Chapter 20: An old witch and a conflicting tale
The sky as if mirroring the sombre sentiment of the village below looked gloomy and melancholic itself despite being clear above the forest.
Some villagers were collecting firewood and hopefully something to eat in his outskirts of the forest.
The recent blow of the tax collectors had crippled their already struggling agriculture. They didn’t know what or how they were going to survive from here on.
They couldn’t hope to buy back their animals, they didn’t even have enough to keep them sustained, the market had all but died down due to little to no influx of travellers and adventures passing through the village.
All they could hope for was help from the nearby city of Antsalimio. But given the attitude of the viscount recently appointed for the upcoming festival, it is highly unlikely.
Thinking this, the village woman almost broke down in the middle of the forest.
The man searching for roots along with her noticed her suddenly stopping and falling into her knees hurriedly checking upon her.
"What happened? Are you unwell?"
The woman looked towards him with glinting eyes and downcast expression almost to the point of crying and said,
"What will we do? How will our children survive the winter?"
Saying this she broke down completely on her husband’s lap.