She kicked up a little dirt to line the hem of her dress as she trotted down the road.  Normally, she would have borrowed one of the horses for a market excursion, but the Castle didn't need anything she couldn't carry on her own.  Moreover, borrowing a horse today wouldn't seem responsible.  Halfway down the path she slowed to a walk and let herself soak in the nature.  Rows of towering trees lined the way to the castle, less like sentries and more like welcoming friends, shading the way with their branches.  Whoever had planted them couldn't have still been alive, unless of course they were vampires themselves.  She passed time puzzling over that, whether or not she knew a vampire gardener.<br/>She passed Joel, the usual courier.  He'd often come by with various missives to be given to the Captain, although he'd had the pleasure of delivering by hand to the Queen every now and again.<br/>"How's the good life at the castle, Maggie?" he asked, his tone just slightly flirtatious.<br/>"Oh, we're in a roight mess tadee, Joel." She replied, smiling but serious.  "I hope y' come wit' good tidings."<br/>"I swear, I don't know what tidings I have.  What's happened?"<br/>"They'll fill ye in, love, if they thin' tha's necessary.  Nothin' we cannah set roight.  Ye'd best hurry.  A letter'll be aught but welcome."<br/>She gave his arm a playful squeeze and jogged along.  Usually, they had good conversations when they met like that, and she hated to see anyone go away with a look of unfulfilled concern in their eyes.  She heard the sound of dirt flying and looked back to see him sprinting towards the castle.  A good man, Joel.<br/>She arrived in market not much later, greeting various friends and acquiescences left and right.  She made a bee line for the produce vendors, greeting them warmly and carefully picking out two bushel's worth of apples.  She'd seen Endorel make these before, and selected red, green, or golden in the quantities she remembered.  Pears were a little more expensive, but easier to pick out, and she grabbed an equal sum.  All of these she placed carefully at the base of her pack, surrounding them with soft rags so they didn't get bruised or dirty.  Endorel's coins were more than enough to pay.<br/>On her way to the spice vendors, a fellow put a hand on her rear.  She gave the man a sharp jab in the ribs with her elbow, and as she saw who it was, the two both laughed.  "Norman, ye lech.  Y'd thin' ta find another piece o' ass t' chase by now."  Norman had been one of Maggie's casual lovers for a while.  She kept him separate from her life at the castle, but she liked the way he picked on her.<br/>"I don't usually see you in market this early.  You have time?"<br/>"Oh, Oi wish, y' sodden bastard.  Ba' Oi'm act'ally on a deedline.  Walk wit' me."<br/>She went to purchase some oregano and peppers, as she explained that the horses have been vandalized.  She saw no reason to mention that a person died:  personal things like that shouldn't become rumors so easily.  But more to the point, Norman was what you would call the shade-tree sort: Not exactly a criminal, but certainly able to introduce you to some.  It was part of his charm.  She was disappointed when he didn't know anything about it.<br/>"If you think it was a man who did this, I might have a lead." he said.  When he saw Maggie's eyes light up, he pulled her to the side, whispering.  "It's actually what I'm up to, today.  Someone is trying to fence some high priced bauble, haggling the interested parties."<br/>"Why th' bloody 'ell would tha' have eenythin' t' do wit'.."<br/>"Because no one knows who he is." he gave her hair a ruffle and laughed.  "No matter how nasty the guy, no one likes a crook from out of town.  So I'm tailing him."  Maggie began to look around, and Norman turned her head to the side, angrily.  "Don't look!"<br/>Maggie grumbles at that.  "So Oim yer alibi tadee?<br/>Norman shrugged.  "Well, a girl as pretty as you could excuse a lot of things."  Another elbow went into his ribs, followed by a laugh.<br/>"Jus' 'elp me finish shoppin', ye ne'er do well," Maggie giggled as she went to the fabric vendor.  A few yards of lace and a roll of white cotton would suffice.  Some scavenging later and she'd have the dyes she needed.  The two bantered aimlessly for the next few minutes, and then parted.<br/>"Maggie." he said.  "Y'know where I'll be tonight."  The implication was not lost.<br/>She walked back up the path to the castle, feeling oddly lonesome after the bustle of the market.  She wondered absently if a hawker might actually have anything to do with this, and quietly resolved to pay Norman a visit later and find out.  Now, then, what was she going to tell the Captain..