-48-"I guess you'll be my employer from today. Unless you want out?" Said the woman standing in front of Miriel.Her hair was grey, curly and bundled like a sphere. Her face wizened and her eyes brown. Her gait slightly hunched but she was still more lively than Mark who was panting beside Miriel, leaning with his hands atop his knees as he stood."No, Madam Ollive," Miriel shook her head, "We hope you will keep caring for the house. We may be away for a lengthy time again.""That's fine and all as long as I get paid. I need a few things to do to entertain myself at my age." Ollive replied."Well I'll leave you young'uns alone now. The old coot's probably calling for me again." She added."Thank you, Madam Ollive. Be well." Miriel said."I've been well for a long time kid, ain't stopping now." Ollive cackled as she left.Miriel stared at Ollive's shrinking figure, then turned to the house in front of her.It was a two storey house built of wood and stone and bricks. The windows were adorned with glass panes and the roof slanted. A small porch bordered with wooden fences adorned the main door, and another bordered the balcony above.The house stood along one of the alleys between the luxurious parts of the Capitol - where the aristocrats thrived - and the multifaceted parts of the Capitol - where the people busted and bundled.The houses and buildings in the alley were more orderly constructed and spaced, but were neither luxurious nor exuberant."This is what we needed to see?" Mark said, as he straightened and stared at the house."Mm," Miriel replied, "It is a good house."The house wasn't as spacious as the mansion at Lerkester, nor as splendorous, but it was homely and inviting in its own humble way."Does it even matter? I would have been fine still forgetting it. We should sell it since we aren't staying at the Capitol," Mark continued, "And don't you have that other mansion here if we need to?""I sold it." Miriel said, eyes fixed on the house."You did?" Mark's eyes widened as he stared at Miriel."Why?" He asked."We needed the funds when the crops failed. It helped us last until we found the silver mine." Miriel replied, as she turned to Mark."Well, that was a good call I guess." Mark scratched his head as he turned to the house.They watched the house for a moment, as they stood on the street before it. There were many people walking along the street, but the hubbub was curtailed to the main streets and the plaza."Shall we head inside?" Miriel said, turning to Mark."Well, if you want to." Mark replied."It's your house Mark. You should be more excited.""I wanted the gold bags more than the house. Why didn't we take them from the bank as well?" Mark asked."We can take them out when we need them, Mark. For now, they are safer there." Miriel said."If you say so." He shrugged.They walked to the door, opened it and entered.Right past the door was a landing that extended a bit until it descended with a few stairs to the living room, where wooden planks covered the floors and the walls. There was a fireplace to the back of the living room, and stairs leading above nested on the right wall - supported from below - and windows on both side-walls. The place was, rightly, lacking in furniture.On the other side were cupboards fixed to the walls, with their bottoms aligned with the top of Miriel's head. Beneath the cupboards were counters that ran against the wall - with drawers below them - touching both back and front walls. They extended to the sides a bit, then extended towards the opposite walls for a bit, marking the separation of the kitchen area from the living room.The above room had a railing along the side of the stair-gap, the slanted shape of the roof above apparent, a bed to one corner and windows with panes along the walls.They opened the balcony door and walked out the balcony, a short protrusion that extended left and right with a wide vantage of the street below, its sides, and the row of houses along the opposite lane."This could be quite the lovely house." Miriel said, as she leaned on the handrail."Really? I'm the one who finds this stifling?" Mark stared at Miriel."It will grow on you if we stay here a bit." Miriel replied."Doesn't seem like we can. It's too empty and we aren't staying long enough to fill it." Mark replied."That is true," Miriel nodded,"Perhaps later then. We should hold onto it for now.""If you say so." Mark shrugged."Let's continue touring the Capitol, I want to see more of the stalls and games." He added."Fair enough. Let us continue." Miriel said.They left the house, locked the door and went to the main streets to resume their touring.They saw many games along the street, ones that Miriel hadn't seen on the others; shooting a tiny stick with a tiny bow, throwing coins to topple some odd-shaped boxes, a fish swimming contest, a rabbit running contest, and more.Miriel turned behind her to see Mark staring at a trickster, who was blowing bubbles and setting them on fire without popping them. His mouth ajar as he stared, his hands trembling.Miriel went to him and held his hand, then dragged him away."Remember Mark, this is the Capitol. We are far away and there are people all around you." Miriel said."Right, right. Sorry." Mark replied, walking along as Miriel pulled him.They passed many games and edibles but neither joined in nor bought any. They watched for a moment and walked past them all.There were as many people in the street as the day before, perhaps even more. Milling and walking about, crowding around the stalls here and there.As they walked by another stall, Miriel turned to look at Mark, who was standing on the ground looking at someone."Sord?" He called, staring towards one part of the street.A pale man with hazel eyes turned their way as he stood beside a stall, his eyes widened as he saw Mark."Kid?" He said.Mark walked closer to him while holding Miriel's hand, who followed along as she stared at Sord.The man was tall and lean, wearing gaudy clothes with a cloth tied around his waist that reached his ankles. His grey hair was tied and a kerchief covered his head."I haven't seen you since you returned to the Capitol. What're you doing here?" Mark asked, as he stood before Sord."I live here, ya dumbass. You surprised seeing a rat come out to the streets or something?" Sord replied."And selling fish shaped uh…cookies?" Mark said.He stared with squinted eyes at the stall beside Sord. Manned by two people with a crowd hovering in front, selling fish-shaped cookies and other edibles."They ain't cookies, they're pastries. Get it right dumbass." Sord said."Looks like cookies to me…" Mark mumbled.'Maybe Elle would like those.' Miriel thought, as she stared at the stall.Miriel stared at Sord and their eyes met."Fortune be with you. I am Miriel." Miriel bowed."Nice to meet you too m'lady." Sord replied with a bow."Heard someone named Mark get engaged a few months ago, never thought it'd be you. Should've asked Elk where you were from." Sord said, turning to Mark."Elk kept talking 'bout how Mark was dreaming of a girl. Was he talking 'bout you girl?" Sord asked Miriel."Probably," Miriel nodded, "No one else I can think of.""Well ain't he a fortunate one." Sord replied."What about Elk, you know where he is?" Mark asked.Miriel noticed Mark's ears were a bit red as he stood beside her."Well, the dumbass got married," Sord said, a wry smile on his face, "He got married to a nurse at the barricade. Can you believe it?"Mark shook his head, his mouth ajar and eyes wide."I thought he left with you. He was still at the barricade?" Mark said."He did. Then he dropped by here one day, telling me he was going to ask someone out," Sord replied, "Next thing I know, he's sending a letter telling me he got married, at the barricade ""And that was a few months back. You didn't see him?" Sord asked."No," Mark shook his head."Best leave it at that, kid. It's Elk, can't tell what's in that dumbass's head," So continued, "What about you? Been doing fine in your town?""Yeah, better. Much better." Mark replied."You sure?" Sord repeated, squinting at Mark."Mm," Mark nodded."We will care for him if he doesn't." Miriel said.Sord scratched his head as he turned to Miriel."Thanks for that, I guess. Wasn't long but we all banded together. Might have some problems but kid's got a good heart." Sord said."Thank you, for watching out for him." Miriel bowed."Hey boss! Get your butt over here and stop slacking!" Said a stall worker."That's my cue I guess. You two buying anything?" Sord asked."No." Mark shook his head."Perhaps later." Miriel said."Make sure ya buy some later, Festival's going on for a while after all." Sord waved his hand as he walked to the stall."That was Sord?" Miriel asked Mark."Mm," Mark nodded."What was that about him being a sewer rat?" Miriel said."Honestly, I don't know either." Mark shrugged, "Let's move on."Miriel nodded, and they walked on, hand in hand.