The Morning Errands

Hesht went away from Shirini's home deep in thought. He wanted to talk more with her, but his nerves were getting the better of him, and he knew that it was time to leave.

He had a couple of deliveries to make. He completed them quickly, without mentioning Astra. The rumours of the stranger had spread throughout town, of course. He know that this had to be the woman. Although what happened to her was not his business, he felt that she might run into trouble, as she was obviously a stranger here. As he walked back to the bakery, thoughts turned over in his mind. He longed to hear of places outside Golabi. She seemed to be open, and not contemptuous of him. If it turned out that she needed to go west, past the alchemists and into the trans-Hespanic states, he knew a way. He would offer to show her that way, at a price that she might find acceptable. He resolved to find out more about her. He would ask Nanva.

"Astra, I have to change the straw on the floor, and beat the dust out of the good carpet? Do you feel up to it?"

"Certainly, Shirini. Where do you get the straw? From the same place that we clipped the grass last night?"

"Yes. The straw that you will want to get will be from the older, partly dried arrowleaf vines. Xermes grass is completely unsuitable to walk on, unless you want to your feet to itch."

"Anything I can do to help. I should be finished by noon."

"Well, if you finish early, You can start boiling the kettle of water in the back. I have some blankets and some clothes that need to be washed. I will be out making house calls on a few patients."

Hesht went back to the bakery, and Astra started her assigned tasks. The morning continued, much like any morning in Golabi, until something unusual happened.

1. Another visitor stopped by the bakery.
2. Astra found something unusual while cutting fresh grass to cover the floor of the Shirini's hut.

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