The sun was already high when I left the inn. One silver gone for the room. Twenty copper left in my pocket. Not enough for food. Not even close.
I headed back out the gate. Same road. Same orange fields. Same salty breeze.
Yesterday I learned one thing: The merchants don't pay much for common herbs. But they buy a lot if you bring enough.
So today I aimed for way more.
I walked farther than yesterday. Past the orange trees, into the wilder patches where the grass grew tall and tangled. I found more feverfew. More stamina grass. Even big clusters of bitterroot — ugly little plants with purple flowers. I remembered from a book back home: bitterroot is used for fever and pain, sells okay if you dry it right.
I picked until my bag was bursting. Then I found another patch. And another. I kept going until the bag was so heavy I had to drag it part of the way.
By late afternoon my back was screaming. My hands were green and scratched. But the bag was five times fuller than yesterday.
I walked back to the city.
The market was still busy. I found a different stall this time — an old man with a gray beard and a table full of dried herbs.
_ Got feverfew, stamina grass, bitterroot. A lot of it.
The old man inspected the bag.
Old man: Good haul. You work fast, kid. And a lot.
He counted.
Old man: 6 silver.
I stared at the coins in my hand.
_ …really?
Old man: You brought five times yesterday's amount. What did you expect?
I nodded.
_ Thank you.
I left the stall.
6 silver.
Inn room: 1 silver. Food… finally possible.
I walked to a small food stall near the market edge. The smell of grilled meat hit me hard.
_ One steak and juice combo.
The stall owner handed me a wooden plate with a thick piece of grilled beef, some bread, and a cup of citrus juice.
I paid 1 silver.
I sat on a crate nearby and ate slowly.
The steak was salty, a little tough, but warm. The juice was sharp and sweet — orange, probably from the fields outside the city.
I felt human again.
After I finished I walked back to the inn.
The owner took the silver for the room.
I went upstairs.
The room felt a little less small tonight. The mattress was still hard. The air still smelled like dust.
But I had food in my stomach.
I lay down.
_ No alcohol if you're a minor, kids. Not that I was planning to anyway.
I closed my eyes.
Sleep came easier tonight.