In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 34: Louis' Contribution~

Hey guys!! Sorry. #ShadowWednesday fell on Thursday again this week, aha.  Anyway, I just wanted to say that I love you guys for continuing to read this! I can't thank you enough! In regards to that, Wattpad is currently not letting me respond to your comments and that makes me so sad!! I love hearing from you guys and I look at EVERY.SINGLE.COMMENT. So if I'm not responding to you, that's why. But please don't let that keep you from commenting! I assure you that I see them and I love reading them! Tell me things you like or don't like or favorite characters or favorite anythings.

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It was true. As they got further into the city, there were so many people that she couldn't understand how they all fit in such close proximity without detriment to health and mental status.

The second surprise was the grandeur. "Where are all the beggars?" she asked aloud. How was it possible to eliminate poverty?

"They've been taken care of." It was Zayn that replied, looking over his shoulder at her briefly as they picked their way through the crowded streets. "Harry's mother and father played a significant role in establishing religion as part of the state government. Part of this meant forming a state where there were no poor people, no one impoverished or without a home."

Kalysta looked at the beautiful stone and brick buildings and the cleanliness of the streets. Neither Haven, her own Royal City, nor Westtown were slovenly, per se, but they had that lived in, messy look that she thought typical of cities. As well, people here were dressed cleanly and richly. There were obvious differences in fashion, which seemed to indicate class, but they were all about doing something, selling, buying. It was industrious, productive.

"This isn't even the Royal City," she commented.

"Quintus is much grander," Mahir responded, sounding excited.

"If Murdoch truly cared about disintegration of the class system then he would have started here first," she complained quietly, "but I suppose Cheshire is a much more formidable opponent than Elysium would pose."

The others were silent on the matter and she let it drop. They walked down the main street and when they reached The King's Grace Inn they stopped.

Zayn addressed Mahir. "I'll have you stay here and take care of getting the horses. Remember, don't let them flatter you into overpaying; you know how the Cheshine people can be. We need three good horses and make sure they have the stamina to keep pace with the Princess's horse."

"Starling," Kalysta supplied.

"Yes, to keep pace with Starling here." Zayn gave the horse a quick pat.

"Understood, Ambassador."

Mahir stepped into the inn.

"How will he buy three good horses?" she questioned.

"He's the one that keeps track of the purse," Louis said, turning to lead the way past the inn. "He's good with money."

They stepped away, moving down the road, Louis leading now, followed by Zayn and then Kalysta.

"What are we doing now?" She switched the reins behind her to grasp them in her other hand. Starling followed placidly.

"We need proper clothing. Ours is fit for sailing, but not for representatives of a King. We can't even arrive in Quintus dressed like this." Zayn's voice turned wry. "Your ripped ones would definitely not do."