It was only a couple hours after the King’s caravan left that the gates opened once more, this time to welcome in Nathalya the seamstress. Nathalya carried with her several bolts of fabric, and the woman that walked beside her carried a small trunk—likely full of sewing supplies. Aster and Rowan met them in the courtyard, and Aster greeted Nathalya as if she were an old friend.

“Thank you for coming here on such short notice!” Aster said as he pressed his left cheek to ...