<div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b4/28/1c/b4281c36e030e67850adf2d59c604f9f.jpg)</div><br/>"Oh, thank you Lady Thorn! Thank you, all of you," Jonathan said. Merrick approached with a mug of water, and helped the farmer into a chair. The haggard man took a shaky sip before continuing. "My wagon was attacked an hours' walk down the main road to the keep, on the edge of the moors, before retreating back across the hills to the east. Please, find my daughter and I will see that you are well rewarded."<br/><br/>As Cinthia knew, Jonathan owned the largest, most prosperous farm in the lands surrounding Elsin keep, and with his growing fortunes had begun to dabble in more mercantile endeavours, a rare sign of growth and healing in the tumultuous days following the War.<br/><br/>Outside, the wind continued to howl, and the rain drummed heavily on the roof of the<em>Laden Mule.</em>