I both grinned and grimaced as we got to Definis.

As it was Monday, the street market was up, people called out and haggled from under every colour of the rainbow. Exotic birds from the continent Resiw screeched and small children giggled in delight, clutching brown bags of sweets. The heady smell of fifty different perfumes urged me off Saffron. I could almost taste the watermelon perfume from a good few metres off as I tied her to a tree, where she shifted impatiently.

"We've only got ten to get through today." I informed Tristan, making a beeline for shell necklace stall, trying to keep myself from the temptation of the books, sold by Mr Seole, someone who would gladly come to the palace to trade.

Mrs Conygham of the shell stall ripped her head from out her hands when she noticed me, having been otherwise unoccupied. "Your Highness! We haven't seen you in awhile."

"Duty came for me, Mrs Conygham. I do hope you'll forgive me." She beamed at me and then dropped another curtsey for Tristan.

"Well may I be of service, gentlemen? I doubt you'll be wanting any of my fine wares." I shook my head, upset now I had got to this part of the conversation.

"Mrs Conygham, I am so sorry." I forced out, handing over the first sheet of green paper. "Thomas fought very well, his generals held him in the highest esteem. I hope you und-" I stopped talking as she screamed and began to cry. I felt terrible, so simply placed the sixpence on her table and departed.

The market carried on, just there was a bit of tension when I passed; they were trying to figure out who was next.

I came across the Misses Freya and Feodora next, the latter being held in her big sister's arms. Feodora smiled at me and waved, I wasn't sure if I should wave back or not so just forged myself into my soldier's mindset. Freya noticed this and put her sister down. "Go and get yourself some sweets." She said to the little girl, feeling about for a coin purse. I saw a look in her eye as she started to panic.

"Here." I gave the little girl a shilling, which she took shyly. "Take my friend Tristan with you too, get him some sweets." They turned and left, the little girl happy, the tall man very much not so. "Miss Freya." I inclined my head towards a large tree out of the crowd - she had it worse than the rest. Her eyes slanted at me but she agreed, kicking the front of her old dress out as she walked.

"Was it Elij, Guy or my dad? Was it my brothers or my father?" She looked me in the eye as she asked it, and it was all I could do not to run away.

Soldier's steel Gavrila, what would Fenester say?

I drew the three sheets of paper out of the bag and heard her gasp as she counted them. I offered them up to her but she shook her head.

"I wanna know how they died. Was it fighting? Was it a good death? Where? Did you ever fight with 'em?"

I shook my head, pushing my hair out of my face. "I never had the pleasure of fighting with them I'm afraid. I've been informed by my Captains that there was an ambush on the west beaches in Baracosia. There was nothing we could do, but most men did fight to the end. There were deserters but your family weren't any of them."

Freya nodded slowly. "So they didn't even die at home. You have the three sixpence for me?"

I nodded, pulling them out of my jacket pocket. It surprised me that someone who had just lost the last men in her family could be so stoic, so familiar with the procedure. "Forgive me for asking, but are you alright?"

She glared up at me. "No I'm not, your Highness. I want this war to end. We all do. It's been going on for five years for goodness sake. My sister never even met 'er dad. Please end this war." She didn't look at me like the ladies in the palace. She looked fierce, but not without fear. Malicious but wary of my status.

"I'll do what I can to arrange an audience for the people with the king." I nodded my head in respect to her.

"You have more of those green sheets?" She asked, folding hers and putting them down the front of her dress with the three sixpence.

"Six more." I nodded.

She held out her hand. "The people don't want you here anymore, your Highness. We don't want your compassion. Not until you find a more useful job than executioner. We are on the brink of starvation, because of how yous keep on increasing prices. Don't let us starve, just to win a war. Please please don't."

I turned warily, thoroughly shaken, to realise that the whole marketplace had fallen pretty much silent, watching me. Hesitantly, I drew the papers out of my bag and handed them over to Freya, whose sister was back around her leg. I walked through the crowd, which parted and stared as I passed. Tristan was behind me.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as he moved the bag of sweets from one hand towards a small child. The child's mother pulled him away from Tristan.

We reached the horses and two old men untied them for us. Even Gertie realised that something was different.

The people still watched me so I figured I ought to give them something. "I agree with you that this war has gone too far." I used that voice I normally loved using, for the speeches and announcements. "Many of you are losing or have lost loved ones. You cannot see the point in the war." I paused, hesitant to speak it aloud, to admit to it, "You're starving. I promise you all now, you shall have an audience with the king, he will hear you. Good day." There was more I wanted to say, more I felt obliged to promise, but the lessons my father had drilled into me held my tongue, and unwanted emotion barred my throat.

We rode away again, the bag of sweets crinkling in Tristan's pocket.