After breakfast—buttered bread and tea—my grandfather called me to the stables behind the house. He had promised me a tour, and a tour I would get.

We sat on a horse together as we rode out of the estate. The morning wind was chilly and as unforgiving as always. My entire wardrobe had been rearranged overnight. Fur coats, gloves, boots, and fluffy hats that belonged to my mother had been added to my daily uniform.

We entered the town from the west entry point. The rows and rows of tiny, poorly built wooden structures lined the sides of the street. Between them were narrow footpaths that allowed only a single person to navigate at a time.

"Why isn't anyone around?" I asked.

"Ahh," my grandfather said. "They have gone to work."

"Work? Where?"

"Ismere is known for coal production," he began. "So a great number of people work the mines. They often camp near the mines they are working. Others work in the barracks far off into the mountains over there, and some work in the farms towards the east. They leave to work at dawn. As for some of the women and children, they work in the noble estates for extra money. The only people you'll find at home at a time like this are the elderly, the sick, and infants. So here becomes a ghost town during the day."

"Farms? What could you possibly grow out here?"

"We grow kales and radishes, Brussels sprouts and carrots—plants that can survive the harsh climate—and we keep a variety of animals. The only thing we receive from Verdina is grain, which we convert to bread."

After a long pause, I finally gathered the courage to ask again.

"Why employ children?"

"Well," he said, "if you were starving, what would you do? Wouldn't you find a way to get food?"

"I would."

"Exactly. We aren't forcing these children to work. They come and find work for themselves to survive. I heard you didn't want the young maid I hired. Rest assured that she is more than capable. Children out here have been forced to mature faster than normal children like you."

His words cut deep. "Like you," huh? Well, I couldn't blame him for his comment. The Evelyn before him had never known hardship and had never suffered a day in her life.

When we passed the commoners' dwellings, we reached the noble housing. Some seemed empty, and the few that seemed inhabited were in poor condition. Grandfather explained that those who had enough wealth to relocate had long moved to House Ashford's territory. When we passed by, a few of them came out to greet my grandfather, who in turn introduced me to them.

We soon reached the town square, and he helped me down from the horse. We stood looking at the statue for a while. It was then that I realized the statue was a large compass. The Valtherion flag pointed southeast towards Vespera, the capital. The horse's head pointed south, and the rear pointed north. The compass coordinates were inscribed on the circular base of the statue.

"Why does this town even exist?" I asked absently. "Clearly, no one wishes to be here."

At this, he chuckled to himself. "Why did you want to come here?"

I then realized how odd my question was, considering what I had done. How embarrassing.

"I don't want to go too much into the boring history," he said. "The town was established as a stronghold of Valtherion to deter Tar from expanding inward. That's all. Everything you see here was constructed all at once. Nobles were moved here together with their servants. These servants became the people you see today, cramped in these structures. Eight hundred years later, you get Ismere. That's about the best summary I can give you, kiddo."

"Can I see the farm?"

"Certainly," he said, smiling, while helping me up the horse again and climbing on himself. "I also haven't been there for a while."

We navigated east of the town square, past the noble dwellings into the commoners' dwellings, and out of the town into open fields. There were multiple structures as we exited that took on a market-like setting—empty stalls and some occupied shops with smoke billowing up.

He noticed my gaze and started pointing out each building.

"This is a market. That's the miller, and that's a bakery. That's a butchery. All these other stalls mostly fill up on Wednesdays and Saturdays when we have market days. They usually sell fur clothing and boots, and some sell vegetables, and others sell homemade crafts."

Wow.

When we passed the market, we finally entered the open fields. There were people standing with hoes and shovels, some pushing carts and carrying mulch. Upon seeing my grandfather, they came to a sudden halt from their work.

They bowed as we passed by, then got back to work. An old lady approached the horse slowly. She looked too old to be doing hard labour of any form. When my grandfather noticed, he slowed down the steed. She finally caught up.

"My Lord, please spare me something to buy medicine for my grandson. He has fallen ill."

My grandfather looked up at the onlookers and took a deep breath.

"Here," he said, reaching into his coat and pulling out a small silver ingot. He then pulled out a pouch with small silver pieces. The crowd of onlookers had now surrounded the steed, and he started handing out the pieces. Almost as if he knew this would happen, but he just couldn't ignore the woman in need, nor could he ignore the people around.

When the money ran out, he shook the bag in front of the crowd to show it was empty. At this, they started to move back to their work.

We moved through the farm some more. We then saw the stables and the animal sheds. I saw all the cows, goats, and pigs that were being kept and how they fed vegetable stalks to the animals.

"Have you seen enough?" he asked, looking at me.

"Yes… Can you show me the mines another day? Or the barracks?" I asked.

"I am afraid not."

"Why?"

"It's too dangerous out there, kiddo, especially the barracks. I might consider taking you to the mines when you are older, though. When you can ride a horse by yourself. Deal?"

"Deal."

As he turned the steed to head back, he suddenly stopped again.

"Aldric, is that you?" he shouted, waving at a man hoisting hay onto a cart.

"My Lord," the man called back with a smile.

He had light brown hair and was missing a hand. His face was sunken in, and he looked worn out and tired.

He rushed over. At this, my grandfather climbed down and left me on the horse.

"How have you been?"

"I've been well enough. How's the border?"

"Calm for now," my grandfather answered.

"Would you like some tea?" he asked.

"No, we couldn't. We were on our way back." At that, the man suddenly realized I was present. He turned his head to me.

"Aren't you a pretty one?" he said in a kind manner. "Hello there."

"I thought you were too old to sire children, Darius," he teased, to which my grandfather snorted loudly.

"I see your disability did not alleviate your idiocy. This is my granddaughter, Evelyn," he introduced.

"Ah, I see. Didn't you always brag your family was in the south? How comes she is here?"

"That's a story even I don't understand, my friend," he said to change the subject. "How is Talia?"

He didn't answer this question. He just nudged my grandfather back onto the path. They walked side by side, talking about different things. From this, I realized he had worked under my grandfather in the barracks.

They had an odd relationship, like Victor and Bram, which I found quite endearing, even though my grandfather seemed almost twenty years older than him.

After a while, we were back at the market, then we entered the east entryway into the commoners' dwelling. After a few turns, we reached a footpath leading into the settlements. Aldric went ahead as my grandfather lowered me from the horse and tied the horse to a post. We then followed in single file after Aldric. It didn't take long to get to the structure.

It had three rooms—a living room, a kitchen of sorts, and a room to the left that was closed off. The floor was clean. There was a mat made from animal skin on the living room floor. I also noticed there was no separation between their house and the neighbours' house. They shared one wall with the neighbours around them. There was a dining table with four seats on the far end and one long seat along the wall.

Aldric opened the kitchen door and called out, "Luca."

A small boy about my age came stumbling out. "Go to the main road and look after the horse that's been parked there."

The boy didn't answer. He just adjusted his worn-out jacket and pushed past us. For a moment, his gaze met mine. A look of curiosity flashed in his eyes. He bowed to my grandfather, then ran out of the house.

"He has grown taller," my grandfather said.

"Yes, he has. He is looking after his mother at the moment."

There was a moment of silence between the men, and then Aldric went into the kitchen and fetched a few chipped mugs and a pot of hot tea. We sat at the dining table. I took a few sips of the tea at a time as I quietly listened to the men talk. But I could hear another sound. Laboured breathing that didn't stop. Then an occasional cough coming from the closed-off room.

After some time, I heard a shuffle, and then the door creaked open. A thin woman who looked like she had severe malnutrition walked out. She was covering her mouth and looking up at my grandfather.

"Darius, is that you making all this ruckus in my house?"

"Hello, Talia. How are you holding up?"

"Did we wake you up? Sorry, dear," Aldric said.

"It's quite alright," she said, gesturing to her husband to pull out a seat for her. Then she turned to my grandfather. "I am doing so-so. The medicines the doctor you sent out gave are okay for easing the pain but prove ineffective for the cough. Thank you, though. It feels hopeless at the moment, but it will be fine. Have you seen my Luca? He has grown strong like Theo. Any word on my Theo?" she asked almost hesitantly.

"Nothing at the moment, Talia. I am sure he is doing okay." My grandfather sighed.

Talia breathed out a sigh of relief. "It's scary seeing you come here after so long. I thought maybe something bad had happened to my Theo. I'm glad."

She stood up and pointed at me. "And you are?"

"Evelyn," I said, eyeing her.

"What a pretty name. Have you seen Luca? He has been cooped up with me for so long, I'm afraid he's become a bit lonely, especially since Freya left for the estate. Would you mind talking to my boy?"

"Honey, I sent him to look after Darius's horse. You know how the thieves get around these parts."

"Ah, I am sorry for the inconvenience," my grandfather stated. "I had no idea we would meet so suddenly. You can send him to the manor when you feel better. I'll find him some work, then he can stay with all the other children."

"How thoughtful. I'll make sure I do," Talia said, quite happy.

She wanted to get a mug from the kitchen. She took a few steps, entered, then came out with a cup. At this, Aldric rushed to serve her tea.

"If you wanted a cup, you should have said. Don't push yourself too hard, dear, till you recover."

"I can do this much for myself," she answered.

But before she could finish her sentence, she began to cough continuously. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Aldric stood up to help her sit back down. When she finally stopped coughing and pulled the handkerchief away from her mouth, there was blood.

Consumption?

I knew that cough. I had heard it before—in my first life, in the cramped apartments of women who couldn't afford a doctor. Consumption. Tuberculosis. The wasting disease.

There was no cure here. Not with the medicine I knew how to make. Not without antibiotics that wouldn't be invented for centuries.

My stomach turned to ice. Can I even help her?

I thought back to everything I had written in my books. Sanitation. Airflow. Clean water. The disease spread through close quarters, through shared breath, through darkness and damp.

If I couldn't cure the sick, I could stop the healthy from falling ill. But how was I supposed to do that in a place like this, where I could hear the neighbour breathing? In a place so packed that the very breath I breathed had passed through hundreds of houses?

I started to feel claustrophobic.

"What medicines are you taking?" I suddenly asked, which caused the adults to look at each other in confusion.

"An extract of hemlock," she answered carefully.

Of course. Hemlock was used as a type of sedative and was used for respiratory ailments, but it was also toxic, I mumbled to myself.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Is there a window we can open?" I asked.

"Window?" Aldric and Talia asked in confusion.

My grandfather looked almost embarrassed at this.

"Sorry for her rudeness," he stated.

"They need ventilation," I said, but he had picked me up at this point.

"We will get going now. I have to go patrol. I will come by soon. Take care of yourselves."

He walked fast through the houses until finally, we got back to the horse on the main road. Luca was seated by the post, staring blankly into the sky.

When he saw us, he started walking back to his home without a word.

"Evelyn, try to have a bit of... situational awareness." He wasn't scolding me; his tone was more of advice. He placed me on the steed and hopped on.

"But she has consumption. It's a disease that's contagious. It spreads from person to person in closed areas. I was only trying to help," I stated.

"Oh, really?" he said with a serious tone. "Tell me more. Is there a cure?" he asked.

"No," I said plainly. "But you can improve the symptoms by improving ventilation, proper diet, and plenty of rest."

"Proper ventilation, huh? Is this disease in the south?" he asked.

"Yes," I lied.

"Oh, so that's the solution. But it would be almost impossible to ventilate this slum," he said, pulling the steed to move faster. "We would need to remodel the entire area and rebuild each structure for every single person and home in Ismere's commoner area."

"How much would it cost?" I asked.

My grandfather laughed—a dry, tired sound. "More than this town has seen in a hundred... no, two hundred years, child."

I said nothing. But in my mind, I was already counting. Already planning. Already wondering who I could write to. Who might listen.

The road to Ismere had been long. The road ahead would be longer.