknowledged. The group of unenthusiastic demonstrators faded into the bustle of city streets as they marched away. They left little impact on the people they passed who largely ignored them.

"There will be more demonstrations like that before the week is out I think and they'll be just as effective,"

Elise approached a shop with Willow a step behind her. The shop had the words 'Grunty's and Grue's Second Hand Store' written over the door in fading white paint. Tables had been set out on the street next to the door and were covered in all kinds of brick' a brack. Teacups, vases, pottery, flowers, pots, pans and all kinds of common miscellaneous items were piled unceremoniously on the tables. The bright colours of the decorated objects stood in stark contrast to the drab exterior of the store.

"A few things before we go in; they don't do many checks on where the goods they're selling came from. A lot of it is legitimate stuff sold to them by people who needed to get rid of something or a few extra coins. But there's some stuff that'll be from some less scrupulous individuals. Avoid anything that seems too precious and is too cheap. It may have an owner searching for it. Oh and before I forget here's your day's pay from yesterday. Spend it however you like,"

Elise pressed fifteen silver into Willow's hand. It was five times what she had been expecting.

She couldn't help but protest "This is way too much. Can you afford this?"

"It's fine, I make plenty of money and I have fairly substantial savings. Truth be told I don't spend much normally. It kind of builds up after a while,"

Willow looked at the clean, shiny coins in her hand and then at her slightly scruffy apron-wearing master. In her mind a question had taken form. Like many of the questions she wanted the answers to she was scared to ask it. She was worried that if she did, something would change between her and Elise. She was scared of asking a question Elise didn't want to answer. But Elise had been tolerant this far. She had forgiven all of her mistakes. With a deep breath, Willow asked her question.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Why are you still in the lows then? Can't you move to a better area?"

Elise responded with a shrug.

"I just find things much simpler down in the lows. There's much less blind arrogance and despite its reputation, I find many of its people to be nicer. Perhaps that's just me. I hate pointless pomp and pageantry and the people here a lot more direct than in the upper districts. In a way the lows make me feel like I've come home. Now shall we spend some money?"

Willow followed Elise into the shop. Elise's shop was dimly lit due to a lack of windows and being crowded by the buildings around it. This shop was dim due to the tall stacks of random junk that blocked the light from outside. Narrow alleys and paths twisted their way through the clutter. Much of it was gaudy and colourful. There were clothes, there were sets of cutlery, there were implements for fireplaces, medical goods, children's toys, musical instruments, writing implements, torn and battered books and all of it was piled to the ceiling. Through these tight passages between the stacks of clutter, they made their way until they came to a clear area near the back of the shop.

A thin man with a pointed nose and a moderate length line sat behind the counter. A broken pair of glasses missing one of its lenses served him as a monocle as he examined some documents. Beside him was a rack filled to the brim with worn and weathered wands. Willow caught Elise casting a spiteful glance at it. The man hadn't looked up from what he was reading so Elise sauntered up to the counter and cleared her throat. Only his eye moved, it lifted from whatever text he was reading to focus on Elise. Then it shifted focus to Willow drinking in every available detail. His gaze made her deeply uncomfortable.

"What can I help you with today Elise?" his wheezing voice spoke with practised politeness and butlerish mannerisms. "And if I may? Can I ask who is accompanying you today?"

"This is Willow, my apprentice. She's the reason why I'm here. She'll be picking some stuff out for herself but I'm looking for an apron for her, a sewing kit, a set of wood chisels, an old, thick curtain, a hairbrush and a washbasin that doesn't have a hole in it,"

For a moment his wheezing voice dropped all pretences at politeness. "Grunty get over here! Customers!" his hoarse voice yelled before switching back to his more calm and posh speech. "You have an apprentice? I never pictured you as the type. That is surprising. Tell me what prompted you to take her on?"

"Fishing for info, really? I thought you'd be doing enough business of that sort today already. Besides, there can't be much of a market for information about me,"

The man who Willow was assuming was called Grue leaned back in his chair.

"You'd be surprised. You are something of an anomaly and you have made a number of enemies. Some even willing to pay for details they think they can use against you,"

A large rotund woman with a long pointed nose similar to Grue's and a line of identical length emerged from the stacks of goods. She carried a shovel and looked every bit like an old child-eating hag from the fairytales. She was oddly energetic. It was like she couldn't ever be still.

"Oh customers, great!" She was overflowing with boundless enthusiasm and sincere friendliness, it infected every word she spoke. "How can I help?"

The man behind the counter repeated the list of things Elise had just asked him for and in an instant she was bounding away. She slipped through the stacks and piles of second-hand goods with impressive agility. This was her forest and she was on the hunt for a bunch of the objects it contained.

"Don't be afraid to rummage around to see if you can find some clothes you like. If you can't, don't worry there are other shops," Elise said gesturing to some of the piles.

With a simple nod, Willow started carefully sorting through the stacked clothes. Most of it was pretty clean, here and there there were patches of mismatched fabrics had been sewn on to cover holes. Some garments were bright and colourful but others had lost their colours with time, use and repeated washes. Willow had never been shopping before. Most of her clothes had been handed to her with the implication she should be thankful for getting anything. As she searched she listened to Grue and Elise talk.

"I know you like to project the air that you're some sort of devious info broker but I know you're making less money from it than you're getting from just running the shop,"

"That is true, for the moment. Once I get some good clients and build myself a reputation I'll be able to earn myself considerable income from it,"

Gingerly Willow pulled a shirt from the middle of the pile, wary that the whole mess might fall on her. It was a little too big for her but it would do.

"I suspect things won't be that simple. You know being a good information broker means you know things that put you and the people around you in danger?"

She freed more suitable clothes from the dense collection of second-hand junk. There was something she found satisfying about searching around and digging out something she liked. It was like she was hunting for treasure. The conversation between Elise and Grue continued around.

"I shall be fine. Besides, I suspect I'll be able to earn a pretty penny should I ever figure out your secrets 'Elise' "

Willow froze in place.

"What does he mean?" she whispered.

He turned his gaze back to Willow. "You don't know, do you? Elise is an alias it is not her real name,"

"You hired someone to do divination on me, didn't you? That seems like a misallocation of your funds. But divination is a tricky thing with a lot of nuances to it,"

Elise turned to look at Willow. Elise's voice and eyes contained no doubt only absolute certainty. "Elise is my real name. It has not always been my real name but it is who I am right now. It is who I choose to be,"