31
Kiria
Rantoul lay on the far end of Á Quihilmar, the Gray Forest. The large town spanned the river. The mayor’s residence rose like a miniature fortress on one bank. Beside it, threaded among trees, were shops and theatres and money changing stations. Well-dressed citizens bustled along the streets, stopping by the various businesses and entertainment options. Ordinary citizens lived across the river on the larger half of town, where the structures were noticeably more dilapidated. Warehouses, factories, smithies, and small farms took up that side. Two bridges spanned the Apothelin River, connecting the disparate sides.
As they approached from a distance, Kiria was struck by the beauty yet odd segregation of the town. On her coronation tour, nobles had ferried her from one sight to a
