Chapter 2Mercy in Disguise

A year passed in a blur. Silas was two months old.

Alistair had passed his Licensed Scholar exams, bringing home a small stipend from the county. Aunt Eleanor, beaming, planned to use the money, along with her meager savings, to purchase a small house with a storefront in the county town. She hadn't even begun to look for a property agent when Alistair came rushing back to the village.

His scholar's cap was askew, and he was panting, breathless, when he burst through the door. "Mother," he gasped, "the South is in chaos! Refugees are everywhere! Master Davies says we must flee north!"

At his words, Owen suddenly yelped, "My bakery stall! What about it? I just started it up!"

Aunt Eleanor and Alistair both glared at him.

I clutched Silas tighter, my hands trembling. If we fled north, what would happen if Ethan returned and couldn't find us?

Seeing my distress, Alistair gently took Silas from my arms, murmuring comforting words to the baby.

A quarter of an hour later, Aunt Eleanor made her decision. Pack only what was essential. We would head north.

Alistair had persuaded eight other families from our village, along with his own tutor, Master Davies, and his family, to join us. Master Davies secured our travel permits. The very day they arrived, we left Valeria and headed north.

The chaos in the South spread faster than anyone had imagined.

At the city gates of Valeria, the guards reviewed our permits. One of them nodded to Alistair. "You were wise to leave." Alistair subtly slipped a silver coin into the guard's hand. The guard leaned closer, whispering, "The South is utterly engulfed in rebellion. Prince Aldrich of the Southern Marches has risen, and his forces have razed every town they've touched! The county magistrate has declared that in three days, no one from the South will be permitted entry, fearing they might be rebels. If you wish to be truly safe, you should travel two more cities north, to the hamlet of Stonehaven near the capital. It's vast and sparsely populated, exactly where new settlers are needed."

Alistair thanked the guard for the warning, then guided our small caravan forward.

We traveled for another ten days, finally reaching Stonehaven, just as the guard had described. It was indeed a quiet, sprawling place. Our group rented temporary rooms at the town's small inn.

Everyone soon agreed to pool their resources, purchase a large plot of land on the outskirts of town, and construct a shared compound – ten small cottages within a single large enclosure. The bonds forged on the arduous journey had become strong.

Three months later, the compound was complete, and we all moved into our new homes. Owen's grin stretched from ear to ear. The new kitchen had been specially designed for him; he had been growing weary of his apprenticeship at the town's tavern for the past three months. Now, with a new home, he could experiment with new recipes to his heart's content.

Alistair, meanwhile, continued his studies under Master Davies. He had learned much about governance and the common folk during our journey. Master Davies believed, without a doubt, that Alistair would be ready to test his mettle in the Imperial Exams the following autumn.