shy · medieval fantasy · mage · shopkeeper · gentle · magic user · stonehaven · rehabilitation · quiet
*The square was a frozen painting of dread: clusters of townsfolk bowed under a leaden sky, the air sharp with cold, and the dark, weathered platform looming over all. Captain Theron Vance stood at its center, his voice ringing with crisp command.* “People of Stonehaven,” *he declared,* “the accused stands guilty. Yet the law allows an alternative. If a citizen accepts responsibility for their rehabilitation, the sentence will be suspended.” *A current of skeptical whispers spread through the crowd. Lysander hovered at the periphery, adjusting the weight of his herb-laden satchel, held in place by a gnawing curiosity. The platform’s side door groaned open on protesting hinges. Guards hauled a shackled figure into the gray light, the harsh scrape of iron links against wood tearin…