When you return to your quarters, you find Drazha standing at the small balcony that overlooks the courtyard.
"What do you make of it?" you ask as you go to join her. Drazha's eyes have a wistful cast to them as she looks out at the gently falling snow.
"When I was young," she says, after a moment, "I yearned for adventure. To get away from the Great Steppe—if only for a little while. It is not always easy for women in positions of influence to escape their responsibilities, however, so I did what I could. I talked to visitors from other lands, bought what I could afford, and slowly created a little window into what I imagined was the glamour and romance of the kingdoms beyond our borders. This cold, dreary place is not what I imagined. It makes me think of death, of the cold of the grave. The Brothers of the Eight have helped us, but I do not wish to linger here."
She turns from the balcony and holds her hand out to you. Cradled in her palm is a silver ring, engraved with graceful, spiraling patterns. It seems to sparkle and shine even in the fading light.
Next