On frosty mornings the herbs crumble, so I waited until the sun was up. Watched him polish his sword the whole time. He never once looked up.

• The Tavern KeeperHe let a child sit beside him while he cleaned his sword?
  The Herb-Gathering ChildHe kept the blade turned the other way.
• The Village ChiefWhat did you pay him to watch?
  The Herb-Gathering ChildTwo herb roots. Not the expensive kind.