With Kieran at the head, he, Jenabell, Lorne, and Linèa ran back street to back street, slum to slum, keeping out of sight. The thieves guild cloaks gave some protection, but not only did Kieran not have one, anyone not on the guild take wouldn't care either way. 

Arriving at the market via a disused alley, the group found themselves in an unpopulated section of the market. Once upon a time, the market had been the jewel of the kingdom. Every stall was filled with this and that from every corner of Sideria. Hilen farmers peddled their crops next to Kujei artisans hawking their trinkets and trifles. Now though, there wasn't a Kujei in sight and their stalls sat empty.

"I wish you could have seen it in its prime, it sure was something," Kieran said, head hung low. This was the first time Jenabell had ever seen Kieran be anything but animated. Coming from a market town herself, Jenabell understood better than anyone. This war had taken its toll on everyone. Not just her little corner of the world.

Jenabell took Kieran's hand in his. "You're right. I really wish I could."

Kieran shook his head and growled. "Stars! enough' of this! Let's get moving. The market should still have supplies for the trip." Kieran, still grasping Jenabells hand, moved to leave the dead Kujei quarter for a more populated section of the market creatively enough called fountain square. 

As they approached the fountain square, the silence of the Kujei quarter was broken by the growing noise of the bustling square. Encroaching closer, they could clearly make out one voice carrying above the normal hustle and bustle of the market.

Jenabell tugged on Kieran's hand. "Hey, Kieran? What's going on over there?" 

Kieran turned to see Jenabell gesturing towards the fountain where a large crowd had gathered. "Ugh crap, what is he doing here?" One figure stood above the rest. It was a tall, well-built man. His kempt suit radiated wealth, and his bearing exuded class. He was flanked on either side by guards in full armour with more spaced among the crowd. Whoever he was, he must have been someone of import to Hiless. Kieran pulled in close to the group. "Damn it, why did he have to be here! Today of all days. keep your heads down."

Jenabell began to worry. If Kieran was worried, This guy really must have been bad news. "Kieran, who is that? What's wrong?"

Sebastian's perspective 

"Of all people damn it! That's Rune. He's the head of the guild council and the most influential person in the city. He's also an outspoken Heilen purist who's been trying to have Kujei banned from the city since well before the war. We can't let him see us, but I need to know what he's doing." Kieran thought for a moment. "Stay towards the back, I'm going in for a better look"

As Kieran pushed his way through the crowd to get a good look at the spectacle, Rune began to speak. "My people," he began. His soothing voice fell like snow over the crowd. "I stand here today, not as your council head, but as one of you, one of the people of Hiless." A crash echoed across the square as Sebastian's guards slammed their spears against the cobblestones. "We find ourselves in uncertain times. As we speak, Kujei plot our end. They want the lands WE fought for, WE built, WE earned! By the sweat of our brows, WE built our homes; and now they plot to take them from us. Are we going to let them drive us out?" 

The voice of the once silent crowd boomed, a scream of "no!" and "never!" Kieran broke through the wall of bodies in his way and approached the front of the crowd. From here he could clearly see Sebastian, his animated movements, his disdain, his anger.

Again the guards slammed their spears to the ground, and again, a hush fell over the crowd. "Ha! I thought not. Proud citizens of Hiless. No, my fellow Hilen. Every day the Kujei land more of their scum on our southern shores. We may push them back, keep them off of our lands, but is that enough? I say no! If we want to live in peace, it's not enough to push them from our lands. No! If we are ever to be free, we need to push them from all lands!"

Once again the crowd erupted in celebration. "Yeah! They started this! Now we'll end it!" 

The sound of crashing spears ended the roar. "Thank you, my people! Now, the guild council believes this to be too far. They only want the Kujei gone from our lands. People of Hiless, make your voices heard. Tell the council you want war! War on our terms! War on their lands!"

In the midst of the shouting and cheers from the crowd, a ping of metal on stone came from the fountain as a knife struck the marble next to Sebastian's head

"You're nothing but a loud-mouth git! Can you really believe any of this crap you're spouting? Look at our city. How are we any better off now. This market used to be the jewel of our city. People from not only every corner of our continent but every corner of every continent. Now, look at us. Can you honestly believe we're any better off now?"

Rune nodded and the guards in the audience began to push forward, enclosing around Kieran. Before they could trap him, Kieran fell back into the crowd and made a break for the edge of the square, now with guards in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile, Jenabells perspective 

As Kieran pushed his way through the crowd, Jenabell, Lorne, and Linèa made their way back to a corner of the market where they could wait for Kieran out of sight. Lorne and Linea leaned back against the side of an empty stall and pulled their hoods down, obscuring their ears and eyes. Jenabell couldn't relax. She paced back and forth obviously unable to calm down.

After a minute or so of waiting, Lorne looked up at Jenabell. "Relax, you're making me dizzy"

"You aren't even looking at me"

"Your feet"

"I can't relax, you heard what Kieran said! That guy is dangerous enough to scare him and at least he's Hilen. Who knows what he means for us!" 

At that moment, The crowd in front of them erupted into cheers, only to be silenced by the clang of spears striking the ground. From where she stood, Jenabell couldnt understand quite what Rune was saying, but she didn't need to. His body was enough. His legs, spread in a balanced stance, his movements, confident in every action. Rune was a man who exuded power. That was until he was interupted by a metalic ping and the shout of a familiar voice. 

***

Suddenly the crowd parted, and out burst Kieran, running at full tilt away from where Jenabell had last seen him. "Jena come on! We gotta go!"

Kieran grabbed Jenabell by the wrist. "Why? What's going on?" Jenabell struggled to regain her balance after the shock of being pulled harshly forward.

"I'll explain later. Lorne, Linèa, now! run!"

A pair of guards pushed past the rows of people and immediately noticed Kieran frantically pulling on Jenabell with one arm, and Lorne with the other. As one guard gestured towards the other side of the crowd, the other levelled his spear and began to approach Kieran and company.

"Shopping can wait! South gate now!" With a final pull from Kieran, the group took off, escaping down the market square, back to the empty Kujei quarter they had arrived from. At the same time more of Rune's guards revealed themselves. Plain clothes guards who had been hiding with the crowd drew their swords and sprinted towards Jenabell and company, not that they could tell with their backs turned, sprinting for dear life.

Jenabell shouted at Kieran. "What did you do! We were just supposed to be shopping!"