It surprised us when the man spoke ,"That was a brave thing you did and the flip was very graceful." We looked at him in shock. Just the fact he had even stopped was a surprise and the compliment was even more of a surprise. "Thank you," I said even more embarrassed "Where do you work," he asked with curiosity. "I work for the cloak maker," I said. "How long have you worked for her," he asked curiosity clear in his voice. "For about a month," I replied. "Violet, can you work on the cloak that needs to be delivered tomorrow," Serin asked. "Yes, Serin," I replied. I went in to work on the cloak. I don't think I was suppose to hear the following conversation. "You promised you would leave people alone", Serin said sharply. "So, she was not here then," he said evilly. "She works for me, now you leave her alone," she said harshly. "I am not scared of you any more, Serin. Your days are up," he said as he walked away. Serin walked in with a worried expression. "What did he mean," I asked puzzled and concerned. "He meant nothing," she said absent mindedly. I worked on the cloak for a hour, it was almost finished ,but I needed to pick some herbs and berries before it got dark. I had not seen Serin since she left after grabbing her cloak and rushing out. I grabbed my cloak and basket and started down the street. It was quiet and nobody was out. Normally there where a few people out, it was unusual. There was a strange atmosphere, too. I felt like I was watched all the way to and from the forest, yet nothing happened. When I got back to the store Serin asked where I was and if anything had happened. "I went to pick herbs and berries. I usually do this time of day," I replied, " and nothing unusual happened. The only thing is that no one was out like usual, and it felt like I was being watched. I didn't see anyone." "I would like you to stay near the town from now on. It isn't safe to go into the forest anymore especially alone," said Serin. "Unfortunately, you know that won't work. We need the herbs and berries to dye the cloaks and thread. We also eat some of them so we can save as much money as possible. We don't make enough money to buy a lot from the market even if we have had more business lately," I stated. "You are correct," Serin said looking worried and strained. "Who was the man earlier," I asked. "He is the servant of a very powerful man who owns the land close to the town. His master lets him use most of what is his as long as it is cleaned afterward. The servant's name is Hedri and his master is called Lucas. Avoid both of them," she explained. I had a feeling she wasn't telling the whole story, but everyone has something they don't want to talk about. I went up to my room to sleep for the night it had gotten late while we were talking. Serenity was asleep on the bed. It was apparent she had been waiting for me. She had grown a lot since she had hatched, and soon she wouldn't be able to fit through the window. That might be a big problem.
