Chapter 308: Another Guard Encounter
It wasn’t long before the moon took its place above the Midnight blue sky, and Samantha had gotten herself ready to leave with Brian. After a few advisable words from Elara, who had guided her on how to stay safe out there, Samantha quickly draped the thick cloak over her body, whilst concealing her features in just one swoop, a testament to how small the cloak made her feel.
When she was done, she exited the cottage with Brian and after an hour walk trying to maneuver their way out of the forest, they eventually made it to the main city. The city’s atmosphere hummed with an eerie blend of mysticity and mundanity, and as they moved along the cobbled stone path, Samantha’s visuals remained in the cloak, her golden-blonde hair peeking out from the hood.
Just as Brian had told her, the path was less crowded than she genuinely hoped it would be. Despite the enchanting surroundings, the people appeared like ordinary folks, their attire providing no hint of the magical potential that lay within them. The people seemed to be more familiar with themselves, as they had stopped on several occasions to offer greetings, and a few passed some of their greetings to Brian.
As they meandered through the cobblestone streets, Samantha’s concealed presence allowed her to observe the city’s denizens more closely. Unlike the people of GreenHollow, she visibly noted the absence of ostentatious robes, or sparkling accessories that often signified magical prowess. Instead, these people, whom she suspected to be from the witches and warlock’s clan, were dressed much like poor commoners, their magical ability hidden beneath a cloak of normalcy.
"These people... they don’t seem to be well taken care of." Samantha looked up from the depths of her cloak to gaze at Brian, and she wondered if he could see her regardless of the cloak. She noticed how his eyes surveyed the smiling people, when deep down, they were slowly being broken under the entrapment of the kingdom.
"It’s more painful when I come to the realization that she intends on feeding these innocent lives the result of her dark arts." He murmured with slight pity, "I keep wondering how they’ll react when they finally understand Carmela’s ploy; will they still offer her their support after finding out she kills innocent children and uses their blood to make herself stronger? Or will they show some hate when they learn she fed the blood of innocent children to them? I... really want to know." His chest heaved as a sigh escaped his lips, but that didn’t deter Samantha from asking.
"I get your point, but is it a normal thing for the citizens to wear rags in their own land? Why such a stark difference in their clothing?" She frowned at the divide, but then Brian let out a peal of laughter, and it didn’t sound like a happy one.
"This isn’t the North, things are done differently here, and the people don’t complain because it has always been that way– what could be normal to them, can be considered abnormal to you." Brian’s eyes held a somber intensity as he began to explain the peculiar rules of his kingdom, "in this realm, power comes with a price, and it’s not always it seems. The ruling class, those who wield substantial magic, dress extravagantly to showcase their authority and abilities. On the other hand, the impoverished wear rags, a deliberate choice to maintain a sense of balance and humility– according to them."
Samantha remained understandably quiet, scrutinizing the people who passed her by, whilst unhappy about the obvious disparity. Some of the people were closing their shops for the day, others were walking home with their family and children, and she could see behind that facade of theirs that there was no happiness instilled inside of them.