She found her two wayward children and a gaggle of the town children in the street, surrounding a strange young woman. Lady Risel eyed the [Singer]—but Cara wasn’t overtly dangerous. She was just gazing at her dead iPhone.

“It’s out of power.”

“Oh no. Can you fix it? Please? What song was that? Are you going to sing that with—”

Sasi and Culin were crowded around, but they paled when they saw their mother. Lady Risel strode forwards and everyone backed up. The two children hid behind Cara.

“Sasi, Culin! You two are in trouble. Stop bothering this…excuse me, are you the songmistress?”

Cara blinked at the [Lady]. She didn’t seem much like a Victorian-era lady from England, but she was certainly in charge. She nodded.

“I’m not the songmistress; just a traveller. But I’ll be performing with Violetta. Are you their mother?”

“I am Lady Risel Afiele, yes. Thank you for entertaining my children. Was that your music? Sasi, and Culin, step forwards now.”

They came out from behind Cara, warily. Another odd thing; they’d have never done that to any stranger. For a moment Risel worried. But—then she paused and considered Culin and Sasi again.

Her son and daughter were looking very nervous, guilty, and Culin was trying to hide a clearly-torn sleeve. But Risel’s ire was dampened because—

They had been smiling and laughing when she got there. The [Lady] had seen it. She couldn’t remember seeing such carefree expressions in a while.

“What do you two have to say for yourselves?”

“Sasi made me do it.”

Culin blurted out. His sister shoved him. Lady Risel’s lips twitched. So did Cara’s. Sasi protested.

“We were just going for a bit. We didn’t want to bother Meltain!”

Sasi’s wide-eyed expression of sincerity fooled no one. Her mother folded her arms and the girl shrank.

“Sorry.”

Risel glanced at Cara and relented.

“We will discuss this later. For now, we will have Culin’s sleeve repaired, and you two will come back to the keep with me. Your father and I will have to decide what to do with you two.”

They wilted. But Risel turned to Cara and nodded.

“Miss, thank you for entertaining my children. Are you a…[Singer]?”

“That’s right. Your children didn’t bother me at all.”

“Well, I am grateful. And I cannot recall when we had a [Performer] of any kind in town last. Please.

Accept this. And—I would dearly like to hear the music that entertained my children so.”

“Oh. Um…”

Cara blinked at the two silver coins Risel offered her. It was a bit dear for Risel, but she wanted to repay those smiles she’d seen. The young woman hesitated, and took the coins.

“Thank you.”